SOP_NUMBER: 104.29
TITLE: Salary Regulations
REFERENCE_CODE: IVO07-0001
DIVISION: Administrative & Finance Division (Human Resources)
TOPIC_AREA: 104 Policy-HR Payroll/Compensation/Salary
EFFECTIVE_DATE: 2020-10-13
WORD_COUNT: 2796
POWERDMS_URL: https://public.powerdms.com/GADOC/documents/105233
URL: https://gps.press/sop-data/104.29/
SUMMARY:
This policy establishes the GDC's procedures for employee compensation to ensure equitable and adequate pay in compliance with federal and state laws. It covers entrance salaries for new hires and advance hires, salary adjustments for promotions and demotions, performance-based increases, and various pay-related actions. The policy applies to all GDC employees and outlines the roles of appointing authorities and the Department Human Resources Director in approving salary decisions.
KEY_TOPICS: salary regulations, entrance salary, pay grades, promotions, demotions, salary adjustments, performance-based increases, advance hires, job reassignment, compensation, working test period, classified employees, unclassified employees, salary supplements, pay plans
ATTACHMENTS:
1. Acknowledgement for Employees Changing to an Unclassified Position
URL: https://gps.press/sop-data/104.29-att-1/
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FULL TEXT:
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|GEORGIA DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS
Standard Operating Procedures|Col2|Col3|
|---|---|---|
|**Policy Name:**Salary Regulations|**Policy Name:**Salary Regulations|**Policy Name:**Salary Regulations|
|**Policy Number:** 104.29|**Effective Date:** 10/13/2020|**Page Number:** 1 of 10|
|**Authority:**
Commissioner|**Originating Division:**
Administration & Finance
Division (Human Resources)|**Access Listing:**
Level I: All Access
|
**I.** **Introduction and Summary:**
The Georgia Department of Corrections (GDC) will provide employees equitable and
adequate compensation in compliance with applicable federal and state laws, rules,
and regulations. Compensation levels will be based on objective, job-related factors
and the qualifications and performance of job incumbents.
**II.** **Authority:**
A. State Personnel Board Rules: 478-1-.12, 478-1-.15, and 478-1-.24;
B. GDC Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs): 104.07 Position Actions, 104.09
Filling a Vacancy, 104.14 Review of Applicant Qualifications, 104.15 Work Test
and Permanent Status for Classified Employees, 104.25 Transfers- Internal and
From Other State Agencies, 104.61 Performance Management, 104.64 Adverse
Actions (Classified Employees), and 104.65 Adverse Actions (Unclassified
Employees); and
C. ACA Standards: 2-CO-1C-01, 2-CO-1C-13, 2-CO-1C-15, 2-CO-1C-22, 1-CTA
1C-09, 5-ACI-1C-10 (ref. 4-4057), 5-ACI-1C-11 (ref. 4-4058), 5-ACI-1C-12 (ref.
4-4059), 4-ACRS-7B-04, 4-ACRS-7E-08, 4-ACRS-7E-09, 4-ALDF-7B-01, and
4-ALDF-7E-03.
**III.** **Definitions:**
A. **Advance Hires** - Employees who are hired at a salary above the pay grade
minimum due to the employee possessing unique skills, fluent multi-lingual or
special licensure, or due to the position having a history of recruitment problems.
B. **Appointing Authority** - Individual specifically designated by the Commissioner
to make decisions that directly affect the status of persons employed by the agency.
C. **Conditional Pay Supplement** - A temporary supplement added to base pay that
continues as long as the employee meets the qualifying conditions. These
supplements are discontinued whenever the qualifying conditions no longer apply.
|GEORGIA DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS
Standard Operating Procedures|Col2|Col3|
|---|---|---|
|**Policy Name:**Salary Regulations|**Policy Name:**Salary Regulations|**Policy Name:**Salary Regulations|
|**Policy Number:** 104.29|**Effective Date:** 10/13/2020|**Page Number:** 2 of 10|
|**Authority:**
Commissioner|**Originating Division:**
Administration & Finance
Division (Human Resources)|**Access Listing:**
Level I: All Access
|
D. **Criteria-Based Increase** - Increases to base salary of employees who meet
established criteria. The new salary must conform to the salary range for the job
code for the employee’s position.
E. **Demotion** - Movement of a qualified employee to a job on a lower pay grade
within the same pay plan. When moving between two different pay plans, a pay
grade is deemed lower when it’s market average or midpoint salary is 5% or more
below the market average or midpoint of another pay grade.
F. **Entrance Salary** - The minimum salary set by the pay grade to which the person
is hired, promoted, transferred, or demoted.
G. **Job Minimum** - The pay grade minimum established as the hiring rate for each
job.
H. **Job Reassignment** - When the pay grade of a job is changed.
I. **Performance-Based Increase** - A salary increase based on an employee’s
performance which meets or exceeds performance standards.
J. **Promotion** - The selection of an employee to fill a vacant position in a job on a
higher pay grade, or the reallocation of the employee’s current position to a job
on a higher pay grade.
K. **Rehires** - Former employees from any State Agency who return to State
employment.
L. **Salary Increase** - An increase made to the salary of an employee who meets or
exceeds performance standards, when such adjustment is necessary to meet
departmental objectives. The new salary must conform to the salary range for the
job code for the employee’s position.
|GEORGIA DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS
Standard Operating Procedures|Col2|Col3|
|---|---|---|
|**Policy Name:**Salary Regulations|**Policy Name:**Salary Regulations|**Policy Name:**Salary Regulations|
|**Policy Number:** 104.29|**Effective Date:** 10/13/2020|**Page Number:** 3 of 10|
|**Authority:**
Commissioner|**Originating Division:**
Administration & Finance
Division (Human Resources)|**Access Listing:**
Level I: All Access
|
M. **Salary Reduction** - When the salary of an employee is reduced to a lower amount
without a change in the employee’s job or pay grade.
N. **Transfer to a Different Job** - The selection of an employee to fill a vacant position
in a different job on the same pay grade.
O. **Transfer Within Job** - The selection of an employee to fill a vacant position in
the same job.
P. **Working Test** - A probationary period of employment for a classified employee
during which the employee must demonstrate to the Appointing Authority the
knowledge, ability, aptitude, and other necessary qualities to perform satisfactorily
the duties of the position in which employed.
**IV.** **Statement of Policy and Applicable Procedures:**
A. Entrance Salary:
1. New Hires: New employees will be compensated on the pay grade minimum
for the job in which they are hired. Exceptions will be designated as Advance
Hires (See A.2 below).
2. Advance Hires: The Appointing Authority must submit Advance Hire requests
and justification to the Department Human Resources Director. Approvals for
compensating employees above the pay grade minimum may be based on one
or more of the following factors: 1) applicants who possess unique skills, i.e.
fluent multi lingual, special licensure or ; 2) jobs which have a history of
difficult recruiting; or 3) limited applicant pools.
3. Rehires: Former Correctional Officers, Transfer Officers, Sergeants,
Lieutenants, or Chiefs of Security returning to the same jobs, may be rehired
to enter at target salary for the job or up to the same salary as when separated
if the employee separated under good terms and performance met standards
after consultation with the appropriate Region Director.
|GEORGIA DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS
Standard Operating Procedures|Col2|Col3|
|---|---|---|
|**Policy Name:**Salary Regulations|**Policy Name:**Salary Regulations|**Policy Name:**Salary Regulations|
|**Policy Number:** 104.29|**Effective Date:** 10/13/2020|**Page Number:** 4 of 10|
|**Authority:**
Commissioner|**Originating Division:**
Administration & Finance
Division (Human Resources)|**Access Listing:**
Level I: All Access
|
B. Salary Adjustment:
1. Job Reassignment: If a job is reassigned to a different pay grade, the salary of
employees in positions assigned to that job will not change. Exceptions require
budgetary approval and approval of the Department Human Resources
Director.
2. Promotion:
a. Qualified employees may be selected to fill a vacant position in a job on a
higher paygrade or may have their current position reallocated to a job on
a higher paygrade.
b. Promoted classified employees must serve a twelve-month Working Test
period.
c. If a classified employee is promoted to an unclassified position, the
employee’s status will change to unclassified. The employee must
complete an Acknowledgement for Employees Changing to an
Unclassified Position (Attachment 1). This signed form must be submitted
with the Personnel Action Request (PA) for promotion.
d. Retroactive payments are not permitted.
e. Upon promotion, an employee’s salary will be increased by at least 5% but
no greater than 10% without the approval of the Department HR Director.
f. Salaries meeting the new Job Minimum, which is more than 10% above
the employee’s current salary, will not require additional approval.
g. Upon promotion, an employee may voluntarily agree to accept no increase
in salary; however, that salary will not be below the minimum for the new
job. Prior to a promotion without increase, the employee will complete a
|GEORGIA DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS
Standard Operating Procedures|Col2|Col3|
|---|---|---|
|**Policy Name:**Salary Regulations|**Policy Name:**Salary Regulations|**Policy Name:**Salary Regulations|
|**Policy Number:** 104.29|**Effective Date:** 10/13/2020|**Page Number:** 5 of 10|
|**Authority:**
Commissioner|**Originating Division:**
Administration & Finance
Division (Human Resources)|**Access Listing:**
Level I: All Access
|
written statement acknowledging the conditions of the promotion. The
written statement will be maintained in the employee's local and official
personnel file.
h. An employee whose salary is above the pay grade maximum for his or her
current job will not be eligible for an increase at the time of promotion,
unless the maximum salary for the new pay grade is greater than the
employee's salary prior to promotion.
3. Demotion:
a. Status of a classified employee after a demotion will be Working Test,
unless the employee previously held permanent status in the new job, then
the status will be permanent.
b. Demotion (Voluntary):
i. If an employee prefers to be assigned to a position in a job on a lower
paygrade, the Appointing Authority may make such demotion. This
would occur when a qualified employee applies for and is selected to
fill a vacant position in a job on a lower paygrade; or the employee
agrees to perform newly assigned duties that require the current
position to be reallocated to a job on a lower paygrade.
ii. An employee must submit a written statement for a voluntary
demotion, identifying the job and acknowledging the loss in pay. This
statement must be attached to the PA for the demotion.
iii. If a classified employee is being demoted to an unclassified position,
the employee’s status will change to unclassified. The employee must
complete an Acknowledgement for Employees Changing to an
Unclassified Position (Attachment 1). This signed form must be
submitted with the PA for demotion.
|GEORGIA DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS
Standard Operating Procedures|Col2|Col3|
|---|---|---|
|**Policy Name:**Salary Regulations|**Policy Name:**Salary Regulations|**Policy Name:**Salary Regulations|
|**Policy Number:** 104.29|**Effective Date:** 10/13/2020|**Page Number:** 6 of 10|
|**Authority:**
Commissioner|**Originating Division:**
Administration & Finance
Division (Human Resources)|**Access Listing:**
Level I: All Access
|
c. Demotion (Involuntary):
i. Employees may be involuntarily demoted for various reasons in
accordance with the State Personnel Board Rules.
d. The salary of an employee who is voluntarily or involuntarily demoted will
be reduced by at least 5% for every pay grade that the employee’s pay grade
changes, with consideration given to internal equity. _(Per SPBR, when an_
_employee is demoted, the employee’s salary may be set at any salary in the_
_new pay range that is not higher than the salary received prior to the_
_demotion.)_
The following steps should be followed to determine the salary after
demotion:
i. Determine the number of pay grades the new job is below the current
job. Multiply this number by 5%. This is the minimum percentage
decrease the employee should receive. **For example,** a demotion to
a job three pay grades below the current job will result in a 15% salary
reduction.
ii. If the minimum percentage decrease does not decrease the
employee’s salary below pay grade maximum, the employee must
take an additional reduction to pay grade maximum.
iii. If the employee was promoted within the past twelve months, the
salary must be set back to an amount equal to the salary increase
received when promoted; if the new pay grade is still lower, the
process outline above will also follow.
iv. If the employee was hired or rehired within the past twelve months,
the salary must be set back to an amount equal to the entry salary for
the job to which the employee is being demoted.
|GEORGIA DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS
Standard Operating Procedures|Col2|Col3|
|---|---|---|
|**Policy Name:**Salary Regulations|**Policy Name:**Salary Regulations|**Policy Name:**Salary Regulations|
|**Policy Number:** 104.29|**Effective Date:** 10/13/2020|**Page Number:** 7 of 10|
|**Authority:**
Commissioner|**Originating Division:**
Administration & Finance
Division (Human Resources)|**Access Listing:**
Level I: All Access
|
v. Such salary will not be less than the minimum pay grade hiring rate
of the job to which the employee is demoted.
vi. Requests for demotions without a loss in pay must be endorsed by the
appropriate Assistant Commissioner, who will submit the request to
the Department Human Resources Director for final approval.
4. Promotion and Demotion:
a. Employees must meet the minimum qualifications for the job to which they
are being promoted or demoted. For information on processing Applicant
Qualification Review, reference SOP 104.14 Review of Applicant
Qualifications.
b. For an employee changing to a different position, prepare a PA to promote
or demote the employee. The effective date must be the first (1 [st] ) or the
sixteenth (16 [th] ) of the month. Attach the PA and the Applicant Review
Decision Form from Corrections Human Resources Management (CHRM)
Employment Services Unit.
c. Submit the PA and any additional documents to the assigned CHRM HR
Tech by the established cut-off date for the effective date of the promotion
or demotion.
d. For an employee remaining on their current position, in addition to the PA
referenced above, a separate PA and Position Information Form to
reallocate the position to a higher/lower level job must be prepared and
submitted to the CHRM Job Evaluation Unit.
5. Transfer:
a. An employee who is transferred to a new job on the same pay grade will
be paid on the same salary which the employee received prior to transfer.
|GEORGIA DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS
Standard Operating Procedures|Col2|Col3|
|---|---|---|
|**Policy Name:**Salary Regulations|**Policy Name:**Salary Regulations|**Policy Name:**Salary Regulations|
|**Policy Number:** 104.29|**Effective Date:** 10/13/2020|**Page Number:** 8 of 10|
|**Authority:**
Commissioner|**Originating Division:**
Administration & Finance
Division (Human Resources)|**Access Listing:**
Level I: All Access
|
b. Employees who are laterally transferred with no change in salary may be
eligible for special salary considerations under Flexible Salary
Administration (See IV.C. below).
C. Flexible Salary Administration: Conditions may exist whereby adjustments to
salary become necessary. Such adjustments may be processed as either criteriabased adjustments or conditional pay supplements.
1. Criteria-Based Increase: Criteria-based increases are used for the following:
a. Permanent changes in responsibilities that do not warrant reallocation of
the position to a job on a higher pay grade. Such changes must be
documented in the performance plan, reflecting significant changes in
variety, complexity, or scope of responsibilities/competencies through job
growth.
b. Establishing equitable salary relationships among employees performing
the same type and level of work. Factors that should be considered include
education, skills, competencies, and/or contributions to the agency's
objectives.
c. Retaining high-performing employees and reducing turnover as a result of
labor market changes when incumbents are performing duties key to
business objectives of the agency.
d. Requests for new criteria-based plans, with supporting justification, must
be submitted to the CHRM Job Evaluation Unit.
e. Plans for criteria-based adjustments are finalized by the CHRM Job
Evaluation Unit and are filed with the DOAS Human Resources
Administration.
|GEORGIA DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS
Standard Operating Procedures|Col2|Col3|
|---|---|---|
|**Policy Name:**Salary Regulations|**Policy Name:**Salary Regulations|**Policy Name:**Salary Regulations|
|**Policy Number:** 104.29|**Effective Date:** 10/13/2020|**Page Number:** 9 of 10|
|**Authority:**
Commissioner|**Originating Division:**
Administration & Finance
Division (Human Resources)|**Access Listing:**
Level I: All Access
|
2. Conditional Pay Supplement: Conditional pay is administered for the
following:
a. Skills, working conditions, scope of responsibilities, or other factors
differentiating position responsibilities from those more generally
described in the official job description. Conditional pay should be
discontinued whenever the qualifying conditions no longer apply.
**Example:** Correctional Officers who are members of Correctional
Emergency Response Teams.
b. Requests for new conditional pay plans, with supporting justification, must
be submitted to the CHRM - Job Evaluation Unit.
c. Plans for Conditional Pay Supplements are finalized by the CHRM - Job
Evaluation Unit. Each plan must be approved by the Office of Planning and
Budget and DOAS/HRA.
d. Conditional pay will not be included as a basis for calculating pay upon
promotion, demotion, or transfer. Conditional pay must be used in
calculating FLSA overtime payment for nonexempt employees.
D. Performance Based Increases:
1. An employee is eligible for a salary increase based on performance that meets
or exceeds minimum criteria established by the agency. The Commissioner
will determine, in accordance with the intent and appropriations of the General
Assembly, when increases will be available to employees and how the
increases will be applied to the employees’ base salary.
|GEORGIA DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS
Standard Operating Procedures|Col2|Col3|
|---|---|---|
|**Policy Name:**Salary Regulations|**Policy Name:**Salary Regulations|**Policy Name:**Salary Regulations|
|**Policy Number:** 104.29|**Effective Date:** 10/13/2020|**Page Number:** 10 of 10|
|**Authority:**
Commissioner|**Originating Division:**
Administration & Finance
Division (Human Resources)|**Access Listing:**
Level I: All Access
|
E. Salary Reductions:
1. Salary reductions may be made for disciplinary purposes, budgetary purposes,
or on a voluntary basis. If salaries are to be reduced on a voluntary basis,
there must be a written agreement signed by the affected employee and
maintained in the employee's local and official HR file.
2. A salary reduction may be effectuated by a five (5) % reduction or more to
current salary. Salary reductions may in some circumstances, such as an
adverse action, be lower than the pay grade minimum salary. Typically, salary
cannot be lower than the pay grade minimum if an adverse action is not
involved.
3. An employee whose salary has been reduced on a voluntary basis will retain
eligibility for the salary received prior to the reduction. The Appointing
Authority may restore such salary the first day of any pay period following
reduction after receiving approval from the Department Human Resources
Director.
F. The Department HR Director has the authority to make any additional adjustments
to salaries after a change in employment status in order to maintain internal salary
equity. Any adjustments will be documented and maintained in the employee’s
HR file.
**V.** **Attachments:**
Attachment 1: Acknowledgement for Employees Changing to an Unclassified
Position.
**VI.** **Record Retention of Forms Relevant to this Policy:**
Upon completion, Attachment 1 shall be retained permanently in the employee’s HR
File.