Common use of Classification Issues Clause in Contracts

Classification Issues. The parties agree that the Classification process is intended to ensure that employees are in appropriate job classes based upon the required knowledge, skills and abilities of their positions. (a) Administrative Review" of reclassification/reallocation actions for bargaining unit positions will be limited to only those positions which have been downgraded. (b) The incumbent of any bargaining unit position whose position has been downgraded since July 1, 1992, through reclassification or reallocation and whose salary exceeds the maximum for the new pay grade will not have their salary reduced as a result of the downgrade. (c) Classification and grade level review of an occupational class that is predominately populated by OPT or SLT bargaining unit positions, or a review of the classification assignment of an individual position, may be requested by the Union at any time during the month of June. (1) A total of 25 Individual studies will be accepted in June 2017 in preparation for the FY 2018 studies. A total of 25 individual studies will be accepted in June 2018 in preparation for the FY 2019 studies. (2) The threshold for accepting individual position studies consists of the following (a) The employee must give written explanation of how and why the position's duties and responsibilities have changed and are no longer consistent with the position's current classification assignment; and, (b) An explanation of where the new duties and responsibilities originated. (3) Requests for Position Reclassifications will be denied based on the conditions listed below: (a) Studies that were previously reviewed less than 36 months from the date of the request. (b) Employees who have received additional work which falls within their current position description. (c) Employees who have been employed with the County for less than one year; or (d) Employees who are on probation. (4) Requests for Position Reclassifications will be accepted based on priority as ranked below: (a) Documented recent reorganizations, duties could not be reassigned to employees performing similar graded work, and there is a possibility that higher-level duties were assigned to employees performing lower graded work. (b) Change in duties directly relating to the Department priority objectives or mission for FY 2018 or for FY 2019, respectively, as reflected in the County's Operating or Capital Budget and/or the Department's strategic plan. (c) Change in duties relates to a global change such as a change in a federal, state, County, or local law and/or County Executive priorities. (d) Requirements of some of the positions in the class have changed, i.e., certifications, licenses, etc. (e) Seniority of the employee as denoted in Article 8 of this Agreement. (d) Requests for an occupational class study must document factual evidence of a material change in the duties/responsibilities of the job class, and must clearly demonstrate that said changes have substantially affected the work of the class. Within 30 days of receipt of a request to study an occupational classification, OHR shall inform the Union of the acceptance or denial of the request. (e) When conducting occupational class studies, the Union and the Employer shall work collaboratively, ensuring that the following procedures are a part of the process: (1) The Union and the Employer shall share information and establish timeframes. (2) Orientation sessions, in-person and/or online, shall be conducted for affected employees. Employees will be provided with information concerning timelines, process, and other relevant matters. (3) The Union and the Employer shall select a subset of the employee population that will be randomly selected to attend focus groups/interview sessions. This subset of the employee population selected shall be between ten to thirty percent of the employees populating the class. (4) Affected employees shall be provided periodic status updates. (5) Affected employees will be provided with appropriate and reasonable time to participate in the process, during normal working hours, where operationally practicable. (f) An occupation classification study request will not be reviewable more often than every 36 months from the completion of the most recent study. However, the OHR Director shall determine if an occupational classification study is justified within a period less than 36 months, based upon reorganization or significant restructuring. Denial of study requests shall not be grievable or arbitrable. (g) OHR will inform the Union of its intent to study an occupational class that is encumbered by Union positions, or an individual bargaining unit position, when the request for the study was not initiated by the Union. Prior to a decision to study a class, the Union may request a conference with the OHR Director. (h) Position classification decisions are not grievable. However, UFCW Local 1994 MCGEO may request the review of any classification recommendation by an independent classification expert within six (6) months of the occupational class study recommendation. When such requests are made: (1) The Employer and the Union will jointly select an independent classification consultant; (2) The Employer and the Union will equally share all costs for the independent classification consultant; (3) The findings and recommendations of the independent classification consultant will be forwarded along with the recommendations of the Office of Human Resources to the Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) and the Union prior to a final classification decision by the CAO. (i) Subject to Article 2 of the Agreement, individual position classification review requests shall continue to be made and processed pursuant to AP 4-2. Such requests shall not be grievable pursuant to this Agreement. (j) Each bargaining unit member whose position is reclassified upward, or whose job class is reallocated upward, will receive increases as provided in section 5.14 –

Classification Issues. The parties agree that the Classification process is intended to ensure that employees are in appropriate job classes based upon the required knowledge, skills and abilities of their positions. (a) Administrative Review" of reclassification/reallocation actions for bargaining unit positions will be limited to only those positions which have been downgraded. (b) The incumbent of any bargaining unit position whose position has been downgraded since July 1, 1992, through reclassification or reallocation and whose salary exceeds the maximum for the new pay grade will not have their salary reduced as a result of the downgrade. (c) Classification and grade level review of an occupational class that is predominately populated by OPT or SLT bargaining unit positions, or a review of the classification assignment of an individual position, may be requested by the Union at any time during the month of June. (1) A total of 25 Individual studies will be accepted in June 2017 in preparation for the FY 2018 studies. A total of 25 individual studies will be accepted in June 2018 in preparation for the FY 2019 studies. (2) The threshold for accepting individual position studies consists of the following (a) The employee must give written explanation of how and why the position's ’s duties and responsibilities have changed and are no longer consistent with the position's ’s current classification assignment; and, (b) An explanation of where the new duties and responsibilities originated. (3) Requests for Position Reclassifications will be denied based on the conditions listed below: (a) Studies that were previously reviewed less than 36 months from the date of the request. (b) Employees who have received additional work which falls within their current position description. (c) Employees who have been employed with the County for less than one year; or (d) Employees who are on probation. (4) Requests for Position Reclassifications will be accepted based on priority as ranked below: (a) Documented recent reorganizations, duties could not be reassigned to employees performing similar graded work, and there is a possibility that higher-level duties were assigned to employees performing lower graded work. (b) Change in duties directly relating to the Department priority objectives or mission for FY 2018 or for FY 2019, respectively, as reflected in the County's ’s Operating or Capital Budget and/or the Department's ’s strategic plan. (c) Change in duties relates to a global change such as a change in a federal, state, County, or local law and/or County Executive priorities. (d) Requirements of some of the positions in the class have changed, i.e., certifications, licenses, etc. (e) Seniority of the employee as denoted in Article 8 of this Agreement. (d) Requests for an occupational class study must document factual evidence of a material change in the duties/responsibilities of the job class, and must clearly demonstrate that said changes have substantially affected the work of the class. Within 30 days of receipt of a request to study an occupational classification, OHR shall inform the Union of the acceptance or denial of the request. (e) When conducting occupational class studies, the Union and the Employer shall work collaboratively, ensuring that the following procedures are a part of the process: (1) The Union and the Employer shall share information and establish timeframes. (2) Orientation sessions, in-person and/or online, shall be conducted for affected employees. Employees will be provided with information concerning timelines, process, and other relevant matters. (3) The Union and the Employer shall select a subset of the employee population that will be randomly selected to attend focus groups/interview sessions. This subset of the employee population selected shall be between ten to thirty percent of the employees populating the class. (4) Affected employees shall be provided periodic status updates. (5) Affected employees will be provided with appropriate and reasonable time to participate in the process, during normal working hours, where operationally practicable. (f) An occupation classification study request will not be reviewable more often than every 36 months from the completion of the most recent study. However, the OHR Director shall determine if an occupational classification study is justified within a period less than 36 months, based upon reorganization or significant restructuring. Denial of study requests shall not be grievable or arbitrable. (g) OHR will inform the Union of its intent to study an occupational class that is encumbered by Union positions, or an individual bargaining unit position, when the request for the study was not initiated by the Union. Prior to a decision to study a class, the Union may request a conference with the OHR Director. (h) Position classification decisions are not grievable. However, UFCW Local 1994 MCGEO may request the review of any classification recommendation by an independent classification expert within six (6) months of the occupational class study recommendation. When such requests are made: (1) The Employer and the Union will jointly select an independent classification consultant; (2) The Employer and the Union will equally share all costs for the independent classification consultant; (3) The findings and recommendations of the independent classification consultant will be forwarded along with the recommendations of the Office of Human Resources to the Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) and the Union prior to a final classification decision by the CAO. (i) Subject to Article 2 of the Agreement, individual position classification review requests shall continue to be made and processed pursuant to AP 4-2. Such requests shall not be grievable pursuant to this Agreement. (j) Each bargaining unit member whose position is reclassified upward, or whose job class is reallocated upward, will receive increases as provided have his or her service increment date reassigned to the effective date of the classification decision. Bargaining unit members will be eligible for a future service increment 12 months from the newly reassigned increment date. (k) If the reassignment of an employee’s increment date under Section 9.10 (k) creates any pay inequities affecting other employees, the parties agree that the County will resolve such pay inequities by applying Section 7.1, “Special within grade advancement”, of this agreement. (l) In the event the Employer considers a classification or job evaluation system that is substantially different from a QES system, the parties agree to meet and confer on the issue. Further, the Employer and the Union will negotiate the salary and wage impact of the implementation of such a system upon bargaining unit positions. (m) The County shall conduct classification reviews of seven (7) job classification studies in section 5.14 –FY 2018. These classifications shall be jointly determined by the parties. The Library Associate classification shall be one of the seven classifications reviewed in FY 2018.

Classification Issues. The parties agree that the Classification process is intended to ensure that employees are in appropriate job classes based upon the required knowledge, skills and abilities of their positions. (a) Administrative Review" of reclassification/reallocation actions for bargaining unit positions will be limited to only those positions which have been downgraded. (b) The incumbent of any bargaining unit position whose position has been downgraded since July 1, 1992, through reclassification or reallocation and whose salary exceeds the maximum for the new pay grade will not have their salary reduced as a result of the downgrade. (c) Classification and grade level review of an occupational class that is predominately populated by OPT or SLT bargaining unit positions, or a review of the classification assignment of an individual position, may be requested by the Union at any time during the month of June. (1) A total of 25 Individual studies will be accepted in June 2017 in preparation for the FY 2018 studies. A total of 25 individual studies will be accepted in June 2018 in preparation for the FY 2019 studies. (2) The threshold for accepting individual position studies consists of the following; (a) The employee must give written explanation of how and why the position's duties and responsibilities have changed and are no longer consistent with the position's current classification assignment; and, (b) An explanation of where the new duties and responsibilities originated. (3) Requests for Position Reclassifications will be denied based on the conditions listed below: (a) Studies that were previously reviewed less than 36 months from the date of the request. (b) Employees who have received additional work which falls within their current position description. (c) Employees who have been employed with the County for less than one year; or (d) Employees who are on probation. (4) Requests for Position Reclassifications will be accepted based on priority as ranked below: (a) Documented recent reorganizations, duties could not be reassigned to employees performing similar graded work, and there is a possibility that higher-level duties were assigned to employees performing lower graded work. (b) Change in duties directly relating to the Department priority objectives or mission for FY 2018 or for FY 2019, respectively, as reflected in the County's Operating or Capital Budget and/or the Department's strategic plan. (c) Change in duties relates to a global change such as a change in a federal, state, County, or local law and/or County Executive priorities. (d) Requirements of some of the positions in the class have changed, i.e., certifications, licenses, etc. (e) Seniority of the employee as denoted in Article 8 of this Agreement. (d) Requests for an occupational class study must document factual evidence of a material change in the duties/responsibilities of the job class, and must clearly demonstrate that said changes have substantially affected the work of the class. Within 30 days of receipt of a request to study an occupational classification, OHR shall inform the Union of the acceptance or denial of the request. (e) When conducting occupational class studies, the Union and the Employer shall work collaboratively, ensuring that the following procedures are a part of the process: (1) The Union and the Employer shall share information and establish timeframes. (2) Orientation sessions, in-person and/or online, shall be conducted for affected employees. Employees will be provided with information concerning timelines, process, and other relevant matters. (3) The Union and the Employer shall select a subset of the employee population that will be randomly selected to attend focus groups/interview sessions. This subset of the employee population selected shall be between ten to thirty percent of the employees populating the class. (4) Affected employees shall be provided periodic status updates. (5) Affected employees will be provided with appropriate and reasonable time to participate in the process, during normal working hours, where operationally practicable. (f) An occupation classification study request will not be reviewable more often than every 36 months from the completion of the most recent study. However, the OHR Director shall determine if an occupational classification study is justified within a period less than 36 months, based upon reorganization or significant restructuring. Denial of study requests shall not be grievable or arbitrable. (g) OHR will inform the Union of its intent to study an occupational class that is encumbered by Union positions, or an individual bargaining unit position, when the request for the study was not initiated by the Union. Prior to a decision to study a class, the Union may request a conference with the OHR Director. (h) Position classification decisions are not grievable. However, UFCW Local 1994 MCGEO may request the review of any classification recommendation by an independent classification expert within six (6) months of the occupational class study recommendation. When such requests are made: (1) The Employer and the Union will jointly select an independent classification consultant; (2) The Employer and the Union will equally share all costs for the independent classification consultant; (3) The findings and recommendations of the independent classification consultant will be forwarded along with the recommendations of the Office of Human Resources to the Chief Administrative Officer (CAOXXX) and the Union prior to a final classification decision by the CAO. (i) Subject to Article 2 of the Agreement, individual position classification review requests shall continue to be made and processed pursuant to AP 4-2. Such requests shall not be grievable pursuant to this Agreement. (j) Each bargaining unit member whose position is reclassified upward, or whose job class is reallocated upward, will receive increases as provided a 5% increase to base pay and will be eligible for his or her regular service increment. The salary increase from an upward reclassification will not trigger a wage equity review. (k) If the reassignment of an employee's increment date under Section 9.10 (k) creates any pay inequities affecting other employees, the parties agree that the County will resolve such pay inequities by applying Section 7.1, "Special within grade advancement", of this agreement. (l) In the event the Employer considers a classification or job evaluation system that is substantially different from a QES system, the parties agree to meet and confer on the issue. Further, the Employer and the Union will negotiate the salary and wage impact of the implementation of such a system upon bargaining unit positions. (m) The County shall conduct classification reviews of seven (7) job classification studies in section 5.14 –FY24, FY 25, and FY26. These classifications shall be jointly determined by the parties.

Classification Issues. The parties agree that the Classification process is intended to ensure that employees are in appropriate job classes based upon the required knowledge, skills and abilities of their positions. (a) Administrative Review" of reclassification/reallocation actions for bargaining unit positions will be limited to only those positions which have been downgraded. (b) The incumbent of any bargaining unit position whose position has been downgraded since July 1, 1992, through reclassification or reallocation and whose salary exceeds the maximum for the new pay grade will not have their salary reduced as a result of the downgrade. (c) Classification and grade level review of an occupational class that is predominately populated by OPT or SLT bargaining unit positions, or a review of the classification assignment of an individual position, may be requested by the Union at any time during the month of June. Individual position classification and occupational study requests shall not be accepted in FY 2013, but shall be accepted again beginning in FY 2014. The number of individual position classification and occupational study requests to be accepted shall be a topic of the contract reopener for the 2nd year of this contract, effective July 1, 2012. (1) A total of 25 50 Individual studies will be accepted in June 2017 2013 in preparation for the FY 2018 studies. A 2014 studies and a total of 25 50 individual studies will be accepted in June 2018 2014 in preparation for the FY 2019 2015 studies. (2) The threshold for accepting individual position studies consists of the following (a) The employee must give written explanation of how and why the position's ’s duties and responsibilities have changed and are no longer consistent with the position's ’s current classification assignment; and, (b) An explanation of where the new duties and responsibilities originated. (3) Requests for Position Reclassifications will be denied based on the conditions listed below: (a) Studies that were previously reviewed less than 36 months from the date of the request. (b) The individual position request is a part of an on-going occupational study or an occupational study where a final decision was issued in FY 2012 or FY 2013; (c) Employees who have received additional work which falls within their current position description. (cd) Employees who have been employed with the County for less than one year; or (de) Employees who are on probation. (4) Requests for Position Reclassifications will be accepted based on priority as ranked below: (a) Documented recent reorganizations, duties could not be reassigned to employees performing similar graded work, and there is a possibility that higher-higher level duties were assigned to employees performing lower graded work. (b) Change in duties directly relating to the Department priority objectives or mission for fiscal years FY 2018 or for 14 and FY 2019, respectively, 15 as reflected in the County's ’s Operating or Capital Budget and/or the Department's ’s strategic plan. (c) Change in duties relates to a global change such as a change in a federal, state, Countycounty, or local law and/or County Executive priorities. (d) Requirements of some of the positions in the class have changed, i.e., certifications, licenses, etc. (e) Seniority of the employee as denoted in Article 8 of this Agreement. (d) Requests for an occupational class study must document factual evidence of a material change in the duties/responsibilities of the job class, and must clearly demonstrate that said changes have substantially affected the work of the class. Within 30 days of receipt of a request to study an occupational classification, OHR shall inform the Union of the acceptance or denial of the request. (e) When conducting occupational class studies, the Union and the Employer shall work collaboratively, ensuring that the following procedures are a part of the process: (1) The Union and the Employer shall share information and establish timeframes. (2) Orientation sessions, in-person and/or online, shall be conducted for affected employees. Employees will be provided with information concerning timelines, process, and other relevant matters. (3) The Union and the Employer shall select a subset of the employee population that will be randomly selected to attend focus groups/interview sessions. This subset of the employee population selected shall be between ten to thirty percent of the employees populating the class. (4) Affected employees shall be provided periodic status updates. (5) Affected employees will be provided with appropriate and reasonable time to participate in the process, during normal working hours, where operationally practicable. (f) An occupation classification study request will not be reviewable more often than every 36 months from the completion of the most recent study. However, the OHR Director shall determine if an occupational classification study is justified within a period less than 36 months, based upon reorganization or significant restructuring. Denial of study requests shall not be grievable or arbitrable. (g) OHR will inform the Union of its intent to study an occupational class that is encumbered by Union union positions, or an individual bargaining unit position, when the request for the study was not initiated by the Union. Prior to a decision to study a class, the Union may request a conference with the OHR Director. (h) Position classification decisions are not grievable. However, UFCW Local 1994 MCGEO may request the review of any classification recommendation by an independent classification expert within six (6) months of the occupational class study recommendation. When such requests are made: (1) The Employer and the Union will jointly select an independent classification consultant; (2) The Employer and the Union will equally share all costs for the independent classification consultant; (3) The findings and recommendations of the independent classification consultant will be forwarded along with the recommendations of the Office of Human Resources to the Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) and the Union prior to a final classification decision by the CAO. (i) Subject to Article 2 of the Agreement, individual position classification review requests shall continue to be made and processed pursuant to AP 4-2. Such requests shall not be grievable pursuant to this Agreement. (j) Each bargaining unit member whose position is reclassified upward, or whose job class is reallocated upward, will receive increases as provided have his or her service increment date reassigned to the effective date of the classification decision. Bargaining unit members will be eligible for a future service increment 12 months from the newly reassigned increment date. (k) If the reassignment of an employee’s increment date under Section 9.10 (k) creates any pay inequities affecting other employees, the parties agree that the County will resolve such pay inequities by applying Section 7.1, “Special within grade advancement”, of this agreement. (l) In the event the Employer considers a classification or job evaluation system that is substantially different from a QES system, the parties agree to meet and confer on the issue. Further, the Employer and the Union will negotiate the salary and wage impact of the implementation of such a system upon bargaining unit positions. (m) The County shall conduct classification studies of the following three (3) job classifications during FY 13: (1) Automated Traffic Enforcement Field Technician (2) Fire & Rescue Mechanic Occupational series (3) Public Service Craftworkers (n) The County shall conduct classification reviews of five (5) job classifications during FY2014. These job classes shall be jointly determined by the parties. (o) The County shall conduct classification reviews of seven (7) job classification studies in section 5.14 –FY 2015 and seven (7) job classification studies in FY 2016. These classifications shall be jointly determined by the parties.