What It Takes to Reclassify a Staff Member

Basic questions:

  • What is new? Who did it before or why is it new?
  • What skill set is required to get it done?
  • Why can’t the new functions/duties be done in the current job title?

 

What are the new duties and/or functions? 

  • Outstanding work performance, and/or an increase in the volume of work, & retention are not grounds for a reclassification
  • Usually 51% or more of higher-level functions (may require an open recruitment & incumbent may have to apply)
  • Increase in position’s scope, impact, complexity, responsibilities, and accountability
  • Exercise greater judgment and discretion, larger and more specific skill set
  • What are the minimum qualifications (KSA’s) of the proposed position?
  • Need new org chart supporting changes
  • Where did the new duties come from? Someone’s job card in a higher level? New division/position?

What has changed or what is new in the below context.  Where were these functions or duties before?

 Please answer 2 or more of the below questions:

Autonomy in position:  (current vs new)

  1. Are the tasks routine and repetitive or are they performed under broad guidelines?
  2. Is work independently determine by methods and tasks or is work performed under established guidelines?
  3. Is work closely supervised or are tasks more general involving established guidelines and work is reviewed less frequently?
  4. Does the employee take or recommend action under general supervision and established policies or take and recommend action under direction and generally defined objectives?

 

Complexity of work: (Current vs new)

  1. Does the new job require special or unique skills?
  2. What types of problems are new that must solve? Who solved these problems before?
  3. How difficult are the new problems to solve?
  4. Does the new job require a certain depth of knowledge or expertise, degree, or skill set?

 

Consequences of Error (risk)

  1. How would an error impact students, campus, stakeholders?
  2. Would an error be easily rectifiable, or would it require involvement from supervisor, risk mgt, etc.?
  3. What is the degree of impact if mistakes are made: Little or no impact from errors?
  4. Who is impacted by mistakes?  What is the risk to department, the campus, external agencies, students etc.?
  5. Are mistakes reversible?

 

Scope (current vs new)

  1. What is the variety of functions assigned?
  2. How large of a population is served or outreach of program/unit?
  3. Is the scope limited and highly specific to the objectives of the department or is the scope broad requiring complete responsibility for a complex division?
  4. Is the coordination of activities diverse in nature? (programs for adult’s vs programs for students)
  5. Do the functions have a significant effect on the department, program or operations?
  6. Amount of time doing or frequency of functions (repetitiveness)

 

Supervisory Responsibilities (current vs new)

  1. Difficulty of supervision
  2. Number and levels supervised
  3. Variety of functions supervised
  4. Full supervisor or a work leader
  5. Diversity of work supervised

 

Responsibility for Campus Resources: (current vs new)

  1. Number of employees supervised
  2. Variety of functions supervised
  3. Types supervised (e.g. professional, technical, administrative, service, HR, financial)
  4. Space managed (e.g. square footage)
  5. Type of space managed (e.g. office, labs, classrooms)
  6. Budget size
  7. Fund sources and amounts (e.g. state, gifts, extramural, contracts & grants, reg fees, income, recharges, etc.)
  8. Complexity of the budget - Amount, kind, discretion on spending, and complexity as determined by number and types of accounts, where and who money comes from.

 

Communication; (current vs new)

  1. Who does this position typically communicate with (e.g. administrative staff, major division heads, and department managers, the Chancellor or Regents)?
  2. What is being communicated (e.g. routine procedures, diversified procedures, operational policy, long term planning)?
  3. What is the frequency of communication with the various constituencies (yearly, quarterly, monthly, weekly, daily)?

 

Majority Rule:

  1. Classification title are dependent on where the majority (50% or more) of job duties lie.
  2. Does the incumbent qualify for the new position?
  3. Will reclassing the position require an open recruitment?