Procedure 18-9

Procedures for Salary Administration (Regular Non-Unionized Support Staff)

Adoption Date : March 28, 2022

Modification Date: July 23, 2024

Approving Body: Vice-President, Finance and Administration

Responsible Service: Human Resources

PURPOSE:
1. This document establishes the procedures that support university Policy 3 – Salary Administration for Regular Non-Unionized Support Staff (“Policy 3”) and is intended to outline the operational means by which Human Resources determines and administers salary for non-unionized regular support staff positions classified in the Confidential category or the Management category, as defined in Section 2.1 of Policy 3.
DEFINITIONS:
1. The following words and expressions have the same meaning for the purposes of interpreting this procedure and Policy 3:
  
  Hay Method: A quantitative method, ensuring internal equity in job evaluation, which analyzes the relative worth of positions using four main factors: 1) know-how, 2) problem solving, 3) accountability, and 4) working conditions.
  
  Job Evaluation Committee: The committee established by the Associate Vice-President, Human Resources, who is responsible of selecting the members. These members are volunteer representatives from various occupational groups of the management category (NM) who are trained on the Hay Method. A minimum of four and a maximum of six voting members are needed for the committee to proceed with evaluation during a meeting.
  
  Manager: Any University member of staff in a managerial or supervisory position.
  
  NC: abbreviation for the Confidential category of a position as defined in Policy 3.
  
  NM: abbreviation for the Management category of a position as defined in Policy 3.
  
  Progress-through-the-ranks (PTR): An annual salary increase provided to staff members who have not yet reached the salary cap of their salary class and who have fully met the performance expectations for the position, provided that such annual salary increase does not result in the staff member’s salary exceeding the salary cap of the salary scale for the position.
  
  Red circle: Staff member whose annual salary is higher than the salary cap of their salary class. A staff member who voluntarily changes position loses their red circle status.
  
  Salary analysis: An assessment is done in accordance with this Procedure that takes internal equity into consideration and uses the salary class in effect for the position and the previous relevant work experience to determine the staff member’s salary within the salary class. The salary determined by the salary analysis cannot be below the minimum or exceed the salary cap of the salary class.
  
  Salary class (Class): The levels within each salary scale. Each position is assigned to a salary class within the NC or NM category. For administrative purposes, the NM 1 class is one class above the NC 8 class.
  
  Salary scale: Range of rates indicating the minimum, maximum and salary cap for each salary class. The minimum of each salary class is 80% of its maximum and the salary cap cannot, under any circumstances, exceed the maximum salary.
  
  Temporary additional responsibilities: Responsibilities that are beyond the scope of a staff member’s substantive job description that are assigned to a staff member on a temporary basis for a period of twenty (20) consecutive working days or more.
  
  Temporary assignment: Appointment of a staff member from their substantive position to another position, approved by the staff member’s supervisor, for a temporary fixed period of at least twenty (20) consecutive working days. Temporary assignment contract should not exceed two (2) years and can be renewed with the approval of the substantive position supervisor.
SCOPE & APPLICATION:
1. This Procedure applies to regular non-unionized support staff in NC or NM positions.
2. This Procedure is to be read and applied in conjunction with Policy 3 Salary Administration for Regular Non-Unionized Support Staff.
ROLES:
Associate Vice-President, Human Resources: recommends salary increases and changes to the salary structure when deemed necessary.

Executive Committee of the Board of Governors: Approves salary scales and salary increases.

Job Evaluation Committee: Evaluates all non-unionized NC and NM positions.

Managers: Ensure that the job descriptions of their staff members are up-to-date and accurately reflect the staff members’ roles and responsibilities.
PAY FREQUENCY
1. Staff members are paid on a semi-monthly basis, on the 15th (or the previous working day) and the last working day of each month.
  1. Pay deposited on the 15th or previous working day is for the period covering the 1st day of the month up to the 15th day of the month.
  2. Pay deposited on the last working day of the month is for the period covering the 16th day of the month up to the last calendar day of the month.
ANNUAL SALARY INCREASES
1. Salary increases are normally effective at the beginning of the fiscal year (May 1) and are based on the following formulas:
  1. An overall economic increase is applied to all staff members’ base salaries and salary scales. Red circle staff members will receive 50% of the economic increase without resulting in a base salary being below the salary cap of the salary class; and
  2. Staff members whose base salaries are below the salary cap of their salary class will receive a PTR of 2% of their base salary, without exceeding the salary cap of the salary class for the position.
    
    Staff members with less than 12 months of service on the date of the increase will be given prorated PTR.
    
    No PTR adjustment will be made for periods of unpaid leave of three months or less. In the case of unpaid leave of more than three months, the PTR will be withheld in proportion to the full period of the leave. The full PTR will be granted to a staff member on leave without pay when the activities during that leave are recognized as experience or education relevant to the position held at the University. In such cases, the decision will be taken jointly by the management of the faculty or service and the management of the Human Resources Service.
2. Staff members on temporary assignment will receive a salary increase on their substantive position and the temporary assignment salary will be recalculated according to section 12 below.
JOB EVALUATION
1. A formal job evaluation request is required when creating a new job description or making modifications to an existing one. Managers are requested to provide duly completed copies of:
  1. The evaluation request signed by the manager;
  2. The job description signed by all parties; and
  3. An updated organizational chart signed by the director, including position numbers and salary class, but excluding names.
2. When Human Resources receives a job evaluation request, they determine if it qualifies for a re-evaluation or whether the position should be abolished and a new position created.
3. The immediate supervisor or their delegate is invited to do a presentation at the committee meeting to ensure full understanding of the job description by the evaluating members and to answer their questions.
4. The Job Evaluation Committee evaluates the job description using the Hay Method. The sum of the points given to each factor determines the associated position’s salary class.
5. A director or an individual occupying a higher-level position may appeal the decision of the Job Evaluation Committee in the twenty (20) working days following reception of the evaluation results by sending the appropriate complete form to [email protected].
HIRING SALARY
1. Taking internal equity into account, Human Resources is responsible for performing a salary analysis for newly hired staff members.
2. The result of the salary analysis is shared with the hiring manager who should not discuss salary with a candidate before receiving the result of the analysis.
3. If the hiring manager is not comfortable with the result of the salary analysis, the manager is asked to discuss this issue with their HR advisor in Talent Acquisition before making a verbal offer to a candidate.
4. The salary upon hiring cannot under any circumstances exceed the salary cap of the salary class for their position.
PROMOTIONS and UPWARD POSITION RECLASSIFICATIONS
1. When a staff member moves from one position to another of a higher salary class, or if their substantive position is reclassified to a higher salary class, the staff member’s salary is determined by Human Resources using one of the following methods, whichever results in the higher salary:
  1. Salary analysis; or
  2. 5% base salary increase per salary class above the current position salary class.
2. The salary may in no case exceed the salary cap of the salary class for their position.
LATERAL TRANSFERS (same salary class)
1. When a staff member moves from one position to another of the same salary class, a salary analysis is performed by Human Resources and the staff member’s salary is adjusted if the result of the analysis is higher than the actual salary. If the result is lower than the actual salary, the salary cannot be reduced and stays the same.
2. The salary may in no case exceed the salary cap of the salary class for their position.
DEMOTIONS and DOWNWARD POSITION RECLASSIFICATIONS
1. When a staff member moves from one position to another of a lower salary class, or if their current position is reclassified to a lower salary class, no adjustment is made to the staff member’s salary as long as it does not exceed the salary cap of the new salary class.
2. If the staff member’s salary is above the maximum of the new salary class, the salary is subject to the following:
  1. If the demotion was initiated by the staff member or following disciplinary action or performance-related issues, the staff member’s salary is decreased to the salary cap of the new salary class; or
  2. If the demotion results from a reclassification or an organizational restructure, the staff member becomes red circle and the salary is subject to section 6.1 above.
TEMPORARY ASSIGNMENTS (ACTING PREMIUM)
1. When a staff member accepts a temporary assignment in a position of a higher class, Human Resources establishes the staff member’s salary in the temporary assignment by increasing the salary in their substantive position by 5% per salary class above the substantive position salary class, without being below the minimum of the temporary position’s salary class. There is no salary analysis performed for temporary assignment.
2. If the temporary assignment is in a position of the same or of a lower salary class, the staff member will maintain their current salary, even if their salary is above the salary cap of the temporary assignment position’s salary class. In the latter case, future salary increases will be based on the staff member’s substantive position and the staff member shall not be considered red circle.
3. When a staff member is on temporary assignment, all benefits are based on the staff member’s substantive position, except for the annual leave accrual which is based on the temporary assignment position.
4. If a staff member on temporary assignment undergoes a period of sick leave, as defined in procedure 18-11 of Policy 9, for a period greater than 15 consecutive working days, their acting premium is suspended retroactively to the start date of their absence and the overpaid amount is recovered from the next pays.
TEMPORARY ADDITIONAL RESPONSIBILITIES (second source)
1. When temporary additional responsibilities are assigned to a staff member who remains in their substantive position, Human Resources will conduct a job evaluation simulation, based on the assumption that the responsibilities would be permanent, in order to determine if the addition of these responsibilities would increase the salary class should they become permanent.
2. If the results demonstrate that the additional responsibilities would have an impact on the position’s salary class if such additional responsibilities were to become permanent, the staff member is granted a second source equal to 5% of their actual salary per additional salary class. There is no salary analysis performed for second source.
  1. This second source is payable for the duration of the entire period during which the temporary additional responsibilities are carried out.
  2. The additional salary granted for the performance of the temporary additional responsibilities is non-pensionable and non-insurable.
3. If the results demonstrate that the additional responsibilities would not have an impact on the position’s salary class if such additional responsibilities were to become permanent, no additional salary will be granted.
4. If the temporary additional responsibilities become permanent, the job description must be updated and sent to the Job Evaluation Committee for evaluation. Notwithstanding section 13.2.1 above, the second source ceases on the date the request for the job evaluation is received by Human Resources and this date becomes the official date for retroactive pay calculation if the position is reclassified upward. If the position is not reclassified upward, the second source cannot be reinstated.
5. If more than one staff member assumes the additional responsibilities, the job evaluation simulation performed as per section 13.1 will be done for each of the positions assuming these responsibilities. The rules in section 13 will then be applied, which could generate a different result for each staff member performing the additional responsibilities.
6. If a staff member receiving a second source undergoes a period of sick leave, as defined in procedure 18-11 of Policy 9, for a period greater than 15 consecutive working days, their second source is suspended retroactive to the start date of their absence and the overpaid amount is recovered from the next pays.
RETROACTIVE PAY
1. The retroactive pay period is limited to three (3) months prior to the date of the official job evaluation request being received by Human Resources, whether:
  1. A job evaluation results in an increase in salary class; or
  2. A staff member accepts a temporary assignment in a position of a higher class; or
  3. Additional salary is payable due to temporary additional responsibilities.
2. The manager may request an extension to the retroactive period if an event beyond the manager’s control took place that resulted in the delay in the submission of a job evaluation request. In such cases, if Human Resources deems that the justification is acceptable, the retroactive date will be accepted. Retroactive pay exceeding six (6) months must be approved by the associate vice-president, Human Resources and shall never exceed twelve (12) months.
3. When a position is matched to a generic job description, the effective date of the retroactive salary increase will also be limited to three (3) months. Moreover, this retroactive date cannot precede the effective date of the generic job description to which the position was matched.
4. In the case of restructuring that simultaneously impacts at least any three positions in the faculty or service, the date on which changes come into effect must be set as soon as possible, in cooperation with Human Resources and the director responsible for the restructuring or an individual occupying a higher-level position.
CHANGE OF POSITION WITH DIFFERENT AVERAGE REGULAR WEEKLY HOURS
1. If a staff member changes positions where the average regular weekly hours of work of their new position differ from those of their former position, the new salary is determined by Human Resources in two steps:
  1. Their current salary is recalculated based on the new regular hours of work; and
  2. The recalculated salary is adjusted to reflect any other provisions of Policy 3 or of this Procedure that apply.
SALARY ADJUSTMENTS
1. If a staff member has information to support that their relevant experience justifies a higher salary within the salary class, the staff member should discuss the matter with their manager. The director or an individual occupying a higher-level position may request that Human Resources review their salary.
2. A salary analysis will be completed by Human Resources to determine if the salary should be adjusted and, if this is the case, a recommendation will be made to the associate vice-president, Human Resources for approval.
3. If an adjustment is approved, the new salary will take effect on the date upon which the request was received by Human Resources and will not be retroactive.
RECRUITMENT AND MARKET PREMIUMS
1. When deemed necessary by Human Resources and in very exceptional cases, a recruitment or market premium can be offered to attract candidates.
2. Before considering offering a premium to a candidate, the total compensation package, including but not limited to the annual salary, pension plan and group insurance benefits, should be considered and explained to the recruiting manager and the candidate.
3. Recruitment and market premiums are non-pensionable and non-insurable.
4. If a staff member receiving a premium undergoes a period of sick leave, as defined in procedure 18-11 of Policy 9, for a period greater than 15 consecutive working days, their premium is suspended retroactive to the start date of their absence and the overpaid amount is recovered from the next pays.
5. Two different types of premiums can be provided when hiring a new staff member:
  1. Market premium:
    
    A market premium is designed to compete with the compensation levels of the external market. Following a market study, Human Resources determines if a premium is justifiable and establishes the maximum amount that can be offered.
    
    A market premium amount is valid for a period of three (3) years. After that period, Human Resources will undertake a new market study to determine whether the premium should be discontinued, adjusted or extended for another period of three (3) years (renewable every 3 years).
    
    Market premiums are increased annually based on the economic increase applicable to the salary scale. To remain at the market level, the premium will be:
    1. reduced by any PTR provided; or
    2. adjusted in proportion if the staff member’s position is reclassified; or
    3. adjusted in proportion following a change in the salary scale other than the annual economic increase.
    A staff member’s market premium is discontinued if the staff member changes position.
  2. Recruitment premium
    A recruitment premium is designed to temporarily compensate a candidate who would experience a decrease in compensation by joining the University.
    This is a fixed premium that decreases by the same percentage each year over a period of three (3) years (33,3% per year).

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