Which Increases Require UNC System Office Pre-Approval?
Any salary increase in any amount for a career-banded title for which we do not have delegated authority (or which results in an exemption to any standing OSHR policy) must go to UNC Human Resources System Office as needed to obtain any required pre-approvals.
For any permanent base-salary increase, UNC Human Resources System Office pre-approval is required when the cumulative amount of all permanent increases for the fiscal year to date exceeds 15% of the most recent June 30th base salary. Current or prior temporary salary increases do not count toward this calculation.
For any temporary salary adjustments, UNC Human Resources System Office pre-approval is required when the cumulative amount of all currently active temporary salary adjustments in the current fiscal year exceeds 15% of the most recent June 30th base salary. Any individual temporary adjustment that exceeds 12 months in duration also will require UNC Human Resources System Office pre-approval, regardless of the amount of that adjustment. Permanent base-salary adjustments in the current fiscal year do not count toward these calculations.
What Are The Qualifying Reasons For A Salary Increase?
Salary increases are only permitted for the following reasons:
- Additional job duties: when there is a substantive increase in the scope and/or complexity of the job. This includes temporary adjustments with a defined start and stop date. Please note: Such an increase may not be justified solely on the basis of increased work volume.
- Competitive-Hiring events: where application of the career banding pay factors will determine the base salary.
- Equity: when employees in the same position/branch/role/competency are performing very similar work with a similar level of competence to those who have a higher pay rate and the pay discrepancy has no apparent justification.
- Position Reclassification: where application of the career banding pay factors will determine the base salary.
- Labor Market: when an employee’s salary is less than the position’s assigned market rate. Managers may request a salary increase up to, but not exceeding, the assigned market rate.
- Employee retention – EHRA ONLY- when employees have a documented offer for a comparable position (i.e., not an obvious promotion) outside of State Employment and have given that documentation to their Managers and the employee has skills or knowledge that would be difficult to replace
- Increase in SHRA employee competencies, when there is a documented change in component competency ratings or overall ratings between two Employee Competency Assessment (ECA) reviews
- Change in FTE due to a schedule change, when there has been no change in annualized compensation.
Please note: Managers/Supervisors are advised to exercise discretion with regard to granting increases to SHRA temporary employees and to remain within the defined range for employees’ career-banded classifications.
Factors To Consider In Making A Salary Adjustment
- What type of request are you asking for? Is it based on job change for additional responsibilities? Or labor market to address an inequity?
- How are others in the department being paid in relation to the same type of duties?
- How much money do you have budgeted for an adjustment?
- Have you reviewed the demographics of the unit to ensure there will not be adverse impact to others who are not getting an adjustment?
- There are some differences within the Career Banding and UNC System Office policies that we will guide you through when utilized