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Salary Increases and Adjustments
Salary increases and/or adjustment moneys are dependent on the University’s allocation from the
Board of Regents through the State of Georgia legislative appropriations process.
A classified employee (classified employees are defined as benefit eligible employees who are not
identified as faculty) must complete his/her six month provisional period before being eligible for
promotion, demotion or lateral transfer. In order to be entitled to receive a merit increase, classified
employees must be employed a minimum of three months prior to the preparation of the fiscal year
budget.
There are typically five types of salary increases and salary adjustments:
1. Merit: A merit increase is a performance-based salary increase.
2. Market Adjustments: A form of salary increase based on criteria other than merit. This
adjustment could be to establish equity within a unit or vice presidential area or an
adjustment based on market conditions. The institution does not receive any additional
funding for these adjustments and must do internal shifting of moneys whenever these types
of salary increases are awarded.
3. Promotions: A promotion is defined as a shift of an employee from one position to another
position on a higher pay grade than his/her current position. The amount offered for a
promotion cannot be less than the new pay plan minimum but any additional moneys are
dependent on the departmental budget.
When an employee is promoted due to applying for an advertised position the employee
may receive any amount up to:
a. the minimum of the pay plan
b. the difference between the two pay plan minimums added to his/her current
salary/or
c. with HR approval up to the midpoint of the pay plan
d. with Vice President of Division of Business & Finance approval, any amount above
the midpoint of the pay plan.
When an employee is promoted due to reclassification the employee receives up to:
a. the minimum of the pay plan
b. the difference between the two pay plan minimums added to his/her current
salary/or
c. with HR approval up to 15% above the minimum of the pay plan
The department head must prepare written justification and submit to the Human Resources
Generalist. Criteria for additional money should be based on an employee’s exceptional
experience and/or education.
4. Demotions or Lateral Transfers
Demotion: A demotion is when an employee is selected to fill a vacant position with a
lower pay grade. Whenever this occurs, Human Resources will determine, in consultation
with the hiring manager, a rate of pay at any point from the minimum rate of the new job
classification’s pay grade up to the present salary of the employee, provided that the
present salary does not exceed the maximum amount authorized for the new job
classification. Whenever an employee is demoted he or she cannot receive a pay increase.
The salary rate may also depend on departmental funding and is linked to the vacant
position, not the employee's current rate of pay.
Lateral Transfer: A lateral transfer is when an employee moves from one position to
another position that is on the same pay grade regardless of the title of the new position.
When an employee is moved to a lateral position due to either applying for an advertised
position or via the reclassification process the employee may:
a. transfer at his current rate, provided it does not exceed the maximum of the pay
grade
b. with HR approval, receive up to the midpoint of the pay plan
c. with Vice President of Division of Business & Finance approval, receive any amount
above the midpoint of the pay plan.
The department head must prepare written justification and submit to Human Resources. Criteria
for additional money should be based on an employee’s exceptional experience and/or education.
5. Temporary Salary Increases
The institution authorizes supplemental compensation on a case by case basis. There are
times an employee is asked to perform duties outside his/her normal scope of
responsibility or absorb work previously performed by an employee who has resigned or is
on an extended leave of absence. If these duties are ongoing it may be necessary to
provide a temporary supplement to the employee. This supplement does not become part
of the employee’s base compensation, and it ceases when the temporary assignment is
over. This supplement is subject to approval by Human Resources.
The following conditions apply:
0 Whenever an employee is asked to assume additional duties or duties with a higher level
of responsibility or complexity, the period of time should not exceed six months.
0 The amount of the supplement may be affected by departmental funding availability.