At times, it is necessary to use the reclassification process rather than the recruitment process to fill a new job.
For example, a department or unit may identify the need for a new supervisor; if there is no budget to create a new position, the supervisor will be selected from within and reclassified to the supervisor title. The department manager will ensure that department employees are informed of this opportunity and provided information about how to apply. Interviews will be conducted and documentation created to demonstrate how the best-qualified employee was selected. That employee will sign the new job description and the manager will submit his/her position for reclassification.
How to write a New Position Description (PDF)
Position Description Form (PDF)
When to Request a Classification Review
- When a department creates a new position
- When the duties and responsibilities of a position have changed
- When an employee requests that his or her position be reviewed
Things to Consider
When deciding to assign new duties and responsibilities to an employee, management should consider:
- The business needs of the department
- The knowledge, skills and abilities required to meet those needs
- The qualifications of the employees who are eligible for the assignment of new responsibilities
- The department's obligations for promoting diversity and equal opportunity
Classification Series and Specifications
- Within the university system are hundreds of payroll titles organized into various classification series, each of which describes a type of job performed by university employees
- Each series generally consists of two or more classifications. The different classifications define different levels of work performed within the series. Each classification is assigned a 4-digit job code.
- Each series and its various classifications are described and defined in classification specifications (or "class specs").
Classification Review Process
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Managers can submit a request for classification review using the Request for Classification Review form.
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A compensation analyst will review the duties and responsibilities assigned to the position and, using the class specs, supplemental guidelines, and/or the Fair Labor Standards Act, will classify the position considering such factors as
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Scope of authority
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Degree of difficulty
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Amount of supervision received
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Type and variety of skills required
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Extent of resource management
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Complexity of problem solving (see Campus PSS Program Grade Allocation Guide)
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The analyst may make comparisons with other positions within the same department, or in other UC Davis Health or campus departments. The analyst may also conduct a review of the labor market to ascertain salary levels for comparable positions at similar institutions.
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The analyst will notify the manager of the outcome when the review is complete.
Salary Changes
Upward reclassifications
- An upward reclassification - i.e., a reclass to a title with a higher salary range maximum - usually results in a salary increase.
- The UC Davis Health Compensation Guidelines state that managers can approve a salary increase for an upward reclassification for a non-represented employee (or for an employee being reclassified from a represented title to a non-represented title) up to 5%
- Union contracts govern the salary increases provided for upward reclassifications within a bargaining unit. See the appropriate contract for details.
- For increases larger than those specified by the Guidelines or union contract, up to 15%, a justification and approval by the appropriate Associate Director or Department Chair must be submitted for the Compensation Unit’s review.
Lateral reclassifications
- A lateral reclassification is a reclass to a title with the same salary range maximum
- Salary increases generally are not provided for lateral reclassifications.
Downward reclassifications
- With downward reclassifications - i.e., to a title with a lower salary range maximum, there are several options:
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Downward Reclass to Title with Step-Based Range |
Downward Reclass to Title with Open Range |
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Reclassification Requested by Management (e.g., due to change in duties or department re-organization) |
- If the employee’s current salary is above the new range maximum: * it may be decreased to the range maximum, or * it can be frozen ("red-circled") at its current rate. In this case, the employee will not be eligible for any salary increases until the salary range maximum surpasses the employee’s current rate. - If the employee’s current salary is within the new salary range, the employee can be placed on the matching or next lowest step. |
- If the employee’s current salary is above the new range maximum: * it may be decreased to the range maximum, or * it can be frozen ("red-circled") at its current rate. In this case, the employee will not be eligible for any salary increases until the salary range maximum surpasses the employee’s current rate. - If the employee’s current salary is within the new salary range, it can remain the same. |
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Reclassification Requested by Employee (Voluntary Reclassification) |
- If the employee’s salary is within the new salary range, it will be decreased by the same percentage that would be used for an upward reclass, based on policy or the appropriate contract, and then the employee will be placed on the matching or next lowest step. - If the employee’s salary is above the new salary range, it will be decreased by the same percentage that would be used for an upward reclass or to the new range maximum, whichever is lowest. |
- If the employee’s salary is within the new salary range, it will be decreased by the same percentage that would be used for an upward reclass, based on policy or the appropriate contract. - If the employee’s salary is above the new salary range, it will be decreased by the same percentage that would be used for an upward reclass or to the new range maximum, whichever is lowest. |
Background Investigation
Personnel Policies for Staff Members 21, Appointment, requires that all lateral upward and downward reclassifications are contingent on the employee's successful completion of a background investigation. Background investigations will be conducted only when a position is actually reclassified and only if the employee does not have a current (within the last 2 years) clear report on file.
Union Notice
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The position is being reclassified out of the bargaining unit
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The position is being downward reclassified
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The university and the union are actively bargaining and/or are in a status quo period
Implementation
Following the background investigation and union notice, a reclassification is implemented in three steps:
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First, paperwork is forwarded to the Records unit of Human Resources, where the reclassification is posted to the Human Resources Information System (eHR).
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Second, the Records unit analyst notifies the Payroll department, where a payroll representative calculates any retroactive payment required due to a salary increase.
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Third, the compensation analyst confirms the reclassification with a memo to the employee.