2.2 Compensation Program

It is the policy of Mohave County to provide compensation that will achieve the strategic business goal in attracting and retaining the most qualified employees. Any salary change shall be submitted to the Board of Supervisors for approval on the County Manager’s Report.

2.21 FLSA Public Employer Exempt Status

A.Employees shall be paid in compliance with current FLSA standards. (29 C .F .R . 541.710 )

B. Exempt employees may be eligible for Management Leave.

2.22 Compensation

Every County employee shall be paid within the salary range assigned to the position for which they were hired. It is the intent of these Policies to not penalize or disadvantage County employees when hired, promoted, or reappointed into a position. Therefore, the Hire Rate for employees, whether promoted, appointed, or reappointed into a higher position, shall be the same and shall not differentiate between existing employees and those new hires not employed by the County.

A.Step Placement Requirements.

1. In order to establish an objective, equitable system for determining where an employee shall be placed within a range, the County shall, in each instance, look at the requirements of each individual job as documented in the job description and the experience of the individual to be hired into the job.

2. The following process shall be used by the Department Head in determining the appropriate within-range step placement for each individual case.

a. Department Head shall coordinate with Financial Services Department to confirm budget availability.

b. Review job description for minimum requirements.

c. Review application and other documentation for relevant experience beyond minimum requirements.

d. Review application and other documentation for relevant education beyond minimum requirements.

e. Review Job Class Analysis to see where incumbents are placed for potential compression issues.

f. Review market comparisons and “hot job” status.

g. Place as follows based on conclusions from above review:

STEP PLACEMENT REQUIREMENTS
Experience	Placement
Meets minimum requirements	Step 01
Relevant Experience BEYOND Minimum Requirements:
1 Years	Step 02
2 Years	Step 03
3 Years	Step 04
4 Years	Step 05
5 Years	Step 06
6 Years	Step 07
7 Years	Step 08
8 Years	Step 09
9 Years	Step 10
10 Years	Step 11
11 Years	Step 12
12 Years	Step 13
13 Years	Step 14
14 Years	Step 15
15 Years	Step 16
16 Years	Step 17
17 Years	Step 18
18 Years	Step 19
Education
Bachelor’s Degree in relevant field beyond minimum requirements:	Add 1 Step
Master’s or advanced Degree in relevant field beyond minimum requirements: hiring manager can make recommendation on certificate/relevant education	Add 1 Step

B. Step Determination Guidelines.

	STEP DETERMINATION GUIDELINES
➢ Step 1 thru Step 8	Determination is at the discretion of the Department Head
➢ Step 9 thru Step 12	Requires written justification for determination based on the training, experience, and knowledge to perform the position responsibilities at the higher level of pay. The Department Head must submit the request and justification for consideration and determination through Human Resources for consideration and determination by the County Manager, or for Superior Courts, the Presiding Judge.
➢ Step 13 to top of Scale	Requires written justification for determination based on the Step Placement Requirements. The Department Head must submit the request and justification for consideration and determination through Human Resources and County Manager, providing the supporting justification for consideration and determination by the Board of Supervisors.

C. Step Placement.

1. Full and part-time employees: All full and part-time employees shall be hired on a step within the pay range of the assigned position. The placement may be authorized in conjunction with the Step Placement Requirements, Step Determination Guidelines, market comparisons and budget availability.

2. The salary of appointees to the Attorney, Assessor, Recorder, Sheriff, Superintendent of Schools, Supervisors and Treasurer shall be at the discretion of the Elected Official subject to budget approval of the Board of Supervisors. Chief Deputy County Attorney will be appointed in accordance with A.R.S. 11 -419 .

3. Department Heads: The salary of the appointed Department Head shall be negotiated between the incumbent and the County Manager where applicable, with the assistance of the Human Resources Director or their designee as needed. The County Manager shall place the salary offer on the agenda for consideration and affirmation by the Board of Supervisors. The salary of the appointed Department Head shall be maintained within the assigned salary range for the position to which they will be filling.

4. At the request of the Department Head and upon recommendation of the Human Resources Director, the County Manager may recommend an upward salary adjustment to the Board of Supervisors in unusual circumstances and in the best interest of the County.

D.Initial Hire Rate.

The Department Head shall have considerable flexibility in the initial appointment hire rate. The rate shall be based on the Step Placement Requirements, Step Determination Guidelines, market comparisons and budget availability.

E. Underfill Appointments:

1. When a vacancy is to be filled and there are no qualified applicants, the Department Head may request Human Resources to approve that a position be underfilled. Individuals hired into such positions may be moved to appropriate classification when the acceptable qualifications and/or requirements are met.

2. Employees hired into an underfill position shall serve a probationary period as is appropriate to the classification.

F. Promotions: An employee who is promoted or reappointed to a position in a higher salary range shall receive a salary increase based on the Step Placement Requirements, Step Determination Guidelines, market comparisons and budget availability.

G.Lateral Transfers: An employee transferred to a position in the same classification in the same department or division, in the same salary range, shall be paid the same salary (same percent in salary range currently held) that was received prior to the transfer.

H.Demotions – Voluntary/Involuntary: Demotions may include reclassifications, departmental reorganizations, reduction in force or disciplinary actions.

1. An employee who is demoted voluntarily or involuntarily may receive a reduction in salary, based on the Step Placement Requirements, Step Determination Guidelines, market comparisons and budget availability on a case-by-case basis.

2. If a promotion is followed by a demotion, the employee's salary shall not exceed the amount that would be due if no promotion had occurred.

I. Special Detail Assignment: Special Details are temporary assignments which exceed thirty (30) business days to a position other than the position to which an employee is regularly assigned. Special Detail Assignments could be used to cover vacant positions or while an employee is out on an approved leave of absence. An employee detailed to a position in a higher classification shall receive a within-range salary increase equivalent to the entry of the salary range to which detailed < Step 8 based on the Pay Determination Guidelines, whichever is greater, provided the appropriate funding exists and is confirmed in writing by the Financial Services Director or their designee.

1. Additional pay increases > Step 8 of the pay range minimum may be recommended by the Human Resources Director, approved by the County Manager, and reported to the Board of Supervisors. The complexity, responsibility, and potential increased workload requirements may be considered in the pay determination process.

2. Once an employee returns from special detail assignment to their regular assignment, their salary shall return to the previous rate of pay plus any general pay changes.

J. No salary increase/decrease as provided for by this section shall have the effect of causing an employee to exceed the maximum compensation level for the classification in which employed, unless approved by the Board of Supervisors.

2.23 Effective Dates

Promotions, Lateral Transfers, Demotions, Special Detail effective dates shall be the beginning of a pay period. Exceptions to effective dates shall be submitted to the County Manager for approval.