SALARY ADVANCEMENT POLICY 03-21-2018.PDF

MARICOPA COUNTY INTERNAL POLICY
Policy Number: HR2474
Policy Title:
Current Adoption
3-21-2018
SALARY ADVANCEMENT Date:
Current
3-26-2018
Implementation Date:
Board Agenda
Approved by: C-31-18-033-6-00
Number:
BOARD OF SUPERVISORS Original Adoption
12-15-2010
Date:
I. PURPOSE
To provide a mechanism under which base pay rates may be increased through salary advancements.
II. AUTHORITY
Human Resources is responsible for administering this policy.
III. APPLICATION
This policy applies to all Maricopa County elected offices and appointed departments as well as the Flood Control
District, the Library District, and the Stadium District. This includes all full and part-time employees, except for
individual elected officials.
IV. DEFINITIONS
Not applicable.
V. POLICY
A. A salary advancement is the only mechanism to increase an employee’s base pay rate other than through a
recruitment process or appointment to a new position.
B. Salary advancements may be considered for:
1. Board or department funded market adjustments when recruitment or retention issues exist because
of pay disparity with the market
2. Board approved performance-based pay plans
3. Critical recruitment and retention increases
4. Additional Board approved increases
C. Eligibility: Employees must have a rating equivalent to meets or successful on their most recent performance
evaluation completed within the last twelve months. Until employees who are not meeting expectations
improve their performance to at least a rating equivalent to meets or successful, they:
1. Are not eligible for increases.
2. May be paid below the minimum of their assigned range.
3. Will receive any warranted salary advancements or market adjustments prospectively after their
performance improves to at least a “meets” or equivalent (i.e., effective the first day of the next pay period
following receipt of the request by Human Resources).

Policy Title: Policy Number: HR2474
SALARY ADVANCEMENT Current Adoption
3-21-2018
Date:
D. Effective Date: If approved, the first day of the next pay period following receipt of the request by Human
Resources.
E. Salary Range Maximum: Salary advancements cannot exceed the maximum of the position’s salary
range.
F. Funding: Departments must fund salary advancements within their existing budget and demonstrate they
do not create future unfunded obligations.
G. Approval: Human Resources will review salary advancements for accuracy and compliance with this
policy. Salary advancements may not be approved or may be approved at an amount lower than the
amount requested. As such, it is imperative not to communicate with employees regarding salary
advancements until all approvals have been received.
H. Reductions: In the event of an error or miscalculation of an approved salary advancement, an employee’s
base pay rate may be reduced to the correct base pay rate so long as the correction is made within six months
of the date the error was made. A reduction in an employee’s base pay rate as the result of a correction to an
error or miscalculation does not constitute a demotion and is not subject to appeal to the Merit Commission.
I. The County Manager or designee may approve exceptions to this policy that are consistent with the intent
of the policy.
Revision History
Version Revision Date Description of Revision
1 12-15-2010 Initial version (C-49-11-034-6-00).
2 3-21-2018 Updated to streamline and simplify policy language (C-31-18-033-6-00).
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