PLACEMENT IN RANGE POLICY 12-15-2010.PDF

Maricopa County Internal Policy Number: B7009
Policy Title: Placement in Range Issue Date: 12/2010
Policy Category: Employee Initiating Department: Revision Date: n/a
Compensation Management and Budget
Reviewed by: Brian Hushek Approved by: Don Stapley Revision: n/a
I. Purpose
The purpose of this policy is to provide a procedure to determine a non-executive
employee’s salary within an approved market range pursuant to the Maricopa County
Employee Compensation Plan.
II. Authority and Responsibilities
Employee Compensation is responsible for administering this policy. Departments are
required to follow this policy and to direct any questions to Employee Compensation.
III. Applicability
This policy applies to all Maricopa County elected offices and appointed departments as
well as Special Districts that follow Maricopa County’s compensation plan, policies, and
procedures. This includes all full and part-time initial probationary, contract, classified,
unclassified, and temporary employees, except for employees designated as executives
as defined in this policy and individual elected officials. Volunteers and independent
contractors are not County employees and are not subject to the provisions of this policy.
IV. Definitions
A. Board: The Maricopa County Board of Supervisors, the Maricopa County Flood
Control District Board of Directors, the Maricopa County Library District Board of
Directors, and the Maricopa County Stadium District Board of Directors.
B. Executives: Chief Deputies of Elected Officials, County Manager, Deputy County
Manager, Assistant County Managers, and department directors.
C. Placement in Range: The strategy developed and monitored by Employee
Compensation and approved by the Board of Supervisor, which is used to determine
an individual employee’s salary within an approved market range.
V. General Provisions
A. The County’s placement in range strategy must be used to determine the maximum
amount that may be offered when determining an employee’s initial placement within
a market range. When necessary, Appointing Authorities can and should offer less
than the placement in range due to funding limitations and/or to avoid internal
inequities.
Page 1 of 4

Maricopa County Internal Policy Number: B7009
Policy Title: Placement in Range Issue Date: 12/2010
Policy Category: Employee Initiating Department: Revision Date: n/a
Compensation Management and Budget
B. Departments are required to carefully review each placement in range to ensure that
inequities with current employees are not created and to contact Employee
Compensation to discuss the potential inequities.
C. All job offers above the minimum of the range must be approved by Employee
Compensation before they can be extended by Appointing Authorities.
D. An offer above the minimum of the range that is extended by an Appointing Authority
without Employee Compensation’s approval can be rescinded and reduced to a
lower amount. A reduction in a job offer does not constitute a demotion and is not
subject to appeal to the Merit Commission.
E. The County’s placement in range strategy is designed to coincide with its pay for
performance strategy. After initial placement, movement through a market range is
primarily based on meritorious performance.
F. Any rate exceeding the maximum of the market range requires the express approval
of the Board as an exception.
G. Requests for exceptions to this policy must be reviewed by Employee
Compensation and approved by the Board.
VI. Procedure
The County’s placement in range is based on the following:
A. Experience
1. Direct County Experience: Experience performing essentially identical job tasks
as a Maricopa County employee is typically credited at 100% without cap
limitation up to the maximum of the Board approved market range.
2. Prior Direct Experience: Experience performing essentially identical job tasks
working outside of Maricopa County is typically credited at:
a) 25% and capped at the midpoint year of the developed market range for
positions in the Office Assistant market range title.
b) 50% and capped at the midpoint year of the developed market range for
most positions.
c) 75% and capped at the midpoint year of the developed market range for
information technology positions.
Page 2 of 4

Maricopa County Internal Policy Number: B7009
Policy Title: Placement in Range Issue Date: 12/2010
Policy Category: Employee Initiating Department: Revision Date: n/a
Compensation Management and Budget
d) 100% without cap for top management positions that are equivalent to
department deputy director or above as well as some highly specialized
professional positions (attorneys, doctors, dentists, pharmacists,
psychiatrists, psychologists, veterinarians, positions in the nursing field,
etc.).
3. In order for prior direct experience to be credited in a placement in range, it
must be in a position that is equivalent to and at the same level of responsibility
or scope as that of the position in question. It is the responsibility of Employee
Compensation to make the final determination of the value of any and all
experience.
B. Performance
1. Performance Rating: Employee performance ratings (as reflected by
performance scores) are used for placement in range during a market study
and are not a factor used to determine new hire or promotional pay rates. An
employee with “exceeds” or “outstanding” performance rating is recognized in
the placement in range by advancing his/her placement by an additional
percentage above the market adjusted rate, not to exceed the maximum of the
developed market range. These percentages may change as markets indicate
and funding allows.
C. Percentage Increase
1. Flat Percentage: A flat percentage approach for each year of experience is
utilized for non-professional and technical market range titles as follows:
a) 3.0% non-supervisors,
b) 3.3% supervisors, and
c) 3.5% managers.
2. Glide Percentage: A “glide” approach which is adjusted by quartile within the
range and is used for positions assigned to professional, professional
supervisory, and professional managerial market range titles as follows:
a) 1st Quartile: 3.8% non-supervisors; 4.0% supervisors, and 4.5% managers
b) 2nd Quartile: 3.5% non-supervisors; 3.8% supervisors, and 3.9% managers
c) 3rd Quartile: 3.1% non-supervisors; 3.3% supervisors, and 3.4% managers
d) 4th Quartile: 2.8% non-supervisors; 2.9% supervisors, and 3.0% managers
Page 3 of 4

Maricopa County Internal Policy Number: B7009
Policy Title: Placement in Range Issue Date: 12/2010
Policy Category: Employee Initiating Department: Revision Date: n/a
Compensation Management and Budget
D. Placement when Current Salary is At or Above Placement in Range
1. If an employee is already paid at or above his/her placement in range in the new
market range, Employee Compensation will review the employee’s new
responsibilities and consider internal equity within the department and across
the County to determine if a promotional pay increase is warranted. When an
increase is warranted and the employee is already being paid at or above
his/her placement in the new range, no more than a 2.5% to 5% promotion will
be authorized. Offers above 5% are an exception to this policy and must be
reviewed by Employee Compensation and approved by the Board.
E. Hiring Range
1. Internal Recruitments: Minimum of the market range to the maximum of the
market range.
2. External Recruitments: Minimum of the market range to the midpoint of the
market range; exceptions: top management positions that are equivalent to
department deputy director or above as well as some highly specialized
professional positions (attorneys, doctors, dentists, pharmacists, psychiatrists,
psychologists, veterinarians, positions in the nursing field, etc.). Departments
who wish to recruit externally with a hiring range whose maximum is above the
midpoint of the market range must obtain approval from Employee
Compensation prior to beginning the recruitment. A department’s request for
an exception to the hiring range for external recruitments must include:
a) Basic Information: Position Number, Market Range Title, Working Title,
Requisition number, job description, and copy of job posting.
b) Detailed description of current recruiting efforts including: original date
posted for recruitment, current hiring range, external recruitment efforts,
number of cert lists (if applicable), number of applicants certed, and number
of interviews conducted. If interviews have been conducted, please also
include reasons for not offering the position or reasons why a job offer was
declined.
c) Explanation of recruitment difficulties and justification as to why you believe
an exception to the hiring range will result in an increase in the number of
qualified applicants.
Page 4 of 4