SPECIAL WORK ASSIGNMENT POLICY (REDLINED) 06-27-2018.PDF

Maricopa County — Formal (2018-06-27)

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Maricopa County Internal Policy Number: B7001
Policy Title: Special Work Issue Date: 03/2006
Assignments
Policy Category: Employee Initiating Department: Revision Date: 12/2010
Compensation Management and Budget
Reviewed by: Brian Hushek Approved by: Don Stapley Revision: 1
MARICOPA COUNTY INTERNAL POLICY
Policy Title: Policy Number: HR2475
SPECIAL WORK ASSIGNMENT
Current Adoption Date: 06-27-2018
Current Implementation Date: 06-27-2018
Approved by: Board Agenda Number: C-31-18-054-6-00
BOARD OF SUPERVISORS
Original Adoption Date: 03-01-2006
I. PURPOSEPurpose
The purpose of this policy is to provide a mechanism procedure under which special work assignments (SWAs)
may be used pursuant to the Maricopa County Employee Compensation Plan.
II. AUTHORITYAuthority and Responsibilities
Employee This Policy is authorized by the Board of Supervisors pursuant to A.R.S.§11-251.Compensation is
responsible for administering this policy. Departments are required to follow this policy and to direct any
questions to Employee Compensation.
III. APPLICATIONApplicability
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 DistrictThis 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, and unclassified, and
employees, except for temporary employees and individual elected officials. Volunteers and independent
contractors are not County employees and are not subject to the provisions of this policy.
IV. DEFINITIONSDefinitions
A. Appointing Authority: An elected official, the single administrative or executive head of a department, or the
designated representative authorized to act in this capacity.
A.B. Special Work Assignment (SWA) Pay: Not applicable A temporary amount of additional pay
that an employee receives while on a special work assignment. SWA Pay is only paid on hours actually
worked..
V. POLICYGeneral Provisions
A. Any probationary, classified, contract or unclassified (but not including temporary) employee may be eligible
for an SWA as long as he/she has been in his/her position for at least 6 months. However, SWAs for director
and higher level staff are strongly discouraged.
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Maricopa County Internal Policy Number: B7001
Policy Title: Special Work Issue Date: 03/2006
Assignments
Policy Category: Employee Initiating Department: Revision Date: 12/2010
Compensation Management and Budget
Policy Title: Policy Number: HR2475
SPECIAL WORK ASSIGNMENT
Current Adoption Date: 06-27-2018
B.A. Special Work Assignment: An employee may be given SWAs pay may be given:due to (1) to an
employee’s temporary assignment to perform the duties of another vacant or temporarily absent position that
is assigned to a higher level market range title or when the functions of a position are not being performed
due to the temporary absence of the incumbent; or (2) to an employee’s assignment toperform a major project
or higher level responsibilities for a defined time period. SWA pay will end at the conclusion of the SWA.
1. The department must have available funding to support the SWA.
2. The assignment must be for a minimum of 30 calendar days, and may not extend beyond the estimated
end date or the end of the current fiscal year without the concurrence of Employee Compensation. If the
assignment is to continue beyond the estimated end date or into a new fiscal year, a renewal request must
be submitted in a timely manner to Employee Compensation or the SWA will end.
3. The assignment may not exceed a total of 6 months without the written concurrence of the Appointing
Authority, the employee, and Employee Compensation.
4. The effective date of an SWA shall be based on the date that the Appointing Authority determines that the
employee officially began the assignment. Appointing Authorities are encouraged, whenever possible, to
begin assignments at the beginning of a pay period. SWAs should be submitted within thirty calendar days
of the date that the Appointing Authority determines that the employee officially began the assignment.
5. An SWA differs from a management/professional assignment, which is limited to Board of Supervisors-
approved career paths.
6. Employees may not receive an SWA at the same time they are receiving a management/professional
assignment and may not receive more than one SWA at any given time.
7. Employees may not receive SWA pay for hours not physically worked.
B. SWAs forfor temporary assignment to perform the duties of a vacant or temporarily absent nother
positions that is assigned to a higher level market range title (position must either be vacant or the
functions of the position are not being performed due to the temporary absence of another employee):
1. Position must be assigned to a higher level classification than employee’s current position.
2. SWA Pay: Up to the amount the employee would receive for a permanent assignment into the position
(cannot exceed the maximum of the higher level position’s salary range). The higher level
responsibilities need to be considered in relation to the employee’s current job. It may not be
appropriate to pay the entire amount if the employee is not taking on the majority of the duties.
If two or more employees receive an SWA to cover for one position, the SWA Pay will be divided by
the number of employees performing the duties based on the division of duties.
C. SWAs for “major projects” or higher level responsibilities for a defined time period (i.e., not to cover
the duties of a temporary absence in another position):
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Maricopa County Internal Policy Number: B7001
Policy Title: Special Work Issue Date: 03/2006
Assignments
Policy Category: Employee Initiating Department: Revision Date: 12/2010
Compensation Management and Budget
Policy Title: Policy Number: HR2475
SPECIAL WORK ASSIGNMENT
Current Adoption Date: 06-27-2018
1. SWAs for major projects or higher level responsibilities for a defined time period will not be approved
unless the aAdditional duties or projects must beare so significant that they would otherwise justify
the assignment of the employee’s position to a higher classificationmarket range title.
2. SWA Pay: Ordinarily, SWA Pays for major projects may not exceed 5% above the employee’s current
base pay and should not exceed 6 months. SWAs should never extend beyond 12 months, unless
extenuating circumstances exist and the written concurrence of the Appointing Authority and
Employee Compensation are obtained.
D. Duration: SWAs must be for a minimum of 30 consecutive calendar days. Ordinarily, SWAs for temporary
assignments to vacant or temporarily absent positions should not extend beyond six (6) months while
SWAs for major projects should not extend beyond the project completion. SWAs that extend beyond the
approved estimated end date require a renewal request approval or the SWA will end.
E. Selection of Employees: Appointing Authorities must follow a fair and equitable process to select employees
for these assignments. Employees must meet the minimum qualifications for the assignment.
F. Effective Date: The date the Appointing Authority determines that the employee officially began the
assignment. Whenever possible, SWAs should begin at the beginning of a pay period.
G. Funding: Departments must fund SWAs within their existing budget and demonstrate it does not create
a future unfunded obligation.An employee’s SWA pay can be reduced as the result of a correction to an error
or miscalculation in a previously approved SWA. A reduction in an employee’s SWA pay 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.
C. Returning from SWAspecial Work Assignment: DOnce the Appointing Authority or Employee
Compensation determines that the SWA is no longer necessary, it is the departments’s responsibility to
must end the SWAs immediatelyonce they are no longer necessary. A reduction in, or rescission of, an
SWA does not constitute a demotion and is not subject to appeal to the Merit Commission. Appointing
Authorities are encouraged, wWhenever possible, SWAs shouldto end assignments at the beginning of a
pay period.
D. SWA pay will end at the conclusion of the SWA.
H. A reduction in, or rescission of, SWA pay does not constitute a demotion and is not subject to review by the
Employee or Law Enforcement Merit Commissions.
I. SWAs vs MPAs: SWAs differ from management/professional assignments (MPAs) in that SWAs are for
shorter, more temporary time frames and are only paid on hours worked. MPAs can be for an indefinite
period of time, are for roles that would otherwise typically be assigned to regular budgeted positions, and
are paid during non-work paid hours such as vacation time and sick leave.
J. Human Resources will review SWAs for accuracy and compliance with this policy. SWAs 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 SWAs until they are approved.
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Maricopa County Internal Policy Number: B7001
Policy Title: Special Work Issue Date: 03/2006
Assignments
Policy Category: Employee Initiating Department: Revision Date: 12/2010
Compensation Management and Budget
Policy Title: Policy Number: HR2475
SPECIAL WORK ASSIGNMENT
Current Adoption Date: 06-27-2018
E.K. The County Manager or designee may approve exceptions to this policy that are consistent with
the intent of the policy.
Procedure
SWA for temporary assignment to perform the duties of another position that is assigned to a higher
level market range title (position must either be vacant or the functions of the position are not being
performed due to the temporary absence of another employee):
The amount of SWA pay an employee receives for temporarily performing the duties of another higher level
position is determined by the employee’s placement within the market range to which the higher level
position is assigned. Ordinarily, the maximum total SWA increase that will be approved for an assignment
to perform the duties of a higher level vacant position is 10% above the employee’s current base pay or to
the minimum of the higher level position’s market range, whichever is greater.
When using the County’s placement in range strategy to determine the SWA pay to perform the duties of a
vacant higher level position, the higher level responsibilities need to be considered in relation to the
employee’s current job responsibilities. Not every SWA should be valued at the entire placement in range
amount. It may not be appropriate to pay the entire placement in range amount if the employee is not taking
on the majority of the higher level responsibilities.
In accordance with the County’s placement in range policy, the amount of SWA pay cannot exceed the
maximum of the market range for the higher level position. (See B7009 Placement in Range Policy.)
If two or more employees receive the SWA to cover for one vacant, higher level position, the allowable
amount of increase will be divided by the number of employees performing the duties. The amount of each
increase will be determined by the division of duties and validated by Employee Compensation.
SWA for “major projects” or higher level responsibilities for a defined time period (i.e., not to cover
the duties of a temporary absence in another position):
SWAs for major projects or higher level responsibilities for a defined time period will not be approved unless
the additional duties are so significant that they would otherwise justify the assignment of the employee’s
position to a higher market range title.
Ordinarily, SWAs for major projects may not exceed 5% above the employee’s current base pay and should
not exceed 6 months. SWAs should never extend beyond 12 months, unless extenuating circumstances
exist and the written concurrence of the Appointing Authority and Employee Compensation are obtained.
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