Policies and Regulations
School Board of the City of Virginia Beach
Regulation 2-50.1
ADMINISTRATION
Reclassification
- General
The classification and reclassification of any position is determined by the Superintendent and will be processed in accordance with the procedure outlined below.
- Definitions
- Job
An assignment composed of a set of duties and responsibilities authorized to be performed.
- Job Title
A job title identifies the job being performed, such as Bus Driver, Office Associate II, and Assistant Principal, Elementary School.
- Job Description
A job description provides a general overview of the duties and responsibilities of a job including a listing of the essential tasks or functions; the knowledge, skills and abilities; the education and experience; the physical requirements; and any licensure and/or certifications required to perform the duties and responsibilities.
- Job Category
A job category refers to the classification of jobs as administrative, professional, classified, and instructional.
- Job Questionnaire (JQ)
A job questionnaire is the instrument used to compare the duties and responsibilities contained in the job description of a job title with the duties and responsibilities actually performed and/or assigned to the job for the purposes of determining the appropriate pay grade.
- Job Audit
A job audit may be conducted for the purposes of verifying the duties and responsibilities as represented in a job questionnaire. A job audit may be done at the discretion of the Department of Human Resources, as a result of a request of a supervisor or to develop and/or modify a job description.
- Job Classification
A job classification is the grouping of job titles on a pay grade.
- Job reclassification
A job reclassification is the reassignment of a job title from one pay grade to another.
- Position
Each job has a designated number of positions occupied by individual employees. One or many positions may exist for each job.
- Position Reclassification
A position reclassification is the reassignment of an individual employee from one job title to another job title.
- Pay Grade
A pay grade refers to the placement/assignment of a job on the unified pay scale.
- Pay Range
A pay range refers to the spread between the minimum and maximum values of a specific pay grade.
- Job Reclassifications
Job reclassifications typically occur as a result of a compensation study or may be initiated by the Superintendent or the Department of Human Resources. A job may be reclassified to a higher or lower grade based upon level of responsibility compared to other jobs within and outside the organization, and/or based upon market pay practices. Job reclassifications typically occur as a result of a compensation study. The salaries for current employees in a job below the minimum of the newly assigned pay ranges will be raised to the minimum. Employees with salaries above the new minimum will not receive a corresponding salary adjustment, but will receive the benefit of being placed in a higher pay scale. Employees with salaries above the maximum of the newly assigned pay grades will normally be reduced to the new maximum.
- Position Reclassifications
Position reclassifications occur when an individual employee’s job duties have changed such that they are substantially different from those included in the job description. The change of duties may have resulted from technological changes, differences or changes in organizational requirements or goals, or the assignment of new and/ or additional long-term duties.
- Reclassification Process
The following process will be used for job reclassifications and position reclassifications.
Submission Timeframe
The window for submission of reclassification requests is September 1 through October 31 of each calendar year. Reclassification requests initiated by the Superintendent may occur at any time.
Applications for reclassifications must be submitted by the principal or department head. All applications for reclassification shall require the completion of the Job Questionnaire (JQ) provided by the Department of Human Resources.
During the review and implementation of a comprehensive compensation study, in which all positions will be evaluated for appropriate pay grade assignment, reclassification requests will not be processed.
Principal/Department Head Responsibilities
The principal/department head shall make a request to the Department of Human Resources requesting the appropriate forms for reclassification. The Classification and Compensation Specialist, working at the direction of the Assistant Superintendent for Human Resources, shall provide the following to each principal or department head who requests a reclassification:
(a) the appropriate JQ,
(b) instructions for its completion, and
(c) any additional information necessary to complete the process.
The supervisor/principal/department head is responsible for forwarding the JQ to the employee for completion. After receiving the JQ completed by the employee, the employee’s immediate supervisor will complete the appropriate section of the form and then forward it to the employee’s principal/department head. The principal/department head will complete his/her part, including whether or not the request for reclassification is supported. An updated job description which accurately reflects the duties and responsibilities of the position must be attached.
If the principal/department head does not recommend approval of the request, he/she will notify the employee in writing, with the JQ attached.
Department of Human Resources Responsibility
The Assistant Superintendent for Human Resources shall ensure applications received by the due date for reclassifications are processed promptly. Evaluation of such applicants shall include a review of the completed JQ and may include job audit interviews with employees, supervisors, division and department heads conducted by the Classification and Compensation Specialist. The Assistant Superintendent for Human Resources, as part of his/her evaluation of the request, shall consider internal equity, the organizational and/or operational effect of the reclassification on school division operations. Based upon this evaluation, a report including a recommendation by the Department of Human Resources as to whether the application for reclassification should be granted or denied, together with reasons for such recommendation, shall be prepared.
Notification/Appeals Process for Employees
By the second week of December, the Assistant Superintendent for Human Resources shall notify the employee and his/her principal/department head of the recommendation to the Superintendent or designee. Within five (5) work days of receipt of the recommendation, the employee and/or principal/department head shall have the right, to appeal the decision of the Assistant Superintendent for Human Resources. The basis for the appeal and any information not previously submitted and/or considered shall be in writing to the Assistant Superintendent for Human Resources for consideration. The Assistant Superintendent for Human Resources will review and consider any new information and make a determination within five (5) working days of receiving the information. Upon receipt of the Assistant Superintendent for Human Resources’ second determination, the employee and/or principal/department head may appeal that decision to the Superintendent or designee. Final determination for reclassification requests shall be made by the Superintendent. The employee and principal/department head will be notified of the Superintendent’s decision by the third week of January.
Reclassification requests that are supported by the Superintendent, but require approval by the School Board, will be submitted to the School Board as a part of the Superintendent’s Estimate of Needs. These requests may include, but are not limited to new job titles and movement from one job category to another. The Department of Human Resources will notify the employee and supervisor/ principal/department head of the final disposition of the School Board within two (2) weeks after the City Council has approved the School Board’s budget.
Salary Implications
When a position is reclassified to a higher pay grade, the incumbent’s salary shall be increased to the minimum pay rate of the new grade or the incumbent will receive an increase equal to five percent (5%) of the current base salary, whichever is greater.
When a position is reclassified to a lower pay grade, the salary of the incumbent(s) will not be affected unless the incumbent’s salary is above the maximum of the new grade. In such cases, the incumbent’s salary will be reduced to the maximum of the new grade.
Pay adjustments that are needed as a result of reclassification will be effective at the beginning of the next contract period (July 1). This pay adjustment will be made before an across-the-board cost-of-living adjustment is processed in those years where the School Board has provided such an adjustment.
Approved by Superintendent: February 19, 1998
Revised by Superintendent: June 21, 2006