Classified Classification/Reallocation Review

1540.130 CLASSIFIED CLASSIFICATION/REALLOCATION REVIEW PROCEDURE

To the extent that this policy addresses terms or provisions covered under collective bargaining agreements for represented employees, the terms of the collective bargaining agreement will control for those represented classified employees.

A. PURPOSE

The college will comply with the established compensation plan adopted by Washington state human resources (SHR) and adhere to the elements under the Washington Administration Code (WAC) classification rules governing the administration of the compensation plan. WAC 357-13 establishes specific criteria and allows employers the authority and discretion to carry out activities related to the classification of positions. It also establishes the right of an employee to request a review by the director of the SHR.

Wenatchee Valley College recognizes that accurate position descriptions are critical for the overall effectiveness of the classification plan and the utilization of that plan within the college. Therefore, the following business practices are established by this procedure:

1. The immediate supervisor of a position is responsible to ensure an accurate position description is established and maintained for each position under his/her supervision.
2. Supervisors, with the assistance of the human resources office, are expected to perform an appropriate position analysis for each position under their supervision.
3. The human resources office is responsible for providing tools and training to supervisors to ensure job analysis are consistent and accurate.
4. The human resources office is responsible for housing, reviewing, and monitoring the job analysis and position description for each district position.
5. The human resource office is responsible for the content compliance of the college position descriptions with the overall content and elements contained in the classification plan issued by the director of the SHR.

B. GENERAL INFORMATION

When there are permanent and substantive changes in the job duties and scope of responsibility of a position involving the addition, reduction, or modification of duties and responsibilities, reallocation to a different classification may be warranted. An employee who feels that they are performing duties that are not in their position description and not appropriate to their job classification, may request a position review if six months have elapsed since the last review and the employee believes the work is better described by another class.

Human resources is responsible for allocating or reallocating each classified position to an established class in the SHR classification plan based upon a review and analysis of the duties and responsibilities of the position. Positions will be allocated on a best-fit basis as determined by the majority of the work performed. Allocation and reallocation decisions are limited to comparisons of the type and level of work that is performed with the available class specifications. The volume of work performed, the expertise with which the work is performed, or the work performed by other employees in similar positions does not affect classification.

C. REQUESTING A POSITION REVIEW

1. Employee: An employee may initiate a position review of their position if the duties have significantly changed, it is anticipated that the changes are permanent, and it has been at least six months since the last review. Employees are strongly encouraged to discuss the request with their supervisor or manager before initiating a review.
2. Supervisor/Department Head: A supervisor/department head must request a position review anytime it is anticipated that there will be immediate permanent and substantive changes to a position, or if an employee has been assigned new duties for less than six months and it is anticipated that the change in duties will be permanently assigned. The supervisor may also initiate the request if they know that the employee has been performing duties not listed on the current position description for more than six months and the employee has not yet submitted a request for a position review.
3. Human Resources: Human resources may also initiate a position review based on known or suspected changes in the position, classification plan, and/or other organizational issues.

D. POSITION REVIEW PROCESS

1. In order to gain an understanding of the position and the duties that are believed to be outside the current class, a Classified Staff Position Review Request Form must be filled out completely, signed by the employee and forwarded to human resources. For IT position reviews, see WVC procedure1540.140 classified staff IT professional structure evaluation.
2. Human resources will review the request, conduct interviews and/or request additional information if necessary and determine the appropriate job class for the position within 60 calendar days of receipt of the completed request. In addition, based on information provided by the employee and/or supervisor, human resources will verify whether or not the employee meets the competencies established for the position if the position is reallocated.
3. The effective date of the reallocation resulting from an employee’s request for a position review is the date the completed request form was received in human resources.
4. The employee, supervisor and union (if applicable) will receive written notice when the employee’s position is reallocated.

E. EFFECT ON THE INCUMBENT

The position review process may result in the position remaining the same or being reclassified to a different class with a higher salary range, a different class with the same salary range, or a different class with a lower salary range. If the review does not support a change in classification, the position remains in its current classification.

For an in-depth description of how an employee is affected when their position is reallocated, see Article 31 of the WPEA contract for represented classified employees, or WAC 357-13-090 for non-represented classified employees.

F. SALARY DETERMINATION

See Article 31 of the WPEA contract for represented classified employees or WVC procedure 1540.050 for non-represented classified employees.

G. RIGHT TO REQUEST A STATE HUMAN RESOURCES DIRECTOR REVIEW

If an employee disagrees with the results of the WVC human resources position review, the employee has the right to request a review of the decision by the office of the state human resources director. The request must be in writing with a copy to the human resources office within 30 calendar days of being provided the results of the position review or the notice of reallocation.

Note: An employee may not request a review by the office of the state human resources (SHR) director when the allocation or reallocation is based on the state human resources implementing new classifications, and the employee is reallocated to a class with the same salary range maximum. In this instance, the employee is first required to submit a request for a position review to WVC human resources. If, after human resources conducts a review of the employee’s position, the employee disagrees with the allocation decision, the employee may then request a SHR review of the results of the decision.

H. RIGHT TO APPEAL A SHR DIRECTOR’S REVIEW (WAC 357-52)

A classified employee, or WVC as the employer, may appeal a SHR director’s position allocation review determination by filing written exceptions. Allocation exception appeals must be filed with the personnel resources board following the instructions in the SHR director’s review response.

Approved by the president’s cabinet: 4/28/09, 4/21/20
Presented to the board of trustees: 6/17/09; 10/19/11, 5/20/20
Last reviewed: 5/20/23
Procedure contact: Human Resources

Related policies and procedures
1540.050 Classified (non-represented) Salary Determination Procedure
1540.140 Classified Staff IT Professional Structure Procedure