3.1 JOB DESCRIPTION AND JOB ANALYSIS
It shall be the responsibility of the department head (appointed and elected) to maintain a job description on file for each position in the department. The job description should include scope of responsibility, typical duties, qualifications, knowledge, skills and abilities, physical demands and environment, and an employee acknowledgment.
A classification system inventorying the duties and responsibilities of each position within the County shall group individual positions into classifications based upon the similarities in job duties and responsibilities. This classification system is based upon a job evaluation process, which identifies the critical elements of a position including level of responsibility, authority, job duties and the knowledge, skills and abilities required of the position.
3.2 POSITIONS AND SALARIES
3.2.1 Pay Ranges
Each classification is associated with a specific pay range including a minimum and maximum pay rate and such intermediate rates as are considered equitable. The pay range assigned to each position shall be such as to reflect equitably the differences in the duties and responsibilities of positions and shall take into account the external market, internal equity, county’s financial condition and policies, recruitment, turnover issues and other relevant factors. The number and compensation plan of County employees shall be prescribed and maintained in a salary schedule adopted by resolution by the Board of Commissioners of Okanogan County. Certain departments may adopt classification and compensation plans from outside agencies which are specific to their professional disciplines. These plans shall also be approved by the Board of Commissioners.
3.2.2 Reclassification
Whenever a position substantially changes and is assigned added responsibilities beyond the historical and regular duties of the position, the department head may request a position reclassification. The department head shall submit to the Administrative Coordinator a job description, which identifies the new elements of the position and salary data from the external market and like positions within the County. The Administrative Coordinator and/or a reclassification specialist shall review the request and determine the appropriate classification for the position. In addition, the Administrative Coordinator may authorize or direct that certain positions be investigated from time to time to verify that the classification of the position is correct. Reclassifications shall be approved or denied by the Board of County Commissioners.
3.3 SALARY SCHEDULES
3.3.1 Beginning Salary and Step Increases
Normally an employee will be appointed at the first step of the range established for the position. Appointments at higher steps shall be considered by the Board of County Commissioners based upon availability, experience and qualifications of applicants for the position, and the relationship to other similar classifications, as well as the time available to continue the recruitment process and budget considerations.
The employee’s anniversary of hire or promotion date, whichever is applicable, shall determine the effective date of step raises. The step raises based on years of service are part of the salary schedule approved by the Board of County Commissioners. If the employee’s hire or promotion date falls within the 1st or 15th of the month, the step raise shall be effective beginning on the first day of said month. If the employee’s hire or promotion date falls after the 15th to the end of the month, the step raise shall be effective the first day of the following month.
3.3.2 Promotion
A promotion is an appointment to a position, which has a higher classification and maximum salary rate than the employee’s present position. Whenever an employee is promoted, the employee shall be placed at the first step of the new pay range, which is at least five percent (5%) higher than the prior rate of pay. The employee’s promotion date shall reflect the date of the salary range change. The employee shall be subject to a six-month trial service period. The employee shall advance from step to step in accordance with the longevity requirements of each step.
3.3.3 Transfer
A position transfer is an appointment to a position in the same classification and the employee’s pay remains the same. A classification transfer is an appointment to a position in a different classification that has the same pay range. The employee may be required to serve a trial service period of up to six months, however; the employee will retain the same anniversary date. Should the employee not successfully complete the trial service period, the employee may be returned, upon approval of the department head, to their prior classification, if available. If the transfer is out of the employee’s department and he/she fails the trial service period, that employee may, upon the approval of the department head, return to the prior department and position, if available. Employees shall not be granted bumping rights if the prior position has been filled through competitive application.
3.3.4 Working Temporarily in a Higher Class
When an employee is assigned to work in a higher classification for a period of forty (40) consecutive hours or more, such employee may be paid an additional 5% added to the employee’s regular wage for the actual period the employee is given the added responsibilities. If the assignment is extended beyond a two (2) month period, the employee may receive the pay rate for the higher classification, provided that the employee is performing the full and complete function of that position, and further provided, the department head has approved in writing the higher pay rate prior to commencement of work in the higher classification. This provision shall not apply to short term leave, vacation, seminar, or training sessions, or other short-term temporary assignments.
3.3.5 Rate of Pay for Re-Hire
When a former employee is appointed to a position in the same classification where previously employed or in a related classification with the same salary range, the employee may be paid at or below the step at which the employee was being paid at the time of termination at the discretion of the department head. If a person is re-employed in a position within a classification in a lower salary range, the level of pay shall be any step in the lower salary range not exceeding the rate paid in the higher classification.
3.3.6 Reinstatement
When a former regular employee is reinstated in the same position within one year of lay off or resignation, the employee shall be paid at the same step in the salary range that was paid at the time the employee’s original employment was interrupted. The employee’s anniversary date shall remain the same. Reinstatement privileges do not apply to temporary or seasonal employees.
3.4 PAYROLL
3.4.1 Certified Payroll
Written certification of the department head accompanying any payroll shall constitute official notice that services for which payment is to be made have been performed, and those funds are available and allocated for the purpose.
The department head shall report (in a timely manner) to the payroll section of the Auditor’s Office or Public Works Finance Department such information as required for the purposes of recording employee attendance, leave and leave accumulation. Payroll shall keep and maintain a record of attendance on official duty, vacation leave earned, used and accrued; and other leave with or without pay. These records shall be available to the department head and individual employees shall be able to inspect their own records during normal business hours.
Certified payroll is processed on the last working day of each month.
3.4.2 Timecards
All non-exempt employees shall complete time cards on the forms provided by the Auditor’s Office or the Public Works Finance Department and turn them in monthly (daily for Public Works) to their supervisors for signatures. The supervisors shall forward the same to the payroll office in a timely manner to insure that proper records are kept as to vacations, sick leave, hours worked and overtime accrued and taken.
All exempt employees shall submit time records, which only indicate leave taken in the form of sick leave or vacation. Exempt employees shall account for leave time or sick leave only in eight (8) hour increments. Partial day leave time or sick leave time is not recorded. The only exception to this will be in cases where the employees may be required to complete daily or weekly time cards in order to distribute hours of time and vehicle usage to the proper fund, function and project, or for billing or grant accounting purposes.
3.4.3 Draw Pay
Employees may receive a payroll draw, up to a maximum determined by resolution of the Board of County Commissioners, if the following conditions have been met:
- Written notification must be presented to the Payroll Clerk in the Auditor’s Office by the 10th day of the month. The draw request will remain in effect until the employee submits a written notice to discontinue the draw.
- The employee has worked sufficient hours to be entitled to the draw pay.
NOTE: Public Works allows a draw pay not to exceed forty (40) percent of each employee’s average monthly pay rate.
All adjustments to the amount of the draw pay must be authorized by the employee on an appropriate form. In the instance of a promotion, position change, longevity increase or general salary adjustment, the employee shall be notified of the salary change and be given the opportunity to execute a new authorization form.
3.5 INITIAL AND TERMINAL PAY
3.5.1 Initial Pay
Initial pay for a new employee who works a partial first month shall be calculated as follows:
Number of hours Worked X hourly rate = Salary to be paid
3.5.2 Terminal Pay
Terminal Pay shall be based on the employee’s salary at the time of separation and if timesheets are turned in on time, shall be included in his/her final payroll. In the case of death of an employee, the employer’s indebtedness to the employee shall be paid in accordance with RCW 49.48.120. An employee shall be eligible for terminal pay once all keys and County property have been returned.
Terminal Pay for an employee who works a partial month shall be calculated as follows:
(Regular hours worked + accumulated leave hours*) X hourly rate + (any overtime hours at time and half) = Salary to be paid
*Accumulated leave hours includes days entitled to be paid such as vacation days, floating holidays, and holidays.
3.6 OVERTIME AND COMPENSATORY TIME
3.6.1 Overtime
The employer shall pay overtime in accordance with the Fair Labor Standards Act at one and half times the base rate or hourly rate for all hours worked. Hours worked for overtime computation include annual leave, holidays and other paid leave except sick leave. All overtime must be approved by the department head or a designated supervisor prior to the commencement of such work.
3.6.2 Compensatory Time
With the approval of the department head, a non-exempt employee may elect to receive such overtime as compensatory (comp) time. Compensatory time is accrued at a rate of time and a half for all hours worked in excess of 40 hours per workweek. No employee may accumulate more than forty (40) hours of compensatory time. Hours in excess of forty (40) shall be paid at the appropriate overtime rate.
3.6.3 Non-Exempt and Exempt Employees
Non-exempt employees are subject to the Fair Labor Standards Act overtime requirements and therefore are subject to the sections 3.6.1 and 3.6.2.
Exempt employees are not subject to the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) overtime requirements. Department heads and certain designated supervisors and professional employees are classified as exempt based upon the nature of the work, conditions of employment and by the criteria set forth in the rules and regulations of the Fair Labor Standards Act. Exempt employees shall not be eligible for overtime or comp time for hours worked in excess of the regular workweek.
3.7 EMERGENCY SITUATIONS
It is the policy of Okanogan County to maintain hours of operation, which make the best use of the people and resources in serving the needs of the public. Emergency situations may from time to time necessitate the closure of County offices. Such situations shall be determined by the Board of County Commissioners after consideration of all facts. Essential personnel required to be at work under emergency situations shall receive their normal rate of pay.
At times it is necessary to close individual offices due to limited staffing levels, special departmental meetings, etc. Department closures shall be approved by the Board of County Commissioners. Arrangements shall be made with other departments, switchboard, etc. to handle any emergency situations during the department's closure. A skeleton crew shall remain in each department to cover phones and assist the public when at all possible.
In the event an employee is unable to report to work due to extreme weather conditions, the employee may elect to use either annual leave, comp time or leave without pay.
3.8 TEMPORARY AND SEASONAL EMPLOYEES
Temporary and seasonal employees are hired for a set duration (such as a seasonal employee) or for a specific project and not intended to be employed on a regular basis. Temporary employees may be hired full or part time and are paid for actual hours worked at a rate determined by the department head. Temporary, non-exempt employees are eligible for overtime for hours exceeding 40 hours per workweek. A temporary employee may be employed for up to six (6) months at which time the temporary status shall be reviewed before employment is continued. Unless, otherwise authorized by the Board of County Commissioners, temporary and seasonal employees do not qualify for annual leave, sick leave or other County benefits.
3.9 SALARIED AND HOURLY EMPLOYEES
Salaried employees are paid a uniform amount for a specific time period. Hourly employees are paid an hourly rate for each hour worked and are not eligible for County benefits except overtime for non-exempt positions.