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The general basis for allocating a salary range of pay to a class or position is to provide “equal pay” for “equal work.” This applies to the relationship between jobs of comparable cities and those in the community, as well as to the internal relationships among city positions.

A. Administration. The city manager shall administer the step salary plan and from time to time make recommendations to the council of the city on the allocation of salary range to classes or positions. The city council shall set the salary range for each class or position within the city service.

B. Step Salary Plan. The step salary plan shall consist of a salary range for each class or position title as listed in the Schedule of Salaries and Related Benefits adopted by resolution of the city council. Each class or position salary shall include a salary range with five steps of rates of pay. The five steps within a class or position salary range shall be administered in the following way:

1. Step One—First Step. The first step of each range is the beginning salary level and is the standard hiring rate for a class or position.

2. Step Two—Second Step. Employees shall be advanced to step two after six months of satisfactory service in step one and after advancement is recommended by the department head and approved by the city manager.

3. Step Three—Third Step. Employees may be advanced to step three of the salary range allocated to their class or position after a minimum time of one year of satisfactory work has been spent in step two, and after a recommendation has been made by the department head and approved by the city manager.

4. Step Four—Merit. This step is reserved for employees who are considered to be fully qualified in their class and who maintain a consistent satisfactory standard of work performance. An employee may be advanced to step four after a minimum of one year’s service in step three, upon the recommendation of the department head with the approval of the city manager. An employee advanced to step four of the pay range shall retain such status so long as job performance remains at the level required to attain this step.

5. Step Five—Merit. This step is to be considered a further and final step for employees who attain and maintain a thoroughly satisfactory standard of work performance. An employee may be advanced to step five after a minimum of one year’s service in step four, upon recommendation of the department head with the approval of the city manager. An employee advanced to step five of the pay range shall retain such status as long as job performance remains at the level required to attain this step.

6. Y-rating—Positions Abolished. Employees who have had their position abolished and who are reallocated in city service in a different classification are considered to be Y-rated. Employees in step Y shall continue receiving the same rate of compensation until the rate of compensation of their new positions equals or exceeds their Y-rated salary or until the employee is appointed to a higher paying position, whichever shall occur first. The Y-rate shall not be applicable to layoffs.

C. Step Increases. No step increase shall be considered automatic or subject to increase by reason of time-in-service. All increases shall be based upon increased service value of the employee performance records, and must be recommended by the department head and approved by the city manager. Withholding recommendation for advancement to merit steps four and five shall not be considered a disciplinary action. All recommendations for salary step increases shall be submitted to the city manager for approval thirty calendar days before the effective date. Upon submission of satisfactory evidence and recommendation of the department head and the qualifications of the employee warrant, the city manager may authorize employment to any step. In computing length of service for step advancement purposes, service begins accruing from date of appointment to the position.

D. Merit Step Deferral. When an employee no longer meets the standards set for a merit step, the department head may recommend deferring a merit step increase. Such recommendation shall be made upon an Employee Performance Evaluation Form with a copy furnished to the employee of proposed deferral. If and when the employee’s performance has improved to the point that a merit step increase is justified, the department head shall initiate and forward Personnel Action Form to the human resources manager for approval.

E. Merit Step Reduction. When an employee no longer meets the standards set for a merit step, the department head may recommend withdrawal of the merit step increase. Such recommendation shall be made upon the Employee Performance Evaluation Form with a copy furnished to the employee sixty calendar days prior to the effective date of proposed reduction. Reevaluation of the withdrawal recommendation on an Employee Evaluation Form with a copy furnished to the employee shall be made by the department head thirty calendar days prior to the effective date of action. If the withdrawal recommendation is maintained and approved by the city manager, the employee shall be reduced by one merit step. Employees no longer meeting standards established may be reduced for all merit steps following the above procedure. Any employee reduced from a merit step shall again be eligible for advancement six months after effective date of reduction. (Ord. 4986 § 1, 2019; Ord. 4897 § 1, 2017; prior code § 3.18.020)