Definitions
To aid in your understanding of compensation policies, we have provided definitions for many of the compensation terms found throughout this document. Please refer to these definitions as necessary.
Annual salary increase pool is a percentage that the College, with the approval of the ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø±¬ÍøÕ¾ College Board of Trustees, sets aside on an annual basis for increases for continuing staff. The salary pools are set as a part of the annual budget process and may include funds for market adjustments.
Job descriptions describe job responsibilities and qualifications. The information in the job description is the basis on which positions are compared with those of peer institutions and other labor markets and determined salary levels.
Job grouping/families are groupings of positions based on the type of work performed, skill set, degree/experience, and similarity of responsibilities, as opposed to the occupation or subject matter, to better clarify, organize, and understand jobs and their relative relationships within an organizational hierarchy.
Job levels reflect the relative responsibility, scope, complexity, and requirements of the job.
Job qualifications are the educational credentials, professional credentials, and certifications required for the position.
Job reclassification is the reassignment/movement of a job to a different pay grade due to a significant change in current job responsibilities and/or a significant increase or decrease in skill level.
Labor markets are normally those geographic areas, industries, and peer institutions from which staff are recruited and to which they move when they leave ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø±¬ÍøÕ¾. The market used to evaluate our external competitiveness includes local market data provided by the Bureau of Labor Statistics for Cumberland County, Maine, and for most administrative positions is a group of thirty-one peer colleges, as well as cross-industry data from the Northeast.
Market adjustments are increases to base pay that may occur when an employee’s salary is below its peer or survey group target. A number of factors are considered when determining if a market adjustment is appropriate, including job performance, education, work experience, certifications and licenses, the placement of the employee’s salary within their pay grade, and the salaries of other employees in the same or similar classifications. Availability of funds also may impact adjustments.
Pay grades are the individual salary ranges that reflect how positions across the College are paid in the market. Pay grades are a way of grouping similar jobs based on the type and nature of work performed. Each position is assigned to one of the seventeen pay grades; these jobs are typically assigned to the grade with the closest grade target to the market data. There are 5 positions in a pay grade ranging from an Entry Point to the 5th pay point at the Ninetieth percentile of the market, that allow an employee to move through the grade over time.
Promotions occur when an employee moves to a different position in a higher pay grade.
Staff refers to all support staff (non-exempt) and administrative staff (exempt), non-faculty, benefits-eligible employees.
Supplemental pay is additional pay for assuming temporary new duties/responsibilities in a higher pay grade. Supplemental pay may be a one-time payment or payments depending on the temporary assignment’s timeframe.
Work experience is defined as years in the subject area or discipline, years in similar positions, and depth and breadth of previous positions.