VCOM Faculty Handbook

Salary Determinations, Employee Evaluations, Promotions, and Changes in Position Status Annual Salary Determinations The current salary plan for VCOM employees is based on classification of the position, full-time employment percentage, and job classification. Job classifications are based on duties, responsibilities, knowledge, and skills associated with the position and performance. The classification does not take into account the employee’s personal background including age. The salary does take into consideration degree as it pertains to job duties. Certain classifications, including pay bands, have been developed by the President’s office and approved by the Board of Directors at the request of faculty and these are provided to the Human Resources Department. Pay bands are based on job classification, job performance, job skills, administrative duties, and number of years with the College are used. Pay scales at similar institutions (Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine) are used in determining pay scales. The pay bands provide the initial hiring range and the maximum pay for overtime and are subject to change based on annual cost of living increases as well as merit pay up to the highest point of the pay band range. The President utilizes a survey of local, regional, and national pay for the positions, as well as the pay in “like osteopathic medical schools” to develop and periodically adjust the pay bands. The Board has approved the pay bands and the salaries are approved each year as a part of the annual budget. Advancement within an employee’s classification is dependent on the performance appraisal process and salary increases are based on performance, the CPI, and on VCOM’s finances. Occasionally, when positions are found by administration to be out of line with the labor market, the positions may be re-graded. Employee Performance Evaluation VCOM operates under the philosophy that employees should be compensated based on their performance in relation to standards set in their respective job descriptions. VCOM has a pay for performance system in order to motivate employees to do their best and to fairly reward their efforts. Through pay for performance, employees have a better understanding of expectations and supervisors have effective means for appraising every employee’s work performance and setting goals for improvement. Pay for performance begins with a performance evaluation. Employee evaluations are completed in January and February. Performance during the period of January through December of the preceding year is documented and appraised. Regardless of prior performance, a decline in performance can result in a pay decrease and/or dismissal. Performance evaluation forms are provided to employees and division/department leaders. Employees then complete their portion of the evaluation, while division/department leaders simultaneously complete their portion of the evaluation. All administrative and classified staff evaluations are then reviewed with the division/department leader by February 28th. Once completed, the supervisor will present the overall rating, along with a recommendation for the merit increase, to the President and Provost during the budget discussions for the next fiscal year. Merit pay increases are based on the results of the employee’s overall performance as documented on the performance evaluation. The performance measures used for job duties include: excels above others, good, satisfactory, unsatisfactory but improving, and poor. Each year the President and Provost, with final approval by the Board, will set the minimum and maximum merit pay increase an employee may be given based on cost of living, the College’s fiscal year performance, and the merit as rated by the division/department leader in review of the employee’s performance. New Hires Performance Evaluation Newly hired employees are provided informal feedback as they learn job duties in the initial 90-day probationary

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