Pay Adjustments

Operational Standard/Purpose

ICC is committed to maintaining salary levels that are in compliance with all applicable laws and regulations. Human Resources is responsible for policy guidance and administration of its compensation programs. Achieving the goals of institutional affordability and also equitable, fair, and market competitive compensation is a responsibility shared by ICC leadership and Human Resources.

Scope/Applicability

Refer to the Employee Handbook for additional information.

Procedures

1. Human Resources Initiated Salary Adjustments:
   1. Annual Salary Increases Non-Bargaining Unit (non-externally funded): Upon Board of Trustees approval, Human Resources will develop a list of non-bargaining unit staff who are approved for an annual base salary increase. For the purposes of this section, “approved” means an employee with satisfactory performance of a 3.0 or greater on their annual performance evaluation and/or an employee hired before April 1st.
      
      Exclusions: The following positions are excluded from this section: Employees who reach the maximum of their salary range will not receive a percent increase to the base salary until such time as the salary range is adjusted through cost of living (CPI) or market-based adjustments. During the annual increase period, employees at the maximum of the salary range will receive a lump sum payment (pay code CAP) at the same percent in which annual increases are approved, which will not adjust the base salary.
      • Athletics Camp Clinicians
      • Fitness Employees (Group Fitness Leader, Personal Trainers, Fitness Center Group Exercise)
      • Interpreters
      • Models
      • Part-time (Adjunct) Faculty
      • Part-time Assistant Coaches (Assistant Coach- Baseball, Assistant Coach- Men's BB. Assistant Coach- Men's Soccer, Assistant Coach- Softball, Assistant Coach- Volleyball, Assistant Coach- Women's Soccer, Assistant Coach- Women's BB)
      • Referees and Athletics Game Workers
      • Student Employees  Workshop Presenters (SAT/ACT Review Instructors, SAT Review Instructors)
      • Externally funded employees
   2. Annual Salary Increases Non-Bargaining Unit (Externally funded): Pay increases, if any, must be funded by the contract or grant. Timing for pay increases for grant-funded employees will follow the grant period, but will be consistent with that for all other college personnel and will reflect the level approved by the College. If no pay raises are granted by the College, then grant-funded salaries will not be raised.
   3. Annual Salary Increases Carpenter Union: Carpenters Union members will receive their bargained increases each January.
   4. Annual Salary Increases Faculty Forum: Faculty base salary increases will occur in August in accordance with their collective bargaining agreement.
   5. Review of Non-Bargaining Unit Pay Program: Human Resources conducts the following reviews to ensure its salary program is externally competitive:
      1. Annual review of salary ranges: Human Resources conducts an annual review of salary ranges to ensure ranges are in line with regional market data as researched through the college’s market salary assessor subscription and adjust the range appropriately.
      2. Review of jobs in salary ranges: Human Resources conducts reviews of non-bargaining unit job descriptions to ensure the job is placed in the appropriate salary range, based upon the responsibilities of the job. Reviews are conducted on the following rotating basis:
         • Year 1: ranges 2-12
         • Year 2: ranges 13-23
         • Year 3: ranges 24-36
      3. In December of each year, Human Resources will provide a recommendation to President’s Cabinet of employee rate adjustments that would be effective at the beginning of a fiscal year based upon regional market research (item 1) or adjustment of a job into a new salary range (item 2) if there is sufficient budget.
2. Employee Initiated Salary Adjustments (through position application and recruitment procedure):
   1. Downgrade: A downgrade occurs when a staff member applies for a position in a lower salary range. The employee’s salary will be maintained at his/her present rate except that it may not be lower than the minimum or higher than the maximum rate of the new pay range. A salary that is higher than the maximum rate of the new pay range will be reduced to the maximum of the pay range.
      
      Additional consideration. If an employee is placed in a position in a lower salary range as a management decision, the employee’s salary will be maintained at its current rate and will not be reduced if it is higher than the maximum rate of the new pay range.
   2. Upgrade: An upgrade advances an employee to a higher salary range or from one authorized position to another higher-level position either through job posting or department reorganization. Eligible employees approved for an Upgrade increase generally receive a base salary increase to 25% of the new position salary range or a 10% increase to the base salary, whichever is greater if 1) the fiscal year salary budget is available and 2) there are no internal pay equity issues. Upgrades are made through the job posting process and the employee’s salary will be adjusted at the acceptance of the new move via an offer letter provided by the Human Resources Department.
   3. Lateral Move: A lateral move is when an employee applies for a vacant position in the same salary grade as their current position through the job positing procedure. There is no salary adjustment for a lateral move. Considerations may be given for length of time in salary range and distance to 25% of current salary range, fiscal year salary budget is available and there are no internal pay equity issues.
3. Manager Initiated Salary Adjustments:
   1. Equity Adjustments: Equity adjustments are increases to the employee’s base salary outside the annual increase cycle due to certain circumstances, such as non-temporary material job changes that do not warrant a job reclassification or a significant lag in base salary to comparable internal positions or the external local labor market. Employees approved for an equity adjustment receive a base rate increase to at least the minimum level of the new position salary range or 5%, whichever is greater. To submit an Equity Adjustment for approval:
      1. Manager reviews the Equity Adjustment section of the Employee Handbook.
      2. Manager confirms employee is eligible for an equity adjustment.
      3. Manager submits a Pay Adjustment Request Form to the Human Resources Department.
      4. Human Resources Department uses the Pay Adjustment Salary Range Evaluation Form and appropriate market data to determine if the position’s base salary is eligible for an adjustment based upon the college’s compensation policy.
      5. Human Resources will make a recommendation of a pay adjustment, if warranted and forward to appropriate Cabinet Member for review/approval. If denied, Human Resources will state reason for denial and forward to Cabinet Member for review.
      6. Cabinet Member will review Pay Adjustment Request Form. If approved, Cabinet Member will return to Human Resources. If denied, Cabinet Member will state reason for denial and return form to Manager.
      7. Human Resources Department will notify Manager of all approvals.
      8. If an equity adjustment has been approved, Manager must complete and submit an Employment Authorization Form to Human Resources.
      9. Upon receipt of Employment Authorization Form, Human Resources will appropriately update the Employee’s pay records.
      10. Appeals: If a request is denied anywhere in the approval process, the Manager may appeal to President’s Cabinet.
   2. Interim Placement/Assignment: Interim placement is the placement of an employee in a salaried exempt position to assume a temporary assignment to fill a vacant position. Interim appointments shall normally be for no less than ninety (90) days and no more than six (6) consecutive months or, if applicable, not more than one academic semester or term. The term of the assignment can only be extended with the approval of the department Vice President.
      1. Interim Placement While Continuing to Work in Existing Position: Employees accepting an interim assignment while also continuing to work in his/her existing position will receive a temporary increase to at least the minimum level of the Interim position salary range or 10%, whichever is greater.
      2. Interim Placement Into a New Position: Employees accepting an interim assignment, but NOT continuing to work in his/her existing position will receive a temporary increase to at least the minimum level of the Interim position salary range or 5%, whichever is greater.
         To submit an interim placement for approval:
         1. Manager must verify that the Employee is qualified (meets the minimum qualifications) for the interim placement.
         2. Manager must complete and submit an Employment Authorization Form to Human Resources.
         3. Manager must receive Cabinet member level approval.
   3. Reclassification Adjustment: Reclassification to a higher salary range will receive an increase to at least the minimum level of the new salary range or a 5%-10% increase to the base salary, whichever is greater. A change in job responsibilities or volume of work within the same salary range does not necessarily warrant a pay adjustment. To initiate a reclassification:
      1. Manager submits a Pay Adjustment Request Form to the Human Resources Department. The Manager must include an updated job description and present justification as to the reason for adjusting the position into a higher salary range. In addition, any budget impact information must accompany the Pay Adjustment Request Form.
      2. Human Resources Department reviews the new job description using the Pay Adjustment Salary Range Evaluation Form. If the salary range of the new position is higher than the current position, then the position will move to the appropriate salary range.
      3. Human Resources will make a recommendation of a pay adjustment, if warranted and forward to appropriate Cabinet Member for review/approval. If denied, Human Resources will state reason for denial and forward to Cabinet Member for review.
      4. Cabinet Member will review Pay Adjustment Request Form. If approved, Cabinet Member will return to Human Resources. If denied, Cabinet Member will state reason for denial and return form to Manager.
      5. Human Resources Department will notify Manager of all approvals.
      6. If a reclassification adjustment has been approved, Manager must complete and submit an Employment Authorization Form to Human Resources.
      7. Upon receipt of Employment Authorization Form, Human Resources will appropriately update the Employee’s pay records.
      8. Appeals: If a request is denied anywhere in the approval process, the Manager may appeal to President’s Cabinet.
   4. Rehires (Temporary): SURS Annuitants who are hired for the sole purpose of a temporary assignment (less than 90 days) will receive an hourly rate equal to the 25% - 50% of the salary range for the position in which they are assigned.
   5. Temporary Pay: Stipends are granted for work that is distinctly different than the employee’s primary responsibilities or significant and ongoing increase in required work hours. Manager must complete and submit an Employment Authorization Form to Human Resources. The intent of the Temporary Pay adjustment is for exceptional circumstances. Requests are considered on a case by case basis. Manager must request a temporary pay adjustment through the Cabinet Member. Considerations for Temporary Pay may include, but are not limited to:
      • Person is a salaried exempt employee;
      • Temporary work in another position or the majority of another position while continuing to perform work in current position;
      • Length of time of temporary work;
      • Increase of work hours per week due to temporary work;
      • Complexity or difficulty of temporary work;
      • Job Classification or Salary Grade of temporary work.
   6. Transfers: A transfer is a management decision to move an employee from one position in a particular range to another position in the same salary range. There is no salary adjustment for a transfer. Manager must complete and submit an Employment Authorization Form to Human Resources for processing a transfer.

Additional Provisions/Information

Effective Date of Pay Adjustments: Any wage adjustment will take effect no sooner than the pay period following the approval.

Notification of Pay Adjustments: All employees will be notified in writing of their new pay adjustment in accordance with the Illinois statute (820 ILCS 115/) Illinois Wage Payment and Collection Act.

Retroactive Adjustments: Any approved wage adjustment may be retroactive to the date in which an interim placement, upgrade, or other position change occurs, within a 12 month period. No retroactive payments will be made in excess of 12 months.