3.02.33 - Reclassifications

Policy Title: Reclassifications

Impact: Non-faculty, benefits eligible positions

Responsibility: Human Resources

Effective Date: 06/26/02

Revised Date: 04/22/20

Reviewed Date: 4/30/2023

Relates to Procedure: 3.02.33

Legal Citation(s):

I. Policy Narrative

1. NIC assigns all benefits-eligible employees an equitable pay grade based on the duties and responsibilities of each position. Organizational changes in a department or the college may significantly alter the processes, duties, or scope of a particular position and necessitate the reclassification of an existing position.
2. Reclassification is the process by which an existing position is reviewed by HR for possible pay grade and/or FLSA exemption status changes. Reclassifications should be planned for and requested by managers in advance of assigning or permitting significant additional duties or responsibilities.
3. It is the responsibility of managers to ensure that positions within their department are not allowed to significantly and permanently expand beyond the position’s intended scope, as indicated in the official position description on file with HR.
4. Managers will submit reclassification requests to HR for evaluation and approval. Requests may be initiated by an employee, supervisor or HR. Reclassification requests may not be submitted more frequently than once in any 24-month period.

Procedure Title: Reclassifications

Impact: Non-faculty, benefits eligible positions

Responsibility: Human Resources

Effective Date: 06/26/2002

Revised Date: 02/20/2025

Reviewed Date: 02/20/2025

Relates to Policy: 3.02.33

Legal Citation(s):

In order to facilitate institutional budget planning, reclassifications can be requested between July and November each fiscal year.

I. Requesting a Reclassification

When the duties of a position will significantly and permanently change or have changed, a position review for possible reclassification should be requested, providing that the person has held their current position for at least one year.

The reclassification request can be initiated by the employee, supervisor, supervising President’s Cabinet (PC) member, or HR. Reclassification requests require the approval of the supervisor and supervising PC member. 

II. Required Documentation and Review Process

1. In order to process the reclassification request, the following documents must be submitted:
   1. A Job Analysis Questionnaire (JAQ) must be completed by the employee and/or supervisor that accurately reflects the intended duties or responsibilities to be assigned to and performed by the position. The supervisor and supervising PC member must confirm the accuracy of the information presented and approve the JAQ. JAQs that are not complete, or that do not have all necessary approvals, will not be reviewed and will be returned to the request initiator for completion and resubmission.
   2. A current organizational chart of the department that indicates where the position currently falls within the department and where it will fall if the reclassification is approved.
   3. The current position description with proposed changes indicated.
2. After submission of the completed reclassification request, HR will notify the supervisor that the reclassification request has been received. Employees, supervisors and or PC members may inquire with HR about the status of their reclassification at any time.
3. HR will review the request and respond with a decision by the last business day of February. The timeliness of the review process will be incumbent upon all parties’ responsiveness to requests for information and documentation.

III. Position Analysis Considerations

HR will review all gathered information about the position under review to determine if the changes identified will affect the position grade level and/or FLSA classification. Position analysis information is gathered from various sources, including the JAQ, the submitted job description documents, comparisons to similar internal positions and similar non-NIC positions, market data, and interviews conducted by the HR reviewer with the employee, supervisor and others knowledgeable about the position under review.

1. The reviewer will consider several factors, including but not limited to:
   1. Nature or type of work performed
   2. Level of responsibility
   3. Organizational impact
   4. Reporting relationships
   5. Scope of duties
   6. Education and experience
   7. Decision making
   8. Supervision received and/or exercised
   9. Knowledge and skills
2. An important distinction to be made is that HR reviews and evaluates the position, not the person in the position. Examples of person-related factors that are not considered in the reclassification process include:
   1. Performance of the employee
   2. Longevity of the employee
   3. Unique qualifications not required to perform the job duties
   4. Retention issues related to the employee
   5. Financial needs of the employee
   6. Capacity of the employee to take on additional work

IV. Reclassification Decision

HR will provide the list of all recommended reclassifications to the Office of Finance and Business Affairs for inclusion in the development of the annual budget. If a reclassification is not approved by HR, written notification will be provided to the employee, supervisor, and supervising PC member.

1. Finalization of Approved Reclassification
   Once a decision has been made and budget approval has been received, HR will provide the employee, supervisor and supervising PC member with written notice of the decision and updated position descriptions.

   All pay and position changes will be effective with the first payroll of the employee’s new contract year. Presidential approval is required for any exceptions.

2. Appeals

If the parties requesting the reclassification disagree with the decision by HR, the employee and/or the supervisor will have the opportunity to appeal the decision to the Chief HR Officer (CHRO). If the CHRO was the initial HR reviewer, the appeal may be made to an ad hoc committee called by the President which will provide a recommendation to the President.

Appeals must be made in writing to the CHRO within ten (10) business days of the date the original decision is given to the employee and supervisor.  All appeals submitted must include the following information:

1. 1. The original reclassification documentation (JAQ, organizational chart, current/proposed position description)
   2. The determination notice of the original HR reviewer
   3. A brief summary of the points of disagreement with the determination.

Once an appeal is submitted and is determined to be complete, the CHRO will notify the appealing parties that the appeal was received. The appeal decision will be made within ten (10) business days of the receipt of the appeal and will involve a review of submitted appeal documentation as well as any additional information obtained from discussions with the appealing parties and the original HR reviewer.

The decision of the appeal process is final.