Staff Classification and Compensation Toolkit

Contents

Staff Classification

The Human Resources Department is responsible for making staff position classification assignments. The classification assignment of a new position or the reclassification of an established position must be approved by Human Resources as well as by the appropriate Vice-President/Vice-Chancellor. Positions which involve substantially the same kind of work, equivalent levels of difficulty and responsibility, and require comparable experience and training, will be grouped together into a single job class. Approved job classes are listed in the UNT or UNT System Pay Plan. Requests to establish new positions and to reclassify existing positions must be made via the HRM-4 Salaried Position Request Form. A UPO-31 Planning Guide for the position must accompany the request. To request that a position be posted, a HRM-5 Recruitment Request Form must also be completed and attached to the HRM-4.

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Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) Classification

Staff employees of the University are compensated for overtime worked in accordance with the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) of 1938, as amended and the State General Appropriations Act. FLSA classification is assigned by Human Resources at the time of creation of a new job classification or when a significant change in responsibility or job duties is made to an existing job classification.

Exempt Staff: Staff members whose positions meet the FLSA criteria for Executive, Professional, or Administrative exemption are exempt from FLSA overtime. Exempt classified staff positions have a classification title coded "E" under the FLSA Status column in the UNT and UNTS Pay Plan. Exempt staff whose positions are coded under the Retirement/Insurance column in the UNT and UNTS Pay Plan as eligible for Teacher Retirement System (TRS) coverage ("T") are eligible for 1.0 compensatory time after 40 hours worked in a single work week. Exempt staff whose positions are coded as eligible for the Optional Retirement Program ("O") are not eligible to earn compensatory time.

Non-exempt Staff: All staff members whose positions do not meet the FLSA criteria for Executive, Professional, or Administrative exemption are nonexempt staff members and are covered by the FLSA overtime provisions. Nonexempt staff positions have a classification title coded "N" under the FLSA Status column in the UNT and UNTS Pay Plan. Non-exempt staff are entitled to 1.5 compensatory time for all hours worked in excess of 40 in a single workweek. If 40 hours are not physically worked, they are entitled to 1.0 compensatory time.

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EEO Classification

EEO Code: You can find the EEO Code that corresponds to your position title by referencing the Alphabetic Index of All Titles located in the Pay Plan. "EEO Code" is a set of job categories established by the federal government for employment reporting. The general EEO category codes in use at UNT:

ADM - Administrative and Executive – this includes senior executives, department heads, and some other management level positions, for example, some Assistant Director titles.

FAC - Faculty – this is all instructional personnel.

OFF - Office/Clerical – general office support and administrative support positions, and specialized clerical titles. Examples include secretarial titles, administrative assistants, Registrar Clerks, and program assistants.

OPR - Operative (Semiskilled) - workers who operate transportation or materials moving equipment, or who operate machine or processing equipment, or who perform other factory-type duties of intermediate skill level which can be mastered in a few weeks and only require limited training.  

PRO - Professional – this group includes positions which require a degree and advanced knowledge and skills. Examples include many computing positions, accountants, and managers of specific programs.

SKC - Skilled Crafts – this group performs skilled manual trade work that requires considerable training and skill, often through an apprenticeship process. Examples include carpenters, plumbers, and electricians.

SER - Service/Police – this group combines positions that are primarily physically-oriented labor (custodial, food service, maintenance) or positions which supervise or manage such work, and positions performing police and security functions (Police Officers, Security Officers, and Guards.

TEC - Paraprofessional/Technical – positions requiring specialized education or training but not at as advanced a level as the professional titles. Examples include Electronics Technicians, Research Assistants, Telecommunications Specialists.

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Staff Compensation

Classified Job Titles: The UNT and UNTS Pay Plan reflects job titles classified into the career band structure including respective salary ranges.

Starting Rates for New/Re-employed Classified Staff Members: Generally, all new staff members and all re-employed staff members will be compensated at the entry level rate of the salary grade applicable to the classification assignment of their respective positions. No rate of pay higher than the entry level rate assigned to the classified title may be committed to a new staff member without prior approval from Human Resources and the division Vice President. A higher starting salary will be authorized (subject to availability of funds) only in those instances where:

  • The individual has directly related work experience and/or formal education or training substantially above the minimum requirements of the position, or
  • The occupation is critical and there is a demonstrated lack of qualified applicants at the entry.

Such starting salaries will generally be no more than 5% more than the established rate.

Starting Rates for Non-Classified Staff Members: The beginning salary rate for a vacant non-classified position shall be determined by the department official and/or the appropriate Vice President based on a recommendation by the Human Resources Department after a review of the position.

Salary Increases/Changes:

  • Subject to the availability of funds, staff employees of the University may receive annual pay increases. Annual University-initiated increases not related to promotion, reclassification, or adjustments from below entry to entry level are normally effective on September 1, the beginning of the University's fiscal year, unless otherwise approved by the Chancellor. Across the board or other salary adjustments required by the Texas State Legislature are implemented in accordance with the instructions of the State Comptroller.
  • Salary rate changes due to promotion, demotion, transfer or position reclassification are governed by policy 1.6.2, "Salary Administration." Contact Human Resources for assistance.
  • Merit salary increases may be granted to staff employees only through merit programs announced by the President to the entire University.

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Additional Resources

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Related Forms

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