Classifications

Department of Labor has set the new exempt salary threshold. Effective July 1st, the minimum exempt salary rose to $43,888, increasing to $58,656 on January 1st. However, this law was blocked for State of Texas employers and we are monitoring the litigation for future required actions.

A system for objectively and accurately defining and evaluating the duties, responsibilities, tasks, and authority level of a position. This system creates parity in position titles, consistent position levels within the organization hierarchy, and salary ranges that are determined by identified factors.

Positions

Overview of Job Specifications

Components

A classification description identifies and summarizes job duties of a position within the university. Classification descriptions are intended to provide an overview of the essential job duties or functions and are not intended to list every task an employee may perform. It outlines the basic requirements, including the job title and responsibilities of a job. Job descriptions, maintained at the department level, should be accurate, concise, and complete. Position descriptions are used to:

  • Evaluate and classify positions;
  • Communicate to new and existing employees the primary duties, responsibilities and expectations associated with their positions;
  • Provide information to determine comparable competitive salaries in the labor market;
  • Provide the details to be used in the recruitment and staffing of positions;
  • Provide the information necessary for employee relations, such as performance management, employee orientation, grievance resolution, and identification of training and development opportunities; and
  • Ensure compliance with related policies, procedures, guidelines and legislation.

Employee class codes are driven by position type and exempt status. Below is a list of classes that we use.

ClassDescriptionPay
AN Non-Compensated Affiliates Hourly
E1 Staff Exempt Salaried Full Time Salaried
EA Staff Exempt Salaried Part Time Salaried
F1 Faculty 12 Month Full Time Library Salaried
F2 Faculty 9 Month Full Time Salaried
F3 Faculty Less than 9 Month Full Time Salaried
FA Faculty Part Time Salaried
GA Graduate Salaried Part Time Salaried
N1 Staff Non-Exempt Salaried Full Time Salaried
N2 Staff Non-Exempt Hourly Full Time Hourly
NA Staff Non-Exempt Salaried Part Time Salaried
NB Staff Non-Exempt Hourly Part Time Hourly
O1 Faculty 9 Month Full Time Other Retiree Salaried
O2 Faculty Less than 9 Month Full Time Other Retiree Salaried
O3 Staff Exempt Full Time Other Retiree Salaried
O4 Staff Non-Exempt Full Time Other Retiree Salaried
O5 Staff Non-Exempt Hourly Full Time Other Retiree Hourly
OA Faculty Part Time Other Retiree Salaried
OB Staff Exempt Part Time Other Retiree Salaried
OC Staff Non-Exempt Part Time Other Retiree Salaried
OD Staff Non-Exempt Hourly Part Time Other Retiree Hourly
RR Retiree Non-Working Salaried
ST Student Hourly
T1 Faculty 9 Month TRS Retiree Salaried
T2 Faculty Less than 9 Month TRS Retiree Salaried
T3 Staff Exempt Full Time TRS Retiree Salaried
T4 Staff Non-Exempt Full Time TRS Retiree Salaried
T5 Staff Non-Exempt Hourly Full Time TRS Retiree Hourly
TA Faculty Part Time TRS Retiree Salaried
TB Staff Exempt Part Time TRS Retiree Salaried
TC Staff Non-Exempt Part Time TRS Retiree Salaried
TD Staff Non-Exempt Hourly Part Time TRS Retiree Hourly
XO One Time Pay Salaried

The Federal Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) determines whether employees are subject to or exempt from overtime provisions. If employees are determined to be serving in a non-exempt position, overtime pay or compensatory time must be provided for working more than 40 hours in a defined workweek (Sunday 12:01am until Saturday 12:00 midnight). When non-exempt employees work over 40 hours during their scheduled workweek, they are entitled to time-and-a-half pay or compensatory time calculated at time-and-a-half for all hours actually worked in excess of 40 hours. All overtime for non-exempt employees should be approved in advance by their supervisor.

The Human Resources Department determines the exemption status of each position on campus. Job titles do not determine exempt status. For an exemption to apply, an employee’s specific job duties and salary must meet all of the requirements of FLSA regulations.

Navigating the regulations of FLSA is confusing and violations can result in fines and prosecution. The compensation team is here to help you, so call us with your questions at 936-294-1070. Human Resources makes the final determination, but we wanted to provide the following information as an abbreviated resource to help guide you when creating a new or reclassifying a current position.

FLSA Checklist

There are three major tests for exemption from overtime:

  1. Salary Level. The minimum salary required for exemption is $684 per week or $35,568 annually.
  2. Salary Basis. The employee must regularly receive a predetermined compensation amount each pay period. The compensation cannot be subject to reduction because of variations in the quality or quantity of the work performed.
  3. Job Duties. The employee’s Primary Job Duty must fall within one of the categories below.

    Executive. The primary duty is management of the institution or of a customarily recognized department or subdivision. The employee must customarily and regularly direct the work of two or more employees. The employee has the authority to hire or fire other employees or make recommendations as to the hiring, firing, advancement, promotion, or other change of status of other employees.

    Administrative. The primary duty is the performance of office or non-manual work directly related to the management or general business operations of the employer or the employer’s customers. The primary duty must include the exercise of discretion and independent judgment with respect to matters of significance. The administrative exemption is also available to employees whose primary duty is performing administrative functions.

    Professional. The primary duty is the performance of work requiring advanced knowledge in a field of science or learning that customarily is acquired by a prolonged course of specialized intellectual instruction. The primary duty must include work requiring advanced knowledge to analyze, interpret or make deductions from varying facts or circumstances.

    Computer-Related. The primary duty requires the application of systems analysis techniques and procedures; consulting with users to determine hardware, software or system functional specifications; and the design, development, documentation, analysis, and creation or modification of computer programs related to machine operating systems or programs.

The EEO class codes support Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) compliance reporting. The following is a basic description of EEO job categories used at Sam Houston State University.

Professionals. Occupations which require specialized and theoretical knowledge which is usually acquired through college training or through work experience and other training which provides comparable knowledge. Can include accountants and auditors, architects, artists, chemists, designers, editors, engineers, lawyers, registered professional nurses, personnel and labor relations specialists, physical scientists, physicians, social scientists, and workers in similar fields.

Clerical. Includes all clerical-type work, regardless of level of difficulty, where the activities are predominantly non-manual, though some manual work not directly involved with altering or transporting the products is included. Can include bookkeepers, clerks and office helpers, office machine operators (including computer), shipping and receiving clerks, stenographers, typists and secretaries, telephone operators, legal assistants, and workers in similar fields.

Tech/Paraprofessionals. Occupations which require a combination of basic scientific or technical knowledge and manual skill which can be obtained through specialized post-secondary school education or through equivalent on-the-job training. Can include computer programmers; drafters; licensed, practical or vocational nurses; photographers; radio operators; scientific assistants; technical illustrators; technicians (medical, dental, electronic, physical science); and workers in similar fields.

Skilled Craft Workers. Manual workers of relatively high skill level having a thorough and comprehensive knowledge of the processes involved in their work. Exercise considerable independent judgment and usually receive an extensive period of training. Can include the building trades, mechanics and repairers, skilled machining occupations, electricians, painters (construction and maintenance), motion picture projectionists, decorating occupations, and workers in similar fields.

Service/Maintenance. Occupations in which workers perform duties which result in or contribute to the comfort, convenience, hygiene or safety of the general public or which contribute to the upkeep and care of buildings, facilities or grounds of public property. Workers in this group may operate machinery. Can include garage laborers, custodial employees, groundskeepers, refuse collectors, construction workers, and workers in similar fields.

Hourly rates of pay are determined by dividing the annual wage by the standard 2,080 average number of working hours per year. The State Social Security Benefit Replacement Pay is included in the pay grade ranges.

Effective April 1, 2023

Grade Hourly Monthly Annually
Min Mid Max Min Mid Max Min Mid Max
1 10.00 12.50 15.00 1,734 2,167 2,601 20,801 26,001 31,202
2 15.00 18.75 22.50 2,601 3,251 3,901 31,202 39,002 46,802
3 15.60 19.50 23.40 2,705 3,381 4,057 32,450 40,562 48,674
4 16.23 20.29 24.35 2,814 3,517 4,220 33,760 42,200 50,640
5 16.88 21.10 25.32 2,926 3,658 4,389 35,112 43,890 52,668
6 17.56 21.95 26.34 3,044 3,805 4,566 36,527 45,658 54,790
7 18.27 22.84 27.41 3,167 3,959 4,751 38,004 47,504 57,005
8 19.19 23.99 28.79 3,327 4,158 4,990 39,917 49,896 59,876
9 20.15 25.19 30.23 3,493 4,367 5,240 41,914 52,393 62,871
10 21.16 26.45 31.74 3,668 4,585 5,502 44,015 55,019 66,022
11 22.22 27.78 33.33 3,852 4,815 5,778 46,220 57,775 69,330
12 23.34 29.18 35.01 4,046 5,058 6,069 48,550 60,687 72,824
13 24.51 30.64 36.77 4,249 5,311 6,373 50,983 63,729 76,475
14 25.98 32.48 38.97 4,504 5,630 6,756 54,041 67,551 81,061
15 27.54 34.43 41.31 4,774 5,968 7,161 57,286 71,607 85,929
16 29.20 36.50 43.80 5,062 6,327 7,593 60,739 75,923 91,108
17 30.96 38.70 46.44 5,367 6,709 8,050 64,400 80,500 96,599
18 32.82 41.03 49.23 5,690 7,112 8,534 68,269 85,336 102,403
19 34.79 43.49 52.19 6,031 7,539 9,046 72,366 90,458 108,549
20 37.23 46.54 55.85 6,454 8,067 9,681 77,442 96,802 116,163
21 39.84 49.80 59.76 6,906 8,633 10,359 82,871 103,588 124,306
22 42.63 53.29 63.95 7,390 9,237 11,085 88,674 110,843 133,011
23 45.62 57.03 68.43 7,908 9,885 11,862 94,894 118,617 142,340
24 48.82 61.03 73.23 8,463 10,579 12,694 101,550 126,937 152,325
25 52.24 65.30 78.36 9,056 11,320 13,583 108,664 135,830 162,996

Maintenance

  • Reclassifications

    A reclassification is a formal study of the duties and responsibilities that comprise a position, taking into consideration the nature and level of work performed and the specifications required for an incumbent to perform the job completely. A reclassification occurs when the job duties and/or required qualifications of a position are re-evaluated and the position is assigned a new classification. The change in job duties, essential functions and/or qualifications of the position should be sufficient enough as compared to when the position was originally established to warrant a study by HR. A position that is reevaluated may be assigned a new title and be classified at a lower or higher grade and salary range. Please refer to SHSU Finance & Operations Human Resources Policy WS-1, Classification of Non- Faculty Jobs, for more information regarding classification changes.

    When is a reclassification request necessary?

    A reclassification request is necessary in order to

    • Establish a new position and job classification title;
    • Abolish an unneeded position title from the pay plan;
    • Revise an outdated classification description; and/or
    • Reclassify an existing position because of significant or substantial changes in duties and/or responsibilities.

    What is the timeline for reclassification requests?

    Reclassifications of existing positions are processed in accordance with the needs of the University on an as-received basis with a maximum sixty (60) calendar day window to complete. In order for reclassifications and new positions to be processed, the required approved documentation is electronically submitted to Human Resources through the Position Management system:

    1. Job Analysis Questionnaire
    2. Staff Additions/Changes information
    3. New or revised job description

    Reclassification of existing positions is limited to no more than once every two years. With Vice President approval, exceptions will be considered during complete departmental reorganizations.

  • Desk Audits

    What is a Desk Audit?

    The desk audit is the method Human Resource’s classification system uses for obtaining information about a position in order to properly classify the position. Human Resources Classification Specialists conduct interviews with the employee. The specialists may schedule a follow-up meeting with the first level supervisor to verify the assignment of work and the nature of supervision. A position desk audit focuses solely on the current work assigned and does not address hypothetical or projected duties. Positions are classified based on major regular and recurring essential duties. Additionally, volume of work will not be considered as a factor in grade classification.

    Benefits

    • Verifies and clarifies information in the Position Management action and documentation.
    • Provides examples of work performed.
    • Allows employees an opportunity to explain and demonstrate what their position does.

    The classification specialist classifies the position, not the person. The classification specialist will analyze the duties, level of responsibility, and skills and knowledge required of the position to render a classification decision. Personal attributes (e.g., the employee's value, performance, longevity, reliability) are not part of the classification review process and decision.

  • Market Studies

    What is a Market Adjustment?

    The value of all jobs is influenced by the going rate in the labor market. In some cases, the market value of a job is the most appropriate measure in establishing the salary. A market adjustment is allowed when necessary to stay competitive in the labor market. To make a market adjustment to a staff job, the Dean or Program Director should contact HR for details on the collection of relevant data and how to prepare the proposal. Market adjustments should be presented during the annual budget preparation process in ample time to be included in the next fiscal year budget. Adjustments must not be retroactive.

    Market Adjustment Request Form