Currently there are 88 requests for classification review outstanding; 74 requests have been initiated by employees and 14 requests are management-initiated. Of these requests, further information is required for 61 and complete information has been obtained for 27. For the 27, where complete information has been received, interviews will be scheduled in the near future.
In addition to ongoing classification reviews, Job Fact Sheets are required from employees in classifications that were established since 1996. There are approximately 30 new classification titles. The Department of Human Resources has requested these Job Fact Sheets. As part of the system maintenance, the Department of Human Resources also assigns a tentative Band Level to new classifications for recruiting purposes. Once the incumbent is in the position for a reasonable time period (i.e. six months), he/she will be asked to complete a Job Fact Sheet for rating to determine the actual Band Level. If the position rates to a higher Band Level than initially determined, the salary of the incumbent is adjusted to reflect the new Band Level. A lower rating than initially assigned will remain unchanged until the position is vacated.
To provide a faster method for rating Job Fact Sheets, a rating schedule has been finalized for one-day rating sessions to be held bimonthly on every second Thursday.
The Department of Human Resources welcomes the following new rating members: Lorraine Jackson, Queen Elizabeth II Library; Alvin Kenny, General Student Services; Don Peach, Department of Facilities Management; Jerry Smith, Department of Technical Services. These members were trained in February 1998 and will attend rating sessions monthly as part of the training. The department also expresses its appreciation to the volunteers serving on the rating committees and to each rater's respective dean, director and/or department head for supporting this worthwhile university initiative.
If you have any questions, please contact Mary Clarke, 737-4557 (e-mail mclarke@morgan.ucs.mun.ca), or Colleen Walsh, 737-4568 (e-mail colleenw@morgan.ucs.mun.ca).
Eligibility
When the retirement planning seminars were offered last fall and winter,
invitations were extended to employees 54 and older, of whom 166 attended.
This fall, the same opportunity will be offered to employees 50-53 (445
employees) and also those who were previously eligible but unable to
attend.Employees who fall within these age groups will be personally
invited. Spouses are welcome to attend.
We recognize the importance of retirement planning at an early age and our goal is to eventually make these seminars available to employees in younger age categories.
Scheduling
Three sessions are planned this fall for the St. John's campus, beginning in October, and one session at the Sir Wilfred Grenfell College campus.
For further information on retirement planning seminars, please contact the Benefits and Pensions Office at 737-7406.
1. What are the advantages of the new job evaluation system over the old classification system?
The new job evaluation system is a gender-neutral method of evaluation that recognizes components of positions that were never considered before (e.g., time spent on the job to learn the job, physical and mental demands, working conditions). The new system allows more flexibility for movement to higher band levels, where a significant difference in the complexity of work, the initiative required, or another factor could result in the movement to a higher band level even though the classification title for your position is allocated to a lower band level. The decision-making process for classification review has been decentralized from Human Resources to the committee level and will result in a more efficient method for dealing with such requests.
2. Why did the university introduce a new job evaluation system?
The classification system used at Memorial had its beginnings in the early 1970s and in subsequent years the university's environment has changed substantially. The university receives significant amounts of money in grant funding annually from the federal government and, as a federal contractor, the university must abide by the stipulations of the Federal Contractor's program in order to continue securing these grant funds. The Canadian Human Rights Act, which applies to the university because it is a federal contractor, states that it is a discriminatory practice for an employer to maintain differences in wages between male and female employees who are performing work of equal value.
3. I did not complete a Job Fact Sheet for rating in Phase II. Can I still submit a Job Fact Sheet?
Yes, you can still submit a Job Fact Sheet. It should be noted that, where a Job Fact Sheet is received and subsequent rating supports an allocation to a higher band level, classification action will be taken effective the date of receipt of the Job Fact Sheet.
4. Does the amount of work people perform have an impact on the band level assigned to their position?
No, volume of work is not considered. Job evaluation considers the duties and responsibilities assigned to a position regardless of whether you perform the task once or 10 times per day. Therefore, you may feel you are busier than someone in the same classification, but job evaluation is not designed to address this issue.
If you have further questions about the Job Evaluations System, please contact Mary Clarke, Department of Human Resources, 737-4557.