Review of Requests for Upgrades of Support Staff Positions

A request by a support staff member to have his or her position assigned to a higher salary grade will be evaluated primarily by comparing the duties and responsibilities of the position with the position level descriptions, but comparisons with similar positions of Kenyon and other employers may also be made. In accordance with standard accepted personnel practice, evaluations will not be based on the performance level of the position incumbent.

The following procedure will apply to upgrade requests of non-exempt staff members

Step 1, Review by Director of Human Resources

The staff member should submit a written request to his or her supervisor. The request should include a statement of the reasons for the request and a new completed position description questionnaire if the primary duties and responsibilities of the position have substantially changed since the last questionnaire was completed. The supervisor will forward the request to Human Resources, together with his or her comments and any comments of the division head. If the Director of Human Resources grants the upgrade request, he or she will notify the staff member and the supervisor. If the Director decides to deny the request, he or she will meet with the staff member and the supervisor and explain the reasons for that decision prior to notifying them in writing. The Director will normally notify the staff member and supervisor of his or her decision within 30 days following receipt of the upgrade request and a newly completed position description questionnaire.

Step 2, Review by Position Review Committee

The staff member may appeal a denial of the upgrade request by submitting a written appeal to the Director of Human Resources. The Director will immediately forward the appeal request, and all information submitted by the staff member in support of the request, to the Position Review Committee along with the reasons for the denial of the upgrade request. The Position Review Committee will consist of two members (one exempt administrator and one non-exempt staff member) of the Presidential Advisory and Communications Team (PACT), and one Senior Staff Member. Position Review Committee members will be appointed by the President. If any member of the Position Review Committee is from the same division as the staff member submitting the appeal, the President will appoint a substitute. The Position Review Committee will make its decision by majority rule. The Committee will review the upgrade request and any information submitted by the staff member, the staff member's supervisor and the department head in support of the request, and the reasons of the Director for denying the request. The Position Review Committee will normally notify the staff member, the supervisor and the Director of Human Resources of its decision within 30 days of receipt of the appeal. If the appeal is denied, the staff member must wait one year from the date of the decision before submitting another upgrade request.