More FAQs

What are the pay plan exhibits?

The pay plan exhibits are three documents that list adopted job classifications, pay ranges and step schedule.  Click on the links below to view the pay plan exhibits.  

• Pay Plan Exhibit A – Job Class List Pay Grade Order
• Plan Exhibit B – Job Class List Alphabetical Order
• Pay Plan Exhibit C – Pay Grade and Step Schedule
• Pay Plan Exhibit D – Public Safety Pay Grade and Step Schedule

As the pay plan exhibits are updated, the job description listings and pay ranges are also updated. Moreover, updated pay plan exhibits are kept in the Human Resource Department Public Folders in Microsoft Outlook. 

What is step-up pay and who qualifies for it?

Occasionally, a temporary vacancy will occur within certain city departments engaged in construction activity or utility operations. In these instances, the temporary absence of a key employee can hamper the operations of a crew or facility. Such situations are not in the best interest of the city or the public. Therefore, a mechanism is needed to establish a process and to compensate certain city employees who are directed by their supervisors to assume duties in the absence of certain higher-ranking employees ("step up") to ensure that departmental operations and work activities continue at a normal pace.

Step-up pay does not establish or grant any increase of base pay to any employee. Step-up pay is to be paid to an employee only so long as that employee meets the requirements herein and is subject to modification at any time. Step-up pay is not considered overtime pay or part of an employee's base pay.

A crew worker, equipment operator, sanitation worker or senior or heavy equipment operator who is directed by his or her supervisor to "step up" to a vacant higher job in that department shall receive additional compensation at the rate of 1 1/2 hours per day at the employee's current hourly rate of pay provided however the following conditions are met: The provisions hereof only apply to employees involved in construction or operations activities in the Department of Transportation (TDOT), Environmental Services Department and the Water and Sewer Department. The provisions hereof do not apply to office or clerical personnel in any city department. The employee must be directed by his or her supervisor to "step up" to the vacant job. Stepping up shall consist of the performance of work by the employee in the capacity of the job classification of any employee in a higher job classification within the same department for a complete shift. The step up may not continue for a period of more than two continuous work weeks. The employee must be otherwise qualified to "step up" to the vacant job, including possessing any required training certifications and/or licenses. The vacant job must involve essential job functions which are not outside the scope of the general job classification and/or duties of the employee stepping up to that job.

What are exempt and non-exempt employees?

Exempt employees are employees assigned to job classifications who shall not receive overtime pay on the basis that the job classification has been determined to be professional, administrative or executive personnel within the meaning of the Fair Labor Standards Act.

Non-Exempt employees are those who can receive overtime pay.

What is shift differential pay?

Employees who work a qualifying shift are eligible for shift differential pay of $0.40 per hour subject to a maximum of 80 hours per pay period. A qualifying shift is a regularly scheduled work shift that is at least eight  hours but not more than 12 hours and begins between 1:30 p.m. and 1 a.m. Employees will also receive shift differential pay when using paid time off (AVAIL, SAIL, compensatory time, military paid time off) during a pay period the employee is scheduled for a qualifying shift for the entire pay period unless he or she is working a rotating shift.

What is a step raise?

If approved in the fiscal year budget, step raises for all eligible employees shall be considered based upon employee performance appraisal results. Employees who meet or exceed expectations shall receive an increase of two steps (maximum step 20) or approximately 3 percent of base pay. Employees who fail to meet or exceed expectations shall not receive a step increase in the year the employee fails to meet or exceed expectations. Step raises shall be considered on the employee's anniversary date of hire each year and any step increases shall be effective the first full pay period after the employee's anniversary date of hire. Any employee that has received final disciplinary action in the form of two or more written reprimands, a suspension without pay or an involuntary demotion in the preceding year measured from the employee's anniversary date of hire, or from the employee's last previous increase in base pay pursuant to the pay plan, whichever is longer, shall not be entitled or eligible to receive any pay increases provided for herein for that year; but shall remain eligible for cost of living adjustment (COLA) increase.

What if I am topped out in the pay range of my job's pay grade?

Employees reaching step 20 of any pay grade shall be topped out for purposes of step raises. However, employees at step 20 shall remain eligible for COLA adjustments. No employee of the City will receive any increase in base pay at any point of the pay plan or by pay adjustment that would result in that employee's base pay exceeding step 20 of the pay grade for the employee's job classification.

What is call-out pay?

Call-out pay is when a nonexempt employee is called out by being ordered to return to duty after scheduled working hours to perform work on behalf of the city as directed by his or her supervisor. The employee will be paid or may elect compensatory time for the actual time worked at the overtime rate with a guaranteed minimum of two hours.

What is overtime? What is compensatory time?

Overtime is the amount of time an employee works beyond normal working hours. Compensatory time, or comp time, is time off with pay in lieu of overtime pay. Overtime and compensatory time are outlined in Chapter 19, Article III, Section 19-61 of the City Code. 

When will I get paid?

City employees are paid on a biweekly basis. There are two different pay schedules: PS1 for our pay schedule 1 employees and PS2 for our pay schedule 2 employees, which rotate each week being paid.

What is a COLA?

At the first full pay period after the beginning of each fiscal year, pay plan exhibit C of section 19-42 of the City Code shall be automatically adjusted to provide a cost of living adjustment (COLA) to each step of each pay grade equal to the annualized consumer price index (CPI) using the south urban CPI from the U.S. Department of Labor released in January of each year. This will increase employees' base pay equal to the COLA effective at the beginning of the first pay period with a pay date on or after Oct. 1 of each year. Part-time employees shall receive a COLA effective at the beginning of the first pay date on or after Oct. 1 of each year equal to the annualized CPI using the south urban CPI from the U.S. Department of Labor released in January of each year.