Image provided by: SEIU Local 503; Salem, OR
About The Oregon state employee. (Salem, Oregon.) 1944-195? | View Entire Issue (Sept. 1, 1946)
4 Structure of a Pay Scale by Ismar Baruch One o f the major problems involved in the development of a pay plan is to design a schedule of pay scales, or salary ranges, so integrated as to establish proper pay differentials among the var ious classes of positions, and to serve such personnel transactions as new ap pointments, transfers, promotions, and merit increases for effective service. Part o f this problem requires consider ation of the structure of each pay scale, or pay range, in terms of the mathe matical relationships of the individual rates within the scale. The following discussion will treat some of the more important considerations in the con struction of class pay scales. In pay plans in the public service, pay scales consisting of a range of rates rather than a single flat rate are es tablished for most classes of positions. This makes it possible to pay somewhat different rates, between a definite min imum and maximum, to individuals holding positions of the same classifica tion. The principal purpose of the flex ibility thus secured is to permit finan cial recognition— through pay advance ment within the scale— o f the increas ed value of an employee’s services as he The President’s Message (Continued from page 3) sonnel. We believe too that state ser vice should offer attractive life-career opportunities to those who are quali fied. State service cannot hope to reach that highly desired degree of e ffi ciency unless these conditions are met. The Civil Service Law offers the state and its employees the vehicle by which these ends may be attained. The O.S.E.A. is certainly going to exert its influence to see that they are attained, and that the original high purpose of the act is not distorted to meet selfish ends. becomes more experienced and profi cient in the work of his position. A range of pay thus serves to establish both incentives and rewards. The nor mal expectation of a competent em ployee is to enter the service at the minimum rate of the appropriate pay scale and to receive increases gradually through the rates of the scale in accord ance with his service and performance on the job until he reaches the maxi mum rate, unless he is promoted to a higher position in the meantime. Basically, a pay scale is a range of pay rates, consisting o f a minimum rate, one or more intermediate rates, and a maximum rate, all applicable to a given class of positions. The same range may, of course, apply to differ ent classes of positions. This, is evident when a pay range is established for a "classification-grade,’ ’or zone of d iffi culty and responsibility of work, which covers several or many classes of dif ferent kinds but of the same level or value. The minimum rate is the lowest rate of the scale, below which no employee shall be paid while occupying a posi tion in a class to which the scale ap plies. It is the rate guaranteed to the employee as long as his work is su ffi ciently satisfactory to warrant employ ing him in a position in that class. It is also intended to serve as the entrance rate payable to a new employee on original appointment to a position allo cated to that class. Intermediate rates are primarily for the purpose o f recognizing an em ployee’s progress without change o f du ties or responsibilities, i.e., while occupy ing the same position. They also permit financial recognition of the various de grees of efficiency, progress, and value of service demonstrated by different employees in positions of the same class.
