Page 63 - Personnel Policy and Procedures Manual

Section 500.105 Market Adjustments

The market adjustment is the component that is used to ensure that the salary structures are adjusted to
reflect changes based on economic indicators. When applicable and when funds are available and approved
by Augusta, Georgia Board of Commissioners, an increase may be applied to the salaries of all eligible
employees, with the exception of those salaries set by state or local legislation. When an employee's salary
exceeds the maximum of the assigned pay grade, the employee's base salary will be red-circled until the
current salary falls within the assigned pay grade.

Section 500.106 Exceptional Circumstances Adjustments

When it is asserted, by a Department Director, that an employee’s salary requires adjustment, the
Department Director shall provide justification to adjust employee’s base salary. Salaries may be adjusted
as follows:

1. Pay adjustments due to significant change in job duties up to five (5%) percent as determined by the
HR Director and approved by the Administrator;
2. Pay inequities up to fifteen (15%) percent as determined by the HR Director and approved by the
Administrator; and
3. Employee retention purposes up to fifteen (15%) percent as determined by the HR Director and
approved by the Administrator.

If approved, recruiting department is responsible for the budget if money is not in the budget, the
Department Director shall include item in the next fiscal year budget.

Exceptional circumstances adjustment requests, together with the required documentation, must be
submitted to the Human Resources Director. The Human Resources Director shall review a request for an
exceptional circumstances adjustment for compliance with this policy, before forwarding the request along
with his or her recommendation to the Administrator.

Section 500.107 Effective Date of Salary Adjustments

The effective date of any salary adjustment shall be determined by the Department Director or Elected
Official, in consultation with the Human Resources Director or designee and typically should be at the
beginning of a pay period. If funding is not available upon approval, the Department Director shall put the
approval amount into the budget for the following fiscal year budget.

Section 500.108 Starting Rates for New Employees

In most cases, a new employee shall be paid the minimum rate of the pay grade. Exceptions may be
approved by the Department Director/Elected Official, the Human Resources Director and/or the
Administrator, as set forth below. For all employees, approval authority is delegated to Department
Directors/Elected Officials for starting salaries that fall no more than ten percent (10%) of the minimum
pay on appropriate salary range. Starting salaries that fall more than ten percent (10%) but less than fifteen
percent (15%) of the established minimum annual salary shall require approval by the Human Resources
Director and the Administrator. Any salary offer that is over fifteen percent (15%) requires Commission
approval.

All Rights Reserved – As approved by the Commission on 05-07-2019 63 | P a g e