Page 81 - Personnel Policy and Procedures Manual

The system consists of 30 grades (or levels), starting at PG 32 and continuing to PG 61. Employees aren’t
always hired in at the Minimum level; some are hired in ten (10%) or fifteen (15%) percent (with the
Administrator’s approval) above Minimum Pay Grade due to prior experience or education. If the employee
has a great academic career, then the individual could qualify for Superior Academic Achievement (see
Augusta, Georgia’s career ladder/tuition reimbursement program for additional information).

Under this program, within each grade, there are 10 steps that can increase an employee’s pay by about
1.50% at each step (this is in addition to pay adjustments in response to pay increase in the private sector,
like a cost-of-living raise).

An employee can expect to receive a raise by moving up one step at a time within a Pay grade, EXCEPT
FOR:

1. A one-year waiting period for the first three step increases;
2. Then a two-year waiting period for the next three increases;
3. Then a three-year waiting period for the next step increases.

Earning Within-Grade Increases

Employees who occupy permanent positions earn WGIs upon meeting the following three requirements
established by Augusta, Georgia:

• The employee's performance must be at an acceptable level of competence. To meet this
requirement, an employee's most recent performance rating of record must be at least ("Meet
Expectations").
• The employee must have completed the required waiting period for advancement to the next higher
step.
• The employee must not have received an "equivalent increase" in pay during the waiting period.

Permanent Positions

WGIs apply only to Augusta, Georgia employees occupying permanent positions. "Permanent position"
means a position filled by an employee whose appointment is not designated as temporary and does not
have a definite time limitation of 1 year or less. "Permanent position" includes a position to which an
employee is promoted on a temporary or term basis for at least 1 year.

Required Waiting Periods

For employees with a scheduled tour of duty, the required waiting periods established by Augusta, Georgia
for advancement to the next higher step are as follows:

Advancement from... Requires...
step 1 to step 2 52 weeks of creditable service at step 1
step 2 to step 3 52 weeks of creditable service at step 2
step 3 to step 4 52 weeks of creditable service in step 3
step 4 to step 5 104 weeks of creditable service in step 4

step 5 to step 6 104 weeks of creditable service in step 5

All Rights Reserved – As approved by the Commission on 05-07-2019 81 | P a g e