*Applicable to all County Court and Probation Employees other than those probation employees in the Administrative Office.
New employees will usually begin at Step 1 of the salary grade for their job classification. If the individual possesses outstanding qualifications in terms of education, related experience, or bilingual skills, that individual may be started at an increased rate not to exceed Step 6 of the salary grade. If the starting salary is above Step 1, the employee will not be eligible for a provisional salary increase. Any starting salary other than Step 1 of the applicable grade requires the approval of the State Court Administrator or State Probation Administrator based upon the written recommendation of the supervisor. Written recommendations for an increased hiring rate must include the reasons why the applicant should be paid more than the hiring rate.
Amended 3-28-07
The State Court Administrator or the State Probation Administrator, in consultation with the hiring supervisor, may approve an increased hiring rate for a bilingual employee. The need for a bilingual employee and the language skill level demonstrated by testing approved by the Administrative Office will be factors in the process to approve an increased hiring rate. A bilingual employee is expected to perform all duties of the job for which he or she is hired. The supervisor should, as needed, adjust the bilingual employee’s workload based on the time the employee may be taken away from his or her duties to assist non-English speaking customers.
Court employees who were hired prior to this policy who are or become bilingual may request testing to determine their language skill level. Based on the results of the test, the supervisor may recommend a salary adjustment to the State Court Administrator or State Probation Administrator.
Bilingual employees shall not serve as courtroom interpreters unless approved by the Administrative Office of the Courts.
Approved 3-28-07
A former employee returning to work in the same position within the Supreme Court Personnel System may be rehired at the same rate the employee was receiving when he/she left employment with the Court, except that the rate must not be less than the hiring rate or higher than Step16 of the current salary grade.
Adopted 7-16-03
Upon completion of the provisional period, and with a performance report of satisfactory or better, employees paid less than Step 2 of their salary grade will be given a salary increase to Step 2 of that grade. Employees hired at a salary greater than Step 2 of their salary grade will not receive a salary increase upon completion of the provisional period. Employees shall be informed of this information when they are hired.
The Supreme Court may authorize a general alteration in the salary schedule based upon appropriations made available. When such an "across the board" adjustment is authorized, all employees subject to the salary schedule shall receive an alteration in salary in the amount authorized.
The Supreme Court may authorize other salary increases to employees, subject to the following conditions:
1. Funds are available;
2. Employees at or above the maximum rate, employees on disciplinary probation, employees who are serving their original provisional period, and temporary employees are not eligible; except, beginning January 1, 2001, an employee at or above the maximum rate may be eligible for a longevity increase if during the previous year (prior to the first of January) the employee has experienced an anniversary with the court system of 20 or more total service years that is divisible by 5, as established by his/her service anniversary date. For each of those anniversaries, an additional $50 a month will be added to the base salary of those eligible employees who are at the maximum rate. For eligible employees over the maximum rate the longevity increase will be reduced by the amount their salary exceeds the maximum rate and added to the base salary. Eligible part-time employees will receive increases on a prorated basis. In no event will salaries be reduced. No additional amount will be given to those employees with salaries over the maximum rate already receiving the amount equal to or greater than the longevity increase.
3. Such salary increases require the acceptable performance (Satisfactory or better on a performance report) of the employee and approval of the supervisor. Acceptable performance of the employee must be documented in a current annual performance evaluation on file in the Administrative Office at least 30 days prior to the salary increase. If an employee receives an unacceptable performance evaluation, the employee, after 90 days or more, may request another evaluation. If that evaluation indicates acceptable performance, the salary increase may then be given to the employee with the approval of the supervisor.
The Supreme Court may authorize specific alterations of salary grades to reflect labor market conditions, based upon salary survey information. When any such alteration is authorized, all employees subject to that salary grade shall receive an alteration in salary of the amount authorized on the effective date of the alteration.
Promotions to a higher salary grade may be requested by the employee's supervisor and must be approved by the Administrative Office. Most employees who are promoted from one job classification to another shall start at Step 1 of the new grade or such other step in the new salary grade so that the new salary is at least 5 % greater than the current salary but not more than 7½% greater than the current salary, whichever is greater. However, if the employee being promoted possesses outstanding qualifications in terms of education or related experience, that employee may be started at an increased rate not to exceed Step 6 of the new salary grade. Any such increased rate requires the approval of the State Court Administrator or State Probation Administrator based upon a written recommendation of the supervisor.
If the new salary is below Step 2 of the new salary grade, the employee may be given a salary increase to Step 2 at any time in the following 6 months, but must be paid at least the Step 2 rate at the end of 6 months.
Amended 6-9-04
If it is deemed desirable that an individual be demoted from one job classification to another, such action may be taken by the supervisor with the approval of the Administrative Office. The new salary may be set at any level of the new grade, except that it may not be an increase over the previous salary, or above the maximum rate for the new classification.
Employees requesting voluntary transfers (lateral or downward) may, at the discretion of the Administrative Office, have their salaries reduced.
Disciplinary demotions require at least a 5‑percent reduction in salary grade or the employee’s salary may be reduced to the Hiring Rate (Step 1) at the supervisor’s discretion. (See Forms of Discipline under DISCIPLINARY ACTIONS section.)
With any demotion, if the new salary is below Step 2 of the new salary grade, the employee may be given a salary increase to Step 2 at any time in the following 6 months, but must be paid at least the Step 2 rate at the end of 6 months.
All provisions contained within the salary guidelines, except where otherwise stated, shall apply to part‑time employees. Rates of pay for part‑time employees, excluding clerk magistrates and temporary employees shall be calculated on an hourly rate of the applicable salary grade monthly rate.
Part‑time clerk magistrates shall be paid a monthly salary proportionate to that which would be paid under full‑time employment. Temporary employees shall be paid at the hiring rate (Step 1) of the applicable salary grade.
Amended 7-16-03