Salary Administration and Schedules Procedure - 63.04.11

College Policy Number/Title:

• 63.04  Compensation

Howard Community College salary range schedules are based on information obtained from area industry, other Maryland community colleges, local public agencies, and other relevant sources. Salary schedules are evaluated every several years and adopted by the college's board of trustees upon recommendation of the president. While individual salaries may be subject to negotiation at the time of hire, no appointee's salary may exceed the budgeted funds approved for the position.

Beginning Salary Level for Budgeted Faculty

The method of establishing salary at the time of appointment should be consistent with the experience and training of each selected candidate.

A faculty member is assigned rank by the criteria stated for initial appointment. If the candidate is minimally qualified for the rank, the candidate typically receives the minimum beginning salary at the rank as contained in the salary range schedule. Additional compensation beyond the minimum salary level for the given rank may be awarded for experience and training above minimum requirements for the rank as follows:

1. Each year of full-time post-secondary teaching experience in the discipline to be taught at Howard Community College beyond that used to meet minimal rank criterion may result in a $750 increase in the beginning salary.
2. Each year of full-time secondary teaching experience in the discipline to be taught at Howard Community College beyond that used to meet minimal rank criterion may result in a $375 increase in the beginning salary.
3. Each year of full-time, directly related experience in industry or military service may result in a $750 increase in the beginning salary.
4. Each year of full-time, related experience in industry or military service may result in a $375 increase in the beginning salary.
5. An earned doctorate prior to appointment will increase the beginning salary by $1,000
6. Part-time employment is normally not considered for the purpose of salary placement. It may be considered only when it is extensive. It will be equated to a full load (30 credits = 1 year) and initial salary will be increased by $375 per equated year.

The vice president of teaching and learning  recommends salary placement to the president and may, in unusual circumstances, consider other factors such as availability of personnel in a specific discipline.

Beginning Salary Level for Budgeted Staff

The starting rate of pay is typically the minimum salary of the grade in which the position being filled is classified.  A starting pay above the minimum and up to 10% above the minimum of the salary range may be warranted in some instances to acknowledge exceptional experience or training along with college strategic initiatives. Appointments above the minimum salary may be considered in the following cases:

1. The candidate presents extraordinary qualifications related to experience and education. In this event, a value would be placed on this experience in a manner similar to that outlined for faculty and is documented in detail. 
2. The recruitment yielded an extremely limited number of qualified applicants and an increased salary is necessary to fill the position.  
3. An assessment of the effect on employees in the same job classification (internal equity) is made and it is determined that such a placement would not have an unanticipated and deleterious effect on current salary placements.
4. Budgets allow for the additional funds.  

In rare cases, salary placements up to the midpoint of the salary range may be considered when, in addition to points 1 and 2 above, a candidate with extraordinary and rare qualifications is needed to meet college strategic initiatives.

All salary placements above the beginning level must be documented including detailed rationale on an interview evaluation form by the hiring supervisor; an interview evaluation form must be provided for each interviewed candidate. Human resources will then initiate the hiring approval process through appropriate administrative channels including human resources, the vice president of administration and finance, and the president of the institution.

Appointments Below the Beginning Salary Grade Level 

When fully qualified candidates are not available or acceptable, internal or external candidates who do not meet the minimum qualifications of the job may be hired as trainees, provided that minimum qualifications are met in an agreed upon period of time, subject to the approval of the hiring supervisor through the appropriate administrative channels. The supervisor provides a written plan and deadlines for meeting minimum qualifications. The trainee is hired at a salary up to 10 percent lower than the minimum assigned to the job class until the minimum qualifications are reached. When the minimum qualifications are reached, the employee receives the minimum rate of the assigned salary grade. If a salary adjustment is awarded to the employee during the training period, the salary is raised to the minimum of the grade plus the amount of the merit or other salary increase added to it once the employee meets the minimum qualifications.  

Salary Placement of Employees Who are Promoted or Reclassified

The salary of a budgeted staff employee who has been promoted or reclassified to a higher-level budgeted position is outlined in the following chart:

If the new salary does not meet the minimum salary of the new grade after this calculation, the salary will be raised accordingly to meet the minimum.

A higher salary increase than described above may be considered in the following cases:

1. The promotion results from a competitive selection process resulting from an external advertisement, in which case the new salary is determined for the promoted employee just as it would for a successful external candidate.
2. There is a specific and critical issue related to the college mission or strategic initiatives to be addressed in this job and the president’s team has directed a higher increase for this reason.

If the promotion takes place at the beginning of the fiscal year, the employee is eligible for the annual cost-of-living increase in addition to their promotion. Cost-of living increases are subject to available resources

The employee’s new salary is calculated using a two-step process. First, the promotion is calculated as described above. Next, any available cost-of-living increase is calculated based on the employee’s prior year salary and added to the new salary calculated in the first step.

Note: Faculty who hold a chair position are appointments and not promotions

Salary Placement of Employees Upon Transfer or Demotion

The salary of employees who transfer to positions at the same grade level will remain at the same level. The compensation level of employees upon voluntary or involuntary demotion to a position at a lower grade level is decreased using the same calculation method used at the time of their increase to the current level. If the method used in a previous upgrade cannot be established, the salary decreases by the following calculations: 

• One grade demotion is a five percent decrease
• Two grade demotion is a nine percent decrease 
• Three grade demotion is a 12 percent decrease 
• Four grade demotion is a 14 percent decrease 
• A demotion of five grades or more is a 15 percent decrease 

If the individual's new calculated salary is above the maximum of the new grade maximum, the individual's merit increase in the future will be non-base increases – refer to procedures 63.04.06, Merit Pay (Faculty) and 63.04.07, Merit Pay (Staff). If the new calculated salary is below the new grade’s minimum, the salary will be raised to the minimum. Any employee in a new position will be placed on probation in the new position.

Up-to-date salary schedules are available on the college website.

Effective Date:   07/01/23

President's Office Use:  CHRO