Business Policies and Procedures Manual
Chapter 60: Personnel

Classification and Reclassification

BPPM 60.02

For more information contact:
   Human Resource Services
   509-335-4521

Forms:

Policy

The system Human Resource Services (HRS) classifies or reclassifies civil service (CS) and administrative professional (AP) positions. To ensure all classification decisions are consistent, system HRS provides overall direction for all classifications and reclassifications and has responsibility to make final classification determinations system-wide. System HRS is at the Pullman campus. Campus HRS offices are located at Spokane, Tri-Cities, and Vancouver campus locations.

Eligibility

This classification and reclassification procedure applies to all CS employees who are not covered by collective bargaining unit agreements and to AP employees. A bargaining unit employee must refer to the appropriate agreement for classification and reclassification procedures. To view the collective bargaining unit agreements, see the HRS Employees Labor Relations website.

Position Review

System HRS reviews and analyzes the duties and responsibilities of each position to determine the appropriate classification within the CS classification/compensation plan or exemption from civil service in accordance with RCW 41.06.070 and 41.06.170(3).

System HRS reviews AP and CS positions for compliance with the overtime provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) (see BPPM 60.59).

System HRS reviews Information Technology Services (ITS) positions for placement within the information technology professional structure (ITPS) in accordance with WAC 357-13-058.

Departments submit requests for position reviews to system HRS through the Online Position Description and Recruitment System (OPDRS).

The appointing authority’s electronic signature in OPDRS authorizes the classification or reclassification review of a position. However, system HRS makes the final classification determination.

Definitions

Classification

Classification is the designation of a new position to an appropriate class based upon overall duties, complexity, and responsibility of assigned work.

Reclassification

Reclassification is the designation of an existing position to a different class as a result of permanent and substantive changes in the duties.

CS positions may be reviewed for reclassification no earlier than six months after a previous review if there are substantive and permanent changes in job duties and scope of responsibilities. System HRS reviews all CS positions prior to recruitment.

AP positions, whether temporary or permanent, may be reviewed at any time for promotions or significant and permanent changes in job duties and scope of responsibilities. All AP reviews are management-requested. See BPPM 60.12 for out-of-cycle salary requests for AP positions.

Procedures

This section provides procedures for requesting:

Civil Service Position Review

Refer to the applicable Workday Staffing reference guide when creating a new position or modifying an existing CS position and/or its assignment of accounts.

OPDRS Documentation

The department submits the following to system HRS for approval through OPDRS:

  • Position description,
  • Proposed salary,
  • Performance expectations, and
  • Organization chart showing the civil service position’s relationship to other positions in the department.

Complete and/or print the Organizational Chart or independently create a chart as needed. Attach the organization chart in the Position Documents area of the position’s entry in OPDRS.

CS ITPS Position Review

If requesting placement of a position in the ITPS, the requesting department must submit OPDRS documentation as required under Civil Service Position Review above.

The HRS ITPS Committee reviews positions for placement within the ITPS. Positions are reviewed for inclusion and placement in accordance with the IT Evaluator’s Handbook. The IT Evaluator’s Handbook and related forms are available at the Office of Financial Management (OFM) IT Professional Structure website.

The HRS ITPS Committee includes the HR professional designated as WSU ITPS Coordinator, an ITS manager, and an additional HR professional.

Recruitment and Selection

See BPPM 60.18 for information regarding the recruitment and selection of civil service employees.

Employee-Requested Review

A civil service (CS) employee may request a review of their position, in accordance with WAC 357-13-065.

Access to OPDRS is restricted to management use only. The requesting employee must use the three forms listed below to submit a request for review of their own position to their campus HRS office. Campus HRS offices are located at the Spokane, Tri-Cities, and Vancouver campuses. System HRS is at the Pullman campus.

A requesting employee submits the following to their campus HRS:

  • Position Description
  • Position Questionnaire
  • Organization chart showing the position’s relationship to other positions in the department.

    Complete and/or print the Organizational Chart or independently create a chart as needed.

Information Technology Positions

To request a review related to the information technology professional structure (ITPS), employees must complete and submit the following to their campus HRS office:

  • ITPS Position Review Request — Employee (see below).
  • Position Description
  • Organization chart showing the position’s relationship to other positions in the department.

    Complete and/or print the Organization Chart Template or independently create a chart as needed.

  • For ITPS-related positions, supervisors are required to complete an ITPS Position Review Request — Supervisor form (see below).

ITPS Links

The following OFM forms and guidelines that apply to ITPS-related positions are located on the Office of Financial Management HR Forms website:

  • OFM — HR Forms
  • ITPS Position Review Request Guide
  • ITPS Position Review Request — Employee
  • ITPS Position Review Request — Supervisor
Supervisor Notification

Upon receipt of the employee-requested review, the campus HRS office notifies the supervisor of the pending position review.

The campus HRS office may request that the supervisor or department submit the following:

  • Performance expectations
  • Organization chart showing the civil service position’s relationship to other positions in the department.

    Complete and/or print the Organizational Chart or independently create a chart as needed.

Reclassification Effective Date for Occupied Positions
Management-Requested Reclassification Reviews

The following applies to management requested reclassification reviews of occupied CS positions:

  • If the employee has performed the higher-level duties for at least six months, management may request an effective date for the reclassification.
  • If the employee has performed the higher-level duties for less than six months, management may initiate an immediate change of duties. The effective date is not retroactive. System HRS may determine a different effective date than the date submitted.
Employee-Requested Reclassification Reviews

For employee requested reclassification reviews of occupied CS positions, system HRS establishes effective dates for the reclassifications, if applicable.

Salary Step and Periodic Increment Date

See BPPM 60.29 for information regarding establishing salary step and periodic increment date for reclassified CS positions.

Administrative Professional Position Review

All AP reviews must be management-requested, including requests to reclassify CS positions to AP.

Executive-Level Appointments

The Vice President and Chief Human Resource Officer must authorize the designation of the following titles:

  • Vice president
  • Vice chancellor
  • Associate vice president
  • Associate vice chancellor
  • Assistant vice president
  • Assistant vice chancellor
  • Executive director
  • Athletic Director
  • Chief of Staff
Temporary Appointments

When funding allows, a department may create a temporary AP appointment with a terminal date (also referred to as “end date”) for an appointment of no less than .50 FTE and an appointment term of at least six months and one day.

Short-Term

Short-term temporary AP appointments may be established for the following reasons:

  • To provide coverage while a formal search is being conducted;
  • To provide coverage while an AP employee is out on extended leave;
  • To meet a specific identified immediate, critical need.

A temporary appointment meeting the above criteria must include a preestablished terminal date and the appointment term is not to exceed two years. The department may end a temporary AP appointment prior to the terminal date with a minimum 30-day written notice.

Long-Term

Long-term temporary AP appointments may be established in accordance with the following criteria:

  • The appointments must have preestablished terminal dates;
  • The appointments must be supported by self-sustaining, grant, contract, or other nonstate funds; and
  • The appointments must end on the terminal dates unless positive action is taken to reappoint.

The department may end a temporary AP appointment supported by self-sustaining, grant, contract, or other nonstate funds prior to the terminal date with a minimum 30-day written notice.

Required Documentation

To request the creation of a new administrative professional (AP) position, or the review of a vacant or occupied AP position, the requesting department submits the following documentation as indicated.

OPDRS

The department submits the following to system HRS for approval through OPDRS:

  • Position description,
  • Proposed salary,
  • Performance expectations, and
  • Organization chart showing the AP position’s relationship to other positions in the department to HRS.

    Complete and/or print the Organizational Chart or independently create a chart as needed. Attach the organization chart in the Position Documents area of the position’s entry in OPDRS.

Recruitment and Selection

See BPPM 60.17 for information regarding the recruitment and selection of an AP position.

Salary Review

See BPPM 60.12 for information regarding AP salaries.

Position Numbers

Existing CS and AP positions retain the same position number.

The hiring department enters or verifies the assigned position number into OPDRS when creating the position description.

Notification

For occupied position reviews, system HRS notifies the supervisor and the employee in writing of the results. The results provided in the HRS notification supersede the information submitted by the department or supervisor.

Appeal

Civil service employees may appeal the reallocation results in accordance with WAC 357-13-075.

Civil service employees may appeal the allocation to an administrative professional position in accordance with WAC 357-52.

An appointing authority or designee may request a review of the classification assigned to an AP position within 30 days of receiving the official memorandum from system HRS. The appointing authority or designee submits a written request to system HRS including the following information:

  • Outline of specific reasons for requesting a review.
  • If significant changes have occurred, also submit:
    • A revised Organizational Chart, and
    • A revised Position Description.

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Revisions:  March 2022 (Rev. 591); Apr. 2021 (Rev. 564); Dec. 2020 (Rev. 559); Dec. 2019 (Rev. 539); Oct. 2014 (Rev 439); Oct. 2013 (Rev. 421); Jan. 2013 (Rev. 408); Mar. 2011 (Rev. 376); Oct. 2009 (Rev. 347); May 2008 (Rev. 321); July 2006 (Rev. 282); July 2005 (Rev. 262); Aug. 2002 (Rev. 214); Jan. 1999 (Rev. 136); Sept. 1990 (Rev. 83); Mar. 1987 (Rev. 66); Nov. 1986 (Rev. 65); July 1986 (Rev. 64); July 1985 (Rev. 60).