Author: ryan@wptallahassee.com

Evergreen Solutions was retained by the City of Albany to conduct a Classification and Compensation and Equal Pay Study. Evergreen’s consultants reviewed current job descriptions and compensation structures to determine the need for modifications to assure external competiveness and internal equity by performing the following tasks: reviewing current job descriptions to analyze knowledge, ability, education, experience, relevance, and hierarchical consistency; developing, distributing, and analyzing job specific questionnaires, as needed, and conducting in-person interviews of select staff, to complete analysis; proposing, where appropriate, broad-banding of classifications, or combining classifications into a series, if beneficial to achieve alignment of similar positions; recommending additions, deletions, or modifications to existing classifications and making FLSA determinations (exempt or non-exempt status) for positions; surveying comparator jurisdictions for both wages and total compensation; analyzing results and developing appropriate pay structures for the City taking into account compression and internal equity; conducting equal pay analyses of recommended pay structures that would comply with House Bill (HB) 2005 and its implementing administrative rules; and training City HR staff on the methodology used to assess job classifications in order to maintain internal equity when adding, deleting, or modifying jobs in the future.

Evergreen Solutions was retained by Cherokee County to conduct a Compensation and Benefits Study. Evergreen worked directly with County leadership to update job descriptions for every position, evaluated FLSA classifications, created a common template for all job descriptions, identified a set of comparable public and private organizations, and gathered relevant compensation and benefit data. Evergreen assessed total compensation based on both internal and external comparability and developed an updated compensation structure that provided a fair, competitive, transparent, sustainable and fiscally responsible program. Evergreen also made recommendations for the County’s compensation philosophy and guidelines based including longer term trends, risks and competitive forces, and prepared an analysis outlining the fiscal impact of all recommendations.

Evergreen Solutions was retained by the City of Foley to conduct a Compensation and Pay Classification Plan Study. The objectives of the study were to conduct and implement a total compensation plan (including benefits) structure for the City’s workforce which would provide both internal and external equity, establish a classification system that would accurately describe the duties, knowledge, skills, abilities and minimum qualifications required for each job class, determine and implement a program of accurate job descriptions based on job analysis, and develop a maintenance program for job descriptions and classification recommendations. Evergreen conducted a wage and benefit survey among competing jurisdictions as well as public and private organizations to determine competitive wages in the appropriate labor market(s). Using the survey results, Evergreen assigned each job to a pay grade with a view toward achieving proper internal relationships among classes and made the salary ranges competitive with relevant markets with due consideration of the financial condition of the City. Evergreen provided estimates of the cost to install and implement the new pay plan and recommended a methodology for implementation.

Evergreen Solutions was retained by City of Stockbridge to conduct a Wages and Salaries Compensation Study. Evergreen conducted a classification analysis using Evergreen’s Job Assessment Tool job evaluation methodology in addition to a statistical assessment of current conditions. Evergreen also analyzed local market data taken from peer organizations to determine the appropriate compensation levels for benchmark positions. Recommendations for adjustments to the compensation and classifications plan were made and procedures for the continued maintenance of the plans were provided.

Evergreen Solutions was retained by Buncombe County to conduct a Pay and Classification Study. Evergreen conducted a classification analysis using Evergreen’s Job Assessment Tool job evaluation methodology in addition to a statistical assessment of current conditions. Evergreen analyzed local market and benefits data taken from peer organizations to determine the appropriate compensation levels for benchmark positions. Recommendations for adjustments to the compensation and classifications plan were made and procedures for the continued maintenance of the plans were provided.

Evergreen Solutions was retained by the City of Dublin to conduct a Classification and Compensation Study. The purpose of the study was to address changes in City operations and staffing over the past decade, which might have affected the type, scope, and level of work being performed. The objectives of the study were to: attract and retain qualified employees; ensure positions performing similar work with essentially the same level of complexity, responsibility, and knowledge, skills, and abilities are classified together; provide salaries commensurate with assigned duties; outline promotional opportunities and provide recognizable compensation growth; provide justifiable pay differential between individual classes; and maintain a competitive position with other comparable government entities and private employers within the same geographic areas.

Evergreen Solutions was retained by the City of Fayetteville to conduct a Pay and Classification Study. The goal of the project was  to develop a classification and compensation plan that fairly and equitably recognized and rewarded current and future employees and attracted highly-qualified candidates for City positions. Evergreen performed the following tasks: reviewed all current job descriptions and analyzed same for knowledge, skills, abilities, education, experience, relevance, internal consistency, job definitions and summaries, distinguishing characteristics, supervision received and exercised, conformity with ADA relative to essential job functions (including physical demands), conformity with other applicable federal and state laws and regulations, and special requirements, including licensing and certifications; analyzed all existing job family classifications, pay grades, and salary ranges and recommended modifications as necessary; recommended new job titles/job descriptions as necessary; analyzed all FLSA classifications and recommended modifications as necessary; established appropriate benchmarking standards and conducted salary surveys as needed for similar positions with comparable other local governments; identified potential pay compression issues and provided alternative solutions and recommended appropriate salary range for each position based on the classification plan, the compensation survey results, and internal relationships and equity; and developed and provided a straightforward, easily understandable maintenance system that could be used to keep the classification system updated and equitable. Evergreen also reviewed relevant portions of the City’s Personnel Policies and Procedures and, when applicable, recommended and changes needed in relation to classification and compensation.

Evergreen Solutions was retained by the City of Melbourne to conduct a Job Classification and Compensation Study. Evergreen reviewed the City’s salary and benefit structure and assisted in updating information on essential job functions, responsibilities, required knowledge, skills and abilities, and physical demands of each position. Evergreen examined all job descriptions to include a review of position FLSA designations; essential functions; minimum qualifications, license requirements, working conditions, etc., provided recommended updates and/or changes, established criterion for the selection of survey participants with City staff members, prepared a survey to send to the participants, and prepared recommendations based on the results. Evergreen addressed compression/equity issues between pay grades and classifications and established an equitable classification methodology and salary ranges to provide for the recruitment and retention of qualified staff as well as the equitable relationships of one job to another within the organization. Recommendations were provided to classify/reclassify positions as appropriate. In addition, a recommendation was made for a new compensation plan that would be fair and equitable in order to attract, motivate, and retain a quality workforce. Evergreen provided three (3) separate proposed pay plan structures based on salary scales that are 90%, 100% and 110% of the surveyed labor market.

Evergreen Solutions was retained by the City of Westminster to provide Classification and Compensation Study Services. The scope of work included the review and updating of the City’s current job descriptions as well as providing technical assistance in the development of a comprehensive performance evaluation system to integrate with the new classification system. The primary study objectives for this study included: developing a formal compensation philosophy for adoption by the Mayor and Common Council; identifying comparable benchmark employers to guide the City’s future employee salary and benefit decisions to facilitate the attraction and retention of high performance staff members, while being financially sustainable; establishing a comprehensive job classification system using the approved job evaluation system that would accommodate the City’s needs for an internally and externally equitable, defensible, market sensitive, and easily administered system for all current and future positions within the City; training Human Resources staff to apply the adopted compensation philosophy to maintain the adopted classification and compensation system; and providing legally defensible classification specifications (ADA, FLSA, and any other applicable federal and state laws).