§ 1-108. Compensation plan.

(a)

The police jury of Ouachita Parish, in a sincere effort to pay its employees fairly, has established a compensation plan with salary and wage ranges which provide for adequate differentials among positions of varying responsibilities.

(b)

The personnel director shall prepare and administer the compensation plan for parish employees subject to the approval of the police jury. The personnel director shall consider the prevailing rates of pay among public and private employers; the duties, responsibilities and qualifications required of employees in the respective classes; and other relevant factors.

(c)

A new employee shall normally be compensated at the minimum step of the approved salary range. In exceptional circumstances, the personnel director, with the police jury approval, may authorize hiring above the minimum step. If such authorization is based on general recruitment difficulties, rather than on unique qualification of the new employee, other employees in the same class shall immediately receive any pay increases upon approval of the police jury, necessary to assure that they are not compensated less than the new employee.

(d)

A newly promoted employee shall be compensated at the rank and step as recommended by the department head and approved by the police jury.

(e)

No employee shall be paid more than the rate established in the approved compensation plan, except that an employee whose position was down-graded by reclassification or changes in the labor market, through no fault of the employee, shall continue to receive his or her former rate of pay until a rate on the new salary range equals or surpasses the old rate.

(f)

Individual increases within range may be granted as specified in the compensation plan upon recommendation of department heads, and approval of the police jury, who shall give careful consideration to the ability and production record of each employee.

(g)

An employee voluntarily or involuntarily demoted for any reason shall be compensated on a step of the new range as administratively determined.

(h)

Upon satisfactory completion of the one hundred eighty-day probationary period by the employee as provided under section 1-94 and upon the written recommendation of the department head after completion of the performance appraisal of the employee completing said probationary period, any adjustment in pay for the employee shall be subject to the approval of the Ouachita Parish Police Jury.

(i)

Each department head, to the extent that monies are available within the budgeted amount in said department, shall have discretion to grant to the employees of said department merit pay raises, not greater than five (5) per cent of any individual's base pay, with the approval of the police jury. Such merit pay increases shall not be granted less often than annually nor to any employee who has scored less than a seventy-one (71) on the last annual evaluation of said employee. Each department head who does grant a merit pay increase to an employee of its department shall document the reasons for the granted merit pay increase for inclusion in the employee's personnel file.

(j)

Salary levels for hirings, promotions, transfers, and demotions shall be determined in accordance with the steps outlined in the classification pay plan developed by Long & Associates Management Systems Consultants of Fort Lauderdale, Florida and approved by the Ouachita Parish Police Jury.

(Ord. of 12-20-76, § 5.2; Ord. of 12-19-83; Ord. No. 7979, 8-19-85; Ord. No. 8009, 4-7-86; Ord. No. 8122, 8-15-88; Ord. No. 8251, 3-16-92; Ord. No. 8494, 3-16-98)