UNDERSTANDING SCP Performance Evaluation Merit pay FY 2017

UNDERSTANDING SCP Performance Evaluation/ Merit pay FY 2017

• Staff Compensation Program (SCP) is a URA- only salary program. Ø Yearly Performance evaluation – should be done every year Ø Merit pool for salary increases – All $$ must be split among URA. All $$ must be spent.

• Merit pool for FY 17: 2. 25% of total URA salaries as of 3/1/17 Ø Average 2. 125% Minimum is 1. 25% Maximum is 3%. Ø All who get an overall “Meets Standards” must get at least 1. 25%, the minimum. Ø Anyone who is NOT evaluated by April 30 must get the aggregate of 2. 25%. (99% meet standards)

• Exception: Minimum and maximum of salary grade stays the same. If you are at the top of your grade, you will receive your merit pay as a one-time bonus; does not go to salary base. If you are near the top, may be part raise and part as a bonus. Grade 4 Max: Old salary Mitch $68, 265 New Bonu 3% raise salary s $67, 500 $2, 025. 00 $68, 265 $1, 260

• Outside of the maximum and minimum, no requirement to match the raise to the evaluations. • Supervisors are not given guidelines to compare employees, but still must divide up the pie.

• • Why Self-Appraisals are Important Remind your manager of your accomplishments, development and challenges Some managers simply cut and paste them helps your manager understand what you see as your strengths and weaknesses Self-appraisals are a crucial component to providing a “complete picture” of performance

• Evaluation serves as the job description. Focus on the verbs, not the adjectives Accounts Acquires Adapts Adjusts Administers Adopts Advises Advocates Allots Computes Condenses Confers Confirms Consolidates Constructs Consults Controls Converts Conveys Drives Dumps Duplicates Edits Elaborates Elects Eliminates Employs Encourages Endorses Plans Posts Predicts Prescribes Presents Preserves Prevents Procures Produces Programs

Think about the percentages of your time. Did they change? ? Remember, you were already at 100% Ø Note new tasks, additional responsibilities Ø INCREASED workload. Your performance evaluation may be the only place it will be noted.

• • • Play smart defense: if something went wrong, were there mitigating factors? What is within your control and what is not? Did you notice the problem? Bring it to management’s attention? Suggest remedies? Take corrective action? Did your department “pivot” from one priority to another? And then back? Did your technology change? ? Do you have a plan to correct your own shortcomings? Even better, have you started it already?

Don’t say FUBAR: Say “Challenge” • Framing problems as system problems can help supervisors explain things up the chain

Preparing for Evaluation Don’t forget to bring a copy of your selfappraisal with you to your performance review meeting with your supervisor to use as a reference!

Evaluation SHOULD provide goals and update job description and expectations for next year (box should be checked for new items). Try to have the discussion. RECORD the results. • If all goes well, you will refer to this next year: “achieved the goals we set “. • If things go sideways, you will also refer: “we were going to do this, but X Y and Z “. • If your boss doesn’t know what they want, you will say “things change a lot; I’ve had to fly by the seat of my pants”.

Signing the evaluation form • Sometimes becomes an informal negotiation between the employee and the supervisor • If you don’t concur sign: “Receipt only”. • Attach self-appraisal or comments

Only an overall “DOES NOT MEET STANDARDS” on Section 2 means no raise. • A “Does Not” rating in one of the subcategories still gets a raise as long as you receive an overall “MEETS STANDARDS” • Not grounds for termination. (Most “Meet Standards” the next year). • Requires a re-evaluation after 6 months, but no raise.

Performance Evaluation Ø Must be Concluded & Employee Notified of Results (Not $) by April 30, 2017 Ø Employee can Comment in Writing About Review by June 1, 2017 Ø Supervisors are to Provide a Copy of Evaluation to Employee IF Requested by Employee

• “Results may vary. ” • Merit pool division is based on the reporting division. • First level supervisor makes the Meet/Does not Meet decision, not amount of raise. • There is ALWAYS money for more than the average raise but your direct supervisor does not have it. • URA analyzes the results; does not publish individual’s raises.

Appeal Process if: q SCP procedures were not followed; q Demonstrable factual inconsistency in the evaluation q Not evaluated according to the performance standards for their job within 30 days of receipt of salary notification • No money involved; strictly for setting record straight .

Next year: Make your own Performance Journal – Calendar – Meeting notes – Keep emails – Ask for clarification as you go

Presenter: Darlene Smith, URA-AFT Executive Vice President URA-AFT, Local 1766 57 Paterson Street, 2 nd Fl. New Brunswick, NJ 08901 P: 732 -745 -0300 | F: 732 -745 -0400 union@ura-aft. org | www. ura-aft. org | facebook. com/ura 1766