Staff Compensation Policies

Many staff come to the college because of identification with the purposes and principles for which Juniata stands.

Staff at Juniata College strives to provide services that enrich the educational experience of the students enrolled here. Therefore, Juniata College strives to provide compensation to staff employees based on the prevailing practices in the community and markets for work of a similar nature, equity within the college, and the availability of financial resources. Ultimately, job performance plays the biggest role in determining individual compensation beyond market factors.

Positions requiring similar duties, skills, and qualifications are given the same category, and compensation is made in accordance with the College Compensation Plan. Positions will be aligned in descriptive categories based on the primary function of the position:

  1. Executive- provides support and administrative assistance to College officer.
  2. Technical- supports the computer and telecommunications technical functions.
  3. Specialist- has knowledge in a specialized subject area to perform duties of position.
  4. Administrator Assistant- provides support to an administrator.
  5. Department/Program Support- provides support for a department or program.

Descriptions for new positions must include a completed job description questionnaire and be submitted to the Human Resources Office, where a classification description and appropriate pay category will be recommended. If an existing description does not reasonably describe the new position, a draft classification description will be prepared for review and approval. The appropriate vice-president must make recommendations to fund new positions to the President.

Requests to reclassify positions may be initiated by the staff member with the concurrence of the supervisor and appropriate Vice -President. Such requests should be based on a belief that duties and responsibilities of a position have materially changed (at least 30% of the job has changed) since the position was last reviewed. A job description questionnaire should be fully completed and sent to Human Resources for review, illustrating what changes have occurred. Human Resources will conduct an analysis of the duties and recommend the appropriate category, whether the same or a change.

Salaries and wages are reviewed periodically (generally once each year), and increases are recommended based on merit. Recommended adjustments to pay grades will be made based on market reviews conducted by Human Resources. On occasion, minimum rate adjustments may require across-the-board raises. The across-the-board adjustments are purposely minimized, however, in preference to rewarding individuals in terms of work performance.

The college pays for overtime hours more than forty (40) hours in a workweek for nonexempt positions. Those eligible for overtime compensation will be paid at a rate of time and one-half for time worked in excess of forty (40) hours per workweek. Any hours worked more than the regular workweek but less than forty (40) hours will be paid for at the straight time rate. Employees who are exempt from the overtime provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act are not eligible for overtime compensation. The Human Resources Office maintains a list of exempt positions.

Employees promoted may be given a salary increase in keeping with the College Compensation Plan, normally an amount of at least 5%.

Salary increases will generally not be approved for employees transferring from one position to another at the same level (lateral transfer) or at a lower level (demotion). Decreases should be discussed with the Human Resources Office before departmental action.

All employees shall be hired at least at the minimum rate established for the category. Employees with exceptional qualifications may be employed above the base of the category, depending on qualifications. The extent of qualifications should be discussed with the Human Resources Office, where an analysis of experience, education, and skills will be made. The Director of Human Resources must approve a salary offer above the base of the pay grade.