Reclassification Processing Instructions for Classified Staff

College of Letters & Science

July 2005

As you receive requests from employees or consider possible reclassification of your classified staff positions, please review the following information and procedures.

The definition of “Reclassification” is: Assignment of a filled position to a different classification based on logical and gradual changes in the duties and responsibilities of the position. Reclassification of a position is warranted when:

• There has been a change in the level, complexity and nature of the duties of the position which has caused the position to be more appropriately identified by another classification title.
• Changes in the duties and responsibilities have been logical. Logical changes are those which are a natural outgrowth of the original duties of the position.
• Changes in the duties and responsibilities have occurred gradually. Normally, the incumbent must have performed the changed duties for at least six months prior to proposing reclassification.
• When duties and responsibilities have not changed a position so significantly in terms of type, level and/or complexity that a new position has been created. Usually, if more than 50% of the position duties have changed to a higher classification level, a new position has been created which must be filled by competition.

* Because there are limited means of rewarding classified staff for a job well done, it is not unusual for supervisors to want to reclassify staff as a means of reward. This is not appropriate and reclassifications submitted for this purpose cannot be approved.

RECLASSIFICATION SUBMISSION AND APPROVAL PROCESS

1. Enter the reclassification information into the UW-Madison Classified Human Resources Information System (CHRIS). Following are the required steps for submitting a reclassification request through CHRIS:
   
   1. Log into the CHRIS system at http://www.ohr.wisc.edu/ohr/informationsystems/index.htm. If this is your first time using CHRIS, click on “CHRIS Help” for instructions. If you have trouble logging in or have questions about CHRIS, be in contact with Mary Nuzzo at 263-2321.
      
   2. After you log on, you will be prompted on how you would like to proceed. You should check transaction type: “Reclass” and in the box indicating “Create an HR Transaction” click on “New Transaction”. On the next screen, enter the appointment number of the individual you are submitting the reclass for. A new PD package will come up with the person's name and current title already populated. Do NOT change the employees current title on this screen!
      
   3. If the employee’s previous position description is in CHRIS, the previous position description will be used as a beginning template for the reclassification.
      
   4. You will need to review and make any necessary changes to the information on page 1 and page 2 of the reclassification. On the "Reclass Detail” page you will need to complete all of the items in blue and/or asterisked (*).

   Logical & Gradual Changes: Include a brief summary of the former position’s duties and responsibilities. Identify the changes that have impacted on the level of the position (include when, why and how the changes occurred). Identify and give examples of the position’s level of decision-making, discretion, independence of action, complexity, consequence of error, and impact on the unit or organization.

   It is extremely important that great care be taken in developing this section. The database of position descriptions on CHRIS is continually growing so it may be helpful to search for a similarly reclassified position within the College and use the justification as a template for yours.

   You can search the CHRIS system for similar position descriptions to the one you are working on by going to the “Tools” menu and selecting “Search all HR Transactions”. Once you get to this screen click on the “Advanced Search” tab. Here you can limit your search to the College by entering “A48” in the UDDS field and enter the title you are requesting the reclass to in the “title” field. If you only want to view reclassed position descriptions, you can indicate this in the “HR transaction type” field.

   You can also search by keyword. For instance you can search for only those Program Assistant 3’s that do timetable in the College of Letters & Science. To do this you would go to “Tools” and select “Search transactions by keyword”. On this screen you can choose the keyword such as “timetable”, choose title code 16133 (for Program Assistant 3) and choose UDDS code A48 for the College of Letters & Science.

   Class Specification Language: Insert appropriate class specification language for the requested position title. The specifications can be accessed by clicking on the “DER TITLE SPECS” button to the right of this section. You should cut and paste only the section of the specification that pertains to this particular position. (NOTE: To copy from Adobe Acrobat click on the “T” (Text Select Tool (V) key on the Tool Bar, highlight the text you would like to copy, click “Ctrl C”, go to the location on the Reclassification Form where you would like to paste the text and click “Ctrl V”.)

   Reclass Summary: Summarize the higher level responsibilities and how they relate to the class specification for the higher-level position.

   5. Next you will need to enter the new position description. If the current position description was previously entered into CHRIS, the current position description will populate this area. If the individual’s current description had not previously been entered into the system, you will need to enter the description from scratch. Be sure to also complete the organizational chart.
      
   6. It is very important that the “Activity” section includes only activities. You should not include knowledge and skill statements here. For instance instead of saying “Knowledge of travel related policies and procedures are required.” You can change this knowledge statement to an activity statement by indicating: “Advise staff on travel related policies and procedures.
      
   7. Once you are finished entering the description, print a copy of the position description for review between the employee and the supervisor. The supervisor and the employee should sign and date the front page. After receiving the signatures, the supervisor will go into CHRIS and enter the date the position description review took place. This item is located on the first page of the General Position Description Information screen.
      
   8. Make four copies of the signed position description form only (not the actual description). Send the original and three copies to Room 207 South Hall and keep the other copy in the department files.
      
   9. You are now ready to submit the Reclass PD for approval by the L&S Human Resource Office. Submit the reclassification by choosing "Submit PD Package" from the Actions menu.
      
      
2. Review of the reclassification request by the L&S Human Resource Office will determine whether it will be approved, modified or denied. If the request will be modified or denied, the supervisor will be contacted to discuss the situation and an audit may be scheduled. If the request is approved, the supervisor will be notified of the decision, the reclass will be approved via CHRIS and forwarded to the Classified Human Resources office for final approval, if necessary. NOTE: The College now has delegation for final approval on reclassification requests for the following titles: Financial Specialist 1 to 2 and 2 to 3; Instrument Maker Entry to Journey, IS Data Services Professional to Senior, IS Network Services Professional to Senior, IS Systems Dev. Services Professional to Senior, Laboratory Animal Technician 1 to 2, Program Assistant 1 to 2, 2 to 3, 3 to 4; Program Assistant 2 to Student Status Examiner 1; Program Assistant 3 to Student Status Examiner 2 and Student Status Examiner 1 to 2. Once final approval is received, L&S will send 2 copies of the reclassification paperwork to the supervisor. One copy is for the department permanent record and the other is for the employee.
   
3. The effective date of an approved reclassification is normally the date of the beginning of the next nearest pay period following receipt of the reclassification request by the L&S Human Resource Office. There may be exceptions to this under unusual circumstances.
   
4. Upon reclassification of a position and regrading of the incumbent, the incumbent obtains permanent status in the position and is not required to serve a probationary period.
   
5. Upon reclassification of a position to a higher level and regrading of the incumbent, the incumbent may receive a pay increase.

If you have any questions about the reclassification process, please be in contact with Diana Allaby at 3-4964 or allaby@ls.admin.wisc.edu. If you have questions on the technical aspect of entering the reclassification request into CHRIS, please be in contact with Mary Nuzzo at 3-2321 or nuzzo@ls.admin.wisc.edu.

Updated 11/30/07 per MN/DA by emk