Job Analysis Project Should be Completed by Mid Year

THE JOB Analysis project under UIC Human Resources continues on campus.

A MAJOR goal of the project is to ensure that positions are properly classified as either Civil Service or Academic Professional. The need to engage in this project was precipitated by an audit finding declaring the University to be non-compliant with Civil Service guidelines. To date, a small team of analysts have evaluated approximately 2,200 positions in 19 units representing colleges and administrative business units across Campus. Project completion should be realized by June 30, 2015.

THE JOB analysis project involves three primary components. These components include appropriately categorizing positions as Civil Service or Academic Professional; calculating seniority for individuals converting from Academic Professional to Civil Service; and facilitating an appeals process to ensure employees exercise due process when they disagree with the analysis.

THERE IS an appeals process available to employees who have completed job analysis and have concerns regarding the new title and classification. The appeals process may be an appropriate avenue if the employee believes that the new classification is an inaccurate reflection of their duties. If an employee is unsure, UIC Human Resources is available to help employees determine if an appeal is the appropriate course of action.

WHEN AN employee disagrees with the outcome of the analysis, the employee may request reconsideration by the UIC Human Resources Compensation Unit. If the employee desires further review beyond the campus level, the employee may ask the executive director of the State Universities Civil Service System (the System Office) to review and issue a decision. This is referred to as a position audit appeal. Additional detail regarding the classification appeals process is outlined in the State Universities Civil Service System Procedures Manual, Section2.4. Some employees have already exercised their right to appeal.

AN APPEAL process also exists for those employees who have completed job analysis but have concerns regarding the seniority that is calculated during the conversion process. The State Universities Civil Service System Exemption Procedures Manual Section8.2(b) (4) provides the formula for determining seniority. On occasion, UIC Human Resources is asked to clarify the method for calculating seniority in the new Civil Service position. In those cases, UIC Human Resources Personnel are available to help employees understand how seniority is calculated and determine if an appeal is appropriate.

TO ENSURE compliance, a method for calculating seniority was developed in keeping with Section8.2(b) (4) of the Exemption Procedures Manual. The method used considers the historical record keeping practices at UIC. Simply stated, this practice is defined by the University’s ability to document the exact job duties and responsibilities of a position. In some situations records do not exist to sufficiently document duties and/or responsibilities.

THE APPEAL described above is referred to as a Director’s Review process. Review procedures are outlined in Section250.130 of the Illinois Administrative Code (80 Ill. Adm. Code §250.130).

UIC HUMAN Resources is in the final months of the job analysis project, with an anticipated completion date of June 30, 2015. Some employees may be waiting for the final determination regarding their position. To help better communicate progress, the UIC Human Resources website has been enhanced to include a tracking mechanism that allows the campus to monitor the Job Analysis project by unit.

YOU CAN access the online tracking report here. The report will detail various stages of the Job Analysis Project by campus unit. As more current information is available, the report will be updated.

YOU CAN also view the tracking tool by visiting the UIC Human Resources website at www.hr.uic.edu and clicking on the Classification and Compensation link. Once on the Compensation page, you will click Job Analysis Project to be directed to the report.

IF YOU have any further questions or concerns regarding this process, contact Robert Crouch, Assistant Vice President for Human Resources, at crouchr@uillinois.edu or Ron Puskarits, Director of Compensation, at puskarit@uillinois.edu.