Compensation Tools for Supervisors
These supervisory tools are internally sourced. They supplement (but do not replace) other Legislative compensation tools such as Cost of Living Allowances, General Increases, and Targeted Discretionary Increases that are determined each year during the General Legislative Session.
Challenge or Opportunity
Supervisors have a variety of reasons for considering compensation options for their employees. Depending on the challenge or opportunity, supervisors have various tools and funding sources that could help address the matter. A signing bonus could be the deciding factor in hiring someone who needs to be sure the job offer is sufficient. A salary increase could retain a valuable employee with a documented job offer elsewhere. Rewarding an employee for exemplary results with paid time off that doesn't hit their leave balances could communicate the right message at the right time and still come within budget.
Tools to Provide Solutions
After a supervisor clarifies the compensation challenge or opportunity, the method to address the matter is easier to identify. Supervisors are encouraged to review the basic parameters set in HR policy regularly. These parameters facilitate reasonable fairness in distributing compensation dollars. HR06-6 governs salary actions, and HR06-7 governs incentive award distribution.
Compensation Methods, Funding Sources & Authority
Compensation Memo Templates for Notifying Employees
These view-only templates may be copied by management to notify an employee and maintain documentation of a compensation decision AFTER the following steps have been taken:
Consultation with the applicable supervisory line of management for approval; and
Consultation with a member of the HR department to verify policy compliance; and
Consultation with the Finance Manager (Alisha Johnson) to calculate fiscal impacts before settling on the final dollar amount.
Performance-based Salary Increases. The Judicial Council has authorized Courts management to use a majority of the Ongoing Turnover Savings (OTS) the Courts generate in a fiscal year for performance-based salary increases. Precise budget amounts are communicated by the Department of Finance to Directors, Court Level Administrators, and Court Executives in the last quarter of a fiscal year, allowing a transparent process of submitting, vetting, and approval through lines of management. These actions are coded as "ASI—Performance" in the Human Resource Information System (HRIS).
Internally Funded Salary Increases. After consulting with the Department of Finance, a district or unit with sufficient funds within its existing operating budget may consider transferring the operational budget to the personnel budget. This type of salary increase is coded as "ASI—Executive Director Approval" in the HRIS.
Hot-Spot Salary Increases. The Judicial Council has authorized the State Court Administrator (SCA) a limited amount of OTS to address salary matters unrelated to performance, such as salary compression, retention of rare skills in unique job market conditions, and other pay inequities. Supervisors work through the line of management in their district or unit to make a request and receive approval from the SCA, contingent on available funds. These requests are frequently delegated to the Deputy State Court Administrator (DSCA) for review and approval. Hot-spot salary actions are processed by the HR Department and coded as "Market Hot-Spot Increase" in the HRIS.
Hot-Spot Request Form Disclaimer: Submitting a hot-spot request notifies the HR, Finance, and State Court Administrator offices and gives those offices details of the request. Submitting the request assumes the submitter has vetted the request through the appropriate lines of supervisory/management roles in the district or department and has received local approval to submit the request.
To submit a Hot-Spot request, please click here.
Pay Bonuses. The Judicial Council has authorized Courts management to use a portion of the One-Time Turnover Savings (1xTS) the Courts generate in a fiscal year for pay bonuses. Precise budget amounts for performance-based bonuses are communicated by the Department of Finance to Directors, Court Level Administrators, and Court Executives periodically as savings build, allowing a transparent process of submitting, vetting, and approval through lines of management. Pay bonuses from 1xTS may also be used in unique situations as signing bonuses in a job offer and as additional pay to retain an employee with a rare skill set. (See HR06-7). Pay bonuses are processed through the Department of Finance.
Hot-Spot Pay Bonuses. The Judicial Council has authorized the State Court Administrator (SCA) a limited amount of OTS to address salary matters unrelated to performance, such as salary compression, retention of rare skills in unique job market conditions, and other pay inequities. Supervisors work through the line of management in their district or unit to make a request and receive approval from the SCA, contingent on available funds. These requests are frequently delegated to the Deputy State Court Administrator (DSCA) for review and approval. Hot-spot pay bonuses are processed by the Department of Finance after DSCA approval.
Hot-Spot Request Form Disclaimer: Submitting a hot-spot request notifies the HR, Finance, and State Court Administrator offices and gives those offices details of the request. Submitting the request assumes the submitter has vetted the request through the appropriate lines of supervisory/management roles in the district or department and has received local approval to submit the request.
To submit a Hot-Spot request, please click here.
Cash and Non-Cash Equivalent Incentive Awards
When funding is available, the Judicial Council authorizes management to use a portion of one-time carry-forward funds for smaller cash and non-cash equivalent incentives (such as gift cards). Court Executives at the district level and the Court Security Director for Administrative Office employees manage nomination and approval processes. General policies governing the distribution of these incentive awards are found in the Accounting Manual under 19-01 00, governing Employee Incentives.