1. Governing Regulations
The procedure is governed by System Policy 02.06 Directors of System Member Agencies, System Regulation 31.01.01 Compensation Administration, and System Regulation 31.01.02 Fair Labor Standards.
2. Purpose
Texas A&M Forest Service administers employee compensation in accordance with the governing regulations. These procedures address agency specific procedures not addressed in the regulations.
3. Compensation Management
3.1 The agency’s compensation is based upon an established pay plan, as defined in Administrative Procedure 10.02 Compensation Administration.
3.2 Salary adjustments associated with education are based upon the provisions of Administrative Procedure 10.07 Salary Differentials and Education Incentives.
3.3 Temporary salary adjustments are based upon the provisions of Administrative Procedure 10.13 Lead Resource Specialist Program, Administrative Procedure 10.23 Temporary Salary Adjustments and 10.33 Resource Specialist Mentor Program.
3.4 Promotion increases are based upon the provisions of Administrative Procedure 10.26 Career Ladders and Promotions.
3.5 Salary adjustments for merit raises are based upon the provisions of Rule 31.01.08.F1 Merit Salary Increases.
3.6 FIA (forest inventory analysis) staff foresters and woodland ecologists successfully completing the FIA certification process will receive a $2,000/year increase in salary.
3.7 When a pay plan change or promotion occurs, the agency will make salary adjustments to mitigate salary compression by retaining the effect of previously granted increases as prescribed in the following circumstances:
- Education or Experience: Salary adjustments for education or experience above what is required will be maintained for four years.
- FIA: Salary adjustments for completing the FIA certification process will be maintained for the term of employment as an FIA staff forester or woodland ecologist. These salary adjustments will also be maintained for former FIA foresters who perform FIA additional duties in their current position, until such time as they no longer perform these duties.
- Temporary Salary Increases: Temporary salary increases will be maintained for the duration of the additional duties. The amount maintained will be the amount of the original temporary salary increase.
- Merit Raises: Merit raises will be maintained for a period of 1 year.
- Equity Adjustments: Equity Adjustments will be maintained for a period of 1 year.
- Other: Other possible salary compression issues not identified above will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis.
4. Approvals
All employee salary changes will be approved in accordance with the provisions of Administrative Procedure 01.03 Director’s Delegations – Human Resource Administration and 30.01 Personnel Action Request.