Reclassifications

A Reclassification is a department-driven process designed to review a staff employee’s existing duties and responsibilities to determine if the primary functions align with their current classification. A position may be reclassified if it is determined by Human Resources (HR) that one of the following circumstances exist:

• a majority of the employee’s current primary duties and responsibilities are, or will be demonstrably and significantly different from those listed in their current classification description; OR
• the department has recognized a need to significantly modify the position due to a restructure/reorganization or significant change in business operations. Under this circumstance, you are encouraged to reach out to HR for guidance on the reorganization process.

It is the responsibility of department management to request a review from HR to evaluate the job duties of an employee. HR will not accept requests originating directly from an employee.

Eligibility Criteria

An employee must meet the following criteria to be eligible for a Reclassification:

• The employee must be a regular full- or part-time staff member
• The employee must qualify for the job
• The employee must have successfully completed their probationary period
• The employee must have received Successful overall ratings on their most recent performance evaluation
• The employee must not be currently be under performance management or disciplinary action
• The department has been free of layoffs in similar classifications at the same grade level for the past 12 months

Reclassification Process

Once major changes in a position's job responsibilities have been identified by the department, the employee and manager should jointly complete a Position Review Questionnaire (PRQ). The PRQ should include information addressing the business need that prompted the request and provide any factual and supporting information that will be useful in the review of the request and adequate information describing the primary duties and responsibilities of the position. Once complete, the manager obtains the appropriate signatures required in the PRQ.

The PRQ and a current and proposed org chart are then submitted to HR Compensation at comp@unm.edu for review of the request. When necessary, a compensation representative may conduct an on-site "job audit", depending on the individual clarity, characteristics, and circumstances of the reclassification request.

Once the evaluation has been completed and a determination has been reached, HR sends an Admin Doc back to the initiating department manager along with classification details, effective date, and a new job description where appropriate.

The effective date of the reclassification is typically the first day of the pay period following the department’s last signature date on the PRQ.

It is the responsibility of the department manager to discuss the determination with the employee.

Salary Determination and Internal Equity

At the discretion of the department, an employee may receive a salary adjustment when reclassified. Please refer to the Salary Determination and Internal Equity for Staff Employees Guidelines for guidance on pay increases and internal equity reviews.

A decrease is typically the result of a position being reclassified to a lower level position.

For bargaining unit employees please refer to the appropriate union bargaining agreement.