A "Vertical" Career Ladder provides another avenue for a regular staff employee to advance in classification and grade. This program consists of a formal agreement between an employee and unit management for employee development over a period not less than 6 months into an identified higher position. Although a competitive process is not required for an employee to advance through a vertical Career Ladder, equal opportunity should be considered.
There are no absolute limits to the number of Vertical Career Ladders an eligible employee may undertake at UNM. However, an employee may complete no more than two (2) consecutive Vertical Career Ladder progressions without an intervening position change through the competitive process. After successfully competing for an internal position, the employee may again become eligible for two (2) more consecutive Career Ladder progressions. This cycle may then repeat itself, depending on organizational capacity and individual circumstances.
All of the following preconditions must exist before an employee is deemed eligible for a Career Ladder:
Not all UNM position classifications are available for Vertical Career Ladders. For example, high level administrative and operational management classifications, identifiable by a second digit of 7 or higher in the PClass Code (e.g. A7999) are not Career Ladder eligible. For PClass Codes see Position Classification Description Listing. Departments must therefore contact HR to ensure position availability before developing a Career Ladder program for an employee.
There must be a demonstrated business need for someone to perform the duties and responsibilities stated in the Position Classification Description for the proposed higher position.
Duties and responsibilities may not be taken away from an existing employee to create a career ladder opportunity for another employee.
A Career Ladder may not be initiated for an employee within 12 months of a layoff from a position in the same job family within the immediate work unit.
Vertical Career Ladders fall into 2 categories:
Vertical Career Ladder programs, either Pre-Defined or Individualized, are primarily predicated on the identification of the "Distinguishing Characteristics" between the responsibilities of the position classification currently occupied by the employee and those of the higher level classification to which the employee aspires.
Distinguishing characteristics are the key functional responsibilities of a position classification that make it significantly different from and greater than another classification at a lower pay grade. Distinguishing characteristics may in some cases be specifically noted on the description for the position classification. If they are not, then departments should use the 3 to 5 statements listed at the top of the duties and responsibilities section.
Departments should always consult with HR during the process of identifying distinguishing characteristics for the purpose of initiating a Vertical Career Ladder
The manager and the employee enter into a formal Career Ladder agreement by completing and signing a series of documents. Copies of the signed Career Ladder and related documents must be submitted to HR for approval both prior to commencement of the Career Ladder process and upon completion of the process.
See the Staff Career Ladder Introduction for more detailed information and access to Career Ladder forms and procedures.
Generally, a Career Ladder can be expected to take between 6 and 12 months to complete. The actual length of time needed to complete a Career Ladder depends on the time it takes the employee to attain the minimum qualifications and the knowledge, skills and abilities required for the higher level classification, as well as the time it takes for the employee to demonstrate competency in the key duties and responsibilities of the higher-level classification.
Career Ladder duration may not in any case be less than six months from initiation to completion.
As standard practice, the typical vertical Career Ladder increase is up to 10% of salary per pay grade to a maximum of 20%, depending upon budget, internal equity, or other internal operational constraints, including the proviso that the employee's base pay must not be less than the minimum of the pay range for the higher level classification.
If an employee receives a Career Ladder pay increase between April 1 and June 30, that employee remains eligible for an annual pay increase, if allocated by the Regents, through the Mass Salary Update (MSU).
