VI.

CLASSIFICATION OF POSITIONS

A.

Policy

It is the policy of the Navajo Nation to establish and maintain a classification plan which groups jobs based upon similar duties, responsibilities, and qualification requirements.

B.

Position Classification Plan

1.

Purpose

To establish and classify positions by assigning official class titles, providing descriptions of duties and responsibilities, determining qualification requirements and setting pay rates based on duties and responsibilities.

2.

Modifications

Department of Personnel Management will modify the position classification plan through establishing new classes, revising or abolishing existing classes, setting new entry level rates, and other related criteria, as necessary.

3.

Coverage and Exclusions

All positions, regardless of the source of funding, are covered by the classification plan except those designated as Political at-will and temporary accounts.

C.

Classification of New Positions

1.

A position must be officially classified before a supervisor can take any personnel action with respect to employment, transfer, promotion, demotion or salary.

2.

The Department of Personnel Management shall be responsible for evaluating and classifying each position to the appropriate class.  Consideration will be given to the general duties, tasks, responsibilities, and qualification requirements

3.

The approved class title, as designated by Department of Personnel Management, shall be utilized for all official records.

4.

The Department of Personnel Management shall be responsible for maintaining the official class specifications and will provide each program a set of the relevant class specifications.

D.

Reclassification of Existing Positions

A position can be reclassified whenever a material and permanent change in the duties and responsibilities of the position occurs.

1.

Significant and permanent changes in the duties and responsibilities of the position must be reported to the Department of Personnel Management on the appropriate form.

2.

A position must be officially reclassified before a supervisor can take any personnel action with respect to employment, transfer, promotion, demotion, or salary. The Department of Personnel Management shall be responsible for evaluating and reclassifying positions.

3.

Reclassification shall not be used as a means to resolve performance-related problems, grievance issues, or to take the place of disciplinary actions.

4.

An employee occupying a reclassified position shall be entitled to continue to serve in the reclassified position, if the employee meets the qualification requirements and provided that the reclassification action does not result in the position being reclassified from a non-sensitive position to a sensitive position.

5.

In the event that a position is reclassified from a non-sensitive position to a sensitive position, the employee shall be required to undergo a background check and relevancy assessment as outlined in Section IV.K prior to taking any personnel action with respect to change in position title and salary.

6.

If the employee is a regular status employee, he/she will retain that status.

E.

Notice of Classification or Reclassification Decisions

For each position classified or reclassified, the Department of Personnel Management will issue written notice of the decision to the Program Manager. The decision will specify the class to which the position has been allocated and the pay grade assigned. The supervisor will be responsible for initiating the necessary paperwork to reflect the decision.

F.

Review of Classification or Reclassification Decisions

The supervisor may request a review of the classification or reclassification decision by filing a written appeal with the Human Resources Director. The review shall be conducted by someone other than the person making the original classification decision, and this person shall consult with the Human Resources Director in conducting the review. The results of the appeal shall be considered the final administrative decision.

G.

Effective Date of Classification or Reclassification Decisions

The effective date of classification or reclassification decisions shall be the beginning date of the pay period following the date of approval by the Department of Personnel Management and shall not be retroactive.