The Florida Senate

334.0445  Model career service classification and compensation plan.--

(1)  Effective July 1, 1994, the Legislature grants to the Department of Transportation in consultation with the Department of Management Services, the Executive Office of the Governor, legislative appropriations committees, legislative personnel committees, and the affected certified bargaining unions, the authority on a pilot basis to develop and implement a model career service classification and compensation system. Such system shall be developed for use by all state agencies. Authorization for this program will be through June 30, 2002; however, the department may elect or be directed by the Legislature to return to the current system at any time during this period if the model system does not meet the stated goals and objectives.

(2)  The Department of Transportation is authorized to establish and test a modified position classification system and modified compensation system for Department of Transportation career service positions and employees provided that such system does not include a step pay plan unless specifically approved by the Legislature, and provided that such system utilizes all other provisions of the career service reform rules as approved by the 1994 Legislature. The model program shall consist of the following:

(a)  A position classification system using a standard six class series structure for each identified occupational group. All classes developed by the Department of Transportation shall be incorporated into the career service pay plan as developed by the department in consultation with the Department of Management Services, the Executive Office of the Governor, legislative appropriations committees, legislative personnel committees, and the affected certified bargaining unions. This classification system shall be developed to address all current career service classes.

(b)  The department shall continue to have vacancies funded at 10 percent above the minimum for each position on June 30 each year.

(c)  The department shall design the system so that implementation costs no more than the appropriated salary budget.

(d)  The department shall use a new official title on all official documents; however, a working title may be used on employee position descriptions.

(e)  The department shall track any changed salary history which shall include:

1.  The dollar amount of pay increases by type.

2.  The number of employees hired by class, the hiring salary rate, and if a current career service employee, the percent of the increase.

3.  The job turnover by class.

(f)  The department shall develop interim procedures for handling employees who accept employment with other state agencies or who accept employment with the department from another state agency.

(g)  The Department of Transportation is authorized to promulgate emergency and permanent administrative rules to implement this model program.

(3)  The department shall use at a minimum the following baseline goals and performance measures to determine the success of the model:

(a)  The goal of the classification plan shall be to significantly reduce the need to reclassify positions due to work assignment and organizational changes by decreasing the number of classification changes required. To measure the result, the department shall compare the number of classification changes made in the 12 months preceding implementation and a 12-month period following full implementation with followup reports quarterly.

(b)  The goal of the classification and pay plans shall allow employees to develop fully in their current position and not require promotions which result in decreased position-based turnover, fewer numbers of employees who change positions, and a reduced number of promotion appointments. To measure the result, the department shall compare the number of employees who were promoted during the 12-month period prior to implementation and the 12-month period following full implementation with followup reports quarterly.

(c)  The goal of the classification plan shall be to establish broad-based classes allowing flexibility in organizational structure and to eliminate multiple levels of supervisory classes which should reduce the number of supervisory positions. To measure the result, the department shall compare the number of supervisory positions prior to implementation with the number of positions in supervisory classes 12 months after implementation with followup reports quarterly.

(d)  The goal of the classification and pay plans shall be to emphasize pay administration and job performance evaluation by management to eliminate the use of the classification plan as a means of awarding salary increases. Rather the plans would reallocate classification work hours to compensation and evaluation work hours and broaden the scope of performance planning and evaluation to benefit both the supervisor and employee. To measure the result, the department shall establish a standard work hour estimate to process classification actions and compare the hours used based upon the number of actions processed prior to implementation and 12 months after implementation with followup reports quarterly.

(e)  The goal of the classification plan shall be to provide employees and management a better understanding of the classification plan structure and how positions are classified. To measure the result, the department shall conduct a preimplementation and postimplementation opinion survey of employees and management to evaluate presumed effectiveness of the systems for the following criteria:

1.  Is the system understandable.

2.  Is the system flexible to employee and management needs.

3.  Does the system support the agency mission.

4.  Is the system fair and equitable.

Additional goals and performance measures may be developed in consultation with the Department of Management Services, legislative staff, and the affected certified bargaining unions.

(4)  The department shall issue a baseline report on the performance measures outlined in subsection (3) within 30 days after implementation of this act and shall provide quarterly progress reports to the Department of Management Services, the Executive Office of the Governor, legislative appropriations committees, legislative personnel committees, the Auditor General, the Office of Program Policy Analysis and Government Accountability, and the affected certified bargaining unions. Such reports shall contain the mandatory measures listed in this legislation, as well as other mutually agreed-upon measures between the Department of Transportation, the Department of Management Services, the Executive Office of the Governor, legislative appropriations committees, legislative personnel committees, and the affected certified bargaining unions.

(5)  This section shall not be construed to remove employees of the Department of Transportation from the Career Service System or abrogate the terms and conditions of the collective bargaining agreements currently in effect and applicable to such employees. The Department of Management Services shall continue to represent the state for purposes of negotiating terms related to this act and shall be authorized, pursuant to the provisions of this section, to provide benefits in addition to those offered to career service employees under the terms of the collective bargaining agreement.

History.--s. 77, ch. 94-237; s. 95, ch. 98-279; ss. 41, 53, ch. 99-228; s. 42, ch. 99-385; s. 104, ch. 2001-266.