§ 18-5. Annual setting of classifications, pay plans and benefits.

(a)

Pay plan adjustments; exceptions. On or before May 1 of each year, the career service board shall recommend classification and pay plan adjustments to the mayor and city council for all job classifications in the career service and for job classifications not in the career service based upon the duties of the job classifications except: those to which the provisions of section 9.2.1 of the Charter apply; the ranks in the classified service of the fire and police departments; deputy sheriffs, deputy sheriff majors, and deputy sheriff division chiefs. Any pay rate recommended by the board shall be equal to generally prevailing rates in the Denver metropolitan area as reflected in the annual survey of generally prevailing rates and shall provide like pay for like work. If it is determined, pursuant to criteria proposed by the career service board and approved by the council, that the generally prevailing rates in the Denver metropolitan area are inadequate to attract qualified candidates for certain classifications, or that there are no comparable positions in the Denver metropolitan area, then the pay rate for those classifications may be equal to the generally prevailing pay rates in either the region or the nation.

(b)

Annual implementation of pay plan adjustments. The mayor and the city council may accept, reject or modify any pay recommendation made by the board or the director pursuant to this section. The recommendation required under subsection (a) of this section shall be implemented in the following manner to the extent justified by the annual survey of generally prevailing pay rates:

(1)

When the recommendation is to increase the range minimum of a pay grade, the range minimum shall be increased to reflect market data, with the range maximum in the pay grade modified by the percentage increment necessary to maintain the structure and integrity of the current pay grade. Each employee in the adjusted pay grade shall maintain his or her current rate of pay and classification. In no event shall the employee receive less than the range minimum of the pay grade assigned to his or her classification or less than his or her current rate of pay. These adjustments shall occur no later than July 1 of the year in which the recommendation is made.

(2)

When the recommendation is to change a classification to a higher pay grade, the pay for employees in that classification shall be increased by increments of four and fifty-five hundredths (4.55) percent per pay grade increase on January 1 of the year following the recommendation. This subsection shall only apply to employees who are in the affected classification on the effective date of the change. In no event shall the employee be paid in excess of the range maximum of the range. These adjustments shall occur no later than January 1 in the year following the year in which the recommendation is made.

(3)

The annual ordinance implementing the pay plan adjustments in accordance with this section and updating the classification and pay plan shall incorporate any interim adjustments to the classification and pay plan made by the Executive Director of the Office of Human Resources as provided in section 18-42(d), to the extent the city council chooses to ratify such interim adjustments.

(c)

Benefits. Upon the request of the mayor or the city council, the Office of Human Resources Executive Director shall survey and recommend changes to employee benefits as necessary to attract and retain a qualified and competent workforce and to maintain the city's policy to provide generally prevailing compensation to employees in the classifications set forth in subsection (a) of this section. The director shall consult with and obtain a recommendation from the employee health insurance committee as provided in division 2 of article VI of this chapter prior to recommending any change to health insurance benefits. The mayor and the city council may accept, reject or modify any benefit recommendation made by the director pursuant to this section.

(d)

Audit of survey methodologies and recommendations. In 2006 and not less than once every four (4) years thereafter, the mayor shall commission an independent audit of survey methodologies, determinations regarding generally prevailing rates and prevailing practices, and recommendations regarding pay rates and benefits made by the career service board or the Office of Human Resources Executive Director in the preceding year. Results of the independent audit shall be provided by the mayor to the city council, the career service board and the Office of Human Resources Executive Director.

(Ord. No. 959-05, § 1, 12-19-05; Ord. No. 288-09, § 1, 5-18-09; Ord. No. 571-10, § 1, 10-18-10; Ord. No. 661-12, § 3, 12-26-12; Ord. No. 156-18, § 1, 3-5-18)