Reclassification

Reclassification is …

• An appeal for a change in the pay grade of a position
• Potentially approved only if complexity, autonomy within the role, and responsibility has increased significantly
• Can be appealed individually, as a group, or by a department
• Your responsibility to show that your responsibilities and complexity of tasks have increased significantly since hire

Reclassification is NOT …

• A merit-based promotion
• An increase in pay because a task done by a higher pay graded position is now your responsibility (see Article 19 Out of Title Work, USA contract)
• An increase in pay because an equally pay-graded position doesn’t have the same responsibilities
• Owed to an employee because their supervisor thinks they deserve a raise

If you can check off all of the criteria below, it’s time to appeal for a reclassification.*

• 51% or more of my daily tasks & responsibilities are expected of the higher pay grade position I plan to appeal to
• I directly supervise a full-time benefited employee or employees (if direct supervision is expected of the higher grade position that you plan to appeal to)
• Level of autonomy in my position is very high, i.e. I mostly plan and prioritize my daily tasks myself with little to no guidance from my supervisor
• My daily tasks and responsibilities align with the state specifications listed on the MA state classification specifications website

*If you do not meet every one of these criteria, it does not necessarily exclude you from the possibility of a reclassification. Please reach out to our Classification Committee to discuss your working situation if you feel that your position should be reclassified.

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The Steps to the Reclassification Process

If you have any questions about the process detailed below, don’t hesitate to reach out to the Classification Committee!

Submitting the Appeal

1. Identify an appropriate job title at the pay grade you feel matches your responsibilities
2. Submit the initial appeal form on the AskHR website
   • Click ‘SUBMIT YOUR QUESTION’ (about halfway down the page)
   • Check the ‘I am a current UMass employee or student’
   • Using your UMass login credentials, click on ‘click here to submit your question’
   • In dropdown menu, click ‘my topic is not listed here’.
   • Next dropdown menu, click ‘Compensation’
   • Next dropdown menu, click ‘Classification appeal’
   • In the mandatory ‘tell us more about your question’, a simple sentence will suffice ex. ‘I am appealing the classification of my current role’
   • Attach your filled out appeal form and submit
3. An automated submission confirmation will be sent to your email – forward that to the USA office at usa@umass.edu

The Desk Audit

1. Within 2 weeks of your appeal submission, you should receive an email with date and time options for the desk audit, and the desk audit questions you will be answering
2. At this point, reach out to whoever you wish to attend your desk audit with you – this is not a requirement, but you are allowed to have supervisor(s), a union representative, whoever you want to be there that may help with the description of your tasks and responsibilities
3. Once a date is decided, respond to the email and cc those people who will be attending the desk audit with you (desk audits are assumed to be on Zoom, but you have the option to meet in person)
4. Work on answering the desk audit questions that they send you with as much detail as possible describing the tasks and responsibilities that have been added to your position since your hire that led you to the appeal – contact your classification union representative if you have any questions and/or want us to help you with this part of the process
5. We highly suggest that you type up your full responses to the questions before you attend the desk audit – you can read your answers to the HR rep, it really helps to eliminate any anxiety surrounding the audit
6. The HR specialist that you meet with will start the desk audit by explaining the process including your appeal options if you get an unfavorable initial decision; you will send your typed answers to the HR specialist following the desk audit

The Initial Decision

1. After the desk audit, within 2 weeks, you will receive a draft of the notes that the HR specialist took during your audit; review the notes and send edits if you feel they’re needed. This is your opportunity to include anything that you may have forgotten or missed during the audit!
2. Expect an initial decision within 60 days of the HR specialist’s receipt of the returned notes (considered the final draft)
3. If it takes longer than 60 days to receive an initial decision, reach out to the HR specialist that conducted your desk audit respectfully reminding them of the time passed and ask if there is anything else they need from you

Final notes about the Reclassification process

• After the desk audit is scheduled, HR will contact your department to get an organizational chart showing where you are in the hierarchy 
• Your union representatives are here to support you through the process, but ultimately it is your responsibility to show that your job has changed in complexity, level of responsibility and increased autonomy
• If you receive an unfavorable initial decision, don’t panic. There are appeal options that differ slightly depending on the funding source of your salary. We are here to help you!