University Of Massachusetts Dartmouth
Office of Human Resources
Classification Review/Reallocation Procedures for Classified Positions
Updated February 7, 2007
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Table of Contents
Topic
Page
Overview………………………………………………………………………………………3
Employee Initiated Appeal Process…..……………………………………………………..4
Appeal Form for Trust-Funded Positions Appendix C.…………………………...5
Appeal Form for State-Funded Positions Appendix D……...……………………..6
Interview Guide Forms………………………………………………………………7-15
Manager Initiated Review Process………………………………………………………….16
Things to Remember………………………………………………………………………....17
Position Description – Form 30 Template…………………………………………………..18-19
Guidelines for Developing Job Duties and Responsibilities………………………………..20-21
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Overview
Position descriptions are an important tool for employees and managers to define tasks, duties,
responsibilities, expectations and qualifications. They are also critical for conducting a proper and
thorough performance review and should be used to determine future goals and development
opportunities.
We realize that language in position descriptions may change from time to time due to
organizational and technological changes. The Office of Human Resources encourages managers
to review position descriptions of their employees on an annual basis. Evaluation time is a logical
point to perform this review. If an employee’s position description has outdated language or
duties, we encourage managers to update them.
If there are significant changes/updates to an employee’s position description, we encourage you
to contact our office for a review. This review will ensure that the job’s title and corresponding
pay grade are still appropriate based on the duties and responsibilities.
There are two types of classification reviews for classified positions. This applies this non-unit
classified positions as well as classified positions covered by AFSCME, AFT Massachusetts –
maintenance and custodial staff and IBPO.
1. An Individual Classification Appeal is employee initiated.
This process refers to non-unit classified positions as well as classified position covered by
AFSCME and AFT in Massachusetts- Maintenance & Custodial Staff. This happens when the
employee believes that new or different duties have changed the job to warrant another title or
classification level. The employee submits all required documentation. An audit hearing is held;
documentation is analyzed and a decision made. The employee may appeal the decision of the
Human Resources.
2.
A Maintenance Action Request is management initiated.
The supervisor believes that the employee’s duties are not properly represented within the
current job title or classification. The supervisor submits all required documentation. This
process does not allow the employee or supervisor to appeal the decision of Human Resources.
Each type of review has a different process and requires distinct documentation and forms.
This information along with applicable forms and position description Form 30 templates and can be
found at http://www.umassd.edu/hr/policiesandprocedures.cfm. If you have any questions, please
contact Human Resources at X 8060.
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Employee Initiated Appeal
The employee believes that new or different duties have changed the job to warrant another title or
classification level. The employee submits all required documentation. An audit hearing is held;
documentation is analyzed and a decision made. A job visit (desk audit) may also be conducted by
HR.
Process:
1) Employee files an Appeal Form with Human Resources.
2) Human Resources issues a letter of receipt acknowledging the appeal request and schedules
a hearing. The supervisor is also notified that an appeal is in progress and his/her assistance
and cooperation is requested.
3) Employee submits Interview Guide, an updated Position Description (Form 30) and a
current departmental organization chart to Human Resources at least two weeks prior to the
hearing date.
4) The department head/supervisor submits a statement supporting or not supporting the
employee's request with the appropriate justification.
5) A Hearing is conducted where the employee provides evidence and documentation to
support the upgrade. The Employee may be accompanied by union representation and may
also request his/her supervisor’s presence. Human Resources may also conduct an on-site
job visit (desk audit) to gather additional information necessary to render a decision.
6) Human Resources informs the employee in writing of the appeal decision.
If the appeal is approved, the decision is retroactive to the date that the appeal form was
received in the Office of Human Resources.
If the appeal is denied, state-funded employees may appeal the decision to the
Commonwealth’s Division of Human Resources. Trust-funded employees may appeal the
decision to the Chancellor.
State-funded employees may further appeal the decision to the Commonwealth’s Civil Service
Commission, which issues a final determination. Trust-funded employees may further appeal
the decision to the President of the University, who issues a final determination.
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APPENDIX C
REQUEST TO APPEAL CLASSIFICATION OF TRUST-FUND POSITION FORM
Please Type or Print Form
Name:
Requested Title:
Grade:
Present Title:
Grade:
Department:
Unit:
Immediate Supervisor’s Name:
Immediate Supervisor’s Title:
Date of Hire in Current Position:
Name and Title of Persons You Supervise (if any):
Change in Duties and Responsibilities since Assuming Current Position:
List Duties Performed (Use additional page if necessary): List approximate % of time spent
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APPENDIX D
REQUEST TO APPEAL CLASSIFICATION OF STATE-FUNDED POSITION
TO:
DATE:
(Appointing Authority)
I,
hereby appeal my current classification title,
, to the Personnel Administrator under the
provisions of Chapter 30, Section 49 of the Massachusetts General Laws. I believe that the
classification title of
appropriately describes my
duties and responsibilities.
duties and responsibilities.
The general reason(s) for this appeal is (are):
I submit the following information to assist in the processing of my appeal:
Home Address:
Tel #:
Work Address:
Tel #:
Appropriation Number:
Position Number:
Name and Address of Union Representative (optional):
Employee Id:
My position (check one) has
Classification maintenance process.
On
Which was as follow:
has not
been reviewed through the
DPA notified my agency of the result of the review,
Sincerely,
Your signature
CC: AFSCME, Council 93, Local 507
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Interview Guide
Employee Name:
Employee ID:
Official Payroll:
:::::Title:
Functional Title (if applicable):
Funding Source/Account Code:
Agency:
University of Massachusetts Dartmouth
Agency: University of Massachusetts Dartmouth
Date Appointed to Present Position:
Request for Reallocation to the Classification of:
Immediate Supervisor’s Name:
Supervisor’s Title:
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Basis of Appeal
Please Describe what the appellant views as the basis of the appeal.
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Specific Duties
What do you do? (List duties in priority order including percentages of time spent on each)
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Relationships with Others
What people or groups of people do you come in contact with in the performance of your job
within and outside your agency? Indicate the job titles or functions of your contacts. Also
describe the nature and purpose of your interpersonal relationships.
Basic Purpose of Position
Briefly describe (in two or three sentences) the overall basic purpose of your job.
Job Changes
Have there been any significant job changes since your appointment? If so, indicate the dates
that the changes took place and briefly describe the nature of the change.
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Problem Solving
Briefly describe the major problems that you face in the performance of your job and also
indicate what you do in order to resolve them.
Assignment, review and approval of work
Who assigns, reviews and approves your work? How do you receive it?
Supervisory Responsibility
Whose work do you supervise? What titles? Indicate by official title those
positions which report directly to you?
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Their Subordinates
Indicate by official title those positions which report to you through your immediate
subordinates.
Functional Supervision
Indicate by official title those positions which report to you for only a portion of their total job
assignments.
Equipment Operation
What equipment do you operate or repair?
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Working Conditions
Briefly explain any unusual working conditions such as physical effort, hazards, environment,
time demands, or stress that are important elements for anyone in this job.
Special Requirements
Does your job require a certificate, license, degree (Associate’s, Bachelor’s, Master’s) or other
special requirement?
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Additional Information
Explain any aspect of your job which you feel has not been covered by the previous questions
and which you feel is important in understanding your duties.
Signature of Appellant:
Date:
Signature of Interviewer:
Date:
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Manager Initiated Maintenance Action
A Maintenance Action is management initiated. The supervisor believes that the employee’s duties are
not properly represented within the current job title or classification. The supervisor submits all
required documentation.
Procedure:
1) Supervisor submits an updated Position Description (Form 30), current department
organizational chart and letter of justification which addresses the following:
a) basic purpose of position
b) detail the changes in the duties and responsibilities indicating approximate
percentages of time spent on each higher level duty
c) relationships with others
d) nature and purpose of contacts within and outside of department
e) problem solving responsibilities
f) independent decision making capabilities
g) person responsible to assign, review and approve work
h) supervisory responsibilities
2) Human Resources reviews all documents, may conduct an on-site audit and renders a written
decision.
If the Maintenance Action approved, the decision is retroactive to the date complete documentation
was received in Human Resource. This decision is final. There is no appeal process for Maintenance
Actions.
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Things to Remember

An upgrade is based on significant changes in duties and/or level(s) of responsibility.

An upgrade is not based on work performance, merit or length of service in the position.

An upgrade is not based on work volume. i.e. “I process 20 purchase orders per month when
previously I processed 5.”

An upgrade is not based on method changes. i.e. “I enter time and attendance using PeopleSoft
when previously I submitted attendance forms.”

The updated position description (Form 30), which is submitted as part of the classification
review, will be placed on file as the official job description regardless of the review outcome.
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POSITION DESCRIPTION, FORM 30 - STATE
Commonwealth of Massachusetts
1. POSITION TITLE
2. APPROPRIATION OR AGENCY CODE
POSITION TITLE CODE
AGENCY
POSITION NO.
SALARY
DATE PREPARED
3. GENERAL STATEMENT OF DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
4. SUPERVISION RECEIVED (Name and title of person from whom incumbent receives direction)
5A. DIRECT REPORTING STAFF
5B. THEIR STAFF
6. DETAILED STATEMENT OF DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:
7. QUALIFICATIONS REQUIRED AT HIRE (List knowledge, skills, abilities)
8. QUALIFICATIONS ACQUIRED ON JOB (List knowledge’s, skills, abilities)
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9. MINIMUM ENTRANCE REQUIREMENTS
10. LICENSE AND/OF CERTIFICATION REQUIREMENTS
REMARKS :
Carol D. Santos
Associate Vice Chancellor of Human Resources
SIGNATURE OF APPOINTING AUTHORITY
TITLE
The University of Massachusetts Dartmouth
AGENCY
INITIALS OF INCUMBENT
PREPARED BY
DATE
INITIALS SUPERVISOR
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DATE
Guidelines for Developing Job Duties and Responsibilities
Each Duty should indicate an action: What is being performed, how is it being performed and
the purpose of the action. Here are some examples:
1. (What) Processes the agency’s payroll expenditures
(How) by verifying the accuracy of time sheets and entering adjustments into the
computer system
(Why) to ensure that employee salaries, leave balances and payroll deductions
are accurate and comply with system instructions and provisions of applicable
collective bargaining agreements.
2. (What) Keeps an inventory of agency equipment and supplies
(How) by maintaining an inventory database and updating equipment and supply
records
(Why) for accurate tracking of equipment location, supply usage, and receipt of
new supplies.
3. (What) Administers the agency’s telephone system
(How) by instructing agency staff in use of equipment, testing and making
simple repairs to faulty equipment, and maintaining a telephone database
(Why) to keep the telephone system functioning properly.
4. (What) Identifies the need for additional equipment, supplies, or telephones
(How) by conferring with the other agency staff
(Why) to determine the impact of planned new programs on the agency’s
physical resources.
 Duties should be listed in priority order.

Begin each duty with an action verb.
Type, Process, Track, Enter, etc…..

Qualifications Required at Hire must be derived directly from the Massachusetts
State Classification Specifications. This section can not be altered.
These specifications can be found
http://www.mass.edu/hr/home.asp?id=12&iid=12.2.
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TO COMPLY WITH THE AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES ACT
PREPARE JOB DESCRIPTIONS USING THE FOLLOWING
GUIDELINES.
ADA stresses the positive- an individual’s ability to work once allowances are
made for any disability.
A qualified individual with a disability is an individual with a
disability who satisfies a job’s skill, experience, education and other jobrelated requirements and who can perform the essential functions of the job
either with or without “reasonable accommodation.”*
1. List the essential functions of the job first. The EEOC defines essential
functions as the “fundamental job duties”- FUNCTIONS CRITICAL TO THE
JOB as contrasted with the “marginal functions of the position”. Also look at
the PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS of the job. Include language, as necessary,
concerning vision, hearing, speech, physical, environmental etc…. as it relates
to performing the essential functions. Job applicants should review job
descriptions in order to understand what the job entails.
2.Start each duty statement with an action verb
3. Avoid describing duties using the phrases such as “ability to”, “able to”,
“responsible for”, “assists with” or “manages”.
These broad guidelines, used in conjunction with the Commonwealth’s
Human Resources Division’s “How To Write A Duties Statement” and the
Commonwealth’s Human Resources Division Classification Specifications,
will provide sound job descriptions. Please call Human Resources at x 8060
for further assistance if needed.
*The definition of a disabled employee in Title 1 of the ADA follows the definition as
written in the Rehabilitation Act of 1973.
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