Policy: Performance Reviews
Section: 3-1
Effective Date: 8/20/2015
Policy
We at the League believe in providing compensation that rewards excellent
performance and retains talented staff. Our Executive Director has the authority
to make compensation decisions that accomplish this mission.
Pay Philosophy
The League’s pay philosophy supports the hiring and retention of talented,
dedicated workers who are passionate about city government and committed to
helping Minnesota cities succeed. Therefore, we seek to hire employees who have
the skills required for the job or the potential to acquire the needed skills over
time.
Our pay plan is designed to pay employees who are successfully performing their
job responsibilities at or above the second quartile of their salary range (which
represents the average market rate for the position) within three to five years of
hire. We do not guarantee this level of compensation for all employees, but we
continually strive toward this goal.
We will determine the market rate for each position by hiring an outside
compensation consultant to conduct a market study every two to three years
unless budget or workload conditions do not allow for it.
Executive
Director
Authority
Within budget constraints, the Executive Director has authority to make
compensation decisions including, but not limited to:
(a) Hiring a new employee above the starting point for each salary grade.
(b) Moving employees within the salary grade for reasons associated with
performance, tenure, or retention.
(c) Reclassification of employees into higher or lower salary grades based on
changes in duties.
The Executive Director may approve an exception to these guidelines if such an
exception is within the overall intent and purpose of this policy and the League’s
interest.
Compensation
Plan and
The Personnel Committee of the Board of Directors will review the basic
components of the compensation plan for each coming fiscal year, as presented by
League of Minnesota Cities Employee Handbook
Performance Reviews
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Performance
Pay Allocation
the HR Director and Executive Director. The Committee will provide a
recommendation on the performance pay allocation for that fiscal year to the full
Board for approval.
The League Board will review the performance pay allocation recommended by
the Personnel Committee for the coming fiscal year, in conjunction with adoption
of the budget. As an employee, your own pay increases are granted upon the
recommendation of your supervisor, with the concurrence of the department
head, and subject to the final approval of the Executive Director.
If approved by the Board, the HR and Finance Departments will implement salary
increases based upon the allocation as quickly as possible and with the Board’s
Direction. Most years, this occurs within a month or two after the beginning of the
new fiscal year.
Performance
Criteria/Results
-- LEAPP
Since 2011, League staff have operated in a results-focused work environment
called League Empowerment and Performance Program, or LEAPP. The basic
guiding principles of this environment are:


All League employees work together with their supervisors to develop a
set of performance expectations, or results, for their jobs.
Once your own results are established and agreed upon, you are generally
able to work when and where you wish, including evenings, weekends,
and off-site or at home, as long as you are meeting the agreed-upon
results.
The League also has organization-wide results, and all employees are accountable
to contribute to progress toward those results, to the extent appropriate for their
jobs. These results encourage teamwork, cross-departmental cooperation, a
strong customer service culture, and a professional, accountable approach to job
duties.
You will receive a performance rating each year based upon progress you have
made in meeting your results and based upon your contribution to the
organization-wide results. The performance rating will help determine the amount
of any performance pay/salary increase you will receive.
Performance
Evaluation
Process
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If you are a full-time or part-time employee, your supervisor will conduct an
evaluation of your performance at least once per year, generally prior to Sept. 1.
The performance evaluation provides you and your supervisor an opportunity to
discuss your job performance, results, and professional development for the
upcoming year. Performance evaluations become part of your personnel file. Your
performance evaluation will be a factor in determining your pay in accordance
with the classification and compensation plan adopted by the League Board of
Directors.
If you take a leave of absence from work for an extended period of time, it may
delay the implementation of a pay increase.
Interim “Acting
Pay”
Compensation
Acting pay for an employee may be requested by the department director
whenever an employee is designated by his or her department director to perform
all of the duties and responsibilities of a position in a higher classification for a
period exceeding two full consecutive pay periods and continuing for a duration of
less than 12 months, unless a longer duration is approved by the Executive
Director.
In order for the employee to qualify for the acting pay outlined in this section of
the policy, the employee’s department director must explain in writing the duties
the employee will be assuming and the expected duration of the assignment. This
explanation will be submitted to the Human Resources Director for review, with
final review and approval by the Executive Director prior to becoming effective.
The Executive Director has the sole discretion to approve or deny requests for
interim compensation. The Executive Director will make a determination as to
whether the responsibility and authority associated with the temporary position is
distinctly different from the responsibility and authority of the employee’s usual
position.
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