Career Progression Eligibility

Minimum Requirements:

  • The position is a full-time staff position not covered by a collective bargaining agreement.
  • There must be unit funding to support a career progression; progressions cannot occur if the unit does not have sufficient budget to support the salary increase that may be needed.
  • Career progressions must meet or address a need within the college/business unit.
  • The employee must be in their current position and level for a minimum of 12 months before the request is submitted.
  • The employee must have a “Successful” or “Exceptional” rating in the most recent performance cycle. Typically, employees progressing are high performers, which should be documented in the performance review.
  • The employee has not had any documented or undocumented performance issues or conduct counseling within the last twelve months of employment.
  • The employee must meet the minimum education and experience requirements (or equivalency), and any additional requirements (i.e. certification or licensure) for the desired level, as outlined in the job catalog.
  • The higher-level job must exist within the job string and be available in the job catalog. If the position is moving to a different job string the reclassification process should be followed. If the desired level is not in the job catalog, the manager should work with unit HR to request review in advance of the career progression cycle.

What a career progression is not:

  • Length of Service: The number of years a person has been in a role is not a reason for a career progression.
  • New Certification or Degree: Obtaining a new certification or degree does not justify a career progression unless receipt of the certification or degree was a pending requirement for career progression justification allowing them to now meet all minimum requirements for the higher-level job.
  • Amount of Work: Doing more of the same work – increasing volume – is not justification for a career progression.
  • New Duties: An addition of duties or redistribution of duties across a team does not justify a career progression, unless the new work responsibilities require the individual to perform work at the next level.
  • Pay Adjustment: Although a pay increase may be an outcome of a career progression, compensation should not be the main driver or justification for a career progression. In addition, this process should not be used as a way to increase an employee’s compensation at their current level.