Step M Q&A for non-represented employees

1. What is Step M?
   • Step M is a longevity step. Employees cannot get to Step M upon initial hire unless for recruitment and retention or other business related reasons in accordance with WAC 357-28-090.
2. If an employee is rehired after a separation does the time away from employment count towards the six years to qualify for step M?
   • If an employee was at step L at the time of the separation and is rehired at the same pay range at step L, the employee will be advanced to step M six years from the initial date they were placed at step L.
3. If an employee is separated while at step L and is rehired at step K or below will previous time at step L count towards the six years to qualify for step M?
   • If an employee was at step L at the time of separation and is rehired at the same pay range at step K or lower, once the employee advances to step L, the original date the employee advanced to step L of the salary range will be the date used as the beginning of the six year period.
4. Will time spent in a nonpermanent appointment count towards the six years to qualify for step M?
   • If an employee is at step L at the time they accept a nonpermanent appointment and they return to a position at step L in the same pay range that they were in prior to the nonpermanent appointment then time spent in the nonpermanent appointment will count towards the six year requirement to move to step M.
5. Will time spent in an exempt position count towards the six years to qualify for step M if the position was converted to classified?
   • If an employee’s position is converted from exempt to classified, and the employee’s salary at the time of conversion is equal to step L of the pay range or between step L and step M of the pay range of the classified position, time spent in the exempt appointment will count towards the six year requirement to move to step M.
6. Will the time an employee is Y-rated count towards the six years to qualify for step M?
   • The time an employee is Y-rated (paid above the maximum of the salary range) will count towards the six year requirement to move to step M.
7. An employee who is at step L accepts a layoff option to a position with a lower salary range. will time at step L of the higher salary range count towards the six year requirement to move to step M in the lower salary range?
   • An employee whose previous base salary was at step L when accepting a layoff option to a position with a lower salary range, any previous time spent at step L in the higher salary range will count towards the six year requirement to move to step M of the lower salary range.
8. Must an employee who accepts a layoff option to a position with a lower salary range be appointed at step M?
   • If an employee whose previous base salary was at step M of a salary range when accepting a  layoff option to a position with a lower salary range maximum at the time of being appointed, the employee must be appointed to step M of the new salary range.
9. If a classification is moved to a new pay range through the Director’s meeting process will time at step L of the previous pay range count towards the six year requirement to move to step M of the new pay range?
   • If a classification is moved to a new pay range through the Director’s meeting process, the time at step L of the previous pay range will count towards the six year requirement to move to step M of the new pay range.
10. If an employee is eligible to advance to step M and accepts a promotion with the same effective date, should the employer apply the step M increase before calculating the pay for the new appointment?
    • The employer should first apply the step M increase then the promotional increase. This is how it is handled when PID and promotion fall on the same day.
11. Is step M considered the salary range maximum?
    • No, step L is the salary range maximum. Step M is the top step of the range.
12. Can an employee get to Step M through promotion or reallocation?
    • Yes, an employee who is promoted or reallocated to a class with a higher salary range must advance to a step of the range for the new class that is nearest to five percent above their prepromotional salary not to exceed step M of the salary range. If the employee’s prepromotional salary is set above the maximum of the salary range in accordance with WAC 357-28-040, the prepromotional increase will be based off the salary range of the class the employee is promoting from.
13. Does time out on leave without pay count towards the six years required at Step L?
    • Yes, provided that the employee is at step L in the same pay range as the pay range the employee was in at the beginning of the six year period.
14. If an employee is at Step L then promotes then reverts will time in higher level position count towards six years?
    • Yes, provided the employee is at step L in the same pay range as the pay range the employee was in at the beginning of the six year period.
15. Do eligible employees move to Step M on a specific date or on their periodic increment date (PID)?
    • The trigger to moving to Step M is six years from the date they were appointed to Step L provided the employee is in the same pay range as the pay range the employee was in at the beginning of the six year period except in accordance with WAC 357-28-088. This date could be the date they were appointed to Step L or the date they moved to Step L through their PID. Employees are not required to wait for their PID to move to Step M if the date they were appointed to Step L differs from their PID.
16. Can you get to Step M through demotion?
    • Employees cannot get to Step M through demotion (voluntary or involuntary) unless the employee was at step M of the salary range from which the employee is demoting; the employee was previously at step M in the salary range of the class the employee was demoting to; unless the demotion is a result of a reasonable accommodation; the employee was appointed to a position due to layoff action in accordance with WAC 357-28-135; or it is for recruitment and retention or other business related reasons in accordance with WAC 357-28-090.

Step M and Step U Q&A for HR and payroll staff

1.  Do nonrepresented nurses paid on the “N” special pay ranges get a longevity step?

• Yes. Step U was added to the N ranges as a longevity step for nurses. An employee will be eligible to advance to Step U as follows:
  • When they have 26 years of experience; or
  • If allowed by the employer’s salary determination policy, after six years at Step T, regardless of the number of years of experience.

2.  Can an employee be appointed upon initial hire to Step U of a “N” special pay range?

• An employee cannot be appointed to Step U upon initial hire but because Step U is based on years of experience an employer could hire a nurse with 26 years of experience and appoint them to Step U. If allowed by the employer’s salary determination policy, an employee may be appointed upon initial hire to Step U regardless of the number of years of experience.

3.  What Basic Pay reason code should be used for progression through “N” special pay range?

• 01 – Periodic Increment 

4.  When an assignment pay reference refers to “employee’s basic pay” does that include Step M?

• Yes, if an employee is at Step M of a salary range, step M is considered their basic pay salary.

5.  How is Step M entered for employees receiving Assignment Pay?  (Rep & Non Rep)

• Additional pay, such as assignment pay, can be added to an employee’s Basic Pay (0008) record by following the Basic Pay user procedures (refer to add additional pay by amount, percent, or range depending on the wage type being added).

6.  How will paying above the maximum of the salary range (y-rate) work? 

• If the employee’s salary is between Step L and Step M the employee’s pay is set at Step L and the employee is y-rated. Time at the y-rate salary counts towards the six years to move to Step M.  Agencies will need to monitor the time.
• If the employee’s salary is equal to Step M the employee’s pay is set at Step M.
• If the employee’s salary is higher than Step M the employee’s pay is set at Step L and the employee is y-rated. The employee will be moved to Step M when Step M catches up to the y-rated salary.

7. If a position was converted from exempt to classified prior to July 1, 2013 will time spent in the exempt appointment count towards the six year requirement to advance to Step M?

• If the exempt salary was equal to Step L of the classified position and the employee was at that salary level for six or more years the employee will advance to Step M effective July 1, 2013. If the employee was at that salary level for less than six years the employee will advance to Step M when the time at that exempt salary and time at Step L of the classified position equal six years.
• If the exempt salary was between Step L and Step M of the classified position and the employee was at that salary level for six or more years the employee will advance to Step M effective July 1, 2013. If the employee was at that salary level for less than six years the employee will advance to Step M when the time at the exempt salary and the time at the y-rated salary in the classified position equal six years.
• If the exempt salary and the y-rated salary in the classified position is equal to Step M the employee should be placed at Step M effective July 1, 2013.