When a position is new and there is no incumbent, the department may initiate the process of establishing a new position by defining its roles and responsibilities in a job description. To create a new position:
The department may then submit the job description via email to the HR Advisor - Recruitment and Classification. They'll review the job description, may make recommendations for edits or changes or request additional information or clarification to apply the evaluation plan and assign the new position a classification rating.
Once the job description is in final format and a classification has been assigned, the position continues through the recruitment process.
Six months and no later than 12 months after the new position has been filled and the employee has begun work, the employee may request and initiate an evaluation through a job evaluation questionnaire (JEQ) submitted for the committee’s review.
A position may undergo change or evolve over time. When a position has changed significantly since it was last rated, an employee, supervisor, manager or PEA may request a re-evaluation.
Requests for re-evaluation require the submission of a Job Evaluation Questionnaire to the Joint Job Evaluation Committee. The committee reviews submissions, applies the joint job evaluation system and confirms the results of their review.
The committee reviews submissions to assess if:
- there have been substantive changes to the job since it was previously rated;
- the changes are of enough significance to result in a different score on any factor, and consequently, a different overall point total; and,
- the overall point total meets the threshold of a different salary grade.
The committee also reviews comparator positions from across the university to assess if the position is different from others within the same job series and salary grade.
The committee’s rating decision takes into consideration the historical classification information, the questionnaire and comparator position information.
- An employee, supervisor and/or manager request and initiate the job evaluation questionnaire (JEQ).
- The employee, supervisor, and/or manager provides factor and sub-factor information, indicating levels, providing specific examples and information and signs off on the JEQ (this is the date that will be used in establishing an effective date).
- The employee forwards the JEQ to their supervisor for comment and signature
- The employee’s supervisor and/or manager add departmental information, details, comments and signature(s) to the JEQ.
- The supervisor/manager forwards the JEQ to the Management Excluded position for the Unit/Division/Faculty for comments and signature, and returns to supervisor and employee.
- The employee reviews any additions by the supervisor/manager and may add information or comments.
- The employee adds a final signature, to reflect that they have seen their supervisor’s and/or manager’s comments and information.
- The employee, supervisor or manager emails their completed submission to Human Resources by email (peajec@uvic.ca), copying each party on the email.
- Human Resources will acknowledge receipt of the request and, on inquiry, indicate the date on which a response is anticipated.
- The Co-Chairs of the PEA JE Committee conduct the review of the JEQ and communicate the results of the review to the manager and employee by email.
- Should there be changes as a result of the review, the department implements by submitting a Position Change Request Form, along with a copy of the committee’s notification of results to Human Resources Information Systems (HRIS)/ Payroll.
No change
Generally, re-evaluations result in no change to a position’s classification rating and salary grade. Minor changes to a position including changes within any of the effort or working conditions factors (e.g. physical effort, physical work environment, etc.), and increases in the volume of the work will not result in a change in the position’s salary grade.
Change
Depending on the position’s initial classification rating rational and context, only significant changes to the skill and responsibility factors may result in a higher classification rating and movement to a higher salary grade.
In some cases, a re-evaluation may result in a lower classification and salary grade. An impacted staff member’s salary will be protected, as mandated by the collective agreement under the provisions for salary protection (red circling). Further details are available from HR or your PEA representative.
To implement re-evaluation results, follow the instructions in step 9 of the process as outlined in the Re-evaluation process steps, from JEQ to implementation.
Should there be a disagreement with the results of the committee’s review a process is available for requesting reconsideration. An incumbent, supervisor and/or excluded manager may request reconsideration.
In the reconsideration process, the committee may review all factors within the plan, including those that have not been identified in the form.
A request for reconsideration MUST be:
- submitted within fifteen working days of the committee results notification;
- in a request for reconsideration form;
- detailed in a way that outlines the reason(s) for the request, the factor rating(s) in question and must include additional, new information and example(s);
- signed by the incumbent, supervisor and excluded manager; and,
- scanned and sent by email to peajec@uvic.ca.
Failure to meet the specified requirements means that the request for reconsideration will not be considered.
An applicant wishing to have additional information reviewed by the committee after missing the deadline may be required to initiate a subsequent new JEQ in order to have that information considered.
JEQ and guidebook
The questionnaire contains the factor level definitions, a box to indicate your level choice, and space to provide examples for each factor. When you have completed the JEQ and highlighted the changes to the position, please send to your supervisor and excluded manager for their comments and signature. You then add any final comments and your own signature before submitting to the committee.
The guidebook contains the necessary instructions for completing the JEQ, plus the factor definitions; please refer to this document when completing your JEQ.
Job evaluation is applied to positions within the Professional Employees Association (PEA), as established by mutual agreement and as set out in Article 19 of the collective agreement.
The purpose of the joint job evaluation plan is to facilitate gender-neutral, equal pay for work of equal value and to support the recruitment and retention of employees. The joint job evaluation plan includes factors that are well-defined, gender-neutral in their definition and application, representative of the values of stakeholders, and capable of evaluating the full range of work contained within the PEA.
The joint job evaluation plan is a point-factor system measuring four main compensable factors: skill, effort, responsibility and working conditions, which are broken down into 12 sub-factors. The individual factor ratings have assigned weighted points and the overall, combined, point total determines the salary grade into which the position falls.
The document developed to augment your understanding of the evaluation plan and help you in putting together a complete JEQ.
The guidebook is a reference material that provides the definitions, interpretations and information required to apply the definitions of the factor and sub-factors appropriately.
A tool used to help increase individual and organizational effectiveness.
A good, up to date job description helps employees understand their responsibilities and the relative importance of those duties and links their position to departmental and organizational mission, goals and objectives.
A process involving a specific method of measuring jobs in an organization against a plan and against other jobs evaluated in the same work group.
While each job is evaluated by the plan—in this case a point-factor plan using an open-ended questionnaire—the jobs are also rated on each factor by measuring them against the hierarchy of ratings for that factor across the work group.
The form developed to gather information, document changes to an employee’s position, including the size, scope and intrinsic value as defined by the job evaluation plan.
The JEQ requires that employees, supervisors and/or excluded managers provide current, constructive, accurate information about the position.
The committee is made up of representation from the PEA and the university’s management excluded group.
A job posting is a tool used to capture highlights of a job description in a way that communicates effectively to job seekers.
An effective job posting will present the organizational and departmental context, in addition to the nature of the work, the duties and responsibilities of the position and the minimum qualification requirements.
Job postings may also include reference to a position’s employment group (union, excluded), classification and/or rate of pay.
Groupings of jobs with similar functions or purposes, created for the ease of administering the JE system.
A method of evaluating jobs based on assigning specific point values to the factors used to rate jobs in that job group.
A reference from when the job evaluation plan was implemented in 2006. These were positions for which a JEQ was not received during implementation.
Proxy ratings were assigned based on ratings for similar positions as identified by the committee, and to the best of their knowledge.
Where no similar positions were identified, proxy ratings were identical to the current salary grade.
Incumbents whose positions were rated by proxy, and whose positions changed significantly, may have submitted a JEQ at a later date, once the plan was established and under the general maintenance provisions of the plan.
Stakeholders in the process include employees, supervisors and managers, Human Resources, the PEA and the Joint Job Evaluation Committee. A level of effort is required from each stakeholder in order to accurately describe and document the core roles and responsibilities of a position and apply job evaluation.
Each stakeholder is required to:
- provide current, accurate, objective information
- support a timely and equitable process
- maintain knowledge and understanding of the plan
Individual roles may participate in the process as follows:
- May request/initiate re-evaluation or reconsideration.
- Provide relevant input, information and additional documentation.
- Supervisor and/or managers may also request the evaluation of new positions.
- Lead the administration of the joint job evaluation plan.
- Primary contact for managers/supervisors with respect to job evaluation.
Human Resources Advisors, Recruitment & Classification
- Provide a co-chair and employer representatives on the committee.
- Conduct job evaluations and establish classifications for new positions.
- Provide a co-chair and member representatives on the committee.
- May request/initiate re-evaluation.
- Contact for employees with respect to job evaluation.
- Co-chairs and members include both PEA and university representatives.
- Lead the maintenance of the joint job evaluation plan through requests for re-evaluation and reconsideration.
- Conduct job evaluations for existing, filled positions.
Human Resources and the Joint Job Evaluation Committee work to conduct reviews and communicate results as quickly as possible (normally within 3 months of receipt to Human Resources).
Stakeholders can support an efficient process by reading the information available and following instructions closely to ensure a complete submission and to minimize requests for information. Incomplete submissions and requests for additional information or clarification will result in a delay.
Job Evaluation Questionnaires or subsequent requests for reconsideration are reviewed by the committee. The committee meets several times a year to review submissions for re-evaluation or reconsideration.
Generally the committee meets when there are a number of items to be reviewed and the turnaround time for the results may be several months from the date of submission, depending on the timing of the committee’s meeting.
- Have patience. Take the time you need to understand the process.
- Review job evaluation information, references, resources and tools.
- Evaluations are done on evidence of change (what was then contrasted with what is right now). Focus your information and examples on what is right now (e.g. last few months to date) and how that is different from what was.
- Be clear, concise and use plain language.
- Documentation and records are maintained by the department. Access historical information (job descriptions, job postings, previous JEQs, etc.) as a starting point for completing your submission.
- Don’t recreate existing information. Look for examples from your day to day work (such as existing reports, plans, websites, etc.) as a starting point.
- If you need help, ask for help, collaborate with your supervisor, look to co-workers, peers, or your union representative for support as appropriate.
- Ensure that you have a copy or the original submission for your records.
- Due to information and privacy restrictions only those representatives of the university, supervisors/managers or employees who are noted in the JEQ may be given access to copies of submitted JEQs.
Please contact your HR Advisor for access to additional resources and support tailored for supervisors and managers.
Subsequent to the job re-evaluation, reconsideration of factors may be requested within fifteen days from the date of committee's notification of job re-evaluation rating decision. The job evaluation reconsideration request form is required to request a reconsideration.
For the purposes of the JEQ, it can be helpful to update the job description before starting on the JEQ. The job description is to be a summary of the evidence provided within the JEQ, and outlines the key responsibilities of the position.
If there is currently an existing approved job description for the position, it should be your starting point. Highlight or use track changes to update the job description to emphasize the changes to the responsibilities that have occurred since the position was last reviewed.
The job description library is available to UVic employees and can be used to look for comparator PEA positions.
PEA job description template
The job evaluation plan remains the same. Some of the resources, tools and information available have been updated.
Changes were made to support the ongoing maintenance of the plan to support a clear, transparent process and to move from paper documentation to electronic.
To provide feedback on the PEA job evaluation information, resources or tools, please send an email to peajec@uvic.ca.
Under the terms of the collective agreement, the process applies whenever the university significantly changes the duties and responsibilities of a position.
The first step is to articulate why you believe the rating is inaccurate, gather the facts and present the information to your supervisor.
Your supervisor may have additional facts and may seek additional information, clarification or support from their own resources, such as their manager, director or HR.
These actions will help determine whether your position has changed significantly since it was last reviewed or that critical details were missing from that review, and that the JEQ process is applicable.
Job evaluation is a process that requires the participation of employees, supervisors and managers.
As an employee, you can initiate the process by having a conversation with your supervisor. After having a conversation with your supervisor, you can follow up by starting the JEQ.
As an employee you offer your own perspective within the appropriate sections, using your own words to provide objective, factual samples of your work as defined under the evaluation plan.
The JEQ is a process for employees, supervisors and managers to each document the duties and responsibilities required of a position.
An employee, supervisor and manager may provide a different perspective, applying different levels of context.
Ultimately, the supervisor and manager are required to approve the assignment of specific duties and responsibilities. It is important that you understand your supervisor’s and manager’s expectations of your position.
Should you need additional support in communicating with your supervisor or manager in this situation, you might seek support from a co-worker, peer, HR or your PEA representative.
An employee is not required to change comments that they believe to be an accurate and objective reflection of their work.
Should your supervisor or manager provide feedback that you disagree with, remember that they have the right to indicate their understanding within the indicated comments or sections, as appropriate.
Should you need additional support in communicating with your supervisor or manager in this situation, you might seek support from a co-worker, peer, HR or your PEA representative.
Job evaluation only addresses a position’s current work responsibilities.
While you should offer appropriate context, should there be any changes to the position as a result of the review, such changes will only be made retro-active to the date your completed, signed JEQ was submitted to your supervisor, no earlier.
Some research and analysis is required as the ranges within a classification rating allow for a degree of flexibility in terms of the depth and scope of a positions’ responsibility.
In addition to understanding the job evaluation plan’s factors and subfactors, consider the items below. These are just a few items that might help you identify significant changes before discussions with your supervisor or manager.
Refer to the most recent job description and/or posting and you may be able to articulate whether the changes to your position are significant in considering your answers to the following:
- Have any of the overarching areas of responsibilities been removed or added?
- Are there new/additional formal supervisory responsibilities for ongoing, union position(s), where you are required to support performance management?
- Are there new/increased signing authority, budget management, monitoring or administration responsibilities?
- Has your supervisor/manager required you to undergo additional professional training as a requirement of the job (e.g. financial designation, certification) that is not included in the posting or job description AND would a new appointee to the position be required to have it on applying to the position?
Assigning additional weight to an area of responsibility that was already considered in a previous evaluation causes a superficial inflation in the assigned points and inequity across other positions within the system.
As a result, doing more of the same type of work does not result in a changed classification rating or salary grade.
If substantive changes were not identified, it means that the previous classification was determined to reflect a range of duties and responsibilities and your changes were deemed to be within that classification’s scope.
The job evaluation system allows for a number of criteria to impact the classification, however, an impact on the salary grade requires a position to have changed substantively, or, in a way that brings the duties and responsibilities outside of the most recent classification rating’s range.
In some instances, if a position’s rating was in the lower range, that might mean that there was a wider range for the position to grow into.
Yes, you can work together to complete a JEQ that reflects your positions.
Clearly indicate in your submission who is included in the JEQ and make sure that everyone included has signed off on it (including all supervisors and managers) prior to submitting it.
Many jobs on campus share similar titles, but have different levels of responsibility and duties.
It is the job content as measured by the job evaluation plan that determines similarities and differences between jobs, not the job title.
Jobs are evaluated based on the anticipated requirements of the job and information provided at the time of rating.
In some cases jobs are given weight based on context or details in a job description or in additional documentation beyond the job posting or job description.
Although two positions may appear to be similar, they may in fact carry weight in different areas that affect the ratings.
The nature of a job evaluation system means that there are different levels of intrinsic value applied.
The system gives weight to specific factors and sub factors through the application of specific definitions to a position’s duties and responsibilities.
The value applied with the highest level of objectivity available, based on facts. Job evaluation does not give weight to an individual’s personal opinion or a single perspective.
The university and the PEA each provide representatives. Representatives might be chosen because of the nature of their position (such as the HR Advisors, Recruitment and Classification or PEA representatives) or because of their experience at the university.
The committee is formed to support a breadth and depth of perspectives and knowledge of the university’s community and its efforts.
If you as an employee disagree with the rating of another position, whether it is vacant/posted or encumbered consider the following:
- What are the facts?
- What are your feelings?
- Why do you feel this way?
Often perception of a position is based on personal feelings or perspectives, not on facts. Consider that additional information and context is often presented when a position is given a rating and you may not be privy to that information.
If your feelings are based on the perception of inequity, you might reach out to your supervisor, manager or union representative for support.
To provide feedback on the PEA job evaluation information, resources or tools, please send an email to
peajec@uvic.ca.
