Salary Administration

The salary administration program at Lakeland was created to achieve consistent pay practices, to comply with federal and state laws, to mirror our commitment to equal employment opportunities, and to offer competitive salaries within our labor market. Because recruiting and retaining talented employees is critical to our success, Lakeland is committed to paying its employees equitable wages that reflect the requirements and responsibilities of their positions and that are comparable to the pay received by similarly situated employees in other organizations in the area.

Compensation for every position is determined by several factors, including job analysis and evaluation, the essential duties and responsibilities of the job, and salary survey data on pay practices of other employers. Lakeland periodically reviews its salary administration program and restructures it as necessary. Merit-based pay adjustments may be awarded in conjunction with the performance evaluation process.

Employees should direct their pay-related questions and/or concerns to the attention of their immediate supervisors, who are responsible for the fair administration of departmental pay practices. The Administrative Services Manager is also available to answer specific questions about the salary administration program.

Lakeland's salary administration program consists of a set of pay ranges, with each position (other than substitute drivers) assigned to a specific pay range based upon the factors described above. Each pay range consists of 13 steps. The first and second step of each pay range are generally considered to be 6-month steps. All others are at least 12-month steps. New employees generally begin at the first step of their pay range. Movement within a pay range is dependent upon numerous factors, including the information documented by the performance evaluation process.

When an employee is promoted into a position in a higher pay range, he or she will generally move to the step which represents the next highest pay (compared to his or her previous position) in the new range. Promotion also has the effect of re-setting an employee's anniversary date to the date the promotion becomes effective.

From time to time, positions may be reclassified as conditions warrant. Employees whose positions are reclassified move to the same step in the new pay range as they were on in the previous pay range. Reclassification has no impact on anniversary date.

When an employee is transferred into another position in the same pay range, or is demoted into a position in a lower pay range (whether voluntarily or involuntarily), the impact on the employee's pay will be determined on a case-by-case basis.

The salary schedule is reviewed on a regular basis by the Cooperative Board, and changes may be made as determined by the Board.

A copy of the current salary schedule is included as an appendix at the end of this handbook.

Policy No.  212  Issued  10/1/2002  Applicable  8/8/2002