In July, our new Step Pay Plan took effect and established a step pay scale for each job classification. Employees that were rated satisfactory were entitled to a two step increase on their respective pay scale. Unfortunately, some employees who had their initial probation extended by DHHS due to promotion were denied their two step salary increase. You may remember previously reading that multiple DHHS employees who filed grievances had this corrected.
Another DHHS Social Services Worker and NAPE Member, Steven Lemons, also recently had a similar grievance settled. Steven was rated satisfactory on his 2020 performance evaluation, but was not given the two step salary increase he was entitled to because of his satisfactory evaluation. Earlier this year, DHHS claimed that employees who were still on initial probation in 2021 were not entitled to step increases, but have since agreed to settle multiple grievances due to recent contract changes that clarifies that if employees’ probation is extended solely due to promotion, they are to be considered satisfactory and entitled to step increases. This was the case for Steven, who was hired as a Social Services Trainee in March 2020 and was not notified that his probation was being extended in September 2020.
Steven reached out to NAPE and a grievance was filed by our field services team. DHHS agreed to settle Steven’s grievance and adjust his pay retroactively to July 1. We highly encourage any SSW or CFS Specialist in this situation to contact us to evaluate whether their pay was calculated correctly.