[Amended 2-20-2024 by Res. No. 32-2024, effective 4-16-2024]
The purpose of the Oneida County Classification Plan is to provide a system of standardized job titles, standardized job descriptions, and equitable position evaluation for the effective administration of essential personnel activities. Oneida County will utilize the Classification Plan for the following management functions: strategic planning, budget planning, measurement of job performance, establishment of fair and equitable pay standards, employee selection and recruitment, employee training and development, and career development. The Human Resources Director is responsible for the overall development and administration of the Classification Plan, in coordination and cooperation with the Executive Committee, department heads, and other appropriate resources.
(1) 
Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA); Classification of Employees for Compensation Purposes. All positions in Oneida County have been classified according to the provisions contained in the FLSA. The Human Resources Director is responsible for determining a position's classification.
(a) 
Exempt salaried employees are classified as executive, professional or administrative and are paid on a salaried basis. These employees are exempt from receiving overtime under the FLSA. The County may make exceptions as required to meet the staffing demands or particular intradepartmental needs within the organization. The distinction that these employees are paid by salary versus hourly wages creates performance expectations often requiring extra hours of work. Exempt salaried employees must use paid leave as outlined in the Employee Handbook.
An employee on a reduced schedule family or medical leave is subject to leave bank deductions for the difference in hours between what they would have worked as part of their normally scheduled workday and the amount of the reduced scheduled leave.
(b) 
(Reserved)[1]
[1]
Editor's Note: Former Subsection (1)(b), which pertained to exempt hourly employees, was repealed 3-21-2023 by Res. No. 33-2023, effective 4-7-2023.
(c) 
Nonexempt employees are classified as hourly employees and are entitled to receive overtime compensation for all hours worked beyond the established work period in accordance with the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA).
(2) 
Representation. Employees are further classified within Oneida County as represented or nonrepresented. Employees, regardless of representation, shall be additionally classified according to the FLSA.
(a) 
Nonrepresented employees are classified by virtue of supervisory responsibilities, confidentiality or voluntary nonrepresentation as unrepresented by a bargaining group.
(b) 
Represented employees are represented by a bargaining group and have a representative established by that bargaining group.
(3) 
Types of Employees. Employees may be classified as regular or temporary.
(a) 
Regular employees are those working on an ongoing as opposed to a temporary basis. Regular full-time employees work equivalent to the department's normal, full-time work period on a regular basis. Regular part-time employees work fewer hours than the department's regular full-time workweek on a regular basis.
(b) 
Temporary employees are engaged to work full time or part time with the understanding that their employment will be terminated not later than the completion of a specific assignment. Employees subsequently hired as regular employees might not receive time-in-service credit for work performed as a temporary employee.
1. 
Contracted/leased services are temporary employment situations where employees are obtained through an agency for a specific purpose, need or project, and will normally be used to meet some sort of emergency staffing situation. The individuals working in this employment classification are not considered County employees and receive no benefits or representation privileges of County employees.
2. 
Limited-term employees are authorized and employed for a definite term, other than regular permanent full-time and part-time employees, to fulfill the casual needs of a department. Upon request from a department head, the Human Resources Director may authorize LTEs for a period not to exceed 450 hours, as may be required by PTO, sickness, special projects, and leaves of absence or emergencies, provided appropriated funds are available for such purpose and provided the position is a duly authorized and a created position. Any LTE request over 450 hours in duration not duly authorized and created shall require the approval of the Executive Committee. Funding for LTE positions must be available in the requesting department's budget.
[Amended 2-20-2024 by Res. No. 32-2024, effective 4-16-2024]
3. 
Intern employees are individuals working for Oneida County in the capacity of a training position. A department may employ intern employees, provided that the department head consults with the Human Resources Director prior to entering into any agreements for an intern employee. The wage for the intern may be established by mutual agreement between the department, sponsoring agency and the intern, with the approval of the Human Resources Director. Departments shall budget for interns where the County provides compensation.
4. 
Seasonal employees are hired for seasonal work by the County. These employees may be called back in subsequent years. The wage rate shall be set by the Executive Committee, which will consult with the department head in charge of the position.
[Amended 2-20-2024 by Res. No. 32-2024, effective 4-16-2024]
(1) 
Each position shall be allocated to its appropriate classification within the Oneida County Classification and Compensation Plan, on the basis of duties and responsibilities, by the County Board.
(2) 
Each position allocated by the Oneida County Board of Supervisors shall have on file in the Labor Relations Employee Services office an approved position description, complete with the appropriate FLSA, representation, employment status, and compensation classification.
(1) 
No regular position may be created except by resolution of the County Board. The County Board shall allocate to each department the number of full-time and part-time positions. Under the authority of the County Board, the Executive Committee may approve temporary positions.
[Amended 2-20-2024 by Res. No. 32-2024, effective 4-16-2024]
(2) 
The County Board, upon recommendation of the Executive Committee, may create new classifications or divide, combine or abolish existing classifications.
[Amended 2-20-2024 by Res. No. 32-2024, effective 4-16-2024]
(3) 
Requests considered during the budget process shall follow the following steps:
(a) 
The position request shall be forwarded to the appropriate oversight committee for review and approval.
(b) 
Requests approved by the oversight committee shall be submitted to the Human Resources Director on or before the date designated by the Executive Committee at the beginning of the annual budget process. All position requests shall be accompanied by the appropriate form(s) designated by the Human Resources Director. Other documentation may be necessary as required herein.
[Amended 2-20-2024 by Res. No. 32-2024, effective 4-16-2024]
(c) 
Upon approval by the oversight committee, the Labor Relations and Employees Services Committee shall consider the request.
1. 
All requests shall include the appropriate paperwork, including, but not limited to, the completed request form(s), position questionnaire, position description, fiscal note approved by the Finance Office, and a resolution for submission to the County Board.
2. 
The department head, in coordination with the Human Resources Director, shall complete a position questionnaire, which shall be reviewed by the Labor Relations and Employees Services Committee. The County may, in its discretion, submit the position questionnaire to a third-party consultant for review and analysis.
(d) 
In the event the Labor Relations and Employees Services Committee determines that a need for the position exists, and that funding is identified and available, the resolution shall be forwarded to the County Board. The County Board shall thereafter consider the recommendation.
(4) 
Under extraordinary and unanticipated circumstances, a department seeking additional positions not previously allocated to that department shall present in writing the need and reasons for the position to the oversight committee, which shall consider the merits of the request and, if approved, shall forward the request to the Executive Committee for consideration.
[Amended 2-20-2024 by Res. No. 32-2024, effective 4-16-2024]
(a) 
The Executive Committee shall consider the request from the oversight committee, review the need for the position, and determine the validity of the extraordinary and unanticipated circumstances that exist that necessitate the creation of this position outside of the budget process and that funding is identified and available. After consideration of the information presented, the Executive Committee shall approve or disapprove the request.
If the Executive Committee determines either that the request does not meet the "extraordinary and unanticipated circumstances" criterion, or that the need for the position is not sufficient to justify an out-of-budget allocation, the Committee, in its sole and final discretion, may deny the request.
(b) 
Upon approval of the Executive Committee, the Administration Committee shall determine the availability and source of funds required for the position and may, at its sole discretion, allocate from the unencumbered balance of the Contingency Fund an amount equal to the total cost of the position and/or make other necessary budget adjustments in accordance with § 65.90(5)(b), Wis. Stats.
1. 
Positions which the Administration Committee determines cannot be funded with available resources shall be referred back to the Executive Committee for further study.
(c) 
If approved by all three Committees, the resolution shall be brought before the County Board for consideration.
1. 
The extraordinary and unanticipated need for the position shall be expressly documented within the resolution to be presented for approval to the County Board. The resolution shall state that an exception to the budget process has been recommended and a draft position description shall be attached reflecting the rate of pay, cost of benefits and the effective date.
2. 
Said resolution will require the necessary vote of the Board to be adopted, unless statutory requirements mandate a larger majority of the Board.
(5) 
Any position created within the budget cycle shall be effective on January 1 of the following year, unless otherwise stated in the resolution. A position created as an exception to the budget cycle shall be effective on the date of passage of the resolution creating and authorizing the position, unless otherwise provided.
(6) 
Nothing contained in this chapter shall be construed to require the Executive Committee or any department to fill all positions allocated by the County Board.
[Amended 2-20-2024 by Res. No. 32-2024, effective 4-16-2024]
The primary purpose of classification review and reclassification is to establish the appropriate compensation of a particular position/employee. It is the intent of Oneida County to balance accurate classification of employees with responsible budgeting of the tax dollars levied by the County. For that reason, the classification review and reclassification process will be conducted as part of the annual budget process. A request for reclassification of an existing position or classification of a new position shall be initiated in accordance with the budget timelines established by the Administration Committee.
In situations where one or more of the following circumstances exist, the procedures set forth in Subsection (6) shall be observed:
(1) 
One or more new positions are under consideration for possible establishment.
(2) 
Significant change of duties or responsibilities of any existing position, which may require the reallocation of such position to a different classification. Reclassification consideration for existing positions requires that the employee and the department head document that there have been substantial changes in the character of existing duties since the most recent review of the position. Changes in duties may result from one of the following:
(a) 
Changes resulting from a substantial, immediate reassignment of duties due to reorganization shall be clearly documented in writing and verified by the department head and the Human Resources Director.
(b) 
Changes resulting from a logical and gradual change of responsibilities must have been in effect since at least January 1 preceding the reclassification request so that it is clear that the changes that exist are likely to remain as part of the essential duties of position.
(c) 
Reclassification consideration shall not be given for temporary changes in job duties.
(3) 
A new classification is created to which any position more may appropriately be allocated.
(4) 
In the event of an abolition or combination of any existing positions or classifications, an amendment to the Classification Plan is required.
(5) 
A position is vacant for more than one year.
(6) 
Reclassification procedures are as follows:
[Amended 2-20-2024 by Res. No. 32-2024, effective 4-16-2024]
(a) 
Department heads shall report the significant facts relating to such possible changes in the Classification Plan to the oversight committee. The employee and the department head shall complete a revised position questionnaire, which shall include a statement identifying those duties that have changed, and which shall be reviewed by the Human Resources Director. The Human Resources Director shall review and analyze the questionnaire. The County may, in its discretion, submit the position questionnaire to a third-party consultant for review and analysis. Upon completion of the review, the position questionnaire and any recommendation regarding the position shall be forwarded to the Executive Committee for further consideration.
(b) 
The Executive Committee shall initiate an inquiry into the classification of any position upon its own initiative or at the request of a department head, the Human Resources Director, or upon written request of any employee, not more than once every two years. Under no circumstance shall a position be re-evaluated more than once in any twelve-month period without authorization of the Human Resources Director and the committee of jurisdiction.
(c) 
After the inquiry has been completed, the Executive Committee shall adopt, modify or reject the proposed change. In the event the Executive Committee approve changes in the Classification Plan, it shall prepare a resolution outlining such changes and forward it on to the County Board for review and action. The Human Resources Director shall notify the Finance Department of any changes in compensation.
(d) 
Successful requests for the reclassification of an existing position or classification of a new position shall be placed in the department's budget request and shall be effective on the first day of the next fiscal year. In certain circumstances, such as an ongoing appeal, a retroactive adjustment may be warranted. In these instances, such retroactive adjustment shall be by recommendation of the Human Resources Director to the Executive Committee and shall be at the discretion of the Executive Committee.