Are you a full-time, non-teaching professional whose job duties have changed? If so, please be advised that the Willis process of job evaluation is beginning now.

What is the Willis process? It is mutually agreed upon evaluation process by the union and management, named “Willis” after the consulting firm that created it. The process assesses the knowledge, skills, mental demands, and accountability required of the position and places the job at an appropriate pay grade.

The process is NOT about the quality of an employee’s work or the amount of work assigned to an employee. The grade placement process assesses whether an employee’s job has changed enough - the standard used is “sufficiently substantial” - to move the positon to a different pay grade. In the case of a new position, after the employee has performed the duties of the job at least six months, the process is used to confirm the grade placement was correct.

How does the Willis process work? You will be asked to fill out a questionnaire. This questionnaire will be evaluated by the Rating Committee, a six-member committee composed of three members from the 4Cs and AFSCME unions and three members from management, along with expert consultants. The employee’s identity is not known by the Committee or the consultants.

The methodology used to evaluate a job is a point-based system. Answers on the questionnaire receive points that are added to achieve a point total. Pay grades are assigned by the point totals.

Several results are possible: (1) the position may not be reclassified, (2) the position may be reclassified to a new grade that is greater than the current grade, or (3) the position may be reclassified to a new grade that is lower than the current grade, however the incumbent employee is left in their current pay grade. The final decision, by agreement, rests with the employer.

How do you make a claim? Fill out the Change of Duties Worksheet. For each of the six criteria, either state “no change” or list the duties added; there need not be change in every area. Please include a copy of your current job description. The goal of the worksheet is to determine whether enough change has occurred that the Union should seek a formal review of your job. Further review will require you to fill a more lengthy and detailed questionnaire.

Submit the worksheet and job description to info@the4cs.org or fax to 860.296.6219 by February 24, 2017.