3.9015R Request for Position Reclassification

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I. Title

3.9015R Request for Position Reclassification

II. Objective

This regulation ensures that reclassification requests are thoroughly justified, reviewed, and assessed to align with the College’s organizational structure and job classification standards.

This regulation applies to all employees and supervisors requesting a reclassification for a budgeted position within the College.

For administrators and staff who request reclassification directly, the process will follow contract language. The Cabinet will also review the request, consistent with this regulation.

III. Authority

New Jersey Statutes: County Colleges, 18A-64A-12(f) and (g), General Powers of Boards and Policy 3.0001 Staffing and Hiring.

IV. Regulation Statement

Outlined below is the process for requesting and reviewing the reclassification of a budgeted position within the College, ensuring transparency, accuracy, and proper justification based on updated job responsibilities and bona fide occupational requirements and competencies.

A. Justification

A justification will accompany a request for reclassification made by the supervisor. The detailed justification will show the changes that have been assigned to the position since it was last classified and will include the following:

• A proposed revised job description showing the changes and a comprehensive explanation of the new responsibilities assigned to the position. New responsibilities must be sustainable, are not short-term tasks, and are not assumed future responsibilities.
• An indication if the new responsibilities are a new function or were reassigned from an existing or eliminated position.
• If responsibilities were redistributed from another current position, that job description must also be submitted with tracked changes reflecting the redistribution.
• Specific details on how current responsibilities of the position have changed.
• An explanation of any responsibilities that have been omitted or reassigned from the position for which the reclassification is requested.
• Documentation of required skills to demonstrate alignment with the Knowledge and Skills outlined in the updated job description.

A request made directly by the administrative incumbent will require completion of the Position Analysis Questionnaire (PAQ) and proposed revisions to the job description.

B. Cabinet Review of Reclassification Request

The justification or PAQ will be reviewed by Cabinet before any action will be taken in Human Resources. Supervisors who support the reclassification will be given 5 minutes at the beginning of a Cabinet meeting to present their explanation and an additional 5 minutes to answer questions raised by Cabinet members. If additional information is requested, the supervisor will submit the information to Human Resources for distribution to Cabinet. If additional discussion is required, the request will be put on hold until the next Cabinet meeting.

C. Support from Supervisor and Cabinet

The supervisor and appropriate Cabinet member must provide written support for the reclassification of a position. Absent the Cabinet member’s approval, a reclassification review shall not proceed.

D. Human Resources Assessment

If the request moves forward for consideration after the Cabinet review, the Manager, HR Services may:

• Request additional details or documentation from the supervisor or employee.
• Conduct an interview with the incumbent and/or supervisor to gain further insights into the position’s responsibilities.
• Perform a desk audit to evaluate the actual duties performed by the employee.

E. Job Description Finalized

The Manager, HR Services will work with the supervisor to finalize the job description. This interactive process will result in clear explanations of the major responsibilities of the position with assigned percentages to reflect how the time of the incumbent should be prioritized.

The minimum qualifications for the position will reflect what is required for an incumbent to perform satisfactorily and effectively in the revised position, including educational credentials, skills, and bona fide occupational requirements and competencies. Once the direct supervisor and Human Resources agree upon the content of the job description, the Manager, HR Services will propose the job description for approval. The approval is sought from the next-level supervisor in the reporting line who holds an executive position such as Dean, Associate Vice President, Vice President, or President.

F. Point Count

The College uses the point count system (or the point-factor method) to ensure that the position is properly placed and valued in Brookdale Community College’s Classification Plan. The point-factor method is a quantitative job evaluation approach that uses a set of factors to determine the value of a job and its job band.

Not all changes to a job description will result in a reclassification; supervisors are advised to manage the expectations of the incumbent.

At least two members of the HR department with an understanding of the point count system, positions, and the College’s organizational structure will independently point count the finalized job description. Discrepancies between their point count, if any, will be discussed, and may include further consultation with the supervisor.

Job descriptions will be updated and finalized for vacant positions before the position is approved to be posted. This will avoid the need to repost if the point count or job title changes as a result of the job description revision.

G. Final Decision

If the revised job description results in a recommendation for reclassification, Human Resources will notify the supervisor, and up the chain of command to the President. If the President supports the recommendation, the position will go to the Board of Trustees for final approval.

H. Effective Date of Reclassification

Reclassification decisions will take time and no action is final until after approval by the Board of Trustees. It is, therefore, important to begin the request for a reclassification when there is a significant change to job duties. The effective date for a reclassification is the first of the month after Board approval.

I. Documentation

All relevant documentation, including justifications, job descriptions, skill requirements, and any additional materials, will be maintained by Human Resources for record-keeping and audit purposes for the period required by the Division of Revenue and Enterprise Services, New Jersey Department of the Treasury, currently 3 years.

V. Responsibility for Implementation

Associate Vice President, Human Resources

Approved: President, December 16, 2024