Benchmark job: A job with characteristics that can be found in other job classifications so that it can serve as an anchor for related jobs above or below, or comparable to it. Typically, benchmark jobs are used for making pay comparisons either within the organization or to comparable jobs outside the organization.

Demotion: A change in duty assignment from a job in one classification to a job in another classification in a lower pay grade. Such a demotion may involve a decrease in compensation.
Exempt job: A job that is not subject to the overtime provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act. Exempt jobs include professionals, administrators, and executives paid on a monthly basis.

Job: A collection of tasks, duties, and responsibilities that constitutes the assignment for one or more individuals whose work is of the same nature and that require essentially the same qualifications. Each job has an official university job title and is assigned to a pay grade based on a job evaluation.

Job Analysis Questionnaire (JAQ): A data collection questionnaire used to gather job information.

Job classification: Assignment of a job to a pay grade based on a quantitative evaluation of the job. As a management tool, job classification provides uniform titles for use in personnel administration, budgets, payroll, and other official records; serves as the basis for establishing fair pay levels for staff employees; and establishes the requirements of jobs for promotional, recruitment, and training purposes.

Job description: A summary of the most important features of a job, including the general nature of the work to be performed, job duties, and job requirements. Job descriptions are written in a generic manner, using a uniform format for applicability throughout the university.

Job title: The official title of a university job that shall be used on all personnel documents and records. (A different functional title may be used by departments for internal purposes, provided it is not another approved, official university job title.)

Job evaluation: The review of a job classification that may result in reassignment of the job to a higher or lower pay grade as a result of significant changes in responsibilities, duties, market value and/or requirements.

Job hierarchy: A result of the job evaluation process where jobs are evaluated either by market data analysis, use of an objective job evaluation methodology, or a combination of both processes. The job hierarchy is the foundation for how jobs are placed on the pay grade structure and is a reflection of job value by the organization.

Lateral transfer: A change in duty assignment to another job within the same pay grade and pay range, normally with no change in pay.
Midpoint: The pay level midway between the minimum and maximum rates of the pay range. Midpoints represent the university's desired competitive job rate relative to the external market.

Non-exempt job: A job deemed to be non-exempt according to the Fair Labor Standards Act and, therefore, subject to the overtime provisions of the FLSA. Non-exempt jobs are paid biweekly on an hourly basis.

Pay grade: A pay level into which jobs of the same or similar value are grouped for compensation purposes. All jobs in a pay grade have the same pay range.

Pay range: The range of pay rates established for a pay grade. The minimum and maximum of each pay range represent the minimum and maximum values, respectively, to the university for all jobs assigned to that particular pay range.

Pay rate: The specific salary or hourly rate within the pay range that is paid to the employee. Under terminology provided in federal law, exempt employees are paid salaries, and non-exempt employees are paid an hourly rate.

Pay structures: The structures of pay grades and pay ranges, each with a minimum, midpoint, and maximum rate, developed by the university for regular, benefits-eligible staff jobs. Specific information on pay structures is available from the Human Resources Department upon request.

Position: A unique placeholder used to assign a specific job code and title to a department for an individual employee, used to track full-time equivalency (FTE). Many positions may be assigned to the same job code and title. Positions are typically used for budgetary tracking of FTE.

Promotion: A change in duty assignment from one job to a new job in a higher pay grade, which involves a higher level of responsibility and higher job requirements, and which usually involves an increase in pay. Generally, promotions are movement within the same job family or following a defined career path.
Position Request Form (ePRF): The official electronic university form used for staffing purposes to request creation of a new position, creation of a new job, or reclassification of a job or position.

Quartiles: The four equal parts of the pay range. Typically, an employee’s pay position in the pay range is related to factors such as performance and years of service.
Reclassification: A change in a position's job, title, and/or grade level based on a significant change in the duties and level of responsibility.

Transfer: A move by an employee from one university job to another vacant job, resulting from voluntary application for the job by the employee. A transfer may be a promotion, a lateral move, or a demotion, depending upon whether the job transferred into is assigneda higher, the same, or a lower job classification and pay grade.