§18B-9-2 Definitions. - West Virginia Statutes

§18B-9-2. Definitions.
As used in this article:

(a) "Classified employee" or "employee" means any regular full-time or regular part-time employee of a governing board, the commission or the council, including all employees of the West Virginia network for educational telecomputing, who hold a position that is assigned a particular job title and pay grade in accordance with the personnel classification system established by this article or by the commission and council;

(b) "Nonclassified employee" means an individual who is responsible for policy formation at the department or institutional level, or reports directly to the president, or is in a position considered critical to the institution by the president pursuant to policies adopted by the governing board. The percentage of personnel placed in the category of "nonclassified" at any given institution may not exceed ten percent of the total number of employees of that institution who are eligible for membership in any state retirement system of the state of West Virginia or other retirement plan authorized by the state: Provided, That an additional ten percent of the total number of employees of that institution as defined in this subsection may be placed in the category of "nonclassified" if they are in a position considered critical to the institution by the president. Final approval of such placement shall be with the appropriate governing board;

(c) "Job description" means the specific listing of duties and responsibilities as determined by the appropriate governing board, the commission or council and associated with a particular job title;

(d) "Job title" means the name of the position or job as defined by the appropriate governing board, the commission or council;

(e) "Merit increases and salary adjustments" means the amount of additional salary increase allowed on a merit basis or to rectify salary inequities or accommodate competitive market conditions in accordance with rules established by the governing boards, the commission or council;

(f) "Pay grade" means the number assigned by the commission and council to a particular job title and refers to the vertical column heading of the salary schedule established in section three of this article;

(g) "Personnel classification system" means the process of job categorization adopted by the commission and council jointly by which job title, job description, pay grade and placement on the salary schedule are determined;

(h) "Salary" means the amount of compensation paid through the state treasury per annum to a classified employee;

(i) "Schedule" or "salary schedule" means the grid of annual salary figures established in section three of this article; and

(j) "Years of experience" means the number of years a person has been an employee of the state of West Virginia and refers to the horizontal column heading of the salary schedule established in section three of this article. For the purpose of placement on the salary schedule, employment for nine months or more equals one year of experience, but a classified employee may not accrue more than one year of experience during any given fiscal year. Employment for less than full time or less than nine months during any fiscal year shall be prorated. In accordance with rules established by the commission and council jointly, a classified employee may be granted additional years of experience not to exceed the actual number of years of prior, relevant work or experience at accredited institutions of higher education other than state institutions of higher education.