§ 1-2. Glossary of Terms

ANNIVERSARY

The date on which an employee was appointed to a regular position or the date of promotion/demotion/transfer.

APPEAL

A formal or informal process for requesting a change to an official decision.

AT-WILL EMPLOYEES

Those who serve at the will and pleasure of the City Manager or his or her designee and may be terminated at any time with or without cause and may not appeal such termination, except under certain contractual conditions.

BENEFITS

Taxable or non-taxable remuneration and/or services provided by the City which are separate and in addition to basic pay for time worked.

CITY

The municipal government, composed of the City Commission, the City Manager, all departments, divisions, agencies, and employees which comprise the organization design to provide service to the citizenry.

CITY COMMISSION

The duly elected or appointed officials who comprise the legislative body of the municipal government with powers defined by New Mexico Law.

CITY MANAGER

The municipal government's official who directs the administration of a City, or a person designated to assume the position on an acting basis, charged with complete responsibility of employees, facilities, and other resources set forth by New Mexico State Law and the City Charter.

CLASS

One or more positions that are sufficiently alike in, warranting using the same (or similar) title, qualification requirements, examination, and pay grade. Sometimes called "Classification."

CLASSIFICATION PLAN

An ordering of different positions in the City service according to duties, responsibilities, and required qualifications.

CONTINUOUS EMPLOYMENT

The period during which the City employs a person in a regular status uninterrupted by termination or suspension.

CORRECTIVE ACTION

An action taken to correct the behavior or the performance of an employee.

DEMOTION

The assignment of an employee from one class to another which has a lower pay rate or grade and is corrective in nature.

DEPARTMENT DIRECTOR

A City official designated with the responsibility for management of a major department of the City government. Departments are comprised of several divisions with similar service missions.

DISABLED EMPLOYEES

Individuals who have suffered a permanent disability while an employee of the City government.

DISMISSAL

Involuntary termination of employment for reasons other than lack of funds or lack of work.

EAP

Employee Assistance Program (EAP) is a benefit to aid employees in resolving personal problems.

ELIGIBLE

A person has the right to do or obtain; satisfying the appropriate conditions or whose name is included with a list of qualified candidates for a vacant position.

ELIGIBLE LIST

A list of persons qualified to fill a vacancy in a particular class.

EMPLOYEE

An individual who is legally employed by the City government and is paid through the City payroll, except for contracted persons, and consultants.

ENTRY LEVEL RATE

The minimum base rate in any salary grade established for a class.

FINAL RATING

A job candidate's earned composite score or consensus rating for all aspects of the selection process.

FRATERNIZATION

To associate with others in a brotherly or congenial way.

FULL-TIME

A position that requires at least forty (40) hours work per work week.

GRIEVANCE

An employee's complaint regarding alleged unjust application, interpretation, or violation of the rules and regulations of the City, or the department for whom the employee works.

GRADES

An ordering of positions within a pay plan.

JOB DESCRIPTION

A written description of a class, which includes the position title, a general statement of duties and responsibilities, examples of typical duties performed, a statement of minimum qualification requirements, and definition of working conditions.

JOB EVALUATION

A review of the duties and responsibilities of a position and the qualifications required to perform the essential functions of the position.

LAYOFF

Involuntary termination of an employee due to lack of work, lack of funds, elimination of a position through reorganization, reclassification of positions, or other changes that have taken place.

LWOP

Leave without pay is a temporary status and absence from duty that, in most cases, is granted at the employee's request. Approval of LWOP is a matter of supervisory discretion.

MANAGEMENT

Persons designated as head of a group of employees, a section, a major functional unit, or an activity, with authority and responsibility to exercise independent judgement; who assigns tasks, sets standards of job performance, recommends hires, transfers, suspensions, layoffs, recalls, promotions, and terminations of subordinates. Further, they may assign, reward or correct the action of others, and direct or adjust employee grievances.

MEDICAL EVALUATION

An objective assessment of the candidate as compared with medical standards.

MEDICAL STANDARDS

Medical requirements established by the City for all classes of positions. Inability to meet one or more medical standard(s) established for a position will result in rejection of the candidate or withdrawal of a conditional offer of employment.

NEPOTISM

Favoritism shown on the basis of family relationship by those with power or influence.

NEW HIRE

A person not previously employed by the City.

OPEN COMPETITION

Competition for a position which is available to all interested persons internally and externally.

OVERTIME WORK

Time worked for an hourly employee in excess of forty (40) hours per work week.

PAID TIME OFF (PTO)

Leave with pay granted after accrual to eligible employees for their own personal use.

PAY

Payment that is uniform from one payday to the next and does not depend on the number of hours worked.

PAY DIFFERENTIALS

Also called "overlays." Pay for additional duties beyond what the position originally required.

PAY PLANS

The salary schedules for salaried/exempt and hourly/non-exempt employees or any other class(es) of positions in the municipal service.

PAY RANGE

The minimum and maximum base rates established for each pay grade.

PAY RATE

Also called base rate. The specific salary established within each salary grade.

PER DIEM ALLOWANCE

Daily allowable compensation for lodging and subsistence for in-state and out-of-state travel at the current reimbursement rate.

POSITION

An authorized, budgeted job within the municipal service. A position may be vacant or occupied by an incumbent.

POSTING

The advertising of vacant positions.

PREFERENCE

The additional consideration that is given to a regular employee applying for an established vacancy who meets the minimum qualifications of a classification.

PROBATIONARY PERIOD

A six (6) month or one year (12 month) trial period of employment, during which an employee is required to demonstrate fitness for regular employment and during which time the employee may be terminated without cause and without the right of appeal.

PROMOTION

The assignment of an employee from one grade to another, which has a higher maximum rate of pay and greater responsibility. Promotion requires that an employee undergo another probationary period.

RECLASSIFICATION

A change in duties, responsibilities, qualifications, title, and/or grade of a position as a result of a job evaluation.

REGULAR FULL-TIME EMPLOYEE

A Regular Full-Time employee is one whose average workweek is no less than forty (40) hours in a seven (7) day period, has successfully completed the introductory period, and is entitled to employee benefits.

REGULAR PART-TIME EMPLOYEE

A City employee who works less than forty (40) hours/week, and not more than 29 hours/week, in a regularly budgeted position, and has successfully completed the probationary period.

RE-HIRE

Re-employment of a former employee, restored to the municipal service in good standing.

REINSTATEMENT

An action whereby an employee is restored to the municipal service after involuntary termination or suspension.

RESIGNATION

The voluntary termination of employment, prior to retirement, by an employee.

RETIREMENT

Any employee retiring in good standing under City employment and under the New Mexico PERA Retirement system.

REVIEWER

The rater's immediate superior or designee who is required to review and approve each performance evaluation within his or her purview before it is included as part of the reviewed employee's permanent record.

SEASONAL/TEMPORARY

Full or part-time employees working not more than six (6) months per calendar year, for a special purpose, project or definite number of projects during a peak season. These employees are not eligible for benefits and may be terminated at any time with or without cause and without the right to appeal.

SELECTION TOOL

Tools used separately or in combination, as appropriate, to obtain the best qualified applicants for vacant positions. Such devices may include, but are not limited to, work sample and performance tests, practical written tests, oral examinations, rating of training and experience, interview, skills tests, and others.

SEPARATION

Removal of an employee from the municipal payroll for voluntary or involuntary reasons; to include dismissal, resignation, layoff, retirement, abandonment of the job, death, etc.

SERIOUS ILLNESS

An illness, injury, impairment, or physical or mental condition which is of an extraordinary or severe nature for which meets the definition of a serious illness in the Family and Medical Leave Act.

SUPERVISOR

An employee with authority to exercise independent judgement on behalf of the City government to recommend hire, transfer, suspension, layoff, recall, promotion, demotion, discharge, and other personnel actions.

TERMINATION

The resignation, retirement, dismissal, or death of an employee.

TEST

A formal method by which an applicant's or employee's qualifications for employment or promotion are assessed.

TRANSFER

Assignment of an employee from one position to another in the same pay grade, a lower pay grade, or a pay grade with the same or a lower minimum rate of pay. May also be assignment of an employee from one work site to another, from one Department to another, to more or less responsible or skilled occupations, or from one operational assignment to another in accordance with existing City policy. Transfers may be voluntary or involuntary. An involuntary transfer, which results in a reduction of base pay is considered a demotion.

UNAUTHORIZED ABSENCE

Absence from duty without supervisory approval.

VACANCY

An authorized position not occupied by an incumbent, which has been approved by the appropriate designated authority for filling.

WAGE

Payment that is calculated according to the number of hours worked and which may fluctuate from one payday to the next as the number of hours worked varies.

(Ord. No. 1547 , 1-19-18)