Salary Rates / Ranges Directive

1. Purpose

To specify the authorities and responsibilities for the determination and administration of salary rates/ranges for established job classes in the Ontario Public Service.

2. Application and scope

This directive applies to all public servants appointed to work in ministries or Commission public bodies under s.32 of the Public Service of Ontario Act, 2006, except those in the Senior Management Group and Deputy Ministers' Compensation Plan.

This directive encompasses the establishment, revision and administration of all salary rates, ranges and other entitlements such as classification notes and salary allowances associated with job classes.

3. Principles

Pay administration will be consistent with approved compensation practices and recognize the manager’s responsibility to manage.

Pay administration will contribute to the attraction and retention of competent employees.

4. Mandatory requirements

All salary rates and ranges must be approved by Management Board of Cabinet for management and excluded classes [Public Service of Ontario Act, 2006, s.33(s)]

Entitlement to revised salary rates as a result of cyclical review of class salary ranges or of implementation of new and revised classes must be in accordance with the appropriate:

• Salary agreement for employees with approved bargaining agents;
• Instructions covering implementation; and, if applicable;
• Specific provisions covering employees on pregnancy or parental leave [Management Board of Cabinet Compensation Directive and applicable collective agreement];
• Specific provisions covering salary protection [Management Board of Cabinet
• Compensation Directive, applicable collective agreement and Pay on Assignment Operating Policy].

Such entitlements also apply to persons who have separated from the Ontario Public Service, provided they had not been dismissed for cause or had not abandoned their position, and were employees on the effective date of the salary revision.

When revised salary rates are implemented retroactively, employees who were reassigned while a revision was pending must not receive more than one cyclical salary revision with the same effective date.

5. Responsibilities

All responsibilities in the Human Resource Management Directive and the Human Resource Management Delegation of Authority Directive apply to this Directive. Additional responsibilities that are specific to this Directive are set out below.

The Ministry of Government Services

• Recommending salary rates, ranges and other entitlements for management and excluded classes;
• Negotiating salary rates, ranges and entitlements for classes with approved bargaining agents;
• Publishing salary schedules, which include for each class:
  • salary rates and ranges and their effective date;
  • hours of work schedules;
  • merit increase frequency (annual or semi-annual);
  • class title and code;
  • premium entitlements, notes and allowances where applicable;
• Issuing directives which give instructions on the implementation of new, revised or deleted rates and ranges.

Ministries

• Ensuring employees are paid in accordance with published salary schedules;
• Processing required documentation to ensure employees are paid and that changes to rates are implemented;
• Ensuring appropriate approvals are obtained based on the ministry’s delegation of authority.

Appendix A – Directive revisions