Section V: Wage and Salary Policies

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Table of Contents

Approved: 1/9/2018

5.01 Definition

Central New Mexico Community College (CNM) recognizes the importance of employees to the mission of the College. CNM provides a total compensation package that consists of two core elements: salary and benefits. Benefits have a monetary value and both the College and employee should consider this value in reviewing compensation. Refer to the applicable collective bargaining agreement for compensation policies and procedures for employees covered by the bargaining unit.

5.02 Staff

  1. Pay Levels: No employee will be paid at a rate less than the minimum for the applicable position classification. Minimum rates for each classification are listed in the Master Salary Schedule and the Master Salary Schedule may be updated periodically during the fiscal year. Experience, education, budget, market rate, and internal equity are used to establish the entry rate of pay for new employees. Guidelines for determining pay are found in The Source.
  2. Actions Which May Change a Current Employee’s Rate of Pay:
    1. Annual pay adjustment: Each year the Governing Board approves a pay plan that may include increases or decreases to the minimum and/or maximum pay of classifications and/or increases or decreases to salaries. To receive a salary increase under such a plan, an employee must have been employed prior to February 1 of the immediately preceding fiscal year, unless otherwise approved by the governing board.
    2. Promotion: A promotion occurs when an employee moves to a new classification with a higher pay grade.
    3. Demotion (Voluntary or Involuntary): An action leading to one or more positions being placed in a lower pay classification.
    4. Reorganization: The purpose of a reorganization is to address changing operational requirements that cannot be accommodated by the current structure. Reorganization allows the College to be fully responsive to changing student and community needs. Prior to reorganization, approval of a the reorganization plan must be obtained from the appropriate vice president and final approval by the president. Positions affected by reorganization must be submitted to the Human Resources Department for review and placement in the correct classification prior to implementation.
    5. Reclassification: Human Resources will review and evaluate a position when the majority of positions, or class of positions duties and responsibilities are substantially and demonstrably different from those listed in the position description. It is the responsibility of department management to request a review and evaluation of the job duties of an employee under these circumstances. Human Resources will not review requests originating directly from an incumbent employee without written concurrence and support from the department’s Director or equivalent authority, and approved by the Executive Team. Human Resources will conduct an evaluation of the position and may determine that the duties and responsibilities have increased, decreased, or that the current classification is correct.
    6. Market Pay Increases: The President shall determine pay levels for employees in “key market positions” when it is in the best interests of the College. The designation of a position as being a “key market position” shall be based on unique market pressures and the specialized nature of the job. Before making such a designation, the Executive Team shall obtain a recommendation from the Human Resources Department after data has been collected showing a need based on recruiting difficulties, high turnover and high market driven salaries.
    7. Lateral Transfer: A lateral transfer is movement of an employee to another job within the same pay grade as his or her present job and accomplished without an increase in pay rate. A lateral transfer does not involve a pay rate change but may involve a change in annual earnings if the work calendar for the new job differs from that of the old job.
    8. Interim Appointment (Temporary Upgrade): An acting/interim appointment occurs when an employee assumes a majority of the job responsibilities of a higher-level position for a specified period of time, normally not in excess of one year. The higher-level position must exist at the time the interim appointment occurs. A memorandum of understanding (MOU) outlining the acting/interim appointment will be issued to the employee. The MOU will outline the nature and expected term of the assignment.
      • An interim appointment (temporary upgrade) is considered when the position is vacant and recruitment for the position is in progress or is expected to be in the near future. A temporary upgrade or acting/interim appointment is also considered when an employee temporarily vacates a position for one of the following reasons:
        • Approved Family Medical Leave (FML)
        • Indefinite Military Leave due to national emergency
        • Approved Professional Development
        • Approved Leave Without Pay
        • Approved leave due to illness/injury not covered by FMLA
        • Special assignment
        • Other circumstances to be reviewed on a case-by-case basis
      • When the employee returns to the previous position at the end of the interim appointment, the Human Resources Department is responsible for generating Personnel Data Form (PDF) to adjust the employee’s pay status in accordance with the pay scale of the previous position. The Human Resources Department reviews the PDF to ensure compliance with the maximum time allowance for the upgrade.
    9. Shift Differential: A shift differential is an hourly pay rate in addition to the employee’s straight-time rate of pay. Shift differentials are determined by the Governing Board as part of the annual pay plan.
    10. Overtime Pay:
      • If essential non-exempt employees are required to work on a day the College is closed unexpectedly for an emergency or for some other reason such as inclement weather, the compensation for hours worked during the time of closing shall be at 1.5 times the regular pay rate (Also see Section 7.04)
      • If a non-exempt employee is required by a supervisor to work on a day designated as a paid holiday, the total compensation shall be the regular rate for holidays plus 1.5 times the regular rate for hours worked.
      • The rate of pay for overtime work shall be 1.5 times the employee’s regular rate for each hour worked over 40 hours each week. Unauthorized overtime may lead to disciplinary action, up to and including discharge.
      • An employee may not take leave from one department to work in another capacity within the College at the overtime rate.
      • Requests for overtime must be submitted to the control agent for approval before overtime work commences. In case of emergency, a supervisor may authorize overtime work.
      • Overtime is paid to non-exempt employees for any work over 40 hours during the work week. For the purpose of computing overtime, holidays are counted as actual time worked. Any leave (other than holiday leave) time is not considered part of the normal work week.
      • The work week begins at 12:01 a.m. Saturday and ends at 12 midnight the following Friday. If an employee’s scheduled shift begins before midnight and ends after midnight, the entire shift will be counted on the day on which more than one-half of the shift was worked.
      • Non-exempt personnel are eligible for overtime pay in accordance with the Fair Labor Standards Act.

5.03 Full-Time Instructors

Full-time instructors are paid in accordance with the approved collective bargaining agreement.

5.04 Part-Time Instructors

Part-time instructors shall be paid at a rate determined annually by the Governing Board.

5.05 Substitute Instructors

Substitute faculty shall be paid at a rate determined annually by the Governing Board for each hour of class time during which the person was a substitute.

5.06 Paychecks

Revised: 11/14/23 

Employees will typically be paid every two weeks, with payday scheduled for Fridays. In the event that payday falls on a holiday, payment may be made on the preceding work day. 

  1. Direct Deposit is the preferred method of payment for employees. Employees can enroll and make updates through the College’s payroll system.
  2. Employees are required to participate in the federal Social Security program (FICA), where both the employee and the College’s contributions are made in accordance with federal law. 
  3. Mandatory payroll deductions such as Federal Withholding, NM Educational Retirement Board (ERB) and Retiree Health Care are required; voluntary deductions, including but not limited to health insurance premiums and parking permit fees are voluntary. Once enrolled in a health insurance plan, deductions for health insurance premiums will regularly appear on an employee’s paycheck.
  4. Uncashed paychecks are considered stale dated six months after the issue date. For questions regarding stale dated checks contact payroll.  

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