minnesota department of & finance employee …

minnesota department of

      &
finance employee
                          relations

June 5, 2008


Jim Monroe, Executive Director
Minnesota Association of Professional Employees
3460 Lexington Avenue North
Shoreview, MN 55126-8072

Dear Jim:

The Department of Public Safety (DPS) conducted Hay rating sessions for the Forensic Scientist
series classifications. The Hay evaluations resulted in significant increases in the ratings for each
of the three classes. As a result, DPS submitted requests for three-range salary range
reassignments for each of the Forensic Scientist classes which would place them on trend. The
Department reasoned that not only did the ratings increase dramatically, but that the positions
have become increasingly difficult to recruit and retain qualified personnel.

After carefully reviewing the facts and justifications of Public Safety's salary range reassignment
request, I have tentatively approved the following salary range assignments:

                                                                   Current              New
Class Code       Class Title                           Unit       Comp Code           Comp Code
000214           Forensic Scientist 1                  214            9L                12L
000215           Forensic Scientist 2                  214           13L                16L
001429           Forensic Scientist 3                  214           16L                19L

We would like to implement these salary range assignments as soon as possible. We are
proposing that the range assignments be made retroactive to October 31, 2007, which is the
nearest pay period begin date following the date of the Hay ratings. At the same time, we are
proposing to eliminate the 1% salary differential that is contained in the Public Safety
Supplement of the MAPE contract, and instead reassigning employees to the step in their new
range that is nearest to their current salary rounded to the next higher step. This has the net effect
of increasing the rate of each employee in the Forensic Science series on October 31, 2007.

Following the adjustments in the preceding paragraph, we are planning to implement this range
assignment using our traditional implementation method. Employees who are below the
minimum of the new range shall be placed at step one of the new salary range effective October
31, 2007. Employees who have been at the maximum step of the old salary range for at least one
year as of October 30, 2007, and move to a step below the maximum rate of the new range, shall
be eligible to advance to the next step in the new salary range effective October 31, 2007.
Employees who have been at the maximum step of the current range for less than a year as of
October 30, 2007, shall receive a one step increase upon their next anniversary date provided
satisfactory performance is attained. Employees at other steps within the range are not eligible
for an immediate increase; rather they will continue to progress through their assigned salary
range in accordance with the progression language of the collective bargaining agreement.

                          400 Centennial Building · 658 Cedar Street · St. Paul, Minnesota 55155
                           Voice: (651) 201-8000 · Fax: (651) 296-8685 · TTY: 1-800-627-3529
                                             An Equal Opportunity Employer
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June 5, 2008



These increases shall not affect the date of the employee's next anniversary date, nor shall any
employee be eligible for two progression increases in the October 31, 2007, pay period.

We are in the final stages of preparing a detailed summary of all the Forensic Scientists' current
compensation rates and their compensation rates after implementation of each stage of our
proposal. This document will enable MAPE to identify the specific pay results for each
employee whom you represent. As soon as we have this summary prepared, we will provide it to
you. We believe that it will be helpful for MAPE to have this information before we meet to
discuss our proposal. In addition to implementing the salary range reassignments, the
Department of Public Safety is preparing to grant one step achievement awards to a large number
of the Forensic Scientists. Although these achievement awards are not part of the proposed
Memorandum of Understanding, we are also including this information in our summary
document so that all parties can have accurate, detailed information about each employee's
compensation.

I believe that human resources staff from the Department of Public Safety and staff from the
Labor Relations Bureau have been in contact with MAPE staff member, Rick Nelson, to keep
MAPE informed of these salary developments. I believe that Mr. Nelson has also been made
aware of our proposal to eliminate the differential. I anticipate that Mr. Nelson will want to meet
with the Labor Relations staff and representatives from the Department of Public Safety to
discuss any details and try to finalize an agreement. It is also my understanding that the parties
agreed to a meet and confer regarding MAPE's proposal for differential pay for the Crime Scene
Team Leader. It may be appropriate to hold that meet and confer immediately after the meeting
on the Forensic Scientist pay implementation, as it will involve many of the same parties. Mr.
Nelson should contact Becky Wodziak to arrange a meeting to discuss these issues.

In accordance with the MAPE Agreement, Article 24, Wages, Section 1, Salary Ranges, I am
advising the Association in advance of the salary range assignments. Feel free to contact me at
(651) 259-3759 if you have any questions. I would like to finalize these salary range assignments
as soon as possible.


Sincerely,



Chad Thuet
Assistant State Negotiator/Compensation Manager

cc:   Rick Nelson, MAPE
      Ann O'Brien, DPS
      Lowell Thompson, DPS
      Becky Wodziak, DOER