Scheduled increments shall be granted in accordance with the salary schedules as set forth in the attached Appendix B and C unless accelerated, delayed or withheld as outlined in Articles 14.02 and 14.03.

14.02.1

Where it can be demonstrated that an employee has performed his/her duties in an exceptional manner, consideration may be given to the awarding of an accelerated increment. An accelerated increment refers to the progression through the wage steps within the employee’s salary group.

It is not intended that an accelerated increment be a substitute for job re-evaluation, in lieu of overtime pay, or other bonus payments to which the employee is entitled.

Should the Company for any reason consider that an employee has not qualified for a scheduled increment, the employee shall be so advised in writing one (1) month prior to the date such an increment becomes due.

A scheduled increment shall not normally be withheld longer than six (6) months, except in the case of an employee whose services are unsatisfactory or who refuses to take the training necessary to qualify him/her for work in the position for which he/she is being paid, or who fails to qualify for a promotional position at the end of such training.

Employees presently at maximum salary rate and who are given an increment on subsequent reclassification, shall have a scheduled increment date established from date of reclassification.

Where a job evaluation results in a position being upgraded to a higher salary group, the employee will be entitled to the new rate of pay retroactive to the date the revised job description was submitted for evaluation to the employee’s immediate manager.

Increments shall be effective on the first day of the bi-weekly pay period closest to the first of the month in which the increments are due. Increments which become due during the first half of the month, shall be due on the first of that month. Increments falling due during the last half of the month, shall be due on the first of the following month.

A scheduled increment which an employee would have received had he/she been on the job, shall not be made effective while he/she is absent due to sick leave, sick furlough, quarantine, or other approved absence (exclusive of vacation, bereavement leave, on duty accident, and jury duty). The date of granting such scheduled increment shall be the regularly scheduled increment date extended by the period of absence, calculated to the nearest whole month, provided that absence for half or less of the working days in a month will not be counted as a month and more than half of the working days in a month will be counted as a full month.

Where an employee would have been eligible for a scheduled increment during a maternity, parental or compassionate care leave, such increment shall be deferred and implemented effective the date of the employee’s return to work. An employee’s regularly scheduled increment date shall not be extended by the period of absence related to maternity/parental or compassionate care leave.

An employee absent from duty with or without pay for an accumulated period of one (1) month or more (exclusive of vacation, bereavement leave, on duty accident and jury duty) during one (1) yearly or two (2) consecutive half yearly increment periods shall have his/her scheduled increment date extended one (1) month for each month's absence calculated to the nearest whole month, provided that absence for half or less of the working days in a month will not be counted as a month and absence for more than half the working days in a month will be counted as a full month [twenty-two (22) working days average month].