**Applicable to all Court and probation employees in the Nebraska Supreme Court Administrative Office, and all employees in the Supreme Court Clerk's Office, Reporter of Decisions Office, Career Law Clerks, Administrative Assistants, Staff Attorney Offices of the Supreme Court and Court of Appeals, Office of the Counsel for Discipline, Office of Dispute Resolution and State Library other than the State Court Administrator, the State Probation Administrator, and the Counsel for Discipline.
New employees will usually begin at the Hiring Rate of the salary grade for their job classification. If the individual possesses outstanding qualifications in terms of education, related experience or bilingual skills, the hiring supervisor may request the individual be started at an increased hiring rate. All starting salaries require the approval of the State Court Administrator or State Probation Administration based upon a written recommendation of the supervisor.
Amended 6-27-07
Upon completion of the provisional period, employees paid less than Minimum Permanent of their salary grade must be given a salary increase to Minimum Permanent of that grade. Employees hired at a salary equal to or greater than Minimum Permanent of their salary grade will not receive a salary increase upon completion of the provisional period. Employees shall be informed of this information when they are hired.
Amended 6-27-07
The Supreme Court may authorize a general alteration in the salary schedule based upon appropriations made available. When such an adjustment is authorized, all employees subject to the salary schedule shall receive an alteration in salary in the amount authorized.
The Supreme Court may authorize specific salary increases to employees, subject to the following conditions:
1. Funds are available;
2. Employees at or above the maximum rate, temporary employees, and employees who are serving their provisional period or are on disciplinary probation are not eligible except an employee at or above the maximum rate may be eligible for a longevity increase if during the previous year (prior to the first of January) the employee has experienced an anniversary with the court system of 20 or more total service years that is divisible by 5, as established by his/her service anniversary date. For each of those anniversaries, an additional $50 a month will be added to the base salary of those eligible employees who are at the maximum rate. For eligible employees over the maximum rate the longevity increase will be reduced by the amount their salary exceeds the maximum rate and added to the base salary. Eligible part-time employees will receive increases on a prorated basis. In no event will salaries be reduced. No additional amount will be given to those employees with salaries over the maximum rate already receiving the amount equal to or greater than the longevity increase.
3. Such salary increases require the acceptable performance (Satisfactory or better on a performance report) of the employee and approval of the supervisor. Acceptable performance of the employee must be documented in a current annual performance evaluation on file in the Administrative Office at least 30 days prior to the salary increase. If an employee receives an unacceptable performance evaluation, the employee, after 90 days or more, may request another evaluation. If that evaluation indicates acceptable performance, the salary increase may then be given to the employee with the approval of the supervisor.
The Supreme Court may authorize specific alterations of salary grades to reflect labor market conditions, based upon salary survey information. When any such alteration is authorized, all employees subject to that salary grade shall receive an alteration in salary of the amount authorized on the effective date of the alteration.
With approval of the Supreme Court, merit pay increases may be granted to employees to recognize outstanding job performance, subject to the following conditions:
1. Funds are available;
2. The employee must have outstanding job performance and that performance must be documented in a current annual performance evaluation on file in the Administrative Office;
3. The employee’s base salary shall not exceed the maximum rate of his/her salary grade as a result of a merit increase; and
4. Merit pay increases shall not be automatic and may only be retroactive to the beginning of the current pay period.
Promotions to a higher salary grade may be requested by the employee's supervisor and must be approved by the Administrative Office. Most employees who are promoted from one job classification to another shall receive a salary increase between the Hiring Rate and Midpoint of the new salary grade, based on their education and related experience, so that the new salary is at least 5 percent greater than the current salary. However, if the employee being promoted possesses outstanding qualifications in terms of education or related experience, that employee may be started at an increased rate. Any such increased rate requires the approval of the State Court Administrator or State Probation Administrator based upon a written recommendation of the supervisor.
If the new salary is below Minimum Permanent of the new salary grade, the employee may be given a salary increase to Minimum Permanent at any time in the following 6 months, but must be paid at least the Minimum Permanent rate at the end of 6 months.
Amended 6-27-07
If it is deemed desirable that an individual be demoted from one job classification to another, such action may be taken by the supervisor with the approval of the Administrative Office. The new salary may be set at any level of the new grade, except that it may not be an increase over the previous salary or above the maximum rate for the new classification.
Employees requesting voluntary transfers (lateral or downward) may, at the discretion of the Administrative Office, have their salaries reduced.
Disciplinary demotions require at least a 5 percent reduction in salary grade or the employee’s salary may be reduced to the Hiring Rate at the supervisor’s discretion. (See Forms of Discipline under DISCIPLINARY ACTIONS section.)
With any demotion, if the new salary is below Minimum Permanent of the new salary grade, the employee may be given a salary increase to Minimum Permanent at any time in the following 6 months, but must be paid at least the Minimum Permanent rate at the end of the 6 months.
All provisions contained within the salary guidelines, except where otherwise stated, shall apply to part‑time employees. Rates of pay for part‑time employees and temporary employees shall be calculated on an hourly rate of the applicable salary grade monthly rate.
Temporary employees shall be paid at the hiring rate of the applicable salary grade.