Analysis of comparable worth — File 23-0778

Municipal Management Consultants ANALYSIS OF “COMPARABLE VALUE” In compliance with the Massachusetts Pay Equity Law (M.G.L. Chapter 149, Section 105A), a point factor evaluation system has been applied to measure the “comparable value” (The minimum required skill, effort and responsibility) of regular positions in this study. Point factor analysis (PFA) is a systemic approach used to objectively evaluate in a consistent manner a position’s “comparable worth” that requires substantially similar “skill, effort, and responsibility performed under similar working conditions.” The following is a brief summary of the position evaluation criteria that are used to establish the comparable worth of positions. Skill: Refers to the knowledge, ability and skill requirements of a job, rather than what an employee may have. • Education/Knowledge: the basic minimum knowledge required through either formal education and/or specialized training/licenses. • Experience: the minimum length of time required by someone with the specified education background or knowledge required to perform effectively under normal supervision. Effort: job factors which cause mental fatigue and stress, as well as those which alleviate fatigue. • Physical Demands: The degree of physical effort required in the performance of job duties. This includes lifting, pushing, or pulling weights. • Motor Skills: The degree to which the job requires motor coordination and the coordination of manual dexterity with mental and/or visual attention. • Occupational Risk: Degree of exposure to hazards that may cause or threaten injury on the job. • Work Environment: Surrounding environmental and psychological conditions under which the job primary duties are carried out and the extent to which they make the job unpleasant or difficult. Responsibility: the degree of discretion or independence as well as supervisory responsibility and the degree to which the employee is involved in decision-making. • Accountability: the degree to which an employee is responsible for preventing errors and the magnitude or type of potential errors (public safety, legal, adverse public relations, etc.). • Judgment: The degree of independent judgment and discretion that the employee exercises in carrying out primary duties or responsibilities. • Confidentiality: Discretion and integrity required by those employees with access to confidential information handled or obtained in the normal performance of job duties. • Complexity: The availability of specific guidelines to perform essential functions. • Supervision Required: The degree to which an employee's immediate supervisor outlines the methods to follow or the results to be attained, and the handling exceptional or unusual situations. • Personal Contacts: Interaction with employees, public, outside agencies, degree of conflict, and influence over others (i.e., enforcement issues). The purpose of contact and type of contact. • Supervisory Responsibility: The extent and nature of supervisory and managerial responsibilities in terms of degree of involvement in work planning. Organization, work assignment, and review of personnel performance. If supervision is exercised, the complexity is described in terms of the number of employees (full and/or part-time), their location, and the frequency (planned or not planned) of changes in the number of staff supervised.