Please note this guidance applies to research positions only. For university staff, please contact CIRES HR.

Purpose

This guidance ensures CIRES compensation practices remain equitable, competitive, and compliant with CU Boulder policies and the Colorado Equal Pay for Equal Work Act (CEPEWA). It provides supervisors and unit leaders with clear steps for compensation adjustments, workload management, and job description updates.

Out-of-Cycle (OOC) Compensation Increases

OOC increases are rare and only considered under specific circumstances. As of October 2024, CIRES salaries are aligned by career track, functional title, and seniority, reducing the need for adjustments outside annual merit cycles.

OOC increases may be considered when:

• Major job changes: Substantial and permanent job changes or assumption of higher-level duties will occur and are approved by supervisor and CIRES unit head.
• Salary inequity: Salary equity issues are identified by CIRES HR.
• Compression issue: Compression occurs (new hire salary exceeds existing peer level salaries, requiring an adjustment) as determined by CIRES HR. 

Important Notes

• OOC requests are suspended Nov 1–Feb 1 to allow for merit processing.
• OOC increases are not guaranteed; CIRES HR reviews requests for compliance and equity.
• Requests that create an inequity per the CEPEWA will not be approved.
• Please do not discuss any proposed increases with the intended employee unless approved by CIRES HR. Doing so can mismanage the employee’s expectations, resulting in frustration and upset.

Process to Request an OOC

1. With CIRES unit leader approval, the supervisor completes the Out-of-Cycle Request Form.
2. As part of the process, CIRES supervisor and unit lead confirm budget availability with CIRES Finance.
3. Submit completed form to CIRES HR for review and decision at cireshr@colorado.edu. 

Overtime & Workload

CIRES researchers are largely exempt under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) and do not receive overtime or comp time for working more than 40 hours in a work week. Sustained overtime is not expected. If workload becomes unsustainable, CIRES supervisors and unit leaders must work with employees to reprioritize duties, adjust project timelines, and or project scope to ensure the employee has a reasonable workload that can be expected of a regular, salaried employee at their established FTE.

• Employees should discuss workload concerns promptly with their supervisor.
• Supervisors should work with employee and unit lead to reprioritize tasks based on funded projects and scientific priorities as appropriate.
• Additional funded duties that exceed CIRES employee capacity may require requests for additional budget to fund new positions, requests for an adjusted project timeline, or a request to descope the project. These actions should be directed by the CIRES unit lead and CSIERDS Scientific Manager (if NOAA based).
• All work must be funded. Unfunded work, whether assigned or voluntarily taken on, is not a justification for additional compensation.

Job Description Updates

Job descriptions should reflect core responsibilities and career track level. Updates are required only for substantial, permanent changes, not for temporary duties or new projects within the same role. 

• In general, new, or shifting duties do not necessarily constitute a salary increase. 
  • Keep in mind that as employees are promoted through the career track, it is assumed that their level of autonomy and ability to manage complex tasks will grow, in addition to the possibility of assuming supervisory or mentoring duties. Promotions are the main way to acknowledge that professional growth and change.
• All CIRES employees should have a signed, approved description on file.
• Supervisors must help ensure workload remains sustainable before adding new duties.
• If the new duties are reasonable for the employee’s career track level and functional title, then additional compensation is unlikely to be appropriate.
• If the new duties are substantial, then the employee and supervisor, with support from unit lead, can submit an updated position description to CIRES HR for review. 
  • HR can then work with the supervisor to determine if any further adjustments - such as functional title or salary - are appropriate.

Position Description Template

Any accompanying OOC form should be submitted separately and by supervisor only. The employee should not be aware of any OOC requests prior to HR approval.

Please reach out to CIRES HR cireshr@colorado.edu with questions.