Public Administration ETDs

Publication Date

1971

Abstract

Employees at lower salary levels of New Mexico classified service are principally dependent upon position re-classification as a means of obtaining promotions to higher, salary levels. This occurs because of inherent rigidity of the State salary schedule, lack of inter-agency obility, and lack of any specific promotional program for employees in commonly used classes.

The employee classes of Clerk I, II, III, IV, Typist I, II, III, Steno I, II, III, Account Clerk, Account Assistant, and Account Technician were selected for examination with the objective of establishing clearly delineated career patterns within those position series, simplifying advancement in pay and status, eliminating position classfication as a primary means of advancement, and motivating career development and job mobility among State employees. These classes represent approximately 16% of the New Mexico classified service, and are easily identifiable.

To establish a matrix of information upon which to base consideration of these alternatives, three steps were taken. First, records of exami­nations for the above classes were analyzed. Second, the age, sex, ethnic background, education, and work history of a selected sample of employees in those classes were analyzed, Third, class specifications for similar classes of employees from 20 other public jurisdictions were examined.

Employees whose records were examined were adequately qualified, by education and experience, for the positions which they held, and, in general, were also qualified for further advancement within their occupational fields, Examination failure rates were lower for employees taking non-competitive examinations than for other examinees, but there was a concentration of non-competitive examination scores at lower pass­ing levels, presumably due to the fact that merely passing is high enough for non-competitive promotion.

Class specifications from other jurisdictions do not reveal any significant superiority, insofar as precise class delineation and identifiable career patterns are concerned, over New Mexico class specifications.

Changes which would help to overcome the problems stated in the first paragraph above apparently can not be based on the example of other jurisdictions, but must be of original design. Therefore revisions to class specifications have been suggested in order to provide:

  1. Progression from entry level (Clerk I, Typist I, Steno I, Account Clerk) to a designated full performance level (Clerk Ill, Typist III, Steno III, Account Technician) based solely upon establishment of eligibility for com­petitive appointment.
  2. Elimination of educational barriers to entry level positions.
  3. Establishment of rigid educational requirements for classes above entry levels.
  4. Improved class definitions, based upon skill levels.
  5. This plan can be implemented upon concurrence of the Directors of State agencies employing individuals of the classes concerned, and by subsequent approval of the State Personnel Board.

Degree Name

Public Administration

Level of Degree

Masters

Department Name

School of Public Administration

First Committee Member (Chair)

John Mace Hunger

Second Committee Member

Daniel H. Henning

Third Committee Member

David R. Jones

Language

English

Document Type

Thesis

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