Language Pay Differential Eligibility Processes

Service
There are three pathways for eligibility that can be initiated by both the city employee and a manager/supervisor. The majority of cases will process through Pathways One & Two.

Pathway One

Pathway One is for employees whose City job classifications are public facing, customer service, or community engagement oriented and are included on the Language Pay Differential Job Classification Eligibility List. Employees whose job classification is on the Language Pay Differential Job Classification Eligibility List and whose language is listed on the City/County combined languages list can take the verbal language proficiency test. Passage of the verbal language proficiency test is required to receive the language pay differential. The pay differential is $1.00 per hour added to the base wage of qualifying employees for all hours worked.

Follow these steps for Pathway One

Link to Pathway One Form

Step 1:  

  1. Employee or manager/supervisor verifies the City job classification is on the Language Pay Differential Job Classification Eligibility List. 

  1. Employee or manager/supervisor verifies the language(s) listed on the City/County combined languages list. 

  1. If the employee’s classification and language are listed, proceed to Step 2 below. If they are not listed, refer to Pathway Two or Three for other avenues for consideration.  

Step 2:  

  1. Employee or manager/supervisor completes Pathway One form (link above).  

  1. The employee's manager/supervisor will receive email notification of the request.

Step 3:  

  1. Human Resources will schedule a verbal language proficiency test with the City's designated testing provider based on availability listed on the submitted form. 

  1. Following the test, Human Resources will notify the employee and their manager/supervisor of the results. Results are recorded by Human Resources in the employee’s personnel file.  

Step 4:  

  1. If the employee passed the exam, the manager/supervisor must inform the bureau timekeeper of the start and end dates of the language pay differential so the timekeeper can activate the premium switch on SAP. If the employee is currently in a position in which they are utilizing the language, the earliest start date is the first day worked after they passed the test. If the employee took the test for a position or work-out-of-class that will not start until a future date, then the start date will be when they are placed into that position.

  1. To retain the pay differential, employees must retest and pass a language proficiency test every three years. 

Pathway Two

Pathway Two is for employees who are in City job classifications that are not on the Language Pay Differential Job Classification Eligibility List and/or their language is not listed on the City/County combined languages list, but they believe that their language skill removes barriers for the community and brings value to the City then Pathway Two can be initiated by the employee or manager/supervisor.

Manager/supervisor approval is required and is obtained through an automated process.

Also, managers/supervisors can designate additional and existing positions they have identified as benefiting from a language skill based on community need; or create new positions with a language skill designation (since newly designated, they may not be listed on the Language Pay Differential Job Classifications List).

Managers/supervisors can follow these steps for Pathway Two to have additional positions and/or languages considered for the Language Pay Differential

Link to Pathway Two Form

Step 1: 

  1. The manager/supervisor speaks with the employee currently holding the position for consideration about testing for the language pay differential.  

  1. The manager/supervisor completes Pathway Two form (link above).  

Step 2: 

  1. Human Resources will schedule a verbal language proficiency test with the City's designated testing provider based on availability listed on the submitted form.  

  1. Following the test, Human Resources will notify the manager/supervisor and the employee of the test results. Results are recorded by Human Resources in the employee’s personnel file.  

Step 3: 

  1. If the employee passed the exam, the manager/supervisor must inform the bureau timekeeper of the start and end dates of the language pay differential so the timekeeper can activate the premium switch on SAP. If the employee is currently in the position in which they are utilizing the language, the earliest start date is the first day worked after they passed the test. If the employee took the test for a position or work-out-of-class that will not start until a future date, then the start date will be when they are placed into that position. 

  1. To retain the pay differential, employees must retest and pass a language proficiency test every three years. 

Pathway Two - Employee initiated process

Employees who initiate Pathway Two can follow the same steps listed above. The manager/supervisor will receive an email notification prompting them to approve.

Alternate format - Download and complete this document for Pathway One or Two if you prefer to email the form and send to BHR Business Services.

Pathway Three

If an employee was not deemed eligible for the Language Pay Differential from a request submitted through Pathways One or Two, but they believe that their language skill removes barriers for the community and brings value to the institution, they can appeal through Pathway Three. The appeal will be analyzed and processed by the Office of Equity’s Citywide Language Access Program and the Bureau of Human Resources.

Link to Pathway Three Form

Alternate format - Download and complete this document for Pathway Three if you prefer to email the form and send to BHR Business Services

See something we could improve on this page? Give website feedback.