The Board of Commissioners (BOC), via Resolution 19-0628, authorized the Department of Human Resources Management (DHRM) to implement a one-time step comprehensive compensation adjustment plan. As a result, the Incremental Compensation Strategy (ICS) was created. Under the ICS, eligible Fulton County employees will be moved through the salary ranges for their respective classifications by adjusting the employees’ salaries to target salary amounts that are based on each employee’s individual tenure with the County.

Only permanent and part-time employees are eligible. Personal Staff of Elected officials are ONLY eligible if their Elected Official opts into the ICS program. Temporary Staff and Elected Officials are not eligible. Personal Staff of Judges in the Superior and State Courts are not eligible. Those employees will be covered by the Court’s Chamber Staff Compensation Program.

 

It is based on tenure and salary being below the target salary, as determined using the one-time step comprehensive compensation adjustment plan.

Tenure is defined as length of time since an employee’s most recent appointment after a separation of six (6) months or longer. All eligible employees’ tenure has been frozen as of January 1, 2020.

No, a lump sum payment will not be issued. The goal of ICS is to get you to your target salary by the end of a two year implementation period. Adjustments will be made to your annual salary or hourly rate going forward -- using a phased approach, with the first adjustment in July 2021.

Yes. Adjustments will be made to supervisor’s salary to maintain a minimum of a 5% gap between the direct supervisor and subordinate. Tenure calculations were frozen as of January 1, 2020.

Yes. Temporary, fee, and/or contract tenure time is calculated based on hours worked and captured in the historical records of the AMS system. For example, an employee may have been employed for the entire 12 month “calendar year” but only worked a total of 1,280 hours during that period. The 1,280 hours will converted into 7 months of tenure (1280/173.3).

Target salary is calculated based on grade and tenure as of January 1, 2020, using the one-time step comprehensive compensation adjustment plan.

No. Your ICS target salary will not increase if you receive a promotion during the implementation window. Tenure calculations and target salaries were frozen as of January 1, 2020. However, if the employee is demoted, whether involuntarily or voluntarily, the ICS target salary will be adjusted in accordance with the HR Demotion Policy and Procedure 304-16.

Example -- I am currently making $50k as a HR Consultant I. I received my ICS notice which states my ICS target salary is $60k. The first adjustment to $55k will occur in July 2021. If funding is available in 2022, the second ICS adjustment will move to the $60k target salary. My promotion to a HR Consultant III has a starting salary of $64k effective July 1, 2021.


Yes. In all scenarios where an employee’s base salary surpasses their ICS target salary, whether due to a promotion, higher than minimum or internal equity adjustment before or during the ICS implementation period, the employee will no longer be eligible for the ICS adjustment. However, we stress that employees should not decline any promotional opportunities in fear of becoming ineligible for an ICS adjustment.