Classification & Compensation

Pay Plan Administration

Under the direction of the City Manager, the Director of Human Resource Management is responsible for the daily administration of the city’s Fiscal Year 2023 Classification & Pay Plan (PDF). This includes classifications and compensation studies, conducting salary surveys, and overseeing compliance with Federal, State, and local laws governing wages and hours of work.

The City Manager has overall authority for administration of the City’s Classification and Pay Plan, and may authorize variations in the application of the pay plan administration and may make adjustments and modifications as needed.

About the Pay Plan

Through the pay plan philosophy and established policies governing our Classification and Pay Plan, it is our goal to accomplish the following:

  • Maintain a pay plan that is equitable in a competitive market
  • Recognize and reward employee initiative and achievements
  • Provide opportunities that integrate compensation with the City’s short and long-term performance management goals
  • Allow the City to attract, develop, retain and motivate a talented workforce critical to our success yet, consistent with our vision for quality of life

Our compensation system is market-based and shall be defined in reference to salaries paid in the following Hampton Roads cities:

  • Chesapeake
  • Hampton
  • Newport News
  • Norfolk
  • Suffolk
  • Virginia Beach

Pay Plan Policies

It shall be policy that:

  • The City of Portsmouth is an equal opportunity employer and maintains fair and equitable salary administration practices for both internal and external salary actions based on an individual’s proven qualifications for a position, overall job performance, and the degree to which an employee’s performance and job conduct meets or exceeds expectations.
  • We have established guidelines to assist in providing for the consistent administration of salary actions. It should be noted these guidelines do not establish a set formula or percentage for determining salary offers or the amount of adjustments. Salary offers and salary adjustments will be based on overall consideration of relevant circumstances of the individual case. In all situations, employee salaries may not exceed the maximum salary of the established grade associated with the position.
  • The City Manager retains the authority to make administrative salary adjustments, to create additional classifications, reclassifications, appointments, and positions. Recommendations approved by the City Manager shall become effective on the date determined by the City Manager and after funds have been included in the budget.
  • In addition, we administer the job description library for our classifications, which will be available online soon.