A Classification Audit
A Classification Compliance Audit Report on Information Technology Positions at Natural Resources Agencies
February 2019
Summary Analysis
A total of 335 (78.8 percent) of the 425 employees tested were classified correctly in accordance with the State’s Position Classification Plan. Employees tested included those performing information technology work at the following eight natural resources agencies (Article VI of the General Appropriations Act, 85th Legislature):
- Animal Health Commission.
- Commission on Environmental Quality.
- Department of Agriculture.
- General Land Office.
- Parks and Wildlife Department.
- Railroad Commission.
- Soil and Water Conservation Board.
- Water Development Board.
The agencies have taken or asserted they will take appropriate action to address the 90 misclassifications.
Information technology careers at state agencies cover a broad range of jobs. Employees who work in the information technology field perform duties such as computer programming, database administration, software development, preventing and detecting cybersecurity threats, analyzing and maintaining computer systems, and designing and maintaining Web sites.
In fiscal year 2018, the State employed 4,471 full-time and part-time classified employees in a job classification series within the Information Technology occupational category.
A total of 335 (78.8 percent) of the 425 employees tested at the 8 natural resources agencies (Article VI of the General Appropriations Act, 85th Legislature) were correctly classified in accordance with the State's Position Classification Plan. Specifically, of the 425 employees tested:
- 417 employees were in a job classification series that fell within the Information Technology occupational category.
- 8 employees were identified by their respective agencies as performing information technology-related work but were in a job classification series located within another occupational category.
Eleven (91.7 percent) of the 12 employees tested at the Animal Health Commission (Commission) were correctly classified. The Commission took appropriate action to address the misclassified employee and reclassified that employee into a different job classification series. There was no cost associated with reclassifying the employee.
A total of 134 (83.8 percent) of the 160 employees tested at the Commission on Environmental Quality (Commission) were correctly classified. However, of the 26 misclassified employees, auditors noted the following:
- The majority (69.2 percent) of misclassified employees were in an incorrect job classification series, including five employees who were also in the incorrect occupational category.
- 23.1 percent of misclassified employees will require a salary increase to bring their salary up to the minimum of the new salary range.
The Commission asserted that it will take appropriate action to address the 26 misclassified employees. Specifically, the Commission will:
- Reclassify 8 employees within the same job classification series but at a higher salary group.
- Reclassify 18 employees into a different job classification series.
As a result of the reclassifications, 6 employees will receive an annual salary increase ranging from $277 to $6,073 for a total annual cost of $16,232. There was no cost associated with reclassifying the other 20 employees.
Twenty (80.0 percent) of the 25 employees tested at the Department of Agriculture (Department) were correctly classified.
The Department took appropriate action to address the five misclassified employees. Specifically, the Department:
- Reclassified three employees within the same job classification series but at a higher salary group.
- Reclassified one employee within the same job classification series but at a lower salary group; however, this employee did not receive a reduction in salary.
- Reclassified one employee into a different job classification series.
There was no cost associated with reclassifying the employees.
Forty-three (86.0 percent) of the 50 employees tested at the General Land Office (Office) were correctly classified.
The Office asserted it will take appropriate action to address the seven misclassified employees. Specifically, the Office will:
- Reclassify five employees within the same job classification series but at a higher salary group.
- Reclassify two employees into a different job classification series.
The Office asserted that there will be no cost associated with reclassifying the employees.
Fifty-seven (64.8 percent) of the 88 employees tested at the Parks and Wildlife Department (Department) were correctly classified. However, of the 31 misclassified employees, auditors noted the following:
- The majority (67.7 percent) of misclassified employees were in an incorrect job classification series, including five employees who were also in an incorrect occupational category.
- 19.4 percent of misclassified employees will require a salary increase to bring their salary up to the minimum of the new salary range.
The Department asserted that it will take appropriate action to address the 31 misclassified employees. Specifically, the Department will:
- Reclassify 8 employees within the same job classification series but at a higher salary group.
- Reclassify 21 employees into a different job classification series.
- Change the job duties of 2 employees so that they can remain classified in their current job classification title.
As a result of the reclassifications, the Department asserted that 7 employees will receive an annual salary increase ranging from $1,212 to $7,920 for a total annual cost of $26,763.
Forty-three (74.1 percent) of the 58 employees tested at the Railroad Commission (Commission) were correctly classified.
The Commission took appropriate action to address the 15 misclassified employees. Specifically, the Commission:
- Reclassified 13 employees into the same job classification series but at a higher salary group.
- Reclassified 2 employees into a different job classification series.
There was no cost associated with reclassifying the employees.
Two (66.7 percent) of the 3 employees tested at the Soil and Water Conservation Board (Board) were correctly classified. The Board took appropriate action to address the misclassified employee and reclassified that employee within the same job classification series but at a higher salary group. The employee’s annual salary increased by $2,495 as a result of the reclassification.
Twenty-five (86.2 percent) of the 29 employees tested at the Water Development Board (Board) were correctly classified. The Board took appropriate action to address the four misclassified employees and reclassified those employees into a different job classification series. There was no cost associated with reclassifying the employees.
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