Position Audit or Review

A formal position audit or position review with an employee or his/her supervisor is one tool used by classification specialists to gather first-hand information about a particular position. It is an interview designed to highlight the key or major aspects of a position. Findings are then compared to the current Office of Personnel Management (OPM) position classification standard(s) and other organizational materials to ensure that the position description accurately describes the major duties and is properly classified.

Position audits are conducted via telephone or at the employee's workplace (on-site audit) whenever possible. On-site audits are conducted only as a last resort to gain pertinent information that is otherwise unattainable. An audit is only conducted when significant changes are being proposed or have occurred to a position, such as: mission changes; downsizing; reorganizations; technological advances; additional duties, elimination of obsolete programs, practices and requirements, etc.; when it is determined that additional information is needed to classify the position. These and other changes can have an impact on the classification of the position in terms of its title, pay plan, series, and grade. These classification elements not only determine what salary the employee will be paid, but categorize the work experience he/she will gain while occupying the position, and specifies the qualification requirements (knowledge, skills and abilities) necessary when filling the position.

It is critical that the manager promptly advise HRSD of position and organization changes and provide information pertaining to the change (e.g., revised position description, revisioins to staffing plans, reorganization proposals, identifying the position(s) that will be impacted, etc.).