511Case1

WAGE AND SALARY ADMINISTRATION

Case Assignment

Is There a Maximum Rate of Pay?

You are the Total Rewards Manager for Front Appliance Company. You are usually a pretty relaxed, friendly, and easy-going manager. Although you are a no-nonsense, competent executive, you are one of the most popular managers in the company. This particular morning, however, you feel a challenge ahead.

As chair of Front’s job evaluation committee, you called a late-morning meeting at which several jobs were to be considered for re-evaluation. The jobs had already been rated and assigned to Pay Grade 4. But the Office Manager, Ortho Janson, was upset that one of his employees was not rated higher. To press the issue, Ortho had taken his case to two executives who were members of the job evaluation committee. The two executives (Production Manager Peter Strong and Marketing Manager Margo Arms) then requested that the job ratings be reviewed. Peter and Margo supported Ortho’s side of the dispute, and you are not looking forward to the confrontation that is almost certain to occur. 

The controversial job is that of receptionist. Only one receptionist position exists at Front Appliances, and Rebecca Reichart held it. Rebecca has been with the firm 14 years, longer than any of the committee members. She is extremely efficient, and virtually all the executives in the company, including the president, have noticed and commented on her outstanding work. Peter and Margo are particularly pleased with Rebecca because of the cordial manner in which she greets and accommodates Front’s customers and vendors, who frequently visit the plant. They feel that Rebecca projects a positive image of the company.

To begin the meeting, 
you say the following:

But before you can finish, Peter interrupts: “I suggest we start with Rebecca.” Margo nods in agreement. When you regain your composure, 
you quietly but firmly assert:

Then you proceed to pass out copies of the receptionist job description to Peter and Margo, who are visibly irritated. 

Continue in the meeting and lead the discussion, in a conversational tone as if Rebecca were also in the room.

1.
Explain to the group why you insist that the job, not the person, be evaluated.

2.
Share with the others whether or not you think there should be a maximum rate of pay for every job in an organization, regardless of how well the job is being performed. Justify your response. 

3.
Rebecca is earning the maximum of the range for her pay grade. Discuss ways an employee at the top of his/her pay range might be able to obtain a salary increase. 
Be specific and give good examples that Rebecca might also be able to apply easily to her situation.

Use at least 
3 library sources and/or module materials to help strengthen and support what you say.

Submit your response by the module due date. Your response can be in one of the following formats:

· Audio recording (about 8 minutes, with a written reference list provided)

· Audio/video slide presentation (8 slides, not counting the cover or reference slide)

· Short video (about 8 minutes), with a reference list provided)

Note: Video, Audio, and Voice Over Slide Presentations

These presentations might take time to upload directly to the classroom. If you have slow internet, you may be timed out.

To resolve this, your submission may be uploaded to YouTube and the link shared. Set as 
public or unlisted, NOT PRIVATE. Unlisted means your audio/video/slide presentation will not come up in search results. Only those who know the link can view it, even if they do not have a YouTube account/username.

Important: Put the link to your video, slide presentation, or audio recording in a Word document and submit your Word document as the assignment to the Dropbox. Your professor will find the link and click it to access your submission. (Note: Slide presentations with written speaker notes normally load to the classroom with no issue.)

Assignment Expectations

Your submission will be evaluated using the criteria as stated in the Case rubric. The following is a review of the rubric criteria:

·
Assignment-Driven: Does the submission fully address all aspects of the assignment? Is the assignment addressed accurately and precisely using sound logic? Does it meet minimum length requirements?

·
Critical Thinking: Does the submission demonstrate graduate-level analysis, in which information derived from multiple sources, expert opinions, and assumptions has been critically evaluated and synthesized in the formulation of a logical set of conclusions? Does it address the topic with sufficient depth of discussion and analysis?

·
Business Writing: Is the submission logical, well organized and well written? Are the grammar, spelling, and vocabulary appropriate for graduate-level work? Are section headings included, if submission is in written form? Are paraphrasing and synthesis of concepts the primary means of responding, or is justification/support instead conveyed through excessive use of direct quotations?

·
Effective Use of Information: Does the submission demonstrate that the student has read, understood, and can apply the background materials for the module? If required, has the student demonstrated effective research, as evidenced by student’s use of relevant and quality (library) sources? Do additional sources used provide strong support for conclusions drawn, and do they help in shaping the overall submission?

·
Citing Sources: Does the student demonstrate understanding of APA Style of referencing, by inclusion of proper citations (for paraphrased text and direct quotations) as appropriate? Have sources (e.g., references used from the Background page, the assignment readings, and outside research) been included, and are these properly cited? Have all sources cited in the submission been included on the References page?

·
Timeliness: Has the assignment been submitted to TLC (Trident’s learning management system) on or before the module’s due date?