Department of Personnel Administration

Career Executive Assignments

Definition

CEA positions are

  • high-level managerial positions
  • for incumbents who exercise strong roles in the development and implementation of policy - for example, members of a Director's Cabinet or Executive Staff
  • usually found only in the first, second, and third organizational levels

o in the largest departments, some CEA positions may be found at the fourth level

o in small departments, they are normally only found at the first and second levels

State Personnel Board and DPA Roles

The State Personnel Board

  • develops the criteria used to determine CEA positions
  • approves new CEA positions
  • determines examination requirements
  • determines reinstatement rights when the State terminates an employee's CEA appointment

DPA determines

  • the appropriate levels of CEA positions
  • appropriate compensation

Types of CEA Classes

There are two types of CEA classes.

  • The broad CEA band has five levels and includes 90% of the CEA positions in the State
  • Special CEA classes account for the rest of the CEA positions, normally medical doctors or attorneys.

Examinations

The department (appointing power) tailors the exam to the position. The department can use an application review, oral interview, or any combination of testing methods.

The department assigns candidates a rank from one to six based on their scores.

  • If there are at least five candidates in the top three ranks, then the department can appoint anyone in the top three ranks.
  • If there are less than five candidates in the top three ranks, the department can appoint anyone in however many ranks are necessary to have at least five candidates.

Civil Service Eligibility

An employee must have civil service eligibility to compete for a CEA position.

Most CEAs get civil service eligibility by permanent appointments to civil service classes.

A few CEAs get promotional examination eligibility by serving at least two consecutive years as non-elected Executive Branch exempt employees whose salaries are not set by law.

Salaries and Pay Increases

DPA considers the CEA band as one class for salary. The five levels provide a basis for the SPB to determine merit-related issues such as transfer eligibility and reinstatement rights.

DPA publishes CEA levels criteria to assist departments in determining the appropriate level for each position. Each salary rate within the band is considered a flat rate. Once a department determines the appropriate level for a CEA position and selects a successful candidate, it selects the dollar rate it wishes to pay the employee. It could offer a rate below the minimum or above the maximum of the level. For example, if the employee has exceptional qualifications, the department could offer more than the maximum.

CEAs do not receive automatic merit salary increases each year. Their departments may grant them up to a 10% increase in a fiscal year based on performance and value to their department.

Their departments may grant a CEA temporarily given increased responsibilities a 5% to 10% limited duration salary increase for three months to two years. The limited duration salary increase is not subject to retirement deductions.

Special CEA Classes

The State established special CEA classes to give departments the option of filling a position with a current State employee or an outside hire. When the number of promotional candidates (that is, current State employees) is too small this is especially appropriate.

How this process works:

  • The State establishes the Special CEA class and a parallel civil service class at the same salary level.
  • If the department makes a promotional hire, the position uses the Special CEA class.
  • If the department hires a candidate from outside State service, the position uses the parallel civil service class is used.

Special CEA classes are typically limited to three salary steps.

The number of Special CEA classes has decreased in recent years because a department can now use the CEA band for promotional hires instead.

Termination of CEA Appointment

An employer may terminate a CEA appointment by giving a written notice 20 days in advance.

The CEA incumbent may appeal the termination to the SPB on limited grounds, such as termination based on age, sex, race, disability, religion, or political affiliation.

A CEA whose appointment is terminated has mandatory return rights to the last permanent or probationary civil service position he or she served in. This right applies only in the department that held the employee's prior position.

Some employees are also eligible for improved permissive or mandatory return rights.

  • A CEA with ten years of service including one year as a CEA receives a mandatory 90-day red circle salary rate in the department he or she returns to.
  • A CEA who terminates his or her appointment has permissive rights to a 90-day red circle rate.

The red circle rate is the CEA's current pay rate minus 5%. The department where the employee reinstates pays the red circle rate.

See our Excluded Employees page for links to more information.

Updated July 16, 2007 at 12:14 AM.

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