FAQ's - MSI Restoration and Longevity - 2014

The following Frequently Asked Questions are available. By clicking on the link you will find the answer.

Frequently Asked Questions (MSI Restoration and Longevity - 2014)

1. Are State Employee’s receiving Merit Salary Increases (MSI’s) beginning July 1, 2014?

The 2013 Legislature, in AB 511, lifted the suspension of MSI’s effective July 1, 2014, for those employees who are not topped out (for classified employees step 10 is topped out).

2. Will all classified employees receive their Merit Salary Increase (MSI) on July 1, 2014?

No, unless the employee's Pay Progression date falls on July 1, 2014, otherwise, an employee will receive his/her MSI on his/her Pay Progression Date.

3. Will all State employees who are not topped out receive a step increase on July 1, 2014?

No, In addition to the information provided in question #2, classified employees with a "Does Not Meet Standards" evaluation may not be eligible. See question #12. Additionally, unclassified, non-classified and elected officials salary will not be changed as a result of lifting the suspension of Merit Salary Increases. If an unclassified employee is paid less than the top of the salary scale for his/her position, a separate action will be required to modify the employee's pay.

4. If an employee is due his/her Merit Salary Increase (MSI) on or after July 1, 2014, will the employee get all the steps that he/she would have received if step increases were not frozen?

At the time an employee receives his/her MSI according to his/her Pay Progression date, the employee will only receive a one-step increase.  Steps will not be retroactive back to the July 1, 2009, MSI suspension date.

5. What is a Continuous Service date?

The Continuous Service date is the date an employee started State service.

6. What is a Pay Progression date?

The Pay Progression date is also known as the employee's Merit Salary Increase date.

7. What is a Merit Salary Increase (MSI)?

A MSI happens on an employee’s Pay Progression date.  With a few exceptions, a full-time or part-time employee must receive a one-step increase once he/she has reached 2088 hours.   The MSI will continue yearly until the employee is topped out (step 10 for classified employees).  In order to receive a MSI, the employee must not exceed 240 hours of Leave Without Pay since the employees last Pay Progression date or whose last performance evaluation is "Does Not Meets Standards."

8. Is the Continuous Service date the same as the Pay Progression date/Merit Salary Increase (MSI) date?

Continuous Service date and Pay Progression date could be the same.

Example 1) If an employee started with the State on 3/1/2011 and has not taken a promotion to another position or was not auto-progressed in the same position two or more grades, the employee’s Pay Progression date would be the same as the employee’s Continuous Service date. 

Example 2) If an employee started with the State on 3/1/11 and accepted a promotion of two or more grades to another position or was auto-progressed in the same position two or more grades on 10/1/11 the employee’s new Pay Progression date would change to 10/1/11.  In this case, the employee’s Continuous Service date would not be the same as his/her Pay Progression date on which the employee’s MSI would occur each year.  



9. As an employee, how would I know my Pay Progression date and when I will receive my Merit Salary Increase?

Employees can refer to their most recent ESMT-A (pink copy) form distributed to them after any action occurring on their employee record. The Pay Progression date is located on the A.2 Dates line of the ESMT-A form. An employee may also contact his/her agency HR representative who will be able to help him/her determine the date of his/her Pay Progression.

10. Where can an agency locate a list of employee Pay Progression dates?

An Agency HR representative with access to the HR Data Warehouse can locate this information on the Employee Roster. The Employee Roster must be downloaded into an Excel spreadsheet in order to see the column titled "Pay Progression Date".

11. Will there be new compensation schedules effective July 1, 2014?

No.  Agencies will continue to use the current compensation schedules with the effective date of July 8, 2013.  There will not be any compensation schedule increases or decreases effective for July 1, 2014.

12. If an employee is currently deemed “Does Not Meet Standards” on his/her evaluation before July 1, 2014, and due for a Merit Salary Increase (MSI) on July 15, 2014 will the employee receive an MSI?

Agencies can refer to NAC 284.194 regarding an employee's MSI in relation to a substandard evaluation. Employees can only receive their MSI if their evaluation is "Meets Standards" or "Exceeds Standards". If an employee received a "Does Not Meet Standards" evaluation, for example on May 23, 2014, and will not have another evaluation completed and submitted to Central Records deeming the employee standard or above within the 90 day review period, an ESMT-A needs to be submitted to Central Records before the MSI date on the employee's record indicating Delay Merit Salary Increase (DMSI) along with deleting out the date within the Pay Progression date field. Once the employee "Meets Standards" another ESMT-A will need to be submitted giving the employee a manual MSI on the effective date the employee becomes standard or above and place a new date within the Pay Progression date field on the EMST-A (the date would be the employee's annual Pay Progression date the employee would have had if they were deemed "Meets Standards" advanced one year).

13. Are there any changes to the previous process on which an employee will receive a Merit Salary Increase (MSI) or Manual Merit Salary Increase (MMSI) either through NAC or the ADVANTAGE-HR System?

There are no changes that have taken place in regards to rules or system procedures. Agencies can refer to NAC 284 and to the Agency Human Resource Procedures in order to guide them through the MSI or MMSI process.

14. There is an employee who has been out on leave without pay (LWOP) periodically within the year and he/she is due to receive a step increase. Does he/she still receive his/her step increase on his/her MSI date?

Please refer to NAC 284.182 Sec. 5 (b) (3) (I) and (II). The Consultation and Accountability section of the Division of Human Resource Management can answer any additional questions regarding LWOP.



15. An employee is due to receive his/her Merit Salary Increase (MSI) in a middle of a pay period. When will the employee expect to see his/her increased hourly amount on his/her pay check?

If the employee is due to receive his/her MSI effective 7/15/2014, the employee will be paid on 8/1/2014 which pays for actions happening from 7/7/14 through 7/20/14.  This particular check will pay the employee for six days at the old rate and four days at the new rate.

16. Will longevity pay be paid in fiscal year 2015?

No. The Legislature did not reinstate longevity pay for fiscal years 2014 and 2015. Additionally, the 2015 Legislature eliminated longevity pay altogether.