Current Employees

Compensation Overview

Records Building - 500 Elm Street, Suite 4100, Dallas, TX 75202
Phone: (214) 653-7638 • Fax: (214) 653-7608

Welcome to Dallas County’s Compensation Section

Dallas County recognizes that employees drive the success of the county. Employees bring new ideas, new thinking and new strategies for conducting business. They serve our customers, build roads, help the needy, work to save and build lives, administer justice, and provide protection for our citizens.

Dallas County administration realizes that to attract the very best employees to perform these functions, we must offer a total compensation package that includes competitive salaries, a full complement of benefits and employee work/life support services designed to keep our employees motivated, healthy, loyal, and dedicated to making a difference in their community. Every day.

Compensation Philosophy

The compensation system is implemented by the Human Resources/Civil Service department with policy oversight by Dallas County Commissioners Court, Dallas County Civil Service Commission, and the Sheriff’s Department Civil Service Commission.

The Commissioners Court establishes the compensation philosophy in Dallas County and reviews it during the annual budget cycle. Their guiding principles are:

• To pay competitive salaries;
• To reward outstanding job performance;
• To ensure internal equity;
• To achieve and maintain consistency, equity and fairness in evaluating positions;
• To administer the pay and benefit programs without regard to race, color, national origin, religion, sex, age, disability, political affiliation, or any other non-job-related characteristic; and
• To administer financially sound compensation programs.

Job Description Information

Each job in the system has a job description. The job description defines the duties, responsibilities and conditions of a job. Job descriptions also represent an agreement between elected officials, department heads and the employee regarding the duties, responsibilities and tasks of the job and the compensation level for which the employee agrees to perform those job duties. The job description, its pay and classification in the county’s compensation system must be approved by the Dallas County Civil Service Commission.

• Click here to view our Job Compensation Index.
• Click here to view our current salary schedules.

Job Classification Information

Classification of jobs in the compensation system is based on the Hay Point System (for exempt positions) or Point-Factor System (for non-exempt positions). Each evaluation system is designed to consider the various factors required to perform a job so that jobs with similar scope (knowledge, skills, abilities, problem solving, accountability, etc.) are paid equitably. Total points are assigned based on these factors. These points fall with in a range assigned to a job grade.

Job Reclassification Information

Job reclassification results from a significant change in the job content (scope) of a position including responsibilities, level of knowledge and accountability, such that it affects the assigned total point evaluation of the classification, resulting in a job grade change.

Example: Accountant, grade 12, current points = 280 with a point range of 275-295. No experience is required, only a degree; the job performs moderately complex accounting transactions, researches and reviews financial information and prepares financial reports; also, may supervise clerical staff. The position is given the additional responsibilities of supervising exempt staff over an accounting section (accountability), is required to perform complex accounting functions and have accountant experience. Therefore, the level of knowledge and accountability have increased resulting in an increase in the total assigned points to 330 points, which is within the range (322-342 points) for a job grade E.

The process for submitting a reclassification request is outlined below. Or, to view a process diagram click here.

• The department manager submits a request (along with justification, job description, and other documentation) to the Office of Budget and Evaluation (OBE) at the beginning of the budget process to have the position reviewed for reclassification.
• OBE reviews each request and makes a recommendation to Commissioners Court to approve or deny the request for review.
• Commissioners Court approves/denies the request for a review.
  • If approved, paperwork is submitted to the HR/Civil Service Department for review of the position and recommendation;
  • If denied, OBE informs the department during the budget briefing session or by memo.
• Approved requests are reviewed by the HR/CS Department and submitted to the Civil Service Commission along with its recommendations.
• The Civil Service Commission approves/denies the classification/reclassification recommendation.
• The requesting department is notified of the results.

Salary Schedules Information

A “salary schedule” consists of all the salary grades/ranges for a classification of jobs (i.e., Social Services, Technical, etc.) and determines what an employee will be compensated based on Dallas County’s internal value placed on the job.

• The jobs within each classification are “ranked” according to the number of “points” (i.e., 425 points, 520 points, 910 points, etc.) assigned during the analysis of the job (using the Hay Point System or Point-Factor System.
• Next, the “ranked” positions are grouped together according to ranges of point values (i.e., 400-500 points, 501-630, 631-700, etc.)
• Finally, those groupings are given a dollar (salary) range (i.e., $1,400 month - $2,050 month, $1,555 - $2,175 month, etc.), and a grade (i.e., A, B, 08, 10, etc.)

• Click here to view our current salary schedules.

Salary Determination

Determination of an applicant’s starting pay is based on the applicants’ level of experience, education, and skill level and the minimum requirements for the position. For most positions the hiring range is between the minimum and the maximum in-hire of the paygrade.

The hiring department submits a candidate’s employment application, education verification, and other documentation to Human Resources. HR determines whether the candidate is qualified for the position and prepares a salary analysis based on documented education and experience. An applicant’s verified education/experience is used to determine the salary range that will be communicated to the hiring manager/department. The hiring manager/department determines the salary within the range communicated by Human Resources.

In many cases, work experience/education may be substituted for each other.

Example: A job requires an Associate degree (equal to four years work experience) and two years of related work experience. An applicant has a high school diploma and six years of related work experience. In this example, the applicant’s education and experience meet the minimum experience requirements of this job, when substitution is permitted.

Pay Strategies

Various pay strategies are used to compensate employees. Dallas County continues to research and review other strategic options consistent with Dallas County pay and compensation philosophies to reward employees in a financially prudent manner. Current strategies, based upon an employee’s position may include:

• An increase of all salary schedules by the same amount (structure increase);
• Merit increases based on job performance;
• Education pay;
• Step increases;
• Longevity pay; and,
• Discretionary spending as a reward for one-time suggestions, projects, etc.