This chapter deals with classification systems in various types of business situations and government positions. It begins by discussing the three major types of classifications: rank in person, in which nonmanagerial workers are grouped into job classes by similarity of duties performed and everyone in the same classification gets the same pay rate, with some consideration for seniority and previous experience; rank in the corps, which is used in the military with commissioned officers where all officers of the same rank get the same rate of pay, with some getting bonuses for hazardous missions e.g. pilots and paratroopers; and rank in position, used in most government positions where the duties and responsibilities of the position and the qualifications required are used as the basis of pay rates (159-162).
Next the chapter discusses the Federal civilian service classification system, where there are a series of grades GS1 through GS18: the agencies analyze the positions and assign each an appropriate grade (162-163). Under rank in position, talented people can take on additional duties and ask their supervisor to recommend they be moved up a grade, but this cannot be done solely on the basis of amount of work done (163). Sometimes pay raises can be approved within grades, such as in the federal system where each GS level is divided into 10 steps. Some organizations recognize longevity with annual bonuses based on years of service.
The chapter next moves on the techniques of classification, and begins with position classification found most frequently in government organizations, where positions are classified according to qualifications, duties and responsibilities and paid accordingly (164-165). The benchmark factor system is discussed next, where a number range, 5-15, is applied to the qualifications, duties, and responsibilities of a job. This system is often used across whole organizations to equalize pay for work...