1301 - Exempt Employee Salary (Historical View)
** Effective: 4/27/2026 11:24:42 AM - Present **Status: Active
Change Notes
The policy is being updated to reflect the new request procedure via the Request Tracking System (RTS) as well as process clarification.
Category
Exempt Employees
Audience List
- Administrative Chiefs
- Agency Secretaries
- Personnel Officers
- Personnel Transactions Supervisors
Synopsis
This policy:
- Defines exempt employees and positions.
- Provides direction on where to locate exempt employee salary information.
- Describes how to request a salary change for an exempt employee.
- Explains the Exempt Position Request (EPR) process.
Introduction
California's State Constitution provides that members of boards and commissions, appointees of the Governor, and one appointee of each Governor's appointee shall be exempt from civil service. These employees are referred to as “exempt appointees” and are elected, appointed, members of boards and commissions, an appointee of the Governor, or an appointee of each Governor’s appointee.
Statement
The salaries of Exempt positions are set and adjusted based on various factors including degree of authority, scope of responsibility, sensitivity of programs, staff size, budget, complexity of duties, organizational relationships, and salary compaction.
Upon initial appointment, the exempt appointee shall be entitled to the rate within the salary range five (5) percent above the rate last received or the minimum of the range. New appointees are typically hired at the minimum of the salary range but if a higher salary is thought to be necessary, a request to hire above the minimum salary rate must be approved by the Governor’s Office (GO) and CalHR. Salary exceptions upon appointment must be approved prior to being offered to the candidate.
Departments are not authorized to provide any salary increases to exempt appointees, including salary increases within the current range of the exempt classification. All exempt salary increases require prior approval from Agency (if the department reports to an Agency), the GO and CalHR. Salary increases to exempt appointees and positions may be requested when there is a change in duties, organizational relationship, scope of responsibilities, etc. Additionally, such increase may be requested when there is evidence of salary compaction. Departments are notified via the Exempt Pay Letter when the salaries of exempt positions assigned to their department are adjusted and approved by the GO and CalHR. Exempt salary range information can be located in the Exempt Pay Scales, refer to the webpage link below.
Application
A department may request a salary increase for an exempt appointee by submitting an Exempt Position Request via the Request Tracking System and providing a justification indicating the reason for the salary increase, a duty statement, and organizational charts indicating the exempt appointee's reporting relationships both to subordinate and executive staff.
Authorities
Resources
PML
- PML 2012-007: PML 2012-007 - 3/30/2012 - Exempt Salary Program
- PML 2014-028: PML 2014-028 - 9/26/2014 - Procedures for Exempt Salary Increases
Web Pages
- Exempt Employee Salaries: Exempt Employee Salaries
- Exempt RTS Resources: Exempt RTS Resources
- Request Tracking System (RTS): Request Tracking System (RTS)
Authorized By
Manpreet Singh
Assistant Chief,
Personnel Management Division
Contact Person
Exempt Program
Exempt Consultant,
, Personnel Management Division
Phone: 916-909-3710
Email: EPR@calhr.ca.gov