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Guidebook for City of Houston Municipal Employees
Section III - Your Pay
Compensation
The city considers your base pay and benefits to be the two major components of a total compensation package. Your base pay is the largest component. You also receive longevity pay that is given in recognition of your years of service. For specific information about the benefits component, see Section IV, “Your Benefits.” More specific information regarding the city’s compensation program and individual employee compensation can be found in the city’s Code of Ordinances, Chapter 14, Sections 71 through 74, “Compensation Plan.” Additionally, pay grades and salary information can be found on the HR Web site.
Longevity Pay
The city awards $2 per pay period for every complete year of service to full-time permanent employees. Longevity pay appears as a separate item on your pay stub. It increases automatically each year on the first pay period after your employment anniversary date, up to a maximum of 25 years, or $50 per pay period.
Your Pay Check
The work week is Saturday through Friday. Pay periods are two weeks in length. Paydays are every other Friday. You receive a paycheck the following Friday for the previous two-week pay period.
You may choose to receive your paycheck via a regular check or direct deposit. Direct deposit can save you time and a trip to the bank. The city encourages you to use this feature. Check with your department payroll representative for details.
Your pay stub describes how your net pay, or take home pay, is calculated. It lists: federal income tax, social security, benefits deductions, deferred compensation contributions, credit union loans, Medicare, pension contributions, and time off accruals, among other items.
To determine your exempt or nonexempt status, check with your department human resources liaison or look up your job classification at www.houstontx.gov/hr/salarypages/alpha.htm. Exempt or Nonexpempt status is indicated in the FLSA status column by an E or N.
Overtime Pay
The general rule for overtime at the City of Houston, and according to federal law, is that if you are nonexempt and work more than 40 hours in one workweek, you will be paid one and one half times (1 ½) your regular rate of pay for all of the hours worked over 40. Overtime is calculated separately for each workweek.
If you are a nonexempt employee, you may receive compensatory time instead, at the discretion of your department. Such compensation will be at the rate of time and one half (1 ½) for each hour of overtime worked. You may save or use earned compensatory time in accordance with the provisions of federal law and city ordinance.
In certain cases, exempt employees may be given compensatory time off at the rate of one overtime hour for each hour of time worked in excess of their customary schedules. Compensatory time off for exempt employees must be requested in writing by the department director and requires the advance approval of the Human Resources director. Refer to Chapter 14, Section 14-168.
If you have questions regarding the accrual, scheduling and/or the use of compensatory time off, please check with your supervisor or department payroll representative.
