# Division 4. Salary Codified through Bill No. CB-018-2026, adopted May 12, 2026, effective July 24, 2026. Source: Municode, Supplement 2026 Update 2. Editorial notes and legislative history omitted. ## Division 4. Salary ### Sec. 16-123. Salary policy Prince George's County, Md., Code § 16-123 (2026) (a) The Director of Human Resources Management shall be responsible for administering and maintaining the County's Salary Plan in order to insure the recruitment and retention of qualified persons and the equitable compensation of all classified service employees. (b) The Director of Human Resources Management shall recommend general adjustments to all or certain salary schedules as necessary in order to maintain a reasonably competitive salary structure for the County in relation to the salary structures prevailing in the County's relevant labor market, after taking into account such factors as the County's revenue and financial projections, wage adjustment indicators, and productivity measurements. (c) The Director of Human Resources Management, at the request of the appointing authority, with the concurrence of the Chief Administrative Officer and the Director of Management and Budget, shall approve adjustments for current employees in order to ensure salary equity, to provide that pay for a supervisor is higher than pay for subordinate employees of the supervisor, or to ensure that compensation is aligned with the employee's relevant responsibilities, span of control, experience and education which may be above the minimum requirements of their appropriate class of work and applicable grade. ### Sec. 16-124. Salary determination Prince George's County, Md., Code § 16-124 (2026) (a) Pursuant to Section 903 of Article IX of County Charter, the compensation for all employees occupying positions in the classified and exempt services, except as provided in Subsections (b) and (c) below, shall be determined in accordance with the County's Classification and Salary Plans. (b) Pursuant to Section 402(5) of Article IV of County Charter, the compensation for exempt status employees occupying the positions of the Chief Administrative Officer and the head of each agency, department, and office in the Executive Branch of County government may be determined in accordance with the County Executive's Pay Plan, if not otherwise established under Subsection (a), above. (c) If not established in the County's Classification and Salary Plans, the salaries and wages of elected officials, members of boards and commissions, experts or specialists performing temporary services, and employees required to be covered by the State Merit System shall be determined in accordance with other applicable law, statute, or contract. ### Sec. 16-125. Transmittal, review, and approval of Classification, Salary, and Executive Pay Plans Prince George's County, Md., Code § 16-125 (2026) (a) Pursuant to Section 903 of Article IX of County Charter, the County's Classification and Salary Plans, and/or any proposed amendments thereto, shall be transmitted by the County Executive to the County Council for legislative action thereon. The Classification Plan and/or any proposed amendments thereto shall be transmitted in bill form. The Salary Plan and/or any proposed amendments thereto shall be transmitted in resolution form. (b) Upon the initial receipt of the Classification or Salary Plans and/or any proposed amendments thereto from the County Executive, the County Council shall transmit copies thereof to the County Personnel Board for the Board's comments and recommendations thereon, if any. (c) The County Council may amend all or any part of the Classification or Salary Plans and/or any proposed amendments thereto, except for the addition of items thereto governing employees in the Executive Branch, prior to taking final legislative action thereon pursuant to Section 317 of Article III of County Charter. However, the Salary Plan and/or any proposed amendments thereto shall stand approved if the County Council fails to take final legislative action thereon within sixty (60) calendar days after the date of transmittal thereof by the County Executive. (d) The procedures stipulated in Subsections (a) and (c) of this Section as applicable to the transmittal, review, and approval of the Salary and Classification Plans and/or proposed pay amendments thereto, shall be similarly applicable to the transmittal, review, and approval of the County's Executive Pay Plan and/or any proposed amendments thereto. ### Sec. 16-126. Pay periods Prince George's County, Md., Code § 16-126 (2026) All employees shall be paid on a biweekly basis. ### Sec. 16-127. Salary rate upon appointment Prince George's County, Md., Code § 16-127 (2026) (a) The salary rate for an employee, upon initial appointment to a vacant position in the classified service, shall be established at an amount aligned with the employee's relevant experience and education in the class of work and applicable grade. (b) Notwithstanding the provisions of Subsection (a), above, the Director of Human Resources Management may, at the request of the appointing authority, approve a rate within the applicable salary range based upon a consideration of an employee's exceptional qualifications, or an inability to recruit sufficient applicants due to a labor market shortage in particular classes of work. (c) A person who is appointed to a vacant position as a full-time career emergency response technician who has previously served as an active volunteer firefighter with a volunteer fire or rescue squad department or company for one or more years, has been a legal resident of the State of Maryland for at least two (2) full calendar years at the time of making formal application for competitive examination in order to be considered for initial appointment to the vacant position, and is currently residing within Prince George's County, shall receive the equivalent of one step of salary credit above the entry salary rate upon the presentation of evidence by such individual in such manner and form as prescribed by duly developed, approved, and issued personnel procedures and upon successful completion of training to become an emergency response technician. ### Sec. 16-128. Anniversary dates Prince George's County, Md., Code § 16-128 (2026) (a) The Director of Human Resources Management shall assign an anniversary date to each employee upon said employee's initial appointment, promotion, demotion, reemployment, and reappointment to a vacant position in the classified service, or such other date established in the Salary Plan. (b) An employee's anniversary date shall be utilized by the Director of Human Resources Management for purposes of determining the date for the initiation of official performance evaluations, consideration of subsequent merit step rate increases, and for application of credit for years served at the maximum rate for employees who are promoted, demoted, reallocated, displaced, reclassified, or transferred to a vacant position in the classified service. ### Sec. 16-129. Pay increase Prince George's County, Md., Code § 16-129 (2026) Following initial appointment, subsequent increases in an employee's salary shall only be granted under the provisions of Section 16-123 and where specifically authorized by the applicable pay plan. Salary increases or other special compensation payments will be authorized only in cases where the employee's overall performance appraisal is satisfactory and/or meets expectations or higher. Base pay increases may not exceed the maximum of the appropriate salary range. ### Sec. 16-130. Performance plan cycle Prince George's County, Md., Code § 16-130 (2026) The performance cycle will be based on the employee's anniversary date or the fiscal year (July 1 — June 30) as determined by the Director of Human Resources Management, during which time specific performance measures are to be taken in accordance with the administrative procedure established by the Office of Human Resources Management. ### Sec. 16-131. Salary rate upon and after promotion Prince George's County, Md., Code § 16-131 (2026) (a) The salary rate for an employee promoted to a vacant position in the classified service shall be established by the Director of Human Resources Management in accordance with the Salary Plan and applicable personnel procedures; provided, however, an employee's salary rate, upon promotion, shall not be established at a rate less than the minimum rate or in excess of the highest rate within the applicable salary range. (b) Whenever an employee returns to the employee's former position upon the completion of any promotion authorized under the provisions of Sections 16-148(a)(7)(C), 16-151(b), or 16-178, the employee's salary rate shall be reestablished by the Director of Human Resources Management as if the employee had remained in the former position. ### Sec. 16-132. Salary rate upon demotion Prince George's County, Md., Code § 16-132 (2026) (a) When an employee is demoted, except for demotions pursuant to the reallocation of a position to a class with a lower grade, or as set forth in Subsection (c), hereof, the rate within the salary range applicable to the position to which the employee is demoted shall be established by the Director of Human Resources Management in accordance with the Salary Plan and applicable personnel procedures. (b) Notwithstanding the above, in no event shall an employee's salary rate, upon demotion, be established at a rate below the entry level rate or above the highest salary rate within the salary range applicable to the position to which the employee is demoted. (c) In the case of any nondisciplinary demotion, upon written request of the appointing authority, the salary reduction otherwise required by this Section shall be determined by the Director of Human Resources Management, subject to the limitations of Subsection (b) and applicable personnel procedures. ### Sec. 16-133. Salary rate upon reallocation to a class with a lower or higher grade Prince George's County, Md., Code § 16-133 (2026) (a) The salary rate of an employee occupying a position which has been reallocated to a class with a lower grade shall be established by the Director of Human Resources Management at the rate within the salary range applicable to the class to which the position has been reallocated. However, if the employee's salary rate exceeds the highest rate within the salary range applicable to the class to which the position has been reallocated, the Director of Human Resources Management shall establish the salary rate at no more than the highest rate. (b) The salary rate of an employee occupying a position which has been reallocated to a class of work with a higher grade shall be increased by the Director of Human Resources Management in accordance with the established Salary Plan and applicable personnel procedures. ### Sec. 16-134. Salary rate upon transfer or reassignment Prince George's County, Md., Code § 16-134 (2026) The salary rate of an employee who is transferred or reassigned to a vacant position in the classified service shall be established by the Director of Human Resources Management as the same salary rate the employee received immediately prior to the effective date of the transfer or reassignment, as the case may be. ### Sec. 16-135. Salary rate upon reclassification Prince George's County, Md., Code § 16-135 (2026) (a) Whenever an established class of work is reclassified by increasing the assigned grade, the salary rates of all employees occupying positions within the class affected by such reclassification shall be established by the Director of Human Resources Management in accordance with the salary rates authorized by the salary range applicable to the revised grade; provided, however, that in no event shall any such employee's salary be reduced by the Director of Human Resources Management as a result of any such reclassification. (b) Whenever an established class of work is reclassified by decreasing the assigned grade, the salary rates of all employees occupying positions within the class affected by such reclassification may remain at the same salary rate that the employee received immediately prior to the effective date of the reclassification if the employee's salary does not exceed the maximum of the salary range. ### Sec. 16-136. Salary rate upon reinstatement Prince George's County, Md., Code § 16-136 (2026) (a) The salary rate of an employee who has been reinstated in the employee's former position shall be established by the Director of Human Resources Management as the same salary rate the employee received immediately prior to the effective date of the employee's involuntary separation from the position. (b) Notwithstanding the provisions of Subsection (a) of this Section, any such employee's salary rate, upon reinstatement, shall be adjusted upward or downward in the event that the salary range applicable to the position the employee occupies, upon reinstatement, has been revised during the period of the employee's involuntary separation from the position or to adjust for salary changes that may have occurred during the period of involuntary separation. ### Sec. 16-137. Salary rate upon reemployment Prince George's County, Md., Code § 16-137 (2026) (a) The salary rate within the salary range applicable to a vacant position within the classified service which an employee occupies, upon reemployment, shall be recommended by the employee's appointing authority and approved by the Director of Human Resources Management. In no event, however, shall the Director of Human Resources Management establish a salary rate for an employee, upon reemployment, at a rate in excess of the highest rate within the applicable salary range. (b) The salary rate of an employee who has been reemployed in a vacant position in the classified service with a grade lower than the grade applicable to the position formerly occupied by the employee at the time of the employee's involuntary separation, shall be established by the Director of Human Resources Management in accordance with applicable personnel procedures. ### Sec. 16-138. Salary rate upon reappointment Prince George's County, Md., Code § 16-138 (2026) The salary rate within the salary range applicable to a vacant position within the classified service which an employee occupies, upon reappointment, shall be recommended by the employee's appointing authority and approved by the Director of Human Resources Management. In no event, however, shall the Director of Human Resources Management establish a salary rate for an employee, upon reappointment, at a rate in excess of the highest rate within the applicable salary range. ### Sec. 16-139. Salary rates for authorized overtime Prince George's County, Md., Code § 16-139 (2026) (a) Overtime Salary Rates and Eligibility. (1) All full-time employees who are determined to be eligible for overtime salary rates in accordance with the applicable provisions of the Salary Plan, shall be compensated, in such event, at such special salary rates as are established under the applicable salary schedules within the Salary Plan for each hour or part thereof worked in excess of the total number of productive hours which constitute their standard work weeks or tours of duty. (2) All part-time employees who are determined to be eligible for overtime salary rates in accordance with the applicable provisions of the Salary Plan, shall be compensated, in such event, at such special salary rates as are established under the applicable salary schedules within the Salary Plan for each hour or part thereof worked in excess of the full-time equivalent of the total number of productive hours which constitute their standard work weeks or tours of duty. (b) Responsibilities of Appointing Authorities. Under the management direction of the County Executive, all appointing authorities shall be responsible for clearly and specifically directing and authorizing overtime work for employees under their jurisdictions; and, in the event such overtime is authorized, for insuring that sufficient funds have been budgeted and approved to support overtime salary costs. ### Sec. 16-140. Severance pay Prince George's County, Md., Code § 16-140 (2026) (a) Purpose. Severance pay constitutes compensation to an eligible employee based upon services rendered to the County when the employee is involuntarily separated from County service pursuant to a reduction-in-force action. (b) Eligibility. All full-time, permanent status employees who have been involuntarily separated from their positions under a reduction-in-force action, as provided under Section 16-188, may be granted severance pay by the County Executive if funds have been appropriated for such purpose and if such employees are otherwise eligible for such pay and can be compensated therefor in accordance with the provisions of this Section. However, the foregoing shall not apply to any such employee where the employee declines a transfer or reassignment to another vacant position prior to the effective date of any such separation; provided, however, that any employee shall be considered to have been involuntarily separated under a reduction-in-force action for the purpose of eligibility for severance pay if the employee does not decline a transfer or reassignment to another vacant position and if, upon receiving the required advanced written notice of separation under a reduction-in-force action from the Director of Human Resources Management, the employee resigns or retires from the position prior to the effective date of the separation. (c) Computation of Severance Pay. The amount of severance pay an eligible employee is entitled to receive shall be computed by the Director of Human Resources Management as follows: (1) The Director of Human Resources Management shall compute for an eligible employee a basic allowance. The basic allowance shall be computed on the basis of two (2) week's salary at the base salary rate, excluding special salary rates, the employee received immediately prior to the effective date of the separation for each three (3) full years of County service. (2) In no event, however, shall an employee's basic allowance, as computed in accordance with subparagraph (c)(1), above, be less than an amount equal to two (2) week's salary at the base salary rate, excluding special salary rates, received by the employee immediately prior to the effective date of any involuntary separation described under Subsection (b), above, provided that the employee had completed one (1) full year of County service immediately prior to the effective date of any such involuntary separation. (3) There shall be no pro-rata computations made with respect to any basic severance pay allowance authorized under subparagraphs (c)(1) and (2), above. (4) Any basic severance pay allowance to which an employee is entitled as of the effective date of any involuntary separation, as provided under this Section, shall be in addition to, and not in substitution for, any other salary and compensation the employee is otherwise legally entitled to at the time of any such separation. (d) Payment of Severance Pay. (1) Upon the effective date of the separation, an employee shall be entitled to receive the employee's total severance pay allowance, as computed under Subsection (c), above, at biweekly intervals until the total severance pay to which the employee is entitled has been exhausted. (2) Should an employee die before the employee's severance pay is exhausted, the balance of the employee's severance payments shall continue to be made to the employee's designated beneficiary. In the event there is no designated beneficiary, said payments shall continue to be made to the employee's estate. (e) Cessation of Severance Payments. Severance payments to an employee shall cease, if not exhausted, upon the reemployment or reappointment of the employee to a position in the classified service. The employee's appointing authority, upon such reemployment or reappointment, shall immediately notify the agency, department or office from which funds have been budgeted to support the severance payments that the employee has been reemployed or reappointed, as the case may be. (f) Recredit of Service. Should an employee become subsequently eligible for severance pay, as provided in Subsections (a) and (b), above, the Director of Human Resources Management shall compute the amount of the employee's severance pay at the time of a subsequent separation on the basis of all the employee's County service, as provided in Subsection (c), above, and shall deduct from the number of weeks required to exhaust the employee's severance pay, as recomputed, the number of weeks for which the employee previously received severance payments. In no event, however, shall an employee, upon any subsequent involuntary separation, receive less than two (2) week's pay as required under and subject to, the conditions of paragraph (c)(2), above. (g) Nonapplicability of Severance Pay. The preceding provisions of the Section shall not apply to any employee who is determined to be eligible for a severance pay allowance thereunder in any event where Prince George's County, Maryland, is defined as an employer under any State or Federal statute requiring the County to make payments or contributions for unemployment compensation benefits, and where any such employee has been determined by the Director of Human Resources Management to be entitled to receive unemployment compensation benefits under the terms of any such State or Federal statute by virtue of an involuntary separation under a reduction-in-force action. ### Sec. 16-141. Deferral of income Prince George's County, Md., Code § 16-141 (2026) Except as provided under Section 16-211 with respect to an approved deferred compensation plan, it shall be wrongful for the County to withhold payments of salary from one (1) calendar year to the following calendar year or years solely for the purpose of eluding earning limitations imposed under the terms of any Federal or State statute or existing annuity or pension plans. ### Sec. 16-142. Gross and net salary rates Prince George's County, Md., Code § 16-142 (2026) (a) Each employee's gross salary rate shall be the total amount established at the particular rate within the salary range applicable to the position occupied by the employee plus any additional amounts authorized and received by the employee pursuant to any of the special salary rate provisions of this Division. (b) Each employee's net salary rate shall be the employee's gross salary rate, less any salary deductions required by law or authorized by the written consent of the employee. ### Sec. 16-143. Effective dates of salary rate changes Prince George's County, Md., Code § 16-143 (2026) (a) The Director of Human Resources Management shall develop personnel procedures establishing the effective dates of all salary rate changes authorized pursuant to any of the provisions of this Division. (b) Any change in an employee's salary rate, as authorized pursuant to any of the provisions of this Subtitle, shall not be paid to the employee until said change has been approved by the Director of Human Resources Management. (c) In no event shall any salary rate change authorized pursuant to any of the provisions of this Subtitle be made retroactive by the Director of Human Resources Management unless otherwise required or authorized by law. CR-18-1995 provided that all salary rate adjustments may be made effective as of the first day of the pay period in which the adjustment occurs. ### Sec. 16-144. Recovery of unauthorized salary Prince George's County, Md., Code § 16-144 (2026) In the event that the County determines that a current or former employee has received an unauthorized amount of salary, the County reserves the right, upon due and proper written notification to the employee, to initiate appropriate action to recover any such unauthorized amount.