This section applies only to employees whose positions are in the Standard Pay Plan. An employee in the Standard Pay Plan shall be denied a pay increase in any year if: an appointing authority has imposed the denial as a disciplinary action under Title 11, Subtitle 1 of this article; or the appointing authority denies the increase because of: an extension of an employee's period of probation under § 7-403 of this article; lack of productivity; or excessive, unexcused absenteeism. An employee may not be denied a pay increase for reasons of performance that adversely affects the value of the employee to this State unless substantial reasons of performance were cited on the employee’s midyear or final performance appraisal forms. An employee who is denied a pay increase under this section may appeal the denial under the appeal procedures for disciplinary actions in Title 11 of this article.