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Project Overview

Compensation & Pay Equity Project Overview

Harris County has completed a comprehensive Compensation and Pay Equity Project designed to strengthen fairness, consistency, transparency, and market competitiveness in how jobs are classified and employees are compensated across the County.

Conducted in partnership with Gallagher Benefit Services, Inc., the project included an extensive review of Harris County’s job classifications, salary structures, compensation practices, and external labor market data. The work established a more consistent countywide framework for evaluating jobs and administering employee compensation.

As a result of the project, Harris County implemented a new classification and compensation structure, including a streamlined salary structure and standardized job architecture designed to provide greater consistency across departments. The project also included a review of employee pay and resulted in salary adjustments for eligible employees based on the approved implementation methodology.

With implementation complete, the focus is now on maintaining and administering the new framework over time. Harris County Human Resources & Talent (HRT) continues to provide departments with guidance, tools, and resources to support consistent compensation and classification decisions.

Resources such as the Salary Administration Guide, Classification Framework, salary structures, and supporting tools are available to help managers and HR professionals understand the new framework and make informed decisions related to hiring, promotions, reclassifications, and other salary and position actions.

Together, these resources provide a foundation for a more consistent and sustainable approach to compensation—supporting Harris County’s ability to attract, retain, and recognize a talented workforce while promoting fair and competitive compensation practices.

Key Objectives

Job Classification Standardization

  • Standardizing job classifications across departments to ensure roles are clearly defined, consistent, and aligned with county needs.
  • Creating a streamlined and transparent process for managing recruitment, performance evaluations, and promotions.

Pay Equity Review

  • Assessing and addressing any pay disparities across departments, ensuring fair compensation for all employees.
  • Aligning with state and federal regulations to prevent future inequities.

Market Competitiveness

  • Benchmarking county compensation against relevant labor markets to remain competitive in attracting and retaining talent.
  • Analyzing pay scales in relation to regional and national markets, as well as peer organizations.

Project Approach

Gallagher Benefit, Inc.'s approach includes data collection, job analysis, and statistical analysis of compensation trends. Their methodology adheres to best practices and guidelines from the U.S. Department of Labor and the Federal Trade Commission, ensuring a robust and compliant evaluation.

The process will involve:

  • Collecting and analyzing data

    from published surveys, custom surveys, and external labor market sources.

  • Benchmarking jobs

    representative of the county's workforce to assess market competitiveness and compensation fairness.

  • Conducting a pay equity assessment

    to identify any disparities based on protected class status, with recommendations for remedies and policies to ensure ongoing fairness.
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