Special Pays · Catalog
Special pays catalog by classification & prevalence
RFP-2026-308 §COMPENSATION STUDY item F asks how employees move through their ranges (COLA, off-cycle, step, merit), and item G asks us to resolve compression and equity, including supervisory. Special pays are the connective tissue: certification and skill-based differentials, assignment and shift premiums, and longevity recognition that sit on top of base. The catalog below is built to Virginia norms (DCJS for law enforcement, Virginia OEMS for EMS, Class I-IV water/wastewater operator licenses) with an indicative monthly value and prevalence (% of eligible incumbents currently receiving). Production figures pulled from Isle of Wight County payroll detail at award.
| Code | Pay name | Eligible families | Typical / mo | Prevalence (eligible) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DCJS-CDP | DCJS Career Development / Master Deputy incentive | Sheriff's | $165 | 38% |
| DCJS-GI | DCJS General Instructor certification | Sheriff's | $90 | 12% |
| FTO | Field Training Officer | Sheriff's, Emergency | $95 | 15% |
| K9 | K-9 Handler | Sheriff's | $150 | 4% |
| INV | Investigator / Detective differential | Sheriff's | $110 | 11% |
| SRO | School Resource Officer | Sheriff's | $110 | 7% |
| OEMS-AEMT | OEMS AEMT / Intermediate certification | Emergency | $85 | 34% |
| OEMS-PARA | OEMS Paramedic certification differential | Emergency | $260 | 22% |
| FIRE-OFF | Fire Officer / VA Fire Programs cert | Emergency | $95 | 26% |
| WW-LIC | Water/Wastewater Operator license (Class I-IV) | Public | $120 | 58% |
| ICC | ICC / DHCD Inspector cert (per discipline) | Community | $75 | 41% |
| GISP | GISP Certification | Information | $120 | 20% |
| SHIFT | Shift differential (evening / night) | Sheriff's, Emergency, Emergency, Public | $110 | 28% |
| BILINGUAL | Bilingual pay (Spanish) | Sheriff's, Emergency, Emergency, Social, County, Community, Voter | $75 | 6% |
| CDL | CDL differential (Class A/B) | Public, Public | $90 | 46% |
| ON-CALL | On-Call / standby (Utilities / PW / IT) | Public, Public, Information | $200 | 14% |
| ACTING | Acting / out-of-class pay (5-10% above base) | County, Sheriff's, Emergency, Public, Public, Community, Information | $350 | 5% |
| LONGEVITY | Longevity / service-step recognition | County, Sheriff's, Emergency, Emergency, Public, Public, Community, Parks,, Social, Constitutional, Information, Voter | $60 | 33% |
DCJS career-development & certification pay
Virginia sworn law enforcement is certified by the Department of Criminal Justice Services (DCJS), not ‘POST.’ Career-development and Master Deputy incentives are common across Hampton Roads sheriff's offices, and certification differentials run through Virginia OEMS (AEMT, Paramedic), the Virginia Department of Fire Programs, and Class I-IV water/wastewater operator licenses. We benchmark Isle of Wight's structure against the RFP-named peers so the ladder stays competitive without overpaying.
Acting & career-ladder pay
RFP §COMPENSATION STUDY items F and G turn on movement and equity: how staff advance through their ranges and how supervisory compression gets resolved. Acting / out-of-class pay (5-10% above base for designated periods) and step movement on promotion are the two levers. We document both and recommend bright-line policy language so HR isn't making one-off decisions.
Prevalence and monthly values illustrative. Production figures pulled from Isle of Wight County payroll detail (12 most recent pay periods) at engagement award.