Overview
Classification is the process of analyzing the duties and responsibilities assigned to a position and then allocating that position to a class of work and a pay range.  A “position” is a set of duties and responsibilities requiring the employment of one person. Positions all have an official title, grade and position description. All positions having similar duties and responsibilities are grouped together in the same “class,” with each class having its own descriptive “class specification.”

What is a Class Specification?
An official document that defines the primary purpose of a specific class. It summarizes the nature and scope of duties and responsibilities; level of difficulty and authority; knowledge, skills and abilities necessary to perform the work; education, training, certification required; and other pertinent information.

Class specifications are referred to when there is a change of duties that may require movement from one classification of work to another classification on the basis of the specific duties, level of difficulty, responsibilities and qualification requirements. 

Class Specification Categories
There are nine categories of class specifications:

• White Collar
  • Clerical and Allied Occupations 
  • Administrative, Fiscal and Allied Occupations 
  • Recreation Occupations 
  • Engineering and Allied Occupations 
  • Public Safety and Allied Occupations 
• Blue Collar
  • Labor, Custodial and Domestic Occupations 
  • Trades and Allied Occupations 
  • Mechanical Equipment Operations Occupations 
• EM - Excluded Managerial Occupations

Other Resources

• State of Hawaii Class Specifications and Minimum Qualifications 
• City and County of Honolulu Class Specifications