La. Stat. tit. 33 § 2406
The director, after consultation with the appointing authorities concerned and resort to other measures of investigation and research which he deems desirable, shall cause to be prepared and submit to the commission for approval a pay plan for the classified service, comprising a scale of rates for each class. Each scale of rates shall be determined with due regard to the scales of rates for other classes, and to the relative difficulty and responsibility of the characteristic duties of positions of the class, the minimum qualifications requisite therefor, the prevailing rates of pay for similar employments outside the service, economic considerations, and any other factors that may properly be considered to have a bearing upon the fairness or adequacy of the rates of the pay plan. He shall also, from time to time, recommend changes in the pay plan rendered desirable by changes in classes, economic conditions, or other factors. The pay plan and change therein shall become effective for budget purposes when approved by the mayor with the consent of the governing body of the city, and shall be given effect to the extent expressly approved by the governing body or impliedly so approved by the making of appropriations based on estimates and recommendations of the mayor in terms of the rates of such plan.
The scale of rates for any class shall consist of a minimum rate, a maximum rate, and such intermediate rates as may appear to be necessary or equitable. Original appointment to any position of a class shall be at the minimum rate for the class, except that in unusual cases where economic or employment conditions warrant, the director may, with the approval of the commission, upon recommendation of the appointing authority, authorize appointment at a higher rate within the scale of rates for that position. When an employee is promoted, his pay shall be fixed at the minimum rate for the new class or shall remain at his last rate in his former position, whichever is the higher. When a regular employee is demoted, his pay shall be fixed at the maximum rate for the new class or shall remain at his last rate in his former position, whichever is lower. If a former employee is reinstated or reemployed in a position, his pay shall be fixed at the same rate as his last rate in his former position, if the former rate is within the scale for the class of the new position, and, if not, at the rate within the scale of the new position which is nearest his former rate. The rate of pay of any employee may be decreased under the conditions and subject to the procedural requirements hereinafter prescribed in this Part. The pay of all positions in the classified service shall be determined with reference to the pay plan in effect and in accordance with the provisions of this Part regardless of any provisions of law or appropriation for any different salary rate or mode of payment for any position. No employee in such service shall be paid any compensation for service as such except in accordance with the rate fixed under the provisions of this Part, and the rules adopted under its provisions. The rules shall provide for the procedures in making increases in pay within a range. The rules may provide for the payment of employees temporarily employed to meet special and unusual situations or for particular projects on completion of which their services will not be needed further, at rates not exceeding the prevailing rates or not more than fifty per cent higher than those provided for continuous employment under the maximum rates of such pay plan.
At the time of taking effect of a pay plan prescribed as herein provided, or any amendment thereto establishing or changing the scale of rates for any class, or any reallocation of a position under the provisions of this Part, the rates of employees in the positions of any class for which a scale of rates is so established, changed, or reallocated, shall be adjusted, within the limits of appropriations provided, as follows:
The rates of pay prescribed in the pay plan provided under the requirements of this Part shall be deemed to be the rates prescribed for full-time employment for the regularly established working hours, in any period for which payment is to be made, subject to provisions made under any provision of law for holidays and leave of absence with pay. When part-time service in any position is authorized or rendered, involving less than the regularly established number of hours of service in any period, the actual compensation to be paid shall be determined by the relation that the actual number of hours of service authorized and rendered bears to the number of hours of service involved in full-time employment. It shall be permissible to pay equivalent compensation on any other time basis than that expressed in the pay plan, when the interests of the service so require, but the rate of pay for the time unit employed shall be in the same ratio to the rate prescribed under the pay plan as the ratio of such time to the number of such units involved in full-time employment under the unit on which the prescribed rate of the pay plan is based, except as otherwise expressly provided herein. In any case in which any allowance is provided in addition to cash salary, such as meals, lodging, living quarters, laundry, and the like, including maintenance provided for others on behalf of the employee, but not including reimbursement of actual and necessary expenses authorized and incurred as incidents to the employment, all such allowances shall be treated as compensation in kind, involving part payment of the amount payable under the rate prescribed, and shall be deducted from the money amount payable to the extent of their cash value, as appraised by the director. Wherever part of the compensation or pay of any position is paid from a different appropriation, fund, or account, from that from which any other part of such compensation is paid, or is derived from any agency, outside the service of the city, all such part payments shall be deducted from the amount payable for any period under the rate prescribed, to determine the actual cash payment due the employee in such position for such period, so that the total compensation or pay received from all sources shall not exceed the amount payable under the rate prescribed. In any case in which the compensation or pay received from outside sources exceeds the amount payable under the rate prescribed under the provisions of this Part the employee concerned shall pay the excess into the city treasury to the credit of the general fund. No payment or allowance shall be made to any employee in respect of any service rendered by him for the city either in the discharge of his ordinary duties, or in the performance of other duties imposed upon him or which he may undertake to perform, that will have the effect of causing his total compensation or pay for any period to exceed the amount authorized hereunder, as determined by the rate prescribed, except when expressly authorized under any provisions made by due authority for payment for overtime work in excess of the hours required for full-time employment.
La. R.S. § 33:2406