§18B-9-2. Definitions.
     The following words have the meanings ascribed to them unless the context clearly indicates a different meaning:

     (a) "Classified employee" or "employee" means a regular full- time or regular part-time employee of an organization who holds a position that is assigned a particular job title and pay grade in accordance with the personnel classification and compensation system established by this article or by the commission and council;

     (b) "Job description" means the specific listing of duties and responsibilities as determined by the appropriate governing board, the commission or council and associated with a particular job title;

     (c) "Job title" means the name of the position or job as defined by the commission and council;

     (d) "Pay grade" means the number assigned by the commission and council to a particular job title and refers to the vertical column heading of the salary schedule established in section three of this article;

     (e) "Personnel classification system" means the process of job categorization adopted by the commission and council jointly by which job title, job description, pay grade and placement on the salary schedule are determined;

     (f) "Salary" means the amount of compensation paid through the State Treasury per annum, excluding those payments made pursuant to section two, article five, chapter five of this code, to an organization employee;

     (g) "Schedule" or "salary schedule" means the grid of annual salary figures established in section three of this article; and

     (h) "Years of experience" means the number of years a person has been an employee of the State of West Virginia and refers to the horizontal column heading of the salary schedule established in section three of this article. For the purpose of placement on the salary schedule, employment for nine months or more equals one year of experience, but a classified employee may not accrue more than one year of experience during any given fiscal year. Employment for less than full time or for fewer than nine months during any fiscal year shall be prorated. In accordance with rules established by the commission and council jointly, a classified employee may be granted additional years of experience not to exceed the actual number of years of prior, relevant work or experience at accredited institutions of higher education other than state institutions of higher education. Note: WV Code updated with legislation passed through the 2012 1st Special Session