# Start a new state job at a higher step?



## pjsweat1 (May 8, 2007)

I'm trying to figure out if there is any truth to this or not. I had heard that in MA, you can negotiate a higher step at appointment. I understand many departments hire you as a student officer and there's no negotiation. However I have heard that if you were a state employee, but leave your union/collective bargaining agreement, that when you go to the gaining agency (enter into a new CBA) you can negotiate for something other than step I, based on experience and service with the Commonwealth. Is anyone here one of those HR types who does hiring/firing?

I tried to look on the HRD website as well as the red book and I can't find anything.


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## AB7 (Feb 12, 2019)

I got hired as a Campus Police Officer with DPH. Started at step 6 because of comparable experience and current rate of pay. But I seldom have seen it happen in any other agency. And DPH CPOs are glorified security where I worked.


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## Treehouse413 (Mar 7, 2016)

All depends on the CBA.


pjsweat1 said:


> I'm trying to figure out if there is any truth to this or not. I had heard that in MA, you can negotiate a higher step at appointment. I understand many departments hire you as a student officer and there's no negotiation. However I have heard that if you were a state employee, but leave your union/collective bargaining agreement, that when you go to the gaining agency (enter into a new CBA) you can negotiate for something other than step I, based on experience and service with the Commonwealth. Is anyone here one of those HR types who does hiring/firing?
> 
> I tried to look on the HRD website as well as the red book and I can't find anything.


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