1. (a) The first day of the pay period following completion of the probationary period is the employee's merit anniversary date if the employee enters the pay range at the beginning step.
2. (b) The first day of the pay period following completion of one year of service is the employee's merit anniversary date if the employee enters the pay range above the beginning step.
3. (c) This section also applies to the establishment of a new merit anniversary date whenever an employee's movement between positions requires a new probationary period under 2 AAC 07.245.
4. (d) The merit anniversary date of a partially exempt employee shall be determined as if the employee were in the classified service.
5. (e) If a merit increase is withheld under the provisions of 2 AAC 07.365, the employee's merit anniversary date shall be moved forward one calendar year based on full-time employment or a proportionately longer period, if appropriate under the provisions of (f) and (g) of this section. If a merit increase is subsequently granted before one calendar year, the employee's merit anniversary date shall remain the same.
6. (f) The merit anniversary date is based on full-time employment. The merit anniversary date for part-time and seasonal employees will be proportionately longer.
7. (g) The merit anniversary date must be moved one month later for each 23 days of leave without pay in a year beginning December 16 and ending the following December 15, unless the leave without pay is for a furlough under 2 AAC 07.407 or as otherwise provided under state or federal law.

(In effect before 6/28/84; am 6/28/84, Register 91; am 10/18/90, Register 137; am 8/24/94, Register 137; am 9/22/2004, Register 175; am 8/25/2005, Register 175)