CLASSIFICATIONS AND RATES OF PAY 4.1 The classifications of employees covered under this Agreement and the corresponding rates of pay are set forth within Appendices A through L which are attached hereto and made a part of this Agreement. 4.1.1 Effective January 4, 2023, base wage rates shall be increased by five percent (5%). 4.1.2 Effective January 3, 2024, base wage rates will be increased by four and one half percent (4.5%) 4.1.3 Effective January 4, 2025, base wage rates will be increased by one hundred percent (100%) of the annual average growth rate of the bi-monthly Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue Area Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W) for the period June 2022 through June 2023 to the period June 2023 through June 2024. However, this percentage increase shall not be less than two percent (2%) nor shall it exceed four percent (4%). 4.1.4 Effective January 10, 2026, base wage rates will be increased by one hundred percent (100%) of the annual average growth rate of the bi-monthly Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue Area Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W) for the period June 2023 through June 2024 to the period June 2024 through June 2025. However, this percentage increase shall not be less than two percent (2%) nor shall it exceed four percent (4%). After calculating new base wage for 2026 using the formula above, the base wage will have an additional one-point-zero percent (1.0%) added, the total not to exceed five percent (5%). 4.1.5 The base wage rates referenced above shall be calculated by applying the appropriate percentage increase to base hourly rates or as otherwise provided for herein. The rates in each Appendix are understood to be illustrative of the increases provided in Articles 4.1.1 through 4.1.4, and any discrepancies shall be governed by those Articles. 4.1.6 Employees will pay the employee portion of the required premium [listed as the WA Paid Family Leave Tax and the WA Paid Medical Leave Tax on an employee’s paystub] of the Washington State Paid Family and Medical Leave Program effective December 25, 2019. 4.1.7 Language Premium - Employees assigned to perform bilingual, interpretive and/or translation services for the City shall receive a two hundred dollar ($200.00) per month premium pay. The City shall ensure employees providing language access services are independently evaluated and approved. The City may review the assignment annually and may terminate the assignment at any time. 4.2 An employee, upon first appointment or assignment shall receive the minimum rate of the salary range fixed for the position as set forth within the appropriate Appendices attached hereto. 4.2.1 An employee shall be granted the first automatic step increase in salary rate upon completion of six (6) months of "actual service" when hired at the first step of the salary range, and succeeding automatic step increases shall be granted after twelve (12) months of "actual service" from the date of eligibility for the last step increase to the maximum of the range. Actual service for purposes of this Section shall be defined in terms of one month's service for each month of full-time employment, including paid absences. This provision shall not apply to temporary employees prior to regular appointment, except as otherwise provided for in Section 1.2.11 and except that step increments in the out-of-class title shall be authorized when a step increase in the primary title reduces the pay differential to less than what the promotion rule permits, provided that such increment shall not exceed the top step of the higher salary range. Further, when an employee is assigned to perform out-of-class duties in the same title for a total of twelve (12) months (each 2088 hours) of actual service, the employee will receive one-step increment in the higher-paid title; provided that the employee has not received a step increment in the out-of-class title based on changes to the primary pay rate within the previous twelve (12) months, and that such increment does not exceed the top step of the higher salary range. However, hours worked out-of-class that were properly paid per Article 5.9 of this Agreement, shall apply toward salary step placement if the employee’s position is reclassified to the same title as the out-of-class assignment within twelve (12) months of the end of such assignment. 4.2.2 Those employees who have been given step increases for periodic "work outside of classification" prior to the effective date of this Agreement shall continue at that step but shall not be given credit for future step increases, except as provided for in Section 4.2.1. 4.2.3 For employees assigned salary steps other than the beginning step of the salary range, subsequent salary increases within the salary range shall be granted after twelve (12) months of actual service from the appointment or increase, then at succeeding twelve