Section 420.320  Trainees

a)         Trainee Appointments:  The Director of Personnel may establish trainee or apprenticeship programs for new and/or incumbent employees in accordance with the Position Classification Plan (80 Ill. Adm. Code 410) or at the request of an operating department.  No trainee position under this Section shall be established in any class other than a trainee class.  A trainee or apprenticeship program shall prescribe the purposes, objectives, curriculum, benefits and duration.  Trainee or apprenticeship programs may be established for one or more of the following reasons and purposes and shall be for the duration stated in the class specifications:

1)         To develop qualified employees through an established program of supervised training and experience;

2)         To cooperate with recognized educational institutions and organizations by making available opportunities for supervised training and work experience required for satisfactory completion of a cooperative or affiliate training program;

3)         To provide specialized orientation and training necessary for satisfactory performance of jobs in technical or professional fields;

4)         To attract and interest better qualified employees to State service by selecting outstanding persons and giving them supervised work experience during their period of academic training;

5)         In conjunction with Section 18c of the Secretary of State Merit Employment Code [15 ILCS 310/18c], to provide training or developmental work experience for persons with disabilities that would assist them in acquiring or augmenting employment skills and/or to provide employment opportunities of limited duration.

b)         Limitations on Trainee Appointments:

1)         Trainees appointed to a position in a trainee class after having qualified by open competitive examination in accordance with Section 420.300 may be promoted after successfully completing the prescribed trainee program and meeting the minimum education and experience requirements for the title for which they are training.  A 3 month probationary period will be served in accordance with Section 420.360(a)(2).

2)         Trainees appointed without open competitive examination may be promoted to the titles for which they are training after successfully completing the prescribed trainee program  and ranking among candidates in a reachable position for appointment on the appropriate open competitive eligible list.  A 3 month probationary period will be served in accordance with Section 420.360(a)(2).

3)         Trainees appointed to a trainee position without open competitive examination, whose positions are reallocated or reclassified to a non-trainee class during the trainee period, will be placed in provisional status in the class to which the position is allocated and shall establish eligibility for that position upon successful completion of an appropriate open competitive examination within 6 months from the effective date of the title change.

4)         Trainees appointed to a trainee position after having qualified by open competitive examination in accordance with Section 420.300, whose positions are reallocated or reclassified to a non-trainee class during the trainee period, will be placed in probationary status in the class to which the position was allocated and will serve a 6 month probationary period.

5)         Employee absences from work during a trainee period may, if necessary, extend the length of the trainee period by the length of the absences. If the trainee period is extended by absence due to suspension and the suspension is later reduced or rescinded, the time shall not extend the trainee period. The department may verify to the Director of Personnel that the employee satisfied the requirements of the trainee program, notwithstanding any absences during the trainee period. In no event is the trainee period to be extended beyond that allowed on the class specification for the trainee class. For purposes of this subsection (b)(5), a 12 month period shall be equal to 261 work days.

(Source:  Amended at 36 Ill. Reg. 12125, effective July 16, 2012)