Call Laura Kenerson at 874-5271 with questions regarding Incentive Credits.

KEY POINTS:  INCENTIVE IN-SERVICE TRAINING PROGRAMS

Office of Training and Development
RI Department of Administration

All classified employees successfully completing an approved 4-credit curriculum will receive a salary increase.

There are 2 programs:

1.  Classified employees hired before July 1, 2001, who complete the program, will be granted a one-step
Pay increment next above the current base step, or if at the maximum of the grade, a pay increment equal in amount to the last step in the pay grade.  This amount will be retained by the employee annually, for their career in state service, unless they chose to opt-out and into the new program
(see #3), or leave state service and later return (see #2).

2.  Classified employees hired on or after July 1, 2001 who complete the program, will be granted a sum determined in the same manner as in #1, but will receive this sum for only 4 years.  For 3 years thereafter, the incentive award will be terminated, and no incentive requests can be made during these 3 years.  After the 3 year period ends, employees may again request courses for incentive credit, but not courses previously approved for incentive credit, nor courses similar to them.  This cycle may continue throughout the employee’s career with the state.

3.  Classified employees hired before July 1, 2001 wishing to opt-out of the program described in #1, and into the program described in #2, may complete an opt-out/opt-in form available in their Office of Human Resources.  The incentive award must be terminated before a course can be requested for credit under the new program.  Courses approved in the original program, and courses similar to them, cannot be taken again in the new program.  The employee cannot change back to the original program once the opt-out/opt-in choice is made.

4.  Rules for both programs:

• All course requests must be made on a CS-365 Request for In-Service Training Incentive Credit “green sheet” form, with all information filled out.
• This must be received by the Office of Training and Development (OTD) 7 days before the course start date – late requests will not be accepted.
• Employees whose requests are approved by the Office of Training and Development for incentive credit will receive a CS-372 “approval letter.”  Unless the employee receives the CS-372 “approval letter,” the course is not approved.  It is the employee’s responsibility to verify that the Office of Training and Development has received their CS-365 request.
• The Office of Training and Development may request additional information before a decision is made to approve or disapprove a course for incentive credit.  If a course is disapproved, the employee will be notified on a CS-372A form.
• All courses must be directly job related to the employee’s current job duties.  Courses taken for promotional advancement are ineligible.
• Each course must be 15 hours for ½ incentive credit and 24 hours for 1 incentive credit of in-class time.
• Course level (not too basic nor too advanced) must be appropriate to the employee’s job classification.
• All courses must be voluntary (if management requires attendance at a course, it is not eligible for incentive credit).
• Only 2 courses for credit can be taken at a time.
• All courses must have an exam component.
• Ineligible courses include those required by the job description; orientation, basic or refresher training; conferences, workshops or seminars; correspondence courses; courses taken before entry into state service; courses taken previously or similar to them; and those on new programs, policies or procedures.
• Completion credit will be given for non-state courses only when official transcripts are submitted to OTD by the employee.  Completion dates are those dates transcripts are received by OTD, not when the course ended.
• When each course is successfully completed, OTD will send a “verification of completion” letter to the employee’s Office of Human Resources.
• Upon successful completion of 4 credits, OTD will authorize the department’s Office of Human Resources to generate the pay increment.

Note:  Requirements for obtaining college degrees, CEUs, etc. are not criteria affecting the incentive credit programs, nor does who pays for the course or if it is taken on the employee’s time.

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If you have any questions, please call the Department of Administration, Office of Training and Development at 222-2178 or URI Human Resources at 874-5271