A.  Construction and maintenance employees of the department shall be required to participate in a structured training program as contained in the secretary of the department’s Policy and Procedure Memorandum.  The department shall provide training at its own expense and shall allow employees to complete training during regular work hours.  The department shall notify employees in writing of their training requirements no less than six months prior to the department’s review of the employee’s record for merit increase purposes.

B.  If, in the course of reviewing an employee’s record for merit increase purposes, the department discovers that an employee has failed to meet or maintain the department’s training requirements, the department shall issue a formal letter of warning to the employee for failing to meet or maintain training requirements.  The letter shall include a list of the deficient training requirements and shall give notice to the employee that once the deficient training is completed, the employee’s merit increase shall be granted, provided that lack of training is the only reason for withholding the employee’s merit increase.  The letter shall also include notice to the employee that if the deficient training requirements are not met by the employee’s next anniversary date or by the next date the employee is eligible for a merit increase, the employee shall be subject to disciplinary action as authorized by the State Civil Service Commission and civil service rules.

Acts 1997, No. 1112, §1, eff. July 14, 1997; Acts 1998, 1st Ex. Sess., No. 77, §1, eff. May 1, 1998; Acts 2006, No. 461, §1, eff. June 15, 2006.