Q. Are apprentices required to submit DAS 103 forms even after they complete their 3600 work process hours?
A. Yes. In order to complete an apprentice from their apprenticeship program, the IST office must receive at least 24 DAS 103-A forms. The forms must be signed by a supervisor and received by the IST office by the 10th day of the month (i.e., a June 103-A must be received by July 10th). In addition, the apprentice must have a minimum of 3600 work process hours, and meet or exceed the minimum required hours in each work process category.
Q. Can an apprentice earn credit towards their term of apprenticeship from prior work experience outside of CDCR, training obtained from a previous employer, or education earned from an accredited college or university?
A. Maybe. Credit can only be obtained from prior work experience if the Exceptional Apprentice Credit is approved through the LAS and the Apprenticeship Committee. The maximum credit earned is 12.5% (3 months) off the term of apprenticeship; no work process hours are awarded.
Q. Can an apprentice earn credit from a previous Out-Of-Class assignment?
A. Yes. The Local Apprenticeship Sub Committee (LAS)/IST Lieutenant may grant hour-for-hour credit for an out-of-class work assignment, while in an apprenticed classification (for example, a Correctional Officer performing a 3 month out-of-class assignment as a Correctional Counselor, can receive 3 months of credit toward the Correctional Counselor apprenticeship when he/she obtains permanent appointment as a CC I). Credit awards should be dependent upon the quality of the Apprentice’s documentation of work processes accomplished. The best documentation justifying such credit is a copy of the out-of-class assignment paperwork and DAS 103-As, reflecting the work process hours completed.
Q. What happens if an officer is called to active duty while on the apprenticeship program?
A. The Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act of 1994 (USERRA) requires that apprentices who are called to active duty are returned to apprentice status and apprentice pay when they return to employment. However, when the employee completes the apprenticeship program, their advancement to journey level pay (Range K) should be backdated to the date the employee would have received journey level pay were it not for their active duty service.
Q. What is considered a qualifying month?
A. A qualifying month for the apprenticeship program means one month credit granted towards the completion of the Apprenticeship Program for every month in which an apprentice forwards or submits to the LAS/IST Lieutenant his or her approved DAS 103-A form by the tenth of each month.
Q. How much credit is a Correctional Counselor I eligible for if he or she completed an apprenticeship program as a Correctional Officer?
A. In this scenario, a CC I apprentice is eligible for the following credit:
- 38 weeks or 10 months of credit.
- 1000 hours towards Category E. Additional Experience
- 200 hours towards Category B. Report Writing
- 300 discretionary hours (these hours can be applied towards any other Work Process Category)
Q. Who is responsible for submitting the apprenticeship completion documentation to the institution personnel office?
A. The LAS is responsible for notifying the institutional personnel office of an apprentice’s completion date as soon as the apprenticeship is successfully completed.
Q. When should an apprentice be indentured at the institution (CC I/Fire Captain I/Parole Agent-DJJ)?
A. Institutionally generated indentures should be forwarded to the ACO within 30 days of appointment.
Q. Does light duty or Workman’s Comp leave count towards the apprenticeship program?
A. No. Time spent on light duty or Workman’s Comp does not count towards completion of the AP requirements.
Q. Does an apprentice receive a credit award for a previous supervisory role such as Sergeant?
A. No. Sergeant is not a classification covered on the AP, so no credit award is given.
Q. How does the LAS/ IST Lieutenant become aware of new appointments to CC I, Fire Captain I, or other institutionally generated indentures?
A. In the monthly process of completing the LAS Monthly Meeting Minutes Report, the IST staff should contact personnel to inquire if there have been any new appointments. All areas of the LAS Monthly Meeting Minutes Report should be completed as all information is tracked and reported to the CPOST Executive Board.
