Title 28—Judicial Administration--Volume 1
PART 345—FEDERAL PRISON INDUSTRIES (FPI) INMATE WORK PROGRAMS
§ 345.10   Purpose and scope.
It is the policy of the Bureau of Prisons to provide work to all inmates (including inmates with a disability who, with or without reasonable accommodations, can perform the essential tasks of the work assignment) confined in a federal institution. Federal Prison Industries, Inc. (FPI) was established as a program to provide meaningful work for inmates. This work is designed to allow inmates the opportunity to acquire the knowledge, skills, and work habits which will be useful when released from the institution. There is no statutory requirement that inmates be paid for work in an industrial assignment. 18 U.S.C. 4126, however, provides for discretionary compensation to inmates working in Industries. Under this authority, inmates of the same grade jobs, regardless of the basis of pay (hourly, group piece, or individual piece rates) shall receive approximately the same compensation. All pay rates under this part are established at the discretion of Federal Prison Industries, Inc. Any alteration or termination of the rates shall require the approval of the Federal Prison Industries' Board of Directors. While the Warden is responsible for the local administration of Inmate Industrial Payroll regulations, no pay system is initiated or changed without prior approval of the Assistant Director, Industries, Education and Vocational Training (Assistant Director).
§ 345.11   Definitions.
(a) Federal Prison Industries, Inc. (FPI) —A government corporation organizationally within the Bureau of Prisons whose mission is to provide work simulation programs and training opportunities for inmates confined in Federal correctional facilities. The commercial or “trade” name of Federal Prison Industries, Inc. is UNICOR. Most factories or shops of Federal Prison Industries, Inc. are commonly referred to as “UNICOR” or as “Industries”. Where these terms are used, they refer to FPI production locations and to the corporation as a whole. UNICOR, FPI, and Industries are used interchangeably in this manner. For these purposes, Federal Prison Industries, Inc. will hereinafter be referred to as FPI.
(b) Superintendent of Industries (SOI) —The Superintendent of Industries, also referred to as Associate Warden/Industries and Education, is responsible for the efficient management and operation of an FPI factory. Hereinafter, referred to as SOI.
(c) FPI work status —Assignment to an Industries work detail.
(1) An inmate is in FPI work status if on the job, on sick call during the inmate's assigned hours, on furlough, on vacation, for the first thirty days on writ, for the first 30 days in administrative detention, or for the first 30 days on medical idle for FPI work-related injury so long as the injury did not result from an intentional violation by the inmate of work safety standards.
(2) Full-time work status. A work schedule for an inmate consisting of 90% or more of the normal FPI factory work week.
(3) Part-time work status. A work schedule of less than 90% of the normal FPI factory work week.
(d) Unit Team —Bureau of Prisons staff responsible for the management of inmates and the delivery of programs and services. The Unit Team may consist of a unit manager, case manager, correctional counselor, unit secretary, unit officer, education representative, and psychologist.
(e) Unit Discipline Committee (UDC) —The term Unit Discipline Committee refers to one or more institution staff members delegated by the Warden with the authority and duty to hold an initial hearing upon completion of the investigation concerning alleged charge(s) of inmate misconduct (see 28 CFR 541.15). The Warden shall authorize these staff members to impose minor sanctions for violation of prohibited act(s).
(f) Discipline hearing officer (DHO) —This term refers to an independent discipline hearing officer who is responsible for conducting Institution Discipline Hearings and who imposes appropriate sanctions for incidents of inmate misconduct referred for disposition following the hearing required by 28 CFR 541.15 before the UDC.
(g) Pretrial inmate —The definition of pretrial inmate in 28 CFR 551.101(a) is applicable to this part.
§ 345.20   Position classification.
(a) Inmate worker positions must be assigned an appropriate level of pay. All inmate workers shall be informed of the objectives and principles of pay classification as a part of the routine orientation of new FPI inmate workers.
(b) The Warden and SOI have the responsibility for position classification at each location.
§ 345.31   Recruitment.
Inmate workers for FPI locations may be recruited through admission and orientation lectures or through direct recruiting.
§ 345.32   Hiring.
(a) Inmate workers are ordinarily hired through waiting lists. Except as noted in § 345.33, inmates are to be placed on the waiting lists in order of receipt of applications for work with Industries, and are to be hired in the same sequence.
(b) Waiting lists are to be maintained and kept available for scrutiny by auditors and other staff with a need to know. SOI's are encouraged to maintain a waiting list for each FPI factory.
§ 345.33   Waiting list hiring exceptions.
(a) Needed skills. An inmate may be hired ahead of other inmates on the waiting list if the inmate possesses needed skills and the SOI documents the reasons for the action in the position classification files.
(b) Prior FPI work assignment. An inmate with prior FPI work experience during the inmate's current commitment and with no break in custody will ordinarily be placed within the top ten percent of the waiting lists unless the inmate was transferred for disciplinary reasons, was placed in segregation, or voluntarily left the FPI work assignment for non-program reasons (i.e. for some reason other than formal education, vocational training, drug abuse or similar formal programs). For example, an inmate transferred administratively for nondisciplinary reasons, and who has documented credit as a prior worker, is covered under the provisions of this paragraph.
(c) Industry closing and relocation. When an FPI factory closes in a location with two or more FPI factories, an inmate worker affected may be transferred to remaining FPI factories ahead of the top portion of the inmates on the waiting lists, so there is no break in active duty with FPI. Such actions are also in order where the work force of an industry is reduced to meet institution or FPI needs. An inmate transferred under the provisions of this part will have the same benefits as any intra-industry transfer.
(d) Disciplinary transfers. An inmate who is a disciplinary transfer from the last institution designated and who wishes re-assignment in FPI at the receiving institution may be hired on a case-by-case basis at the discretion of the SOI, who should consider the security level and reasons for the misconduct. Such an inmate, despite prior experience, is not due special placement on the waiting list, is not given advance hiring preference, and does not receive consideration for accelerated promotion back to the grade held at time of transfer.
(e) Special needs. For special needs, such as Inmate Financial Responsibility assignment to assist in paying a significant financial obligation or for release preparation, the unit team may recommend an inmate for priority placement on the waiting list. Such placement must be documented and include the reason for the exception.
§ 345.34   Refusal to employ.
(a) The SOI has authority to refuse an FPI assignment to an inmate who, in the judgment of the SOI, would constitute a serious threat to the orderly and safe operation of the FPI factory. A refusal to assign must be documented by a memorandum to the unit team listing reasons for the refusal, with a copy to the position classification files in FPI. Typically, the reasons should include other earlier (ordinarily within the past twelve months) documented violations of the FPI inmate worker standards or institution disciplinary regulations.
(b) The refusal to assign is to be rescinded when, in the judgment of the SOI, the worker no longer constitutes a serious threat to the FPI industrial operation.
§ 345.35   Assignments to FPI.
(a) An inmate or detainee may be considered for assignment with FPI unless the inmate is a pretrial inmate or is currently under an order of deportation, exclusion, or removal. However, an inmate or detainee who is currently under an order of deportation, exclusion, or removal may be considered for assignment with FPI if the Attorney General has determined that the inmate or detainee cannot be removed from the United States because the designated country of removal will not accept his/her return. Any request by an inmate for consideration must be made through the unit team. FPI does not discriminate on the bases of race, color, religion, ethnic origin, age, or disability.
(b) The SOI ordinarily makes assignments based on the recommendation of the unit team.
(1) New workers are ordinarily assigned at pay grade five. All first-time inmate workers shall enter at pay grade five and may be required to successfully complete a course in pre-industrial training or on-the-job training (as available) before promotion to pay grade four.
(2) An inmate who has not successfully completed pre-industrial or on-the-job training remains at pay grade five for at least 30 days.
(3) An inmate hired after having resigned voluntarily from FPI may be excused from pre-industrial training and may be hired at a pay grade based on previous training and experience.
§ 345.40   General.
This subpart authorizes the establishment of minimum work standards for inmate workers assigned to the Industries program at all field locations. The SOI may reproduce these standards and may also develop additional local guidelines to augment these standards and to adapt them to local needs and conditions. Local Industries shall place these standards and any additional local guidelines on display at appropriate locations within the industrial sites. Inmates shall be provided with a copy of these standards and local guidelines, and shall sign receipts acknowledging they have received and understand them before beginning work in the Industries program. In the case of a disabled inmate, alternate media or means of communicating this information and indicating the inmate's receipt may be provided, if necessary as a reasonable accommodation.
(a) At a minimum, each industrial location is to have work standards for each of the following areas:
(1) Safety—ensuring the promotion of workplace safety and the avoidance of activities that could result in injury to self or others.
(2) Quality assurance—ensuring that work is done as directed by the supervisor in an attentive manner so as to minimize the chance of error.
(3) Personal conduct and hygiene—ensuring the promotion of harmony and sanitary conditions in the workplace through observation of good hygiene and full cooperation with other inmate workers, work supervisors, and training staff.
(4) Punctuality and productivity—ensuring the productive and efficient use of time while the inmate is on work assignment or in training.
(b) Compliance with work standards. Each inmate assigned to FPI shall comply with all work standards pertaining to his or her work assignment. Adherence to the standards should be considered in evaluating the inmate's work performance and documented in individual hiring, retention, and promotion/demotion situations.
§ 345.41   Performance appraisal for inmate workers.
Work supervisors should complete a performance appraisal form for each inmate semi-annually, by March 31 and September 30, or upon termination or transfer from the industrial work assignment. Copies shall be sent to the unit team. Inmate workers should discuss their appraisals with their supervisors at a mutually agreeable time in order to improve their performance. Satisfactory and unsatisfactory performance ratings shall be based on the standards in § 345.40(a).
(a) The SOI is to ensure that evaluations are done and are submitted to unit teams in a timely manner.
(b) The SOI or a designee may promote an inmate to a higher grade level if an opening exists when the inmate's skills, abilities, qualifications, and work performance are sufficiently developed to enable the inmate to carry out a more complex FPI factory assignment successfully, when the inmate has met the institution's time-in-grade (unless waived by the SOI), and when the inmate has abided by the inmate worker standards. Conversely, the SOI or SOI designee may demote an inmate worker for failing to abide by the inmate worker standards. Such demotions shall be fully documented.
§ 345.42   Inmate worker dismissal.
The SOI may remove an inmate from Industries work status in cooperation with the unit team.
(a) The SOI may remove an inmate from FPI work status according to the conditions outlined in the pay and benefits section of this policy and in cooperation with the unit team.
(b) An inmate may be removed from FPI work status for failure to comply with any court-mandated financial responsibility. (See 28 CFR 545.11(d)).
(c) An inmate found to have committed a prohibited act (whether or not it is FPI related) resulting in segregation or disciplinary transfer is also to be dismissed from Industries based on an unsatisfactory performance rating for failure to be at work.
(d) Any inmate or detainee who is a pretrial inmate or who is currently under an order of deportation, exclusion, or removal shall be removed from any FPI work assignment and reassigned to a non-FPI work assignment for which the inmate is eligible. However, an inmate or detainee who is currently under an order of deportation, exclusion, or removal may be retained in the FPI assignment if the Attorney General has determined that the inmate or detainee cannot be removed from the United States because the designated country of removal will not accept his/her return.
§ 345.50   General.
Title 18 U. S. Code section 4126 authorizes FPI to compensate inmates under rules and regulations promulgated by the Attorney General. It is the policy of FPI to provide compensation to FPI inmate workers through various conditions of pay and benefits, except as otherwise provided in these regulations.
§ 345.51   Inmate pay.
(a) Grade levels. Inmate workers in FPI locations receive pay at five levels ranging from 5th grade pay (lowest) to 1st grade pay (highest).
(b) Eligibility. (1) An inmate shall accrue vacation time, longevity service credit, and shall receive holiday pay for the period of time the inmate is officially assigned to the Industries work detail. For limitations on claims, refer to § 345.66.
(2) Inmate workers may be eligible for premium pay as specified in § 345.52. Eligibility for other pay and benefits are described separately in this subpart.
(3) FPI pay and benefits are lost in cases of disciplinary transfer and segregation.
(4) An inmate returned to the institution due to program failure at a Community Corrections Center or while on parole or escape is not entitled to credit for time spent in Industries prior to said program failure. This rule also applies to any other program failure which results in a break in confinement status.
§ 345.52   Premium pay.
Payment of premium pay to selected inmates is authorized. The total number of qualifying inmates may not exceed 15% of first grade inmates at a location.
(a) Eligibility. Inmates in first grade pay status may be considered for premium pay.
(b) The selection process. Candidates for premium pay must be nominated by a foreman on the FPI staff, and recommended on the basis of specific posted criteria by a selection committee assigned by the SOI.
(1) The SOI, as the chief selecting official, must sign approval for all premium pay inmate selections. This authority may not be delegated below the level of Acting SOI.
(2) The selected candidate(s) are notified by the FPI Manager or by a posted list on the FPI bulletin board. A record of the selection and who was on the selection board is kept for documentation purposes. An inmate nominated to be a premium pay inmate may refuse the appointment without prejudice.
(c) [Reserved]
(d) Pay rate. Premium pay inmates receive a specified amount over and above all other pay and benefits to which they may be entitled (e.g., longevity pay, overtime, piecework rates, etc.). Premium pay is also paid for vacation, holiday, and administrative hours.
(e) Duties of premium pay inmates. Premium pay is a means of recognizing the value of those traits supportive of morale and good institutional adjustment. It is not a form of bonus or incentive pay for highly productive inmates.
(f) Transfer status of premium pay inmates. Premium pay status may not be transferred from institution to institution with the inmate worker. Premium pay status must be earned at each location.
(g) Removals from premium pay status. Removal from premium pay status may occur for failure to demonstrate the premium pay selection traits or for failure to abide by the inmate worker standards set forth in this policy. All removals from premium pay status shall be documented on the inmate's evaluation form. The following conditions also may result in removal from premium pay status:
(1) Any premium pay inmate found to have committed any level 100 or 200 series offense by the DHO is automatically removed from premium pay status whether or not the offense was FPI-related.
(2) Inmates absent from work for more than 30 consecutive calendar days may be removed from premium pay status by the SOI.
§ 345.53   Piecework rates.
Piecework rates are incentives for workers to strive for higher pay and production benefiting both the worker and FPI. Piecework rates may be of two major types: individual piecework (in which an individual's pay goes up or down depending upon his/her own output) or Group Wage Fund (in which all members of a group strive for higher rates or production output as a unit, and all share in a pool of funds distributed among work group members equally).
§ 345.54   Overtime compensation.
An inmate worker is entitled to overtime pay at a rate of two times the hourly or unit rate for hourly, individual, and group piecework rate workers, when the total hours worked (including administrative pay) exceed the FPI factory's regularly scheduled workday. Hours worked on days other than the scheduled work week (e.g., Saturday) shall be compensated at the overtime rate.
§ 345.55   Longevity pay.
(a) Except as provided in paragraph (b) of this section, an inmate earns longevity pay raises after 18 months spent in FPI work status regardless of whether or not the work was continuous. The service may have occurred in one or more FPI factories or shops. An inmate qualifies for longevity pay raises as provided in the table below:
(b) Exceptions. (1) FPI work status during service of a previous sentence with a subsequent break in custody may not be considered in determining longevity pay.
(2) An inmate in segregation or who is given a disciplinary transfer loses any longevity status previously achieved.
(3) An inmate who voluntarily transfers to a non-FPI work assignment loses any longevity status previously achieved. An inmate who leaves FPI to enter education, vocational training, or drug abuse treatment programs, however, generally retains longevity and pay grade status upon return to FPI, unless the inmate withdraws from those programs without a good faith effort to complete them. The decision on whether there was a good faith effort is to be made by the SOI in concert with the staff member in charge of the program.
§ 345.56   Vacation pay.
Inmate workers are granted FPI vacation pay by the SOI when their continued good work performance justifies such pay, based on such criteria as quality of work, attendance and punctuality, attentiveness, and adherence to industry operating regulations. The inmate must submit a written request for vacation time, ordinarily two weeks in advance of the requested vacation time. The work supervisor must recommend to the SOI the vacation time to be taken or paid. Eligibility for vacation pay must be verified by the Business Office prior to approval by the SOI. The SOI may declare an inmate ineligible for vacation credit because of an inmate's unsatisfactory work performance during the month in which such credit was to occur.
(a) An inmate may take accrued vacation time for visits, participation in institution programs or for other good reasons at the discretion of the SOI. Industrial managers should make every reasonable attempt to schedule an inmate worker's vacations so as not to conflict with the workforce requirements of FPI factory production schedules and Inmate Systems Management requirements.
(b) An inmate temporarily assigned to the Industrial detail, e.g., on construction details, also earns vacation credit which he or she must take or be paid for at the end of the temporary assignment.
(c) An inmate must take and/or be paid for vacation credit within sixty days after each annual eligibility date of the inmate's most recent date of assignment to FPI. An inmate who elects not to take vacation time must indicate this in writing. That inmate shall receive pay for the annual vacation credit in a lump sum on the regular monthly payroll. This amount is ordinarily paid within sixty days after the annual eligibility date of the inmate's most recent date of assignment to FPI. An inmate whose employment is terminated by release, reassignment, transfer, or other reasons, and who has unused vacation credit shall be paid for this credit on the monthly payroll.
§ 345.57   Administrative pay.
An inmate excused from a job assignment may receive administrative pay for such circumstances as a general recall for an institution, power outages, blood donations, or other situations at the discretion of the SOI. Such pay may not exceed an aggregate of three hours per month.
§ 345.58   Holiday pay.
An inmate worker in FPI work status shall receive pay at the standard hourly rate, plus longevity where applicable, for all Federal holidays provided the inmate is in work status on the day before and the day after the holiday occurs. Full-time workers receive one full day's pay. Part-time workers receive one-half day's pay.
§ 345.59   Inmate performance pay.
Inmate workers for FPI may also receive Inmate Performance Pay for participation in programs where this award is made. However, inmate workers may not receive both Industries Pay and Performance Pay for the same program activity. For example, an inmate assigned to a pre-industrial class may not receive FPI pay as well as inmate performance pay for participation in the class.
§ 345.60   Training pay.
Inmates directed by the SOI to take a particular type of training in connection with a FPI job are to receive FPI pay if the training time occurs during routine FPI factory hours of operation. This does not include ABE/GED or pre-industrial training.
§ 345.61   Inmate earnings statement.
Each inmate worker in FPI shall be given a monthly earnings statement while actively working for FPI.
§ 345.62   Inmate accident compensation.
An inmate worker shall be paid lost-time wages while hospitalized or confined to quarters due to work-related injuries (including occupational disease or illnesses directly caused by the worker's job assignments) as specified by the Inmate Accident Compensation Program (28 CFR part 301).
§ 345.63   Funds due deceased inmates.
Funds due a deceased inmate for work performed for FPI are payable to a legal representative of the inmate's estate or in accordance with the law of descent and distribution of the state of domicile.
§ 345.64   Referral of releasable medical data to FPI staff.
The SOI is responsible for ensuring that appropriate releasable information pertaining to an inmate's medical limitation (e.g., back injury) is made available to the FPI staff member who directly supervises the assignment.
§ 345.65   Inmate medical work limitation.
In addition to any prior illnesses or injuries, medical limitations also include any illness or injury sustained by an inmate which necessitates removing the ill worker from an FPI work assignment. If an inmate worker is injured more than once in a comparatively short time, and the circumstances of the injury suggest an awkwardness or ineptitude which in turn indicates that further danger exists, the inmate may be removed to another FPI detail or to a non-FPI detail.
§ 345.66   Claims limitation.
Claims relating to pay and/or benefits must occur within one calendar year of the period of time for which the claim is made. Inmate claims submitted more than one year after the time in question require the approval of the Assistant Director before an inmate may receive such pay and/or benefit.
§ 345.67   Retention of benefits.
(a) Job retention. Ordinarily, when an inmate is absent from the job for a significant period of time, the SOI will fill that position with another inmate, and the first inmate will have no entitlement to continued FPI employment.
(1) For up to the first 30 days when an inmate is in medical idle status, that inmate will retain FPI pay grade status, with suspension of actual pay, and will be able to return to FPI when medically able, provided the absence was not because of a FPI work-related injury resulting from the inmate's violation of safety standards. If the medical idle lasts longer than 30 days, was not caused by a violation of safety standards, and the unit team approves the inmate's return to FPI, the SOI shall place that inmate within the top ten percent of the FPI waiting list.
(2) Likewise, for up to the first 30 days when an inmate is in Administrative Detention, that inmate may retain FPI pay grade status, with actual pay suspended, and will be able to return to FPI, provided the inmate is not found to have committed a prohibited act. If Administrative Detention lasts longer than 30 days, and the inmate is not found to have committed a prohibited act, and the unit team approves the inmate's return to FPI, the SOI shall place that inmate within the top ten percent of the FPI waiting list.
(3) An inmate in Administrative Detention, and found to have committed a prohibited act, may return to FPI work status at the discretion of the SOI.
(4) If an inmate is injured and absent from the job because of a violation of FPI safety standards, the SOI may reassign the inmate within FPI or recommend that the unit team reassign the inmate to a non-FPI work assignment.
(5) If an inmate is transferred from one institution to another for administrative (not disciplinary) reasons, and the unit team approves the inmate's return to FPI, the SOI shall place that inmate within the top ten percent of the FPI waiting list.
(b) Longevity and vacation credit. Ordinarily, when an inmate's FPI employment is interrupted, the inmate loses all accumulated longevity and vacation credit with the following exceptions:
(1) The inmate retains longevity and vacation credit when placed in medical idle status, provided the medical idle is not because of a FPI work-related injury resulting from the inmate's violation of safety standards. If the medical idle results from a FPI work-related injury where the inmate was not at fault, the inmate also continues to earn longevity and vacation credit.
(2) Likewise, the inmate retains, and continues earning for up to 30 days, longevity and vacation credit if placed in Administrative Detention, provided the inmate is not found to have committed a prohibited act.
(3) The inmate retains, but does not continue earning, longevity and vacation credit when transferring from one institution to another for administrative (not disciplinary) reasons, when absent from the institution on writ, or when placed in administrative detention and found to have committed a prohibited act.
(c) Pay grade retention. Ordinarily, when an inmate's FPI employment is interrupted, that inmate is not entitled to retain his or her pay grade, with the following exceptions.
(1) An inmate retains pay grade status, with actual pay suspended, for up to 30 days in Administrative Detention. However, the inmate is not reimbursed for the time spent in detention.
(2) Likewise, an inmate retains pay grade status for up to 30 days while absent from the institution on writ, with actual pay suspended. The SOI may approve pay grade retention when an inmate is on writ for longer than 30 days on a case-by-case basis.
(3) If an inmate is absent because of a FPI work-related injury where the inmate was not at fault, the inmate retains his or her pay grade, with actual pay suspended.
§ 345.70   General.
FPI provides incentive awards of various types to inmate workers for special achievements in their work, scholarship, suggestions, for inventions which improve industry processes or safety or which conserve energy or materials consumed in FPI operations, and for outstanding levels of self-development.
§ 345.71   Official commendations.
An inmate worker may receive an official written commendation for any suggestion or invention adopted by FPI, or for any special achievement, as determined by the SOI, related to the inmate's industrial work assignment. A copy of the commendation is to be placed in the inmate's central file.
§ 345.72   Cash bonus or cash award.
An inmate worker may receive a cash bonus or cash award for any suggestion or invention which is adopted by FPI and produces a net savings to FPI of at least $250.00. Cash awards shall be one percent of the net estimated savings during the first year, with the minimum award being $25.00, and the maximum award being $1,000.00.
§ 345.73   Procedures for granting awards for suggestions or inventions.
Inmate suggestions for improvements in operations or safety, or for conservation of energy or material, must be submitted in writing.
(a) The inmate's immediate supervisor shall review the suggestion and forward it with comments and award recommendation to the SOI.
(b) The SOI shall ensure that all inmate suggestions and/or inventions formally submitted are considered for incentive awards by a committee comprised of Industries personnel designated by the SOI.
(1) The committee is authorized to award a cash award of up to $100.00 or an equivalent gift not to exceed $100.00 in value to an inmate whose suggestion has been adopted. A recommendation for an award in excess of $100.00 shall be forwarded to the Assistant Director for a final decision.
(2) The committee shall forward all recommendations for awards for inventions through the SOI to the Warden. The Warden may choose to add his or her comments before forwarding to the Assistant Director for a final decision.
(3) Incentive awards are the exclusive methods for recognizing inmates for suggestions or inventions.
§ 345.74   Awards for special achievements for inmate workers.
While recognition of inmate worker special achievements may originate from any FPI staff member, the achievement ordinarily will be submitted in writing by the inmate's immediate supervisor.
(a) The SOI shall appoint a local institution committee to consider inmates for special achievement awards.
(b) The committee shall forward its recommendations to the SOI, who is authorized to approve individual awards (cash or gifts) not to exceed $100 in value. A recommendation for an award in excess of $100 (cash or gifts) shall be forwarded, with the Superintendent's recommendation and the justification for it, through the Warden to the Assistant Director. The Warden may submit comments on the recommendation.
§ 345.80   General.
As earnings permit, FPI provides appropriate training for inmates which is directly related to the inmate worker's job assignment. Additionally, FPI administers a scholarship program to provide inmates with an opportunity to begin, or to continue with business and industry courses or vocational training.
(a) An applicant for FPI-funded training programs should be evaluated to determine sufficient interest and preparation to successfully complete the course content. The evaluation may be done by the Education Department, unit team, or other qualified personnel.
(b) An inmate selected to participate in FPI-funded training programs ordinarily must have enough sentence time remaining to serve to complete the training.
§ 345.81   Pre-industrial training.
FPI encourages the development and use of pre-industrial training programs. Such training ordinarily provides benefits to the inmate and to the FPI factory. Pre-industrial training also provides an additional management tool for replacing inmate idleness with constructive activity. Accordingly, each FPI factory location may provide a pre-industrial training program.
(a) Pre-industrial program trainees shall ordinarily begin at the entry level pay grade (grade 5). Positions for pre-industrial training programs are filled in the same manner as other grade five positions.
(b) Pre-industrial training is not a prerequisite for work placement if the inmate already possesses the needed skill.
(c) If pre-industrial training is available and the worker has not completed both the skill training and orientation phases of pre-industrial training, the inmate should be put into the first available training class.
(d) When pre-industrial training is not available, new FPI assignees will receive on-the-job training in pre-industrial pay status for a period of at least 30 days before being promoted into available fourth grade jobs.
§ 345.82   Apprenticeship training.
FPI provides inmate workers with an opportunity to participate in apprenticeship training programs to the extent practicable. Such programs help prepare workers for post-release employment in a variety of trades. Apprentices are given related trades classroom instruction in addition to the skill training during work hours, where necessary.
§ 345.83   Job safety training.
FPI provides inmates with regular job safety training which is developed and scheduled in coordination with the institution Safety Manager. Participation in the training shall be documented in a safety training record signed by the inmate.
§ 345.84   The FPI scholarship fund.
FPI shall award post-secondary school scholarships to selected, qualified inmate workers. These scholarships provide an inmate with the opportunity to begin or continue with business and industry courses or vocational training as approved and deemed appropriate by the Supervisor of Education.
(a) Eligibility requirements. The SOI and the Supervisor of Education at each institution shall develop application procedures to include, at a minimum, the following criteria:
(1) The inmate shall be a full-time FPI worker.
(2) The inmate has a favorable recommendation for participation from his or her work supervisor.
(3) The inmate meets all relevant institution requirements for participation (e.g. disciplinary record, custody level).
(4) The inmate is accepted by the institution of higher learning offering the course or program which is requested.
(5) The inmate must maintain a verifiable average of “C” or better to continue program eligibility.
(6) Before beginning the course of study, the inmate must sign an agreement to provide the SOI with an unaltered, original copy of his or her grades.
(b) Scholarship selection procedures. FPI scholarship awards shall be made by a three member Selection Committee comprised of the SOI, the Supervisor of Education, and one other person designated by the SOI.
(c) Scholarship program operation. (1) Ordinarily, one scholarship may be awarded per school period for every fifty workers assigned. At least one scholarship may be awarded at each institution location, regardless of the number of inmates assigned.
(2) Individual scholarships ordinarily should not exceed the cost of tuition and books for one course. Where several courses may be taken for the same cost as one, the inmate worker may be allowed to take more than one course.
(3) Scholarship monies are to be paid only to the institution providing instruction, or to the Education Department for transfer of funds to the college, university, or technical institution providing instruction.
(4) An inmate may not receive more than one scholarship per school period.
(5) An inmate must maintain at least a “C” average to be continued as eligible for further assistance. An inmate earning less than “C” must wait one school period of eligibility before reapplying for further assistance. Where a course grade is based on a “pass/fail” system, the course must be “passed” to be eligible for further assistance.
(6) An inmate awarded a correspondence course must successfully complete the course during a school year (e.g., 2 semesters, 3 quarters).
(7) An inmate receiving scholarship aid must have approval from the SOI and the Supervisor of Education before withdrawing from classes for good reason. An inmate withdrawing or “dropping” courses without permission shall wait one school year before applying for further scholarship assistance. An inmate may withdraw from courses without penalty for medical or non-disciplinary administrative reasons such as transfer, writ, release, etc., without first securing permission, although withdrawals for medical reasons must be certified in writing by the Hospital Administrator.