Grounds Maintenance Department

Progression Agreement | Progression Systems Questions & Answers

Progression Agreement

1. Employee enters Grounds Maintenance Department LG3.
   
   • After one year must receive State pesticide applicator’s license then moves to LG4
   • If requirements are not met employee moves back to their home department.
   • External candidates have a one-year probationary period.
     
     
2. LG4
   
   
   • Remain in LG4 for two years to move to LG6
   • To move to LG6 candidate must attend CNA course and take test. A 50% average on the CNA test will waive the in house written test.
   • High School Diploma or equivalent.
   • In house written and practical test (70% passing)
     
     
3. LG6
   
   
   • Must be in the Grounds Maintenance Department five years to move to LG8.
   • Six-month rotation, Spring-Fall, in each of three areas. Science/Central/Medical; Fields; and Golf Course. The schedule for the rotation will be pre-planned, at least annually, and designed to minimize involuntary transfers as employees move from area to area. After consultation with the Union and giving good faith consideration to the "Union" suggestions, the University will prepare a written curriculum of work duties or conditions unique to each area which employees on rotation will be exposed to, including a written plan for who will provide the necessary training or orientation for each point of the curriculum.
     
     
4. LG8
   • Must be in LG 6 three years to move to LG8.
   • A vacancy must be available.
   • Candidate for LG8 must take Custom Grounds Supervisor classes and take test. A 50% average on the Conn. Custom Grounds supervisory test will waive the in house written test.
   • In house written and practical test (70% passing).
     
     
5. LG10
   
   
   • Must be in LG8 for four years.
     
     
6. LG11
   
   • Must be in LG8 for four years or LG10.
   • Must possess Conn. Custom Grounds Supervisory License; at the Golf Course only, may possess the Golf Course Superintendent’s License instead.
   • Vacancy must exist.
   • Practical test and trial period will be given per contract.

Questions and Answers

1. Do I have to participate in the progression system?

No. It is entirely up to the individual to decide what is in his/her best interest.

2. What happens if I don't participate in the progression program?

You will remain in your current labor grade and continue to earn the same money as negotiated for your labor grade. If you are a LG4 Groundskeeper, you will automatically progress to LG5 Groundskeeper A after five years as a LG4 as you would have in the past. If you are a LG5 Sr. Groundskeeper, you will automatically progress to LG8 Sr. Groundskeeper A after five years as a LG5 Sr. Groundskeeper as you would have in the past. This grandparent agreement is only for grounds employees as of December 19, 1996.

3. If I opt to get into the progression system, do I have to rotate in each area?

No, but that will limit you to bidding into areas where you have met the rotation criteria. The rotation per area is six months within the spring through fall seasons. However, there is a transitional rotation period which lasts for two years, where the parties have agreed that only three months from the spring through fall will be necessary for rotation credit. This is limited to individuals that were assigned to the Grounds Department on or before December 19, 1996.

4. If I am not sure at this time, can I get into the rotation program at a later time?

Yes, you may enter the rotation program at any time. However, if you don't enter within the two-year transition period you will be required to rotate for the required six months instead of the transitional 3 months that has been agreed upon.

5. Is the new progression better for me or should I stay with the Purcell System?

This is a personal choice. It is probably better for some individuals to stay with the Purcell system until they meet the requirements of the new system that will give them a higher labor grade. For example, a current LG4 who is approaching his/her five years in grade will probably be better off to take the LG5 under Purcell if he/she doesn't yet meet all of the LG6 requirements. As soon as he/she meets the LG6 requirements he/she can move into the new system and become a LG6. Once an individual leaves the Purcell system, he/she cannot return to it.

6. If I am presently a LG8, how much credit do I get for previous experience before I can move to a LG9?

You get all service credit for the lower labor grades and credit for any in-house exams. However, it will be necessary to attend the CAN and Custom Grounds Course and take the appropriate exams as well as possessing the spraying license before you can advance to LG9. Movement to LG9 requires 4 years in LG8.

7. If I am presently a LG8 or 9, how much credit do I get for previous experience before I can move to a LG11?

In addition to the credit and requirements mentioned in question 6, you will be required to have four years as a LG8 or be a LG9 as well as possessing the Custom Grounds Supervisory License (Golf Course Superintendent Certificate may be used in lieu of Custom Grounds at the golf course) before you can move to a LG11. Movement to LG11 is not automatic. A vacancy must be posted.

8. If I am presently a LG5 with a CNA certificate and a Custom Grounds Supervisory or Golf Course Superintendent license, can I jump directly to a LG9?

According to the progression schedule, you must be a LG6 for a minimum of 3 years in order to be promoted to a LG8. However, since the skill sets are similar, your years as a LG5 will count toward the LG6 requirements. You must then serve four years as a LG8 before becoming a LG9.

9. If I am a LG4 now, but have not taken the CNA course, am I still
eligible to rotate into my areas of interest?

Yes. If a conflict arises between individuals desiring to rotate, classification seniority will prevail since operational requirements may limit the number of rotations that are permitted at one time.

10. Will I still get temporary promotions when I perform higher labor grade work?

Sometimes. When a Groundskeeper in LG3, 4, 5 or 6 is offered, accepts and performs the work of a Gardener LG8 as provided for in the contract, he/she will receive the temporary promotion and the same holds true for promotion to a Master Gardener LG11. Temporary promotions will not occur within a job description with one exception: all individuals in the Groundskeeper job description (LG3, 4 or 5) will be temporarily promoted to LG6 while snow plowing using a ride on/in vehicle. A LG8 Gardener will not be temporarily promoted to LG9 since he/she is in the same Gardener job description but may be temporarily promoted to a Master Gardener if he/she meets the appropriate criteria.

11. Under the new progression system, the University will not post any new Sr. Groundskeeper positions. What does this mean to me?

Everyone that is a LG4 or a LG5 Groundskeeper can now progress to a LG6 without the need for a posting as long as they fulfill the requirements as outlined in the program. Any current Sr. Groundskeeper may still automatically progress to the Sr. Groundskeeper A position when he/she has five years in grade and Sr. Groundskeeper A’s will remain the that title and grade as long as he/she wants unless he/she moves into the progression program.

12. Will I still qualify for the $0.40 under the new system?

Yes. The qualifications for the $0.40 have not changed under the new system. Those of you who are LG5 Groundskeeper A’s or LG8 Sr. Groundskeepers A’s will get the $0.40 when you move to another labor grade. Someone new in the progression will probably get the $0.40 after the yare a LG6 for 5 years. This assumes that he/she moves quickly from LG3 to 4 to 6. However, someone who transfers into grounds and already has the $0.40 will keep it.

13. What are the new job titles that will be posted in the future?

a. LG1 Student General Worker - available to Yale students only.

b. LG3-6 Groundskeeper - Any Groundskeeper in LG’s 3, 4, 5 or 6 can bid on these jobs without loss of pay or grade.

c. LG8-9 Gardeners - Any Gardener in LG8, 9 can bid on these jobs without loss of pay or grade.

d. LG11 Master Gardener.

14. When the University posts the LG11 Master Gardener positions in one year, will they back-fill the LG9's and LG8's that are vacated?

The University has agreed to initially back-fill those vacated jobs when the LG11's are filled. However, this is not a commitment for the future to any specific staffing level.

15. How many times may I take the CAN or the Customs Grounds Course?

You may take those courses as many times as you like. The University will pay your regular wages at any required course that you attend during regular work time for the first two times that you attend and up to 2 hours of pay for course attendance during regular work hours for the third time that you attend during regular work time. When operational requirements allow, you may take paid time off to repeat attendance at a particular course. Until you pass a particular course, the University will reimburse you for course fees regardless of how many times you take the course. Attendance is mandatory for reimbursement.

16. Will I have to complete all items in the training curriculum when rotating to different areas?

The rotation is intended to expose individuals to the core duties and skills that are most important in each area. A curriculum has been developed for each area which will serve as a training guideline. It is not expected that all items will be covered in detail. (Note: The individuals who serve a 3 month rotation would not be expected to cover as many items in detail in the curriculum as those who serve a six month rotation.)

17. What credit will alternative workers from departments other than grounds receive for their alternative work assignments in grounds areas?

These workers will receive credit for time worked in grounds areas while on alternative work, not to exceed six months. This credit may only be used in the progression to LG 4 and may not be applied to the rotation requirements.

18. I am presently a Sr. Groundskeeper LG5 entitled to a LG8 after 5 years in grade under the Purcell system. Can I progress to LG8 earlier than 5 years if I fulfill the new program requirements for LG8 without a LG8 vacancy?

Yes.

19. Will a LG3 be held accountable for all items in the Groundskeeper
Job Description?

A LG3 will only be held accountable for those items for which he/she has received training.

While this is not a complete list of questions and answers, we hope that this information has been helpful to you. If you have any questions, don't hesitate to ask them. Please refer to the progression agreement document dated 12/19/97 and modified on 07/18/97 for complete progression details. If there is any answer above which conflicts with the progression agreement document, the progression agreement document will prevail.