(a) Employee eligibility for awards will be measured in terms of assigned or expected job responsibilities. Eligibility shall be initially determined by the agency that employed the suggester at the time the suggestion was submitted. An employee is not eligible for an award for a suggestion pertaining to a subject assigned to him/her for research, development or solution for which he/she has a clear and specific responsibility to offer as part of his/her normal job requirements. In determining normal job responsibilities, the agency and/or the Board will consider the job description/duty statement, performance requirements, supervisors' interpretations, authority to place suggestions into effect, expectations of the classification job specification, and other factors, such as customary practice, which may have a bearing on the duties expected of the suggester.

(b) Employees appointed to career executive assignments (CEA), or exempt classifications with a collective bargaining designation of “managerial”, are not considered eligible to receive cash awards under the Employee Suggestion Program. These classifications are distinguished from others in the state civil service in that the duties and responsibilities are of a high administrative and top managerial nature. It is an inherent part of the job expectations and duties of employees appointed to such classifications to find efficient ways to improve the operation of state government.

(c) In cases where a dispute may arise between the adopting and/or employing agency and the suggester as to his/her eligibility to receive an award, the suggestion shall be forwarded to the Merit Award Program for review. Facts and opinions on the eligibility of the suggester may be solicited from the employing agency for review by the Board in formulating an official recommendation to the Department.

(d) To be eligible for an award, an employee must propose a change that has a direct effect on the reduction or elimination of state expenditure or improvement in the operation or safety of state government. An award will not be granted in instances where a suggestion has been adopted as a result of an action that is neither occasioned by nor resulting from the suggestion.

(e) As a condition of eligibility for an award, each suggester shall execute the following agreement:

(f) To be considered eligible for an award, suggesters whose proposals are implemented prior to the submission of an Employee Suggestion form (STD 645 Rev 12-95) must submit a form with appropriate verification within six months following the date the suggestion was first put into effect.