(a) Pay rates at each facility for paid inmate assignments shall be commensurate with the level of skill and productivity required and shall be set with the assistance of the Institutional Inmate Pay Committee. Pay rates shall be in accord with the following general pay schedule adopted and revised by the Secretary pursuant to the Administrative Procedures Act.

(b) Exceptions to the above schedule may be made in extraordinary circumstances. A wage comparable to that paid to inmates in the Prison Industry Authority inmate pay program may be paid for special projects or assignments that require a high degree of skill or expertise. Other exceptions may also be made in order to fill positions when recruitment or retention of inmate workers is a problem. Any exceptions based upon this subsection shall require approval, review and justification on an annual basis by the institution head or designee.

(c) Pay increases shall not be automatic or based on the inmate's longevity in an assignment. Increases or reductions in the pay rate shall be based on the work/training supervisor's recommendation, the inmate's work/training performance reports, subject to review and approval of the inmate assignment authority.

(d) Inmates may receive a pay increase only on a quarterly basis and only until the maximum pay rate for that assignment is obtained.

(e) Inmate performance rating and total hours in job categories shall be reviewed when changes in job classifications are being considered. Inmates approved for advancement to a higher skill classification shall enter the new classification at a pay grade equal or greater to their previous pay grade in the lower skill, unless the new assignment is to a non-paid position.

(f) The reason for any reduction in an inmate's pay rate, including either removing the pay status or decreasing the pay level from an assigned position or reassigning the inmate to a non-paid or lower paid position, shall be documented in the inmate's central file as follows: