(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.