Current State of Illinois employees may apply for promotional grades through the Department of Central Management Services, Division of Examining and Counseling. Promotional grades are available for most titles under the jurisdiction of the Illinois Personnel Code.
- Who is eligible for a promotional grade?
- To be considered eligible for a promotional grade, a current employee must hold or have held certified status in their most recent continuous service, or be in a trainee title and promoting to their targeted title. Certified status is defined as the successful completion of an original probationary period or promotional probationary period in a position under the jurisdiction of the Illinois Personnel Code.
- How does an employee verify that they have achieved certified status?
- Questions about an employee’s status should be directed to the employee’s personnel office.
- How does an employee apply for a promotional grade?
- Promotional applications (CMS-100B) [PDF, 169KB] are available for downloading
- Once completed, the application should be sent to:
- Promotional applications may not be submitted electronically to CMS at this time.
-
Central Management Services
Division of Examining and Counseling
401 South Spring Street
Stratton Office Building, Room 500
Springfield, Illinois 62706
- How does an employee bid on a job after receiving a promotional grade?
- A Bid Form [PDF, 26KB] will need to be completed and submitted to the hiring agency along with a copy of an online or CMS-100 employment application. Agency contact information for specific vacancies is located on the job posting notices which are posted on bulletin boards at the applicable worksites and may be accessed through the electronic Job Posting System.
- What are the procedures for promotional opportunities for participants of the Upward Mobility Program and who is eligible to participate?
- The State of Illinois Upward Mobility Program is a career mobility program designed to give state employees an opportunity to advance to more challenging, higher paying positions. It is a joint venture between CMS and AFSCME. For more information on eligibility and promotional opportunities, visit the Upward Mobility Website.
- How long are promotional grades valid?
- Promotional grades are valid for 3 years unless the employee accepts a promotion during that time period. At the time of promotion, the employee is removed from the promotional list for that title as well as any titles in a parallel or lower rank than the position the employee accepted.
- Participants in the Upward Mobility Program may retain promotional eligibility for up to 6 years. Participants should visit the Upward Mobility Website to obtain more information regarding eligibility.
- Are promotional grades issued for all job titles?
- No. Promotional grades are not available for trainee titles and certain entry level positions. However, a current state employee can request a promotional grade for any title with a higher maximum salary than their current position title maximum salary.
- Are there titles for which only promotional grades are given and only current state employees may apply?
- Yes. A complete listing is available on the promotional-only title page.