Section 110 ILCS 70/36j - Promotions(a) The Merit Board shall by rules provide for promotions on the basis of ability and experience and seniority in service and examination and to provide in all cases where it is practicable that vacancies will be filled by promotion. For the purpose of this Section, an advancement in class shall constitute a promotion.(b) The Merit Board shall by rule fix lines of promotion from such several offices and places to superior offices or places in all cases where, in the judgment of the Merit Board, the duties of such several positions directly tend to fit the incumbent for a superior position.(c) Whenever a superior position in the promotional line in the classified civil service under the University System is to be filled, the Executive Director shall certify to the employer, in the order of their seniority, the names and addresses of the persons with the 3 highest scores on the promotional register for the class or grade to which said position belongs. The employer shall appoint one of those persons whose names were certified by the Executive Director.(d) Appointments to superior positions in the promotional line shall be on probation for a period of no less than 6 months and no longer than 12 months for each class of positions in the classification plan, the length of the probationary period having been determined by the Executive Director. Persons so appointed may be demoted at any time during the period of probation if, in the opinion of the employer, they have failed to demonstrate the ability and the qualifications necessary to furnish satisfactory service, but shall not be discharged from the superior position if they have previously completed a probationary period in an inferior position in the promotional line.(e) Employees promoted in the promotional line shall have their seniority for the highest position held on the basis of length of service in that classification. For the next lower classification, the employee may add his or her seniority in the higher classification to that in the lower to determine seniority in the lower classification.(f) Whenever a person is promoted to a superior position in the promotional line prior to the completion of the probationary period in any one of the positions in the classified civil service under the University System, total service in the inferior position and in all such superior positions shall be combined to establish certified status and seniority in the inferior position.Amended by P.A. 100-0615,§ 5, eff. 1/1/2019.Amended by P.A. 099-0072,§ 5, eff. 1/1/2016.