ITC People

When will staff reallocation take place?
Staff become DTI employees on the first day that DTI begins providing SEUS services to the centralized agency.

 
Will agency IRMs have any input on how an agency Merit IT position maps to a DTI exempt position?
Agency IRMs may provide their input on employee performance and interests, however, DTI staffing needs for each agency is the primary driver of employee position placement. DTI and the agencies will review the assessment results as well as the final recommendations for asset and resource allocation. The individuals taking part in those reviews will likely vary by agency.

 
Will reallocated staff report to a DTI supervisor/manager?
Centralized staff will report to a DTI Lead or Manager. These supervisors may be current DTI staff or newly reallocated personnel from centralized agencies.

Will all employees be required to transition from Merit to Exempt status?
No, ITC employees will not be required to transition from merit to exempt status. ITC personnel will be reallocated to a DTI position. The employee has 60 days from their date of transfer to express interest in becoming exempt. If an employee does express an interest in becoming an exempt employee (form provided at reallocation meeting), DTI HR will conduct a position and salary analysis for the employee. An offer letter will be provided to the employee when complete. Once the position has been offered, the employee has 3 calendar days to accept or decline.
If accepted, the employee is mapped to the DTI exempt position. Those who do not wish to become a non-merit employee will remain merit, at their existing salary, until they leave that position.

 
Are benefits for DTI employees the same or different than those for State Merit employees?
Most benefits are comparable. DTI employees accrue 13.25 hours/mo. of annual leave (as opposed to State of Delaware employees who must have at least 15 years before reaching this rate of accrual). DTI employees participate in the same State of Delaware Pension plan, same health insurance, same flexible spending, same other optional insurance coverages). A Merit employee’s years of service transfer to DTI. See the Merit and DTI Non-Merit Comparison reference for details.

 
Will employees lose their pension benefits if they reallocate to DTI?  New
Employees will not lose their pension benefits when reallocating to DTI. Pension service time and eligibility requirements remain the same. DTI participates in the Delaware State Employees’ Pension Plan.

 
What changes when I choose to relinquish my Merit status and become DTI Exempt?
DTI is an exempt agency. We follow State policy and Federal laws to ensure we do not discriminate against any employee regarding hiring and terminating employment. DTI does not fall under the State Merit grievance process which involves OMB Labor Relations and the Merit Employee Review Board (MERB). However, we do have an internal grievance process which involves meetings with various levels of management up to and including DTI’s CIO.

DTI has a unique, legislatively mandated, non-merit compensation system to make our agency competitive with the private sector. We also have an enhanced performance evaluation which utilizes a more robust system of evaluating employee performance and uses the evaluation as a component during pay increases. DTI is a Pay for Performance agency which is excluded from the merit pay plan. Pay increases are distributed at DTI’s discretion. For example, if the Legislature authorizes a pay increase, DTI receives a lump sum amount. Individualized increases are distributed based upon individual employee performance. Some may get more, some less, and even some may get none.

DTI has more flexibility in creation and implementation of work/life balance policies, such as Telecommuting and Compressed Work schedules, versus merit agencies. We offer, when budget is approved, education reimbursement of $4,000 per calendar year which is a higher rate than the merit agencies offer. The DTI Employment webpage has additional benefit details.

For the work I do, I have a Precision workstation and not a standard PC. Will I keep my current equipment?
Yes, DTI has various levels of performance machines. You will have the correct equipment you need to complete your job or to address any accessibility accommodations.

 
What are the rules and expectations for on-call and after-hours work?
On-call responsibilities are dependent on the specific service tower. Any expectations will be communicated by the manager. Typically, if a problem arises that necessitates after-hours work to get a system working properly again, you will be called upon to do your part. After-hours and on-call work is not taken lightly or trivialized. Every effort will be made to make sure it is a true emergency.

Will DTI be working with the State of Delaware to offer ‘retirement incentives’ in connection with IT Centralization and staff reallocation?
The State of Delaware has no plan to offer “buy-outs” or other ‘retirement incentives’ as the State anticipates the need more IT workers.

 
My skillset may be outdated; how will I fit in at DTI?
During the assessment and one-on-one discussion regarding staff reallocation, you will have an opportunity to identify your interests, along with your knowledge, skills, and abilities. DTI is committed to supporting their employees in obtaining desired training that supports our mission and our agency partners’ needs.

 
Will I lose responsibilities to more knowledgeable/skilled DTI employees once my agency is centralized?
Every effort will be made to assure that the assessment process captures an employee’s desires and work aspirations. DTI believes that, whenever possible, we all benefit when we can do the work that we are interested in and enjoy. We thrive when we can make the best use of our knowledge and skills, as well as have opportunities to continue our professional development.

 
Will reallocated staff receive training related to DTI technology and methodology?
Yes. DTI service towers have defined transition plans for incoming staff. Plans may include peer training, on-the-job training, boot camps, certification courses, etc.

 
Will I be fired if my position is reallocated, and I can’t learn quickly enough?
No. DTI has processes in place to help employees be successful such as Performance Management and Performance Improvement processes. Interim and Annual Performance Reviews and Career Development processes form the basis for managers and employees to agree on goals and objectives. When an employee and manager find that there are challenges, options include developing a Performance Improvement Plan to lay out expectations.

 
I am currently on a Performance Improvement Plan. What happens next? Will I be left behind, not pulled into DTI?
An individual will not be “left behind” due to a Performance Improvement Plan (PIP). Yes, the plan will follow them to DTI and remain in place if they continue in the same role and duties as today. We will work with them to improve their performance. If the individual is placed in a different position with new responsibilities, then the PIP would end.

 
Once transitioned to DTI, will we be on probation?
DTI is a non-merit agency and does not have a “probation” period.

 
Are there any examples of women who have been centralized into DTI and succeeded well beyond expectations?
DTI welcomes all diversity and has worked with various STEM efforts to increase the number of girls and women interested in IT careers. 33% of DTI is female and there are several women in leadership roles. Alexis Miller, formally of LegHall, was recently promoted to Lead Support Specialist. In this role, she serves as supervisor to a team of technical support specialists. It is up to each employee to take advantage of the available career path advancement opportunities.

 
Will there be promotion opportunities within DTI given the current salary caps and available positions?
Yes. The IT Workforce Modernization initiative will create new position profiles that include a growth track in all disciplines. Growth tracks begin with an Associate-level position. Our vision includes a “DTI University” which provides staff with the opportunity to develop the skills needed for promotional opportunities.

Will employees be required to relocate?
Maybe. It’s possible an employee may be asked to work in a different location based on team assignment, training, special projects, or meetings.

 
Is remote work or working from home on a regular basis available?
DTI has an Alternate Work Site policy. You would work with your new manager to make those decisions.

Will IT Centralization result in a loss of jobs or a reduction in force (RIF)?
NO, and no employee will see a decrease in salary. It is anticipated that a reduction in some teams will occur through attrition while augmenting staff in growth areas through retraining and new hires.