Section 280.30  Fire Equipment Distributor Employee License

An individual who is currently employed by a distributor licensed under the Act, whose full or part-time duties include servicing, recharging, hydro-testing, installing, repairing, maintaining or inspecting all types of fire suppression devices and/or systems, other than water sprinkler systems, shall apply for a Fire Equipment Distributor Employee License.  No person shall act as a Fire Equipment Distributor employee, or advertise or assume to act as such, or use any title that suggests the person is engaged in such practice or occupation, unless licensed by the Office.

a)         License Criteria for Fire Equipment Distributor Employee

1)         An individual applying for a Class 1, 2 and/or 3 license as described in Section 40 of the Act shall only be allowed to apply, and be examined, for those classifications that correspond to those of the distributor (see Section 280.20(a)(1)(B)).  The individual shall:

A)        Submit a completed application on forms provided by the Office;

B)        Pay the requisite fees of $20 per classification;

C)        Submit 2 1" X 1" photographs; and

D)        Register for and pass the certification examinations conducted by the Office through December 31, 2007 and by NAFED thereafter. A copy of the appropriate certificate issued by NAFED must be submitted (see Section 280.40).

2)         Upon successful completion of the examination and, after December 31, 2007, the receipt of a copy of the certificate issued by NAFED, the employee shall be licensed by the Office and issued an identification card.  This identification card shall be carried at all times the employee is engaged in a licensed activity and shall be made available for inspection by Office personnel upon request.

3)         Employees of a distributorship newly created after December 31, 1991 in which no employee holds a license issued by the Office will be subject to the following:

A)        Employee shall complete application forms provided by the Office;

B)        Employee shall pay the requisite fees of $20 per classification;

C)        Employee shall submit 2 1" X 1" photographs;

D)        The individual must register and be examined during the Office's next quarterly examination and, after December 31, 2007, must register and be certified by NAFED within 90 days after submitting his/her application form to the Office.  Until the individual takes the examination, the Office will issue a letter that shall be carried by the individual.  This letter will serve as an interim license and shall expire 30 days after the scheduled quarterly examination date.

E)        An individual who fails to successfully complete the examination must then work as a trainee and follow the provisions outlined in 41 Ill. Adm. Code 251.

b)         Renewal of Fire Equipment Distributor Employee License

1)         The Office will notify the distributor, by issuance of an annual invoice, 30 days prior to the expiration date of the employee license.  However, failure to receive the invoice from the Office is not a valid reason for operating on an expired license.  The distributor shall return the appropriate copies of the annual invoice, along with the following:

A)        Requisite classification fees for the employee, in accordance with subsection (a)(1)(B);

B)        2 1" X 1" photographs of the employee;

C)        A signed identification card for the employee (provided by the Office);

D)        For an employee licensed by the Office after December 31, 2007, a copy of the employee's current certification or recertification issued by NAFED; and

E)        Beginning January 1, 2008, for all licensees not certified by NAFED, evidence of satisfactory completion of continuing education as required by Section 280.55.

F)         Effective January 1, 2011, all employees must obtain and maintain a NAFED certification  and submit a copy of such certification to renew their license.

2)         Failure to renew an employee license by the end of the 90 day period following the expiration date shall lapse the license.  The lapsed license may not be reinstated until a written application is filed and the renewal and the reinstatement fees are paid (see Section 280.50).

3)         Renewal and reinstatement fees shall be waived for persons who did not renew while on active duty with the military and who file for renewal or restoration within 1 year after discharge from service.  (Section 60(c) of the Act)

4)         A lapsed license may not be reinstated after 5 years have elapsed, except upon passing an examination (under Section 280.40) and paying the required fees.  (Section 60(c) of the Act)

c)         Amending Current Employee Licenses

1)         Any licensed Fire Equipment Distributor employee who changes a name, address or distributorship shall inform the Office within 10 days, in writing, after the change and pay any requisite processing fees (see Section 280.50).

2)         Additional Classifications

A)        Any licensed Fire Equipment Distributor employee who applies for additional classifications, prior to the expiration date of the currently held license, shall:

i)          Submit a completed application that specifies the classifications to be added;

ii)         Submit payment of the fees for the additional classifications, in accordance with subsection (a)(1)(B); and

iii)        Register for and successfully complete the requisite examination for the classification to be added.

B)        The expiration date of the license the employee currently holds will remain the same for all classifications of the license, new and existing.

d)         Termination of Employment

Any licensed employee who terminates employment with the licensed Fire Equipment Distributor under whom the employee holds licensure is subject to the following procedures:

1)         The terminated employee shall return to the distributor, within 10 days after termination of employment, the identification card that was issued by the Office;

2)         Within 30 days after the termination, the distributor shall notify the Office, in writing, of the termination and return the employee identification card;

3)         The identification card and notification letter will be held in file until an application is made on behalf of the employee by another licensed distributor.  The expiration date of the employee license shall remain effective and shall be transferred to a new employee license issued under a new distributor.  (See Section 280.50 for requisite processing fees.)

            e)         Failure to Maintain NAFED Certification

The distributor shall notify the Office in writing and return the employee's identification card within 10 days after expiration of the employee's certification issued by NAFED.

(Source:  Amended at 32 Ill. Reg. 4191, effective March 5, 2008)