Remember...Recertify!
by
Karen McElroy, PP, PLS
NALS Certifying Board
Do you remember the day and how you felt when NALS notified
you that you successfully passed your certification exam? My
“feeling happy” button was activated immediately and I
still feel such pride when I remember how and why I accomplished
this goal for myself. When NALS sends your certificate
in the mail it is your official recognition that guarantees
you have met the qualifications and achieved a professional
standard of certification. Now, if we all stop to
remember the time and efforts we devoted to studying and
achieving certification status, and how this professional
designation has given us more career opportunities, why
would we risk it all by not remembering to take steps to
remain active and recertify with NALS?
Most of you are diligent about attending educational conferences
to earn CLE credits because I see you at conferences and
in the On-Line Learning Center. I read your articles
in newsletters and NALS publications, and also many of
you earn credits by teaching seminars or workshops. Participating
in educational activities is the fun and easy part of recertification. But
where do you put the CLE certificate after you’ve returned
home from a conference or you’ve accomplished the educational
task? Do you keep the CLE certificates organized
and available when you need to complete the recertification
application? Maintaining a file of concise and accurate
information will help you qualify for recertification and
allow you to submit the application in a timely fashion
to the NALS Resource Center. Creating a chart that
lists the date of the activity, topic and points earned
is an extremely useful tool. And you can also use
this same chart to annotate or highlight when your five-year
validity period will expire for your certification.
Here’s a fun way to “remember” with helpful hints regarding
recertification:
R |
Required every five years
to maintain certification as a PLS or PP. Applicants
must accumulate 75 points in education credits (for
PP recertification a minimum of 5 points must be
re: ethics). |
E |
Earn recertification
points by participating in educational activities
(for example, attendance at seminars/workshops, NALS
Online Learning Center, teaching seminars/workshops,
and successful completion of postsecondary education
courses). |
M |
Mandatory recertification
for PLS certificates received after March 1994 (voluntary
category of recertification for those attaining PLS
certification before March 1994). Mandatory
recertification applies to all individuals with a
PP certification. |
E |
Emeritus status is available
to certified PLS who is 55 years of age or older
who has retired from employment in legal services;
and certified PLS or PP who is permanently disabled. |
M |
Mailings from NALS to
remind you of deadlines have been discontinued. PLS
and PP validity and deadline for recertification
are indicated on your certificate. |
B |
Be proactive to avoid
inactive status. Six months will be given
to a PLS or PP not meeting the required recertification
criteria to rectify the situation, but if the additional
recertification points are not submitted within the
six-month period, your status will be changed to
inactive. |
E |
Excel spreadsheets and
word processing tables are efficient ways to keep
your CLE credits and deadlines for recertification
on your computer. Copies of all your CLE certificates
will need to be submitted to NALS with your recertification
application, affidavit and the $75 fee. |
R |
Relive the feeling of
happiness and personal accomplishment by maintaining
your active certification status. Remember…recertify! |
For more information regarding procedures, requirements
and necessary forms to apply for recertification, go to www.nals.org and
review NALS.org–Certification Book 8.
