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HomeMy WebLinkAboutN-228 - Education AssistanceCITY OF PASCO ADMINISTRATIVE ORDERS Administrative Order No. 228 Personnel Policies & Procedures Subject: Education Assistance Initial Effective Date: November 24, 1997 Revised 7/10/02 4/21/14 4/11/16 Approved GC GC u This Administrative Order is effective April 11, 2016 and supersedes Administrative Order No. 228, dated 04/21/14 and Administrative Order No. 74, dated 7/10/02 and 11/24/97. I. PURPOSE: To provide financial assistance to eligible City employees seeking job-related education and training through an accredited education institution during the course of their employment. Nothing herein shall be interpreted to supersede or override a collective bargaining agreement between the City of Pasco and the respective employee bargaining group. II. DEPARTMENTS AFFECTED: All III. DEFINITIONS: A. Approval: Written notice to the employee and Department Director that a specific course or courses listed in the request has been accepted/approved by the City Manager or his designee. B. Review Committee: A committee consisting of the Director of the employee's department and the Human Resources Manager. IV. POLICY: The City of Pasco supports employees who seek additional educational opportunities, on their own initiative, by reimbursing them for course expenses, subject to certain conditions, outlined as follows: A. Requirements for tuition reimbursement: 1. Only regular full-time employees are eligible for reimbursement. 2. Employees must have completed one (1) year of full-time employment with the City and are not currently within a probationary period of any kind. 3. Employees who are eligible for educational assistance from other sources must exhaust those resources before being considered eligible for City of Pasco education assistance. 4. Educational assistance is for tuition reimbursement, books and lab fees only. No reimbursement will be allowed for travel expenses, material costs, or other expenses. 5. Reimbursement shall be limited to 75% of eligible expenses, provided that a passing grade of "C" (2.0) or above (not C-) or "pass" (if pass/fail course) is achieved in the course. 6. For grades below a "C" (or "fail" if a pass/fail course), no reimbursement will be allowed. Courses/degree program must be approved, in advance, to be eligible for reimbursement. Coursework must be applicable to the employee's position or possible advancement within the City. 7. Employees must have an acceptable annual evaluation with no unacceptable ratings and at a minimum "meets standards" in Work Quality and Work Quantity (most recent evaluation). 8. Employees must have demonstrated an aptitude sufficient such that fixrther coursework could reasonably be expected to result in improved performance and capability. 9. Reimbursement will be based upon actual cost as verified by receipt. 10. Reimbursement will be by course(s). Approval of coursework toward a degree program is not a guarantee the funds will be available for the entire degree program. 11. Application for education assistance does not guarantee acceptance. All decisions of the City Manager are final. B. Reimbursement Limitations: 1. Only courses offered by state or regionally -accredited educational or training institutions are eligible for reimbursement. 2. Post -graduate (masters and doctoral degrees) are eligible for education assistance if in a management position or a professional position such as accountant, professional engineer or planner. 3. Tuition costs for approved courses shall not exceed the following: a. For courses taken at an in-state (Washington) public educational institution, either at the actual institution or via on-line courses, the tuition rate shall not exceed the actual in-state residential tuition rate for that institution. b. For courses taken at an in-state private educational institution or at any out-of-state educational institution, either at the actual institution or via on-line courses, the tuition rate shall not exceed the in-state residential tuition for Washington State University for similar coursework at the time of the request. c. The annual maximum reimbursement per employee shall be $10,000. 4. The number of applicants eligible for reimbursement assistance will be based upon Department/City funds budgeted for such purposes. Should funds become limited, applicants for education assistance will be selected based on the needs of the City. Administrative Order No. 228 — "Education Assistance" Page 2 5. An employee who voluntarily leaves the City or is terminated for any reason before obtaining a final grade shall forfeit the right to reimbursement of expenses. 6. Employees who are eligible for education assistance through their Collective Bargaining Agreement will not be eligible for additional assistance as provided herein. 7. Employees participating in the program will sign a contract with the City agreeing to continue their employment with the City for a time commensurate of the investment. In the event the employee leaves the employment of the City prior to the period specified in the contract, he/she will reimburse the City as prescribed. C. Course Schedule: All courses must be taken at a time that will not interfere with the employee's regular duties and responsibilities to the City. Study assignments must be completed outside the employee's working hours. If during the current evaluation period the employee receives a special evaluation due to performance problems or a regular evaluation that does not meet or exceed the standards for quality or quantity of work, approval for future educational assistance may be denied. V. PROCEDURE: An employee must obtain written approval from the City Manager or designee before registering for a course. A. In order to be considered for education assistance, the employee must submit a written request justifying the value of the course or program of interest to his/her Department Director. 1. The Director shall forward the employee's written request and a supporting memorandum to the Review Committee at least one month before registration. 2. The employee and the Director shall, from their professional perspectives, address the factors noted below in Section B in their submittals to the Review Committee. B. In considering a request for educational assistance, the Review Committee shall consider the following factors: 1. The nature and purpose of the course of study. 2. The benefits to be derived by the employee and the City. 3. The level of responsibility and length of service of the employee. 4. The estimated cost of the course completion to the City. C. Review Committee shall forward its recommendation to the City Manager for final decision. D. Upon successful completion of an approved course, the employee shall submit to the Department Director a copy of the grade report prepared by the institution and receipts for tuition and expenses along with a Claim for Expenses form. Tuition cost will not be reimbursed for incomplete classes. Administrative Order No. 228 — "Education Assistance" Page 3