All Police and Fire Department appointees, as a condition of their appointment, must agree to reimburse the city for their training expenses if they leave the city within three years after their appointment date, and become employed by another governmental unit or entity as a member of the same service for which they were trained by the city.
(A) For Police and Fire Department appointments made prior to September 1, 2021, reimbursement will be required according to the following schedule:
(1) If they remain with the city for more than three years after the date of employment, there shall be no obligation of repayment;
(2) If they leave the city after the second anniversary date of their employment, but prior to their third year, they shall reimburse the city $1,500;
(3) If they leave the city after the first anniversary date of their employment, but prior to their second year, they shall reimburse the city $3,000; and
(4) If they leave the city prior to their first anniversary date, they shall reimburse the city $4,500.
(B) For Police Department appointments made on or after September 1, 2021, the following training cost reimbursement provisions shall apply:
(1) Pursuant to KRS 70.290, the city shall require all newly appointed police officers to enter into a contract for reimbursement of training costs. The contract shall require that if the appointee accepts employment with another law enforcement agency three years from the date of appointee's graduation from the Department of Criminal Justice Training, or other training approved by the Kentucky Law Enforcement Council, that law enforcement agency shall reimburse all of the City of Covington's training costs.
(2) The amount of the required reimbursement shall be the maximum amount authorized by KRS 70.290.
(C) For Fire Department appointments made on or after September 1, 2021, the following training cost reimbursement provisions shall apply:
(1) All newly appointed Fire Department appointees are required to enter into a contract for a period of no longer than three years from the date of graduation of training approved by the city.
(2) The contract shall require that, as a condition to and in consideration of his or her employment with the city, should the appointee leave employment with the city within three years from the date of graduation or withdrawal from fire department appointee onboarding training approved by the city, the appointee shall reimburse the city for the actual costs incurred and expended which are associated with the initial hiring of the appointee, including, but not limited to, the application and selection process, equipment costs, training costs and the actual salary and fringe benefits from the time of the appointee's initial application until graduation or withdrawal from such training. It is understood that leaving employment with the city shall mean any discontinuance of appointee's employment for any reason.
(D) The employment contracts authorized in this section shall not modify the at-will employment status of City Fire Department and Police Department appointees.
(1984 Code, § 33.06) (Ord. O-28-17, passed 11-28-2017; Ord. O-11-21, passed 8-10-2021)