(A) A full-time employee may apply for payment and reimbursement of designated costs for courses that are taken by the employee on the employee’s own time if such course will help prepare the employees for promotional opportunities within the city service.
(B) In order to be eligible for payment and reimbursement of such costs, without having been required to reimburse the city for costs paid by the city in advance, the employee must complete the course with a minimum grade of “C” or the equivalent thereof.
(C) Costs for the purposes of this section shall include the costs of registration, tuition, books and any required and related fees.
(D) Tuition assistance by the city for the purposes of this section includes payment by the city in advance and the reimbursement by the city to the employee for payment of costs paid by the employee.
(E) In order to be eligible for tuition assistance, an employee must submit a request to their department head prior to registration in the course and that request must be approved in writing by such employee’s department head and the City Manager prior to registration.
(F) If the request is approved, the city will pay the costs of the books that participants are required to have for the course.
(G) If the request to take a course is approved, the city will pay the tuition costs so long as the total tuition costs, including books, do not exceed the maximum tuition assistance payment authorized by the City Manager.
(H) Except for payment of book costs, one half of the approved tuition assistance will be paid to the course provider at registration for the course and one half of such amount shall be paid to the employee upon proof to the city that the employee successfully completed the course.
(I) By applying for and accepting the benefits of the city’s tuition assistance program, the employee agrees to promptly reimburse the city for all amounts paid to or for the benefit of the employee under this section if the employee fails to successfully complete the course.
(Ord. passed 5-17-94; Am. Ord. passed 8-16-94; Am. Ord. passed 8-16-94; Am. Ord. passed 8-29-09)