(a) It is the City's policy to encourage employees in self-development activities which will increase their worth and contribution to the City. The Educational Assistance Program is intended as a means of accomplishing such objectives. All courses and total programs that are submitted for approval should be judged by the above criteria.
(b) The City may pay less than 100 percent of tuition, laboratory fees and textbook charges for a specific course, based upon the City's evaluation of the course, available funds allocated to the educational systems program and the City's allocation of its resources, provided that:
(1) The course is directly related to the employee's present work or can reasonably be expected to contribute to the employee's future with the City. In the case of employees participating in a registered degree program, all courses required to complete the degree will be considered work-related.
(2) The employee is a permanent full-time employee with a good work record and proven ability to perform his or her present duties.
(3) The course is offered by a degree-granting school, college or university that is accredited by a recognized accreditation agency, and college credit is given on successful completion.
(4) The course is offered by a school or junior college district in preparation for obtaining a high school diploma by a G.E.D. test administered by the district.
(5) Council has appropriated adequate funds in the annual budget to provide for the proposed course under the Educational Assistance Program.
(6) The course expenditures have been approved in advance by the employee's department head and the City Manager.
(7) The employee successfully completes the course with a "C" or better grade.
(c) Specifically excluded from reimbursement under this policy are:
(1) The costs of supplies, activity fees, transportation, penalty fees for late enrollment, special fees not included in the basic cost of the course or other costs not required by the institution offering the course. (Laboratory fees are considered as part of tuition.)
(2) Personnel enrolled in cooperative programs.
(3) Training programs of specific departments, occupations or trade or professional organizations that consist of "short courses," seminars, on-the-job training, etc.
(4) Part-time employees.
(5) Temporary employees.
(6) Terminating employees who voluntarily leave prior to completion of the course or who involuntarily leave due to discharge for willful misconduct or infraction of an ordinance or department rules.
(7) Any portion of costs connected with the course which are paid or which are eligible for payment under any subsidy, grant or scholarship from a governmental, educational, professional or charitable body, organization or institution (i.e. G.I. Bill or scholarships).
(d) The payments provided for in this section are reimbursement payments. The employee is expected to enroll for study on his or her own initiative and pay the necessary costs out of his or her own personal funds. No reimbursement is to be made until evidence of satisfactory completion of the course and payment therefor is submitted and approved. Upon receipt of such evidence and approval thereof, fifty percent of the total cost will be paid to the employee immediately. The employee shall not be entitled to receive any further reimbursement for such costs unless he or she remains in the employ of the City for a period of one year continuously from the date of completion of the course, at the end of which time he or she shall be paid the remaining fifty percent.
(e) The City Manager or his or her designated representative shall administer the Program and maintain the records. To obtain approval prior to course registration:
(1) The employee will discuss the nature of the course and its job relationship with his or her department head.
(2) If the department head and employee agree that the course is appropriate, the employee will complete two copies of an educational assistance request.
(3) The department head will forward the original and one copy of the request bearing his or her approval to the City Manager for his or her approval. The City Manager will forward the approved original to the Human Resources Director and return the approved copy to the department head for his or her files.
(4) The Human Resources Director will file the original according to course completion date.
(f) To obtain a refund after completion of the course:
(1) The employee shall submit his or her grade card, tuition receipt and book receipts to his or her department head. (After processing, these documents will be returned to the employee.)
(2) If grades are at the required level or higher, the department head will forward these documents and the copy of the educational assistance request to the City Manager.
(3) If grades are below the required level, the department head will mark the copy "VOID" and forward it to the City Manager.
(4) If the course grade is marked incomplete and the cause was City-initiated work schedule requirements, the copy and grade card should be forwarded to the Human Resources Director.
(5) Upon receipt of the proper papers, the Finance Director or his or her designee will reimburse the employee his or her costs as covered by this policy and report this action to the City Manager.
(g) To submit a registered degree program for approval:
(1) When an employee identifies a total degree program that benefits his or her career plans with the City, he or she should submit a memo to his or her department head outlining the courses he or she plans to take and the semester timetable he or she will follow.
(2) After discussion with the employee, the department head should forward the approved program to the City Manager for his or her approval.
(3) The Human Resources Director will keep a file on all approved programs and inform the City Manager and Council when each approved program reaches completion.
(h) Requests for personal time off to attend classes during working hours shall be considered according to the following guidelines: full-time, permanent employees may be granted time off to take one college course per semester during working hours under the following conditions:
(1) The course must be work-related.
(2) The course must not be available during non-working hours.
(3) The department head has determined that granting such time off will not handicap the performance of the department.
(4) Employees will not be paid for such time off and must make up such time off as scheduled by the department head.
(1977 Code §23-110; Ord. 85-67. Passed 1-6-86; Ord. 86-1. Passed 1-20- 86; Ord. 90-34B. Passed 6-18-90; Ord. 97-21. Passed 7-21-97; Ord. 2017-56. Passed 7-17-17.)