(A) The city adopts an educational assistance program to be known as the “City of Lebanon Educational Assistance Program.” The Clerk-Treasurer is directed to incorporate this program as a part of the city employment policies and practices from and after the effective date of this section.
(B) The purpose of this program is to encourage and assist the continuing development of regular employees through a broadening of job knowledge in ways which will be beneficial to the employee and to the city.
(C) The city’s policy is to fill vacancies from within whenever possible. However, the fact that the employee has taken courses under the Educational Assistance Program is not a guarantee of a transfer to another type of work or promotion to a higher level position. Many factors such as job knowledge and performance, as well as educational preparation, are considered.
(D) Under this plan, the employee must take courses related to his or her present work or future assignments for which he or she may qualify. These courses should be taken at recognized educational institutions. Correspondence courses will be approved when regular classroom courses are not available or feasible.
(E) Required or elective courses, not directly job related, may be approved for those employees pursuing a college degree. However no blanket approval will be given as the courses must be reviewed by a supervisor and the Common Council or its authorized designee. Participants must successfully pass all courses and maintain a grade equivalent of “C.”
(F) The city will pay 75% of the costs of registration, tuition and laboratory fees involved for any approved course of study. For employees who obtain college degrees (for this purpose, COLLEGE DEGREE is defined as associate, bachelor and advanced degrees), the city will pay an additional 25% of the costs of all covered courses leading to the degree if employment is continued with the city for at least three years after receiving the degree. This payment will be made upon written request of the employee at any time after the completion of the three-year period.
(G) All regular employees are eligible for educational assistance. Employees who are eligible for veteran’s assistance or who are recipients of an educational grant may also apply for educational assistance after becoming a regular employee.
(H) An employee may obtain the application form from his or her supervisor. The form is to be completed and submitted to the supervisor for approval. The courses for which assistance is requested will be reviewed by the supervisor and the designee of the Common Council. If the application is approved, a check made payable to the employee will be issued.
(I) Employees must reimburse the city for its portion of payments made to the employee for all courses the employee fails to complete, except where the failure to complete are for reasons beyond the control of the employee.
(J) Employees who participate in the educational assistance program and voluntarily leave the city’s employ must repay the city’s portion of payment made to the employee during the 12-month period immediately preceding termination.
(K) Employees are requested to send a copy of official school records to the City Clerk-Treasurer. A record of courses completed and grades will be maintained at the office of the Clerk-Treasurer.
(Ord. 97-12, passed - -1997)