(a) The City shall provide funds for the education of full-time and permanent employees of the City in order to maintain and improve their required skills, which skills are a condition for their retention as employees of the City. Such funds shall cover all costs incurred, including tuition, fees, instructional materials, food, lodging and transportation, and such education shall be subject to the approval of the appropriate department director of the City. Such costs shall be paid as follows:
(1) One-third of the portion applicable directly to the institution providing the education at the time such institution requires;
(2) One-third to the employee upon successful completion of his or her course; and
(3) The balance to the employee upon the successful completion of his or her probationary period and upon permanent employment.
(b) The City shall provide funds for in-service training and job-related courses available to further the education of full-time, permanent employees of the City. Such funds shall cover all costs incurred, including tuition, fees, instructional materials, food, lodging and transportation, and such education shall be subject to the approval of the appropriate department director of the City. The total cost shall be paid directly to the institution providing the education and directly to the employee, as applicable.
(c) The City shall provide funds for one-half of the tuition of those courses taken for credit, leading to a degree and successfully completed by a full-time, permanent employee enrolled in a course of study, which courses maintain or improve the skills required under such employee's present employment, which skills are required as a condition of his or her retention of employment by the City and which courses are subject to the approval of the appropriate department director of the City. The City shall pay one-half of the tuition directly to the employee upon submission of evidence of his or her successful completion of each course taken for credit. Any employee who chooses to avail himself or herself of this arrangement shall enter into a contract with the Safety Director of the City at the time he or she initially enrolls for the program and before any funds are distributed either to the employee or to the educational institution, which contract shall stipulate that:
(1) He or she shall remain an employee of the City for a period of at least five years after the degree toward which he or she is working has been conferred.
(2) He or she shall complete his or her course of study within a period of time equal to two and one-half times the length of time customarily established for a full-time student to complete the same course of study. (For example: for a two-year associate's degree, five years shall be allowed; for a four- year bachelor's degree, ten years shall be allowed.)
(3) He or she shall agree to reimburse the City for all of the funds the City has contributed to him or her and the educational institution, if he or she fails to remain employed by the City for a period of at least five years after the degree toward which he or she is working has been conferred.
(4) The City shall cease contributing to the tuition for course work taken after the maximum time allowed, if the employee fails to complete his or her course of study within the allowed period of time.
(Ord. 28-83. Passed 2-28-83.)