(a) Employees of the city who are required to attend a school or formal training session during their normal working hours shall receive their full pay, and the city shall pay for all required tuition, fees and related expenses. If an employee attends such program at times other than normal working hours, at the direction of his or her department head, the employee shall be compensated for such time at the rate of one and one-half times his or her hourly rate, or be provided with equivalent time off at the discretion of the employer. In this instance, the city shall cover the cost of tuition, fees and related expenses.
(b) In the event that an employee attends a school or formal training at times other than his or her normal working hours, and when not required by his or her department head, the city may, at its discretion, reimburse the employee for any required tuition, fees and related expenses, provided that the employee has obtained advanced written approval for said training from his or her department head and the Mayor.
(c) Employees who receive tuition reimbursement and voluntarily leave employment prior to three years from the date of their last reimbursement will be required to pay back all tuition reimbursement received within three years from the date of their resignation. Voluntary leave does not include disability retirement. The city may deduct amounts for this purpose from the departing employee’s final paycheck(s). The Director of Law may institute legal proceedings to collect any remaining unpaid tuition reimbursement.
(d) The administration is authorized to approve up to $31,500 annually in reimbursements for undergraduate courses and $10,500 annually for graduate courses at accredited colleges and universities located in the state.
(e) Employees requesting reimbursements for graduate courses/degrees must obtain the approval of the Finance Committee, Director of Finance and Director of Human Resources, in addition to the approvals required in division (b) above.
(f) City employees registering to participate in the Ohio Certified Public Management Degree is limited to two per semester.
(Ord. 1998-25, passed 5-18-1998; Ord. 2003-203, passed 9-15-2003; Ord. 2011-52, passed 5-16-2011)