All full-time employees are eligible to participate, from and after the first anniversary of their continuous service with the City, in a tuition reimbursement program subject to the terms and conditions which follow.
(a) The Department of Human Resources shall have responsibility for overall administration of the tuition reimbursement program. The Human Resources Director shall have the authority to interpret provisions of this section consistent with the policy objectives stated in the enacting legislation.
(Ord. 22-168. Passed 5-24-2022.)
(b) To be eligible for tuition reimbursement, a course must be only taken at an accredited educational institution. The course must either be directly job-related or required pursuant to a degree program that is related to the City's mission or is reasonably related to a promoted position within the employees' classification series. Determinations of eligibility under this paragraph shall be within the sole discretion of the Human Resources Director and shall be final.
(Ord. 22-168. Passed 5-24-2022.)
(c) For courses determined to be eligible, the City will pay one hundred percent (100%) of the tuition, registration, and lab fees up to a maximum of three thousand dollars ($3,000.00) per calendar year for undergraduate courses, and up to a maximum of five thousand dollars ($5,000.00) per calendar year for advanced degree programs. The City will not reimburse costs for books, housing, travel, meal or similar expenses. The City will reimburse tuition costs for only such undergraduate course as the employee earns either a "pass" or a grade of "C", and only such graduate courses as the employee earns a "pass" or a grade of "B".
(d) To be eligible for tuition reimbursement, an employee must notify his or her department director, in writing, of the intention to participate in the tuition reimbursement program no later than September 1st of the calendar year prior to the year in which the employee intends to begin classes. In addition, applications for tuition reimbursement must be submitted not later than sixty (60) days prior to registration for an eligible course. In addition to the employee's department director, the Human Resources Director also must approve any application as a pre-condition to tuition reimbursement. The employee's department director must indicate his or her approval once the eligible course is completed for tuition costs to be reimbursed. Only those costs which are not otherwise covered by, e.g., GI Bill, scholarships, and other collateral sources, will be reimbursed. Evidence of the employee's final grade and the educational institution's invoice must be attached to the request for reimbursement.
(Ord. 22-168. Passed 5-24-2022.)
(e) All employees receiving tuition reimbursement must continue their employment with the City for at least one year following completion of any course for which reimbursement was received. If an employee voluntarily leaves the City employment within that time, he or she must repay all moneys previously reimbursed back to the City for courses begun or completed within a one-year period prior to their separation.
(f) Notwithstanding any provision of this Section to the contrary, participation in this tuition reimbursement program is expressly subject to budgetary limitations. Whenever the City Manager determines, in his sole discretion, that there are insufficient funds for participation in this tuition reimbursement program, that determination shall be final.