(a) The City will reimburse tuition costs for courses taken at an educationally accredited college or university by permanent employees. Part-time employees shall receive reimbursement on a pro-rated basis based upon actual hours worked the preceding year. Such course work must be approved prior to enrolling by submitting documentation that the course is necessary toward a degree which is required for a position in the City's classified service or job-related technical courses to the Department of Human Resources.
(b) The City will also reimburse for technical courses, courses must either be directly related to the employee's current job or directly related to an obvious career path. The determination of job relatedness or career path relatedness shall be made by the Director of Human Resources. To be directly related to an obvious career path the course work must be within the same work series (e.g. labor, clerical) and within three (3) normal promotional steps, technical courses will be reimbursed at a grade "C" rate. Reimbursement shall be limited to four (4) courses per year.
(c) The City will reimburse eighty percent (80%) for a grade of “C”, ninety percent (90%) for a grade of “B” or one hundred percent (100%) for a grade of “A”. The City will reimburse the appropriate percentage of the cost of tuition and general fees only, for ten (10) credit hours per quarter or fifteen (15) credit hours per semester. Reimbursement shall be limited to tuition levels charged by the University of Toledo for academic coursework and by University of Toledo Community and Technical College for technical coursework. These costs will be reimbursed upon the documented presentation of a “C” or 2.0 grade or better.
(d) Any employee participating in the tuition reimbursement program who resigns or retires (non-disability) must repay the tuition reimbursement paid by the City for courses taken less than two (2) years prior to the date of termination. If necessary, this amount will be deducted from the employee's termination pay or his/her final check.
(e) Non-accredited schools will be included.
(f) If licensing or certification is a requirement of a classification held by an employee, the City shall pay the employee's licensing or certification expenses.
(g) The City shall provide training and/or educational programs for full-time permanent employees to enhance career development under a program established jointly by the parties.
(h) In the interest of having its employees keep pace with advanced technology, the City will endeavor to train those employees that may be affected as the result of a technological work change as the need arises. Training in these new areas shall be done by City personnel. However, when it is beyond the scope of City personnel, training may be conducted through outside services. These costs shall be borne by the City.
(i) The City shall continue to provide the opportunity for Local 7 members to prepare for the commercial drivers license (CDL) examination. This opportunity will be offered on a quarterly basis whenever a minimum of six (6) employees have signed up for the training. The training will be made available on Saturdays or other non-work hours without pay.
All employees shall be permitted to enroll but preference shall be provided to those appointed to a classification that requires a C.D.L. who have been permitted to obtain the license during their probationary period. Employees who are promoted, transferred, voluntarily demoted or bumped through the layoff procedure into a classification that requires a C.D.L., shall be allowed the course of their probationary period to acquire their C.D.L. provided reasonable accommodation can be made on the job.
All employees shall be permitted the use of city equipment to take the C.D.L. road test on City time if necessary.