RESPONSIBLE CITY AGENCY: Division of Human Resources
KEYWORDS: Tuition, education, school, university, college, reimbursement, financial aid.
1. General
1.1 With prior departmental approval, Salt Lake City will reimburse City employees who are classified as regular full-time or regular part-time, and who have completed their probationary period for tuition costs as noted below.
1.2 Classes must be taken for credit and completed. Audits, incompletes, and withdrawals are not eligible for reimbursement. Any grade of D or below is not eligible for reimbursement.
1.3 Employees receiving tuition aid must remain employed by the City for one year after the tuition reimbursement was received or forfeit the benefit. If the employee is fired for cause or terminates employment less than one year after the actual date of reimbursement, the employee will be required to repay the City for the total amount of tuition reimbursement received by the employee in the last 12 months of employment. The only exceptions to this repayment requirement are if the employee is laid off based on lack of work, or is laid off based on lack of funds. Such repayment amounts due may be deducted from the employee’s paycheck.
1.4 Supervisors must review requests for tuition reimbursement. Approval is contingent on satisfactory job performance and sufficient funds in the City Human Resource Budget. Budget approval will be determined by the Division of Human Resources.
1.5 To be eligible for reimbursement, course work must be completed at an institution accredited with the State of Utah or another institution approved by the Division of Human Resources.
1.6 Course work is to be taken on unpaid time, and supervisors are encouraged to develop flexible work schedules to allow attendance at approved courses. Exceptions may be approved based on the division manager’s written finding that unusual circumstances exist.
1.7 Employees may not be reimbursed for tuition paid by another financial grant or scholarship.
2. Program Options
2.1 Standard program: Classes or degree must be job-related based on the knowledge, skills, and abilities required by the employee’s current job description and detailed on Reimbursement Request Form. Tuition for satisfactorily completed course work will be reimbursed for 70% of regular full-time employees' and 35% of regular part-time employees' out-of-pocket costs, up to $2,000 for regular full-time employees and $1,000 for regular part-time employees in a calendar year.
2.2 Career Development program: Classes or degree must relate to a reasonable career goal within Salt Lake City Corporation as agreed upon by the employee and supervisor. Tuition for satisfactorily completed course work will be reimbursed for 50% of regular full-time employees' and 25% of regular part-time employees' out-of-pocket costs, up to $2,000 for regular full-time employees and $1,000 for regular part-time employees in a calendar year.
CURRENT REFERENCES: Policy 3.01.01 Employment, Hiring, and Termination
Tuition Aid Reimbursement Procedure
PRE-1995 REFERENCES: City policy 4.01.302
INITIAL EFFECTIVE DATE: December 13, 1995
PREVIOUS REVISIONS: March 1, 1999
EFFECTIVE DATE OF CURRENT REVISION (DATE APPROVED BY MAYOR): May 24, 2005
Clarifies that employee must repay tuition reimbursement (by payroll deduction, if necessary) if employee terminates or is fired for cause within one year of receiving reimbursement. The only exceptions to this repayment requirement are if the employee is laid off based on lack of work or lack of funds.