1. Financial assistance will be considered for employees who complete educational courses which will benefit both the employee and City by improving current job skills, if approved according to this policy. This does not apply to courses or training that are required by City. This policy does not cover professional licensing and professional development seminars. Any course, training, licensing or certification required by City will be covered by training funds within each department.
2. City will not pay the cost of tuition and mandatory fees which are paid by other sources, i.e. scholarships, grants, aid programs, or other subsidies.
3. All courses must be taken on the employee’s own time with regard to overtime or work schedule changes. When there is an unavoidable conflict between class and job responsibilities, job responsibilities must come first.
4. Courses must be taken at an accredited college or university, or employees who want to prepare for and take the GED exam will also be eligible for reimbursement under this policy.
5. The course(s) must be taken to improve current job skills or apply toward a degree that can be used to advance within City.
6. Only regular full-time employees who have been employed by City for at least six (6) months are eligible.
7. Employees must attain a course grade equivalent to a “C” or better in each course to be eligible for reimbursement. In circumstances where pass/fail is the only grading system used, this grading system will be accepted. A pass grade must be earned to be eligible for reimbursement. A passing grade will be considered to be equivalent to a “C” for tuition reimbursement purposes.
8. Employees who receive reimbursement under this policy must fulfill a one-year service requirement which begins from the date of each reimbursement, or must repay to City the full amount of the tuition financial assistance upon leaving City service. Department Leader is responsible for notifying Human Resources and City University on the termination form if the employee is required to repay any tuition refund from their final paycheck.
9. These provisions apply if separation occurs for any reason prior to the one-year commitment being fulfilled.
10. Tuition reimbursement will be at accredited Texas State supported university tuition rates plus mandatory fees not to include parking, travel, or other expenses.
11. Reimbursement shall not exceed the tuition rate in effect at the University of Texas at Tyler at the time the tuition costs were paid by the employees.
12. Required fees include such fees as: student service fees, registration fees, general use fees laboratory fees, automation fees, etc. Required fees do not include: parking fees, late registration fees, course change fees, return check fees, or any other fee which is not required to take the course. City will reimburse eligible employees for tuition and required fees according to the following schedule:
Grade Percent
Attained Reimbursement
A 90% + up to ten dollars ($10.00) per semester hour for required books
B 75% + up to ten dollars ($10.00) per semester hour for required books
C 50% + up to ten dollars ($10.00) per semester hour for required books
13. Employees must submit a written request for reimbursement using a tuition reimbursement request form (Form 2-24) to their Department Leader and then City University for approval before starting a course. City University will return the document to the employee. It is the employee’s responsibility to obtain all of the required official grade document, receipts and information needed to complete the reimbursement request. The employee will submit the same form to their Department Leader for their signature and then route the form to City University for review and approval. After approval, City University will forward to Accounting for payment and notify the employee of status/approval.