EDUCATION REIMBURSEMENT POLICY (HR2430) 8-17-2022.PDF
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MARICOPA COUNTY INTERNAL POLICY Policy Title: EDUCATION REIMBURSEMENT Policy Number: HR2430 Current Adoption Date: 08-17-2022 Current Implementation Date: 09-19-2022 Approved by: BOARD OF SUPERVISORS Board Agenda Number: C-31-11-016-6-04 Original Adoption Date: 06-19-2006 I. PURPOSE To equip employees to pursue new opportunities within the County, enhance productivity and job performance, promote long-term employee retention, and help attract qualified candidates. II. AUTHORITY This Policy is authorized by the Board of Supervisors pursuant to A.R.S.§11-251. III. APPLICATION This Policy applies to all Maricopa County elected offices and appointed departments, the Flood Control District of Maricopa County, and the Maricopa County Library District (Special Districts). The Board of Supervisors is authorized to jointly adopt policies applying to the Special Districts under the Intergovernmental Agreement, C- 06-18-393-6-00, approved on April 11, 2018. IV. DEFINITIONS A. Approved Certificate: A certification required for a position within the County (e.g., paralegal certificate). This does not include professional certifications. B. Approved Degree: An undergraduate or master’s degree directly related to an existing County job, subject to any exclusions listed in this Policy. C. Human Resources: The County’s Human Resources Department. V. POLICY A. Limitation of Funds 1. Calendar Year Maximum Reimbursement per Employee: $5,250 (includes all funding received under this Policy and is based on the calendar year the funds are paid). 2. Funding: Each fiscal year the Board of Supervisors must approve the general funds available for this program. Funds will be reimbursed on a first-come, first-reimbursed basis until exhausted. 3. Department Funding: Departments may fund their own reimbursements within their operating budgets under these same guidelines. Where possible, grant and special revenue funds should be the first source of education reimbursement funding. 4. Other Education Assistance: Employees can only seek reimbursement for funds they have personally paid or must personally repay (e.g., student loans) and must report all forms of education assistance (e.g., scholarships, grants, refunds, tuition waivers, discounts, or other education reimbursement programs). Policy Title: EDUCATION REIMBURSEMENT Policy Number: HR2430 Current Adoption Date: 08-17-2022 Page 2 of 5 5. Number of Degrees (Lifetime Maximum): One bachelor’s degree and one master’s degree. Employees must obtain Human Resources’ approval before changing from one degree to another to ensure compliance with this Policy. B. Employee Eligibility 1. Non-temporary, full-time employees (80 hours per week) meeting performance expectations or equivalent. 2. Employees on protected Family and Medical Leave Act or Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act leave are eligible for reimbursement. When employees return from protected leave, they must contact Human Resources within seven (7) calendar days if their protected leave impacted their ability to meet submission deadlines. Employees not on state or federal protected leave and in an unpaid status when they submit for reimbursement are not eligible. C. Class Eligibility 1. Classes must be offered through a public or private college, university, community college, or technical school accredited by the US Department of Education, the Council for Higher Education, or another official accrediting body in the United States. 2. Classes must be taken for credit unless otherwise allowed in this Policy and: a. Have a direct relationship to the employee’s job; or b. Be necessary to complete an Approved Degree or an Approved Certificate. Classes Ineligible for Reimbursement: 1. Seminars, workshops, professional licensures, continuing education units to maintain certifications or licensures, and conferences. Departments may pay for these out of their budget. 2. Study abroad courses or classes attended outside of Arizona. However, regardless of where offered, online courses are eligible if they meet all eligibility criteria. 3. All doctoral degree and Ph.D. classes and programs (including but not limited to: law, medicine, veterinary medicine, dentistry, pharmacology, chiropractic, etc.), including those required for masters and other degrees. D. Class Reimbursements Only fees, costs, charges, and expenses mentioned herein will be reimbursed. 1. Costs Eligible for Reimbursement a. Maricopa County Community College District (MCCCD) 100% of tuition, required books (excludes recommended books), laboratory fees, registration fees, and other related class fees for classes where a grade of “A”, “B”, “C” or “Pass” is earned. b. Non-MCCCD Tuition (does not include books or any fees) for approved classes as follows: 100% - A Policy Title: EDUCATION REIMBURSEMENT Policy Number: HR2430 Current Adoption Date: 08-17-2022 Page 3 of 5 80% - B or Pass 60% - C Plus (+) or minus (-) grades will be reimbursed based on a letter grade alone. c. Credit-by-Examination Tests 100% for tests that assess the mastery of college-level material and are used to obtain college admittance or college credit (College Level Examination Program (CLEP), Dantes Subject Standardized Tests (DSSTs), Proficiency Examination Program (ACT-PEP), Graduate Management Admissions Test (GMAT), Graduate Record Examination (GRE), etc.). d. Out-of-state/County Tuition Tuition reimbursements are only paid at in-state and in-county tuition rates. 2. Ineligible Costs a. When a grade of D, F, Fail, Incomplete, Withdraw, or Pass/No Credit is received. b. Classes taken a second time for a higher grade if the employee previously received a C or higher. c. Fees to third-party lenders/processors. d. Costs associated with audited classes. e. Costs incurred by employees that fail to comply with the requirements of this Policy. E. Eligible Job-Related Certification/Registration and Recertification Reimbursements 1. Certification/Registration must be related to the employee’s current position. 2. After obtaining a certification/registration or recertification, employees are eligible for 100% of the preparation classes and materials and exam and recertification fees (excludes membership fees and continuing education units). 3. Limitations: a. Maximum Number of Certifications/Registrations: 1 every 3 years b. Does not include licenses that are paid for by the department. F. Tax Consequences All tax liabilities for reimbursements are the sole responsibility of the employee. G. Separations and Repayments Employees who voluntarily separate from County employment must repay all sums they received for reimbursement under this policy during the last 12 months prior to their termination. Employees should reach out to Human Resources to determine repayment terms. VI. PROCEDURES Failure to submit the required paperwork by the deadlines will result in the denial of the reimbursement. Policy Title: EDUCATION REIMBURSEMENT Policy Number: HR2430 Current Adoption Date: 08-17-2022 Page 4 of 5 A. Application Requirements 1. Class Reimbursement a. Reimbursement requests must be submitted within 60 calendar days after the class ends and include documentation showing tuition charges, proof of payment and type, a zero balance due, academic year financial aid award information, and official term schedule and grade reports. b. An employee taking a self-paced learning class must choose a beginning and end date for the class that meets the criteria of this Policy. 2. Job-Related Certification/Registration and Recertification Reimbursements a. Preparation classes and materials are only reimbursed if taken within one year prior to the exam. b. Reimbursement requests must be submitted within 60 calendar days after the exam or recertification date and include documentation showing preparation class (if applicable), certification or recertification charges, date, proof of payment and type, and a zero balance due. B. Employee Responsibilities 1. Submit all required paperwork and documentation within deadlines. 2. Take classes and complete homework during non-work time. 3. Repay any amount received in error. 4. Ensure that classes qualify for reimbursement under this Policy. Specific questions should be directed to Human Resources. 5. Any employee who attempts to obtain Education Reimbursements in a manner inconsistent with this Policy may be prohibited from participating in the program and subject to discipline. The County Manager or designee may approve exceptions to this Policy that are consistent with the Policy's intent. Policy Title: EDUCATION REIMBURSEMENT Policy Number: HR2430 Current Adoption Date: 08-17-2022 Page 5 of 5 Revision History Version Revision Date Description of Revision 1 06/19/2006 Initial version 2 06/22/2011 Expanded eligibility criteria (C-31-11-016-6-00) 3 07/17/2013 Expanded approved degree programs, eliminated supervisor approval, added a repayment clause, and eliminated payment for non-MCCC fees (C-31-11-016-6-01) 4 12/09/2015 Minor revisions to align with changes to the Employee Merit System Rules (C-31-16-016-6- 00) 5 02/27/2016 Minor revisions to align with changes to the Employee Merit System Rules; December 2015 version was not the correct version of the policy. (C-31-11-016-6-02) 6 06/27/2018 Simplified the language, limited the number of degrees to one bachelors and one masters, modified the tax language, and added job-related certification clause. (C-31-11-016-6-03) 7 11/18/2020 Retitled it from Tuition Reimbursement to Education Reimbursement, added College or University Partnership Program, Approved Certificate Program, payment for job-related certification preparation courses and materials, and increased the annual certification maximum to $3,000. (C-31-11-016-6-03) 8 08/17/2022 Streamlined the process by removing preapprovals, $3,000 certification maximum, and College or University Partnership. (C-31-11-016-6-04)