04.01.03 -Tuition Assistance Program
CITY OF BOYNTON BEACH, FLORIDA ADMINISTRATIVE POLICY MANUAL CHAPTER: 04 Organizational & Strategic Development Policy No.: 04.01.03 SECTION: 01 Organizational & Strategic Development
Policies Page: 1 of 6 SUBJECT: 03 Tuition Assistance Program PURPOSE: Defines the Tuition Assistance Program, which reimburses eligible employees for successful completion of approved
courses up to a $1,500.00 cap for Associate degrees, a $2,000.00 cap for Bachelors degrees, and a $3,000.00 cap for graduate degrees per fiscal year for tuition and books. The City makes
no commitment to employees that advancing their education will result in either a promotion or pay increase. SCOPE: The provisions of this procedure shall apply to all full time employees
who choose to attend an accredited college or university to pursue an approved degree course. LIST OF RESPONSIBILITIES: 1. All full time Employees 2. Division Heads 3. Department Managers
4. Tuition Assistance Coordinator 5. Director, Organizational and Strategic Development (OSD) 6. Human Resources DEFINITIONS: 1. Full time employee – an employee who has completed one
year of service with the City after hiring or promotion to full time status. 2. Tuition Assistance Coordinator -– Assigned designee who coordinates the Tuition Assistance Program. 3.
Director, Organizational and Strategic Development – Assigned person who supervises the Tuition Assistance Program. 4. CAP – Upper limit on dollar amount that the City shall reimburse.
REQUIREMENTS Eligibility 1. Applicants shall be full-time employees and meet the following performance and length of service requirements prior to beginning classes. 2. Full time employees
who have completed their one-year probation. Part-time and Temporary Employees shall not be eligible to receive tuition assistance. 3. Employees who are bound by a union contract that
references a tuition reimbursement will follow the provisions laid out in their contract and shall not be eligible under the terms and conditions of this Tuition Assistance Policy. 4.
Employees must maintain a minimum or comparable rating of “meets standards” on performance reviews in order to remain eligible for tuition assistance. Application 1. Employees may apply
for reimbursement limited to $1,500.00 per AA or AS, $2,000.00 per BA or BS, and $3,000.00 for graduate degrees cap per Fiscal Year by completing the Application for Tuition Assistance
form (PDF. 021) available in the Organizational & Strategic Development department, Human Resources departments, and on the “S” drive. 2. Application is restricted to tuition and texts
only for approved courses required in the program. 3. Approval Cycle: Completed applications for Tuition Assistance should be submitted by the applying employee to their manager for
approval, then sent through their area signature cycle, including their Division Director and then to the Tuition Assistance Coordinator who will submit it to the Director Organizational
& Strategic Development for final approval. 4. The Director Organizational and Strategic Development must approve applications prior to attending the first class to verify the class
is eligible for reimbursement. Employees who begin classes prior to approval by those listed on the Approval Cycle will not be reimbursed. Incomplete applications will be returned to
the employee and will delay approval. 5. Original receipts for tuition and books should be sent to the Tuition Assistance Coordinator as soon as they are available. Reimbursement will
not be made without original receipts. 6. Final approval of all Tuition Assistance applications rests with the Director of Organizational & Strategic Development. Job-relatedness as
determined by the City shall factor significantly into the City’s decision to approve a given course or program. 7. Once approved, a copy of the application shall be returned to the
employee. This copy should be saved and re-submitted with the original course grade at the end of the course to the Tuition Assistance Coordinator. Courses or books that are rejected
from reimbursement shall be noted on the copy. 2
Selection of courses and schools 1. Tuition Assistance is granted at the City’s sole discretion for individual courses based on course content and job-related factors. Generally, courses
must aid employees to improve performance in their present job or prepare for advancement within the City. All courses in a degree program shall not be automatically covered. Electives
must be chosen to provide the greatest benefit for the employee’s current position or a future position within the organization. 2. Colleges and universities must be accredited by the
appropriate regional accrediting association, and must be included in Florida’s Independent Licensed and Accredited Colleges and Universities and/or the Directory of Accredited Institutions.
3. Colleges and Universities granting degrees by distance learning media must be accredited by the appropriate regional accrediting association, and must be included the Directory of
Accredited Institutions. The availability of courses at a community college or four-year university in the local area, as well as the ability of the employee to attend these classes,
shall be a determining factor in approving a correspondence course. Ineligible Courses 1. Certain courses shall be considered ineligible for reimbursement under all circumstances, even
if they are a degree requirement. Examples of these types of courses are: physical education and sex education classes. 2. Seminars, of any kind, shall not be reimbursed under the Tuition
Assistance Program. 3. The Tuition Assistance Program shall not cover classes that earn Continuing Education Units (CEUs). 4. Review courses designed to “coach” the participant to improve
their chances in passing a test, such as a CPA examination or college entrance test (SAT), shall not be covered. 5. Courses that are graded on a pass/fail option shall not be eligible.
6. Courses that officially began prior to the employee becoming eligible for tuition assistance shall not be eligible. 7. Courses issuing credit for “Life Experience” or Portfolios shall
shall not be covered. Materials and Fees Eligible for reimbursement. 1. One hundred percent (100%) of tuition shall be reimbursed if a grade of “B” or better is earned. Fifty percent
(50%) of tuition shall be reimbursed if a grade is “C.” There shall be no reimbursement for courses where the earned grade is below “C.” 3
2. Cost of all required books for which an original receipt is submitted shall be reimbursed. Employees may be required to provide documentation that their professor or instructor requires
certain books. Ineligible for Reimbursement. 1. The following fees shall be ineligible for reimbursement: activity, administrative, application, course change, entrance exams (e.g.,
SAT, GRE, GMAT), graduation, health, laboratory, late registration, library, parking, registration, transcript, etc. 2. The following equipment, supplies or miscellaneous costs shall
be ineligible for reimbursement: pens, pencils, folders, notebooks, study guides, private tutoring, calculators, tape recorders, photographic equipment or supplies, computer equipment
or supplies, software, etc. Reimbursements – Tuition and Books Eligible for Reimbursement 1. The maximum per hour reimbursement will be based on the current tuition rates at Public institutions
in the area, and is limited to tuition and texts only for approved courses. 2. The approved copy of the Application for Tuition Assistance form shall be documentation that the employee
is eligible for Tuition Assistance in accordance with City policy. This approval does not imply the City will accept responsibility to pay the employees tuition to the school or any
other party. 3. Tuition and books which are paid by student loans are covered under this policy. Employees must produce proof of student loan if they are not the payee on the registration
documentation. 4. Employees will be reimbursed the difference between the amount covered by non-refundable financial assistance and the total cost of tuition and books up to the maximum
of the amount allowed under this policy when the cost of tuition and books exceed the limit of the scholarship or financial aid. Employees must provide proof of financial aid and or
the value of the scholarship Ineligible for Reimbursement 1. Courses which are covered under any non-refundable financial aid, including scholarships, and government assistance, are
not covered under this policy. Employees may not submit claims for reimbursement for tuition or books, which are covered by non-refundable financial assistance. 4
Terminated employees 1. If an employee receives approval for a particular semester and begins attending classes, but is involuntarily terminated by the City prior to the completion of
the courses, the City may at its sole discretion reimburse the covered expenses. The course must have already started prior to the involuntary termination for reimbursement to be paid.
2. Employees who voluntarily leave their employment or are terminated “for cause” will be required to reimburse the City 100% of the tuition assistance received during the 24 month period
prior to their termination date. Submission of grades. 1. A copy of the approved Application for Tuition Assistance form or a facsimile shall be re-submitted to the Tuition Assistance
Coordinator along with the original grade report and any remaining original receipts. 2. Approved applications will be held for four (4) weeks after the anticipated course completion
date. Grades or receipts not presented by this time shall not be reimbursed. 3. Employees will usually be reimbursed for approved courses within four weeks from submission of the final
grade report. All reimbursements shall be paid by City check. Degrees. 1. If a degree is earned, a copy must be submitted to the Tuition Assistance Coordinator so that it may be included
in the employee’s file. Retroactivity. 1. Reimbursements will not be retroactive and will cover only those classes taken in the fiscal year in which they applied. Total Disbursement
1. Tuition assistance will be granted up to and including available funds in the budget for the fiscal year. At no time will reimbursements exceed the available funds in the current
fiscal year budget. 5
6 RESPONSIBILITY AND AUTHORITY 1. Management, at all levels, shall be responsible for enforcing this policy within their area. 2. The interpretation and administration of this policy
shall be the responsibility of the Director of Organizational and Strategic Development. 3. The Director of Organizational and Strategic Development or assigned designee, shall be responsible
for the audit, approval, and processing of tuition assistance applications and reimbursements. REFERENCE DOCUMENTS 1. PDF-0021, Application for Tuition Assistance PREPARED BY: Patricia
Spoerri, EFFECTIVE DATE: December 31, 2001 REVISED July 25, 2003 Kurt Bressner Kurt Bressner City Manager