HomeMy Public PortalAboutResolution No. 491-17 12-11-2017RESOLUTION 491-17
A RESOLUTION OF THE RICHLAND HILLS CITY
COUNCIL FOR THE ESTABLISHMENT OF AN
EMPLOYEE TUITION REIMBURSEMENT PROGRAM
WHEREAS, the City of Richland Hills has a goal of attracting and retaining employees with
higher levels of training and education; and
WHEREAS, the City finds that it is beneficial and appropriate and in the best interests of the
residents and citizens of the City of Richland Hills to establish a tuition reimbursement program for
eligible employees as determined by the City Manager; and
WHEREAS, the City Council finds that establishing a tuition reimbursement program
enhances the value of the City's work force by encouraging employees to invest in themselves and the
City by furthering their education and job skills; and
WHEREAS, the City Council wishes to reward employees that have invested in themselves
by furthering their education and job skill abilities and to encourage other employees to do so;
NOW, THEREFORE, THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF RICHLAND HILLS,
TEXAS DOES HEREBY RESOLVE AS FOLLOWS:
TUITION REIMBURSEMENT
1. General
The City of Richland Hills encourages City employees in the development of
excellence in their job performance. The City will share the cost of university and
college education programs subject to the availability of funds.
2. Conditions and Restrictions
a. All regular full-time employees who have been employed by the City of
Richland Hills for at least six months are eligible.
b. The employee must be enrolled in a course(s), directly related to his or her
current position or a related higher position, and be part of a degree plan
which has been approved by the department director and the City
Manager.
c. Learning institutions must be accredited through one of the regional
Accreditation Agencies to include: The Middle States Association of
Colleges and Schools, the New England Association of Schools and
Colleges, the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools, the
Northwest Association of Schools and Colleges, the Southern Association
of Colleges and Schools, or the Western Association of Schools and
Colleges.
d. Unless otherwise specifically approved by the City Manager's Office,
courses must be taken on the employee's own time.
e. No blanket approval of programs will be granted; only specific courses for
a particular fiscal year will be approved.
f. There will be no reimbursement for any cost covered by another
governmental agency, grants program or scholarship.
g. Employees will be reimbursed based upon the actual tuition and fee
schedule of the school they attend, unless the tuition and fee schedule
exceeds that of the University of North Texas (UNT), or the University of
Texas at Arlington (UTA), in which case the reimbursement will be
calculated at the equivalent rate of UNT or UTA (whichever is greater).
h. Employees will only be reimbursed for fees assessed by the university. No
fee or expense assessed by the instructor will be reimbursed to the
employee.
i. The maximum annual tuition reimbursement per employee shall be $5,250
per calendar year.
j. When an employee resigns or is terminated prior to completing an
approved course, the City will not be obligated to reimburse the employee
for any part of the expense.
k. This policy is intended to reimburse employees for accredited instructional
courses. Employees will not be reimbursed for the following types of
courses: portfolio, challenging/testing out, life experience, experiential
learning, student orientation, adult learning, or life learning. The Human
Resources Director is responsible for determining which courses are
eligible for reimbursement.
I. The City Manager or designee has the sole discretion to determine which
degree plans and courses will be eligible for reimbursement.
3. Course Approval
All courses must be approved by the department director and the City Manager.
The employee must have a degree plan on file with the college/university. A
Course Approval/Reimbursement Request form shall be submitted to the
department director and show the following:
a. College or university to be attended.
b. Semester in which course is to be taken.
c. Title of the course and catalog number.
d. Copy of the current degree plan (one time only, or until changed).
e. Estimated cost of tuition, fees associated with classroom instruction and
books.
4. Reimbursement Requests
The City will only reimburse for those courses listed on the degree plan that have
been approved by the department director and the City Manager. The following
requirements must be met before reimbursements will be considered:
a. For reimbursement, the employee must submit a Course
Approval/Reimbursement Request form, a copy of their course
registration, original grade report, and original receipts to the department
director at the end of the semester.
b. Employees will be entitled to a 100% refund for a grade of "A" or "B" in
graduate and undergraduate courses or a 50% refund for a grade of "C" in
undergraduate courses. No reimbursement will be given for a grade of "C"
in graduate level courses.
c. Employees must fulfill atwelve-month service requirement with the City,
which begins from the date of each reimbursement. This includes an
agreement to repay the last twelve months of tuition reimbursement, as
well as other costs paid by the City under this policy, received if the
twelve-month service requirement is not fulfilled. Upon termination, any
reimbursements owed to the City must be repaid either by personal check,
or will be withheld from the employee's final paycheck.
5. Budget Considerations
Estimates of employees' educational expenses, which are submitted to
supervisors, will be sent to the department director prior to formulation of the
annual budget. The department director should forward information estimates on
approved courses to the City Manager's Office for review and inclusion in the
annual budget process. All educational expenses expected to be reimbursed in
the fiscal year should be submitted as part of that year's annual budget process,
if possible. Tuition requests submitted and approved in the budget process will
be given funding priority. The City's tuition reimbursement program is subject to
the availability of funds and must be approved by the City Council as part of the
budget each fiscal year. Courses taken by an employee during fiscal years where
funds were not approved as part of the budget process will not be reimbursed to
the employees by the City.
6. Course Literature
At the end of the semester, employees will be reimbursed the difference between
the cost of the textbook and the resale amount. If the employee is unable to
resale his/her textbook at the end of the semester, the employee will not be
reimbursed for the cost of the textbook. Employees must show proof of purchase
and reimbursement.
IT IS SO RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF RICHLAND
HILLS, TEXAS ON THE 11`h DAY OF DECEMBER, 2017.
ATTEST:
City Secret y, Cathy Bo r
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Mayor, Bill Agan
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TUITION REIMBURSEMENT
1. General
The City of Richland Hills encourages City employees in the development of
excellence in their job performance. The City will share the cost of university and
college education programs subject to the availability of funds.
2. Conditions and Restrictions
a. All regular full-time employees who have been employed by the City of
Richland Hills for at least six months are eligible.
b. The employee must be enrolled in a course(s), directly related to his or her
current position or a related higher position, and be part of a degree plan
which has been approved by the department director and the City
Manager.
c. Learning institutions must be accredited through one of the regional
Accreditation Agencies to include: The Middle States Association of
Colleges and Schools, the New England Association of Schools and
Colleges, the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools, the
Northwest Association of Schools and Colleges, the Southern Association
of Colleges and Schools, or the Western Association of Schools and
Colleges.
d. Unless otherwise specifically approved by the City Manager's Office,
courses must be taken on the employee's own time.
e. No blanket approval of programs will be granted; only specific courses for
a particular fiscal year will be approved.
f. There will be no reimbursement for any cost covered by another
governmental agency, grants program or scholarship.
g. Employees will be reimbursed based upon the actual tuition and fee
schedule of the school they attend, unless the tuition and fee schedule
exceeds that of the University of North Texas (UNT), or the University of
Texas at Arlington (UTA), in which case the reimbursement will be
calculated at the equivalent rate of UNT or UTA (whichever is greater).
h. Employees will only be reimbursed for fees assessed by the university. No
fee or expense assessed by the instructor will be reimbursed to the
employee.
i. The maximum annual tuition reimbursement per employee shall be $5,250
per calendar year.
j. When an employee resigns or is terminated prior to completing an
approved course, the City will not be obligated to reimburse the employee
for any part of the expense.
k. This policy is intended to reimburse employees for accredited instructional
courses. Employees will not be reimbursed for the following types of
courses: portfolio, challenging/testing out, life experience, experiential
learning, student orientation, adult learning, or life learning. The Human
Resources Director is responsible for determining which courses are
eligible for reimbursement.
I. The City Manager or designee has the sole discretion to determine which
degree plans and courses will be eligible for reimbursement.
3. Course Approval
All courses must be approved by the department director and the City Manager.
The employee must have a degree plan on file with the college/university. A
Course Approval/Reimbursement Request form shall be submitted to the
department director and show the following:
a. College or university to be attended.
b. Semester in which course is to be taken.
c. Title of the course and catalog number.
d. Copy of the current degree plan (one time only, or until changed).
e. Estimated cost of tuition, fees associated with classroom instruction and
books.
4. Reimbursement Requests
The City will only reimburse for those courses listed on the degree plan that have
been approved by the department director and the City Manager. The following
requirements must be met before reimbursements will be considered:
a. For reimbursement, the employee must submit a Course
Approval/Reimbursement Request form, a copy of their course
registration, original grade report, and original receipts to the department
director at the end of the semester.
b. Employees will be entitled to a 100% refund for a grade of "A" or "B" in
graduate and undergraduate courses or a 50% refund for a grade of "C" in
undergraduate courses. No reimbursement will be given for a grade of "C"
in graduate level courses.
c. Employees must fulfill atwelve-month service requirement with the City,
which begins from the date of each reimbursement. This includes an
agreement to repay the last twelve months of tuition reimbursement, as
well as other costs paid by the City under this policy, received if the
twelve-month service requirement is not fulfilled. Upon termination, any
reimbursements owed to the City must be repaid either by personal check,
or will be withheld from the employee's final paycheck.
5. Budget Considerations
Estimates of employees' educational expenses, which are submitted to
supervisors, will be sent to the department director prior to formulation of the
annual budget. The department director should forward information estimates on
approved courses to the City Manager's Office for review and inclusion in the
annual budget process. All educational expenses expected to be reimbursed in
the fiscal year should be submitted as part of that year's annual budget process,
if possible. Tuition requests submitted and approved in the budget process will
be given funding priority. The City's tuition reimbursement program is subject to
the availability of funds and must be approved by the City Council as part of the
budget each fiscal year. Courses taken by an employee during fiscal years where
funds were not approved as part of the budget process will not be reimbursed to
the employees by the City.
6. Course Literature
At the end of the semester, employees will be reimbursed the difference between
the cost of the textbook and the resale amount. If the employee is unable to
resale his/her textbook at the end of the semester, the employee will not be
reimbursed for the cost of the textbook. Employees must show proof of purchase
and reimbursement.