Policy 78

Training and Development of the Support Staff (Under Revision)

Approved Administrative Committee 225.1

TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT OF THE SUPPORT STAFF (UNDER REVISION)

PURPOSE

  1. The intent of this Policy is to define the circumstances and conditions under which the University grants financial assistance to members of the support staff for the purpose of promoting their training and development and of fostering their interest in refresher studies.

GENERAL

  1.  In the text of this Policy words importing male persons include female persons.

RESPONSIBILITIES

  1. The responsibility for the administration of this Policy rests with the Deans of Faculties or Schools and the Directors of Services. Personnel Services will have the responsibility of interpreting the Policy and, particularly, of providing advice on training and development matters to Deans and Directors, as well as to members of the support staff.

SCOPE

  1. This Policy applies to the following:
    1. courses offered by the University of Ottawa;
    2. courses offered by other educational institutions;
    3. seminars, conferences and specialized study sessions.

ELIGIBILITY

  1. The financial assistance referred to in this Policy may only be granted to those members of the support staff who are eligible for all the University fringe benefits defined in Policy No. 8 and who have completed a minimum period of twelve (12) months of continuous service.

COURSES OFFERED BY THE UNIVERSITY OF OTTAWA

  1. Any eligible member of the support staff may take courses of his own choice at the University of Ottawa and apply for a reimbursement of his tuition fees, provided that he has obtained beforehand the approval of his Dean or his Director. Such approval will be subject to the following conditions:
    1.  The courses must be taken outside the regular working hours or, in the case of a flexible schedule, outside the approved working hours. These courses must not constitute a burden which might, in the opinion of the Dean or the Director concerned, affect the employee's job performance.
    2. The tuition fees must be paid at the time of registration.
    3. The employee must attend the courses regularly and complete them successfully.

COURSES OFFERED BY OTHER EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS

  1. Any eligible member of the support staff may take courses at an educational institution other than the University of Ottawa and apply for a reimbursement of his tuition fees provided that he has obtained beforehand the approval of his Dean or his Director. Such approval is subject to the following conditions:
    1. The courses must be related directly to the nature of the employee's duties and to his responsibilities and be adapted to the needs of the Faculty, School or Service concerned.
    2.  The courses must be taken outside the regular working hours or, in the case of a flexible schedule, outside the approved working hours. These courses must not constitute a burden which might, in the opinion of the Dean or the Director concerned, affect the employee's job performance.
    3. The tuition fees must be paid at the time of registration. 
    4. The employee must attend the courses regularly and complete them successfully.
    5. The funds required for a possible reimbursement of the tuition fees must be made available in the operating budget of the Faculty, School or Service concerned

SEMINARS, CONFERENCES, SPECIALIZED STUDY SESSIONS

  1. Any eligible member of the support staff may take part in a seminar, a conference or a specialized study session and have the required fees paid by the University, provided that he has obtained beforehand the approval of his Dean or his Director. Such approval is subject to the following conditions:
    1. The seminar, conference or specialized study session must relate directly to the nature of the employee’s duties and responsibilities or contribute to promote his personal or professional development.
    2. The funds required for the payment of the expenses incurred must be made available in the operating budget of the Faculty, School or Service concerned.

TERMS AND CONDITIONS REGARDING REIMBURSEMENT OR PAYMENT

  1. In the case of courses taken at the University of Ottawa, the tuition fees paid by members of the support staff will be deposited in a special central account, for the purpose of effecting the approved reimbursements.
  2. In the case of an employee taking courses in an educational institution other than the University, the reimbursement of his tuition fees must be borne by the operating budget of the Faculty, School or Service concerned.
  3. In the case of an employee attending a seminar, a conference or a specialized study session, registration fees, as well as travel expenses if any, must be borne by the budget of the Faculty, School or Service concerned. Payment of the expenses incurred must be effected according to the provisions of Policy No. 21.
  4. In order to be reimbursed for each course completed successfully, an employee must fill in the appropriate request form, have it signed by his Dean or his Director and submit it to Personnel Services, together with a transcript of marks and proof of payment of tuition fees. This provision, however, does not apply in the case where an employee attends a seminar, a conference or a specialized study session, since the required fees are payable in advance directly by the Faculty, School or Service concerned.

SPECIAL CASES

  1. Any member of the support staff who is taking courses and voluntarily terminates his employment before the end of such courses or is dismissed as a result of a breach of discipline or because of his inefficiency will not be entitled to any reimbursement of tuition fees. However, if an employee attending courses is laid off for administrative reasons or is prevented from completing his courses because of certified illness, tuition fees will be reimbursable.
  2. Should the fact of taking courses prove to have an adverse effect on the employee's job performance, his Dean or his Director must give him an oral warning followed by a written admonishment. It is up to the employee to take steps conducive to his improvement. If, at the end of a period of two (2) weeks, the employee's job performance is still unsatisfactory, the Dean or the Director may, after consultation with the Director of Personnel Services, take the appropriate disciplinary action and, if need be, cancel the reimbursement of fees of the approved courses.

GENERAL REMARK

  1. As the reimbursement of tuition fees constitutes a taxable income, deductions will be made according to a fixed percentage of the total amount of the refundable tuition fees. The employee concerned may recover these deductions by requesting a tax abatement when submitting his income tax return. Therefore, he should keep the receipts issued to him at registration time and attach them to his Income Tax Return form.

EXCEPTION

  1. No exception may be made to this Policy without the written consent of the Assistant Vice-Rector, Staff Relations.

Revised August 20, 1976 (Supersedes edition dated March 7, 1974)

INDEX

Training and development, Support Staff
Tuition fees, Support Staff (Reimbursement of)

(Personnel Services)