Current through Reg. 49, No. 38; September 20, 2024
(a)
Components of program. The employee training program for the department
consists of one or more of the following components:
(1) Agency-sponsored training to include
in-house training sessions and on-the-job training;
(2) Formal training program conducted through
the National Credit Union Administration as administrator of the National
Credit Union Share Insurance Fund.
(3) Seminars and conferences; and
(4) Formal course of study at an accredited
institution of higher education .
(b) In order for the cost of training and the
time related to that training to be reimbursed by the department, the employee
must demonstrate that the course has direct applicability to the employee's job
with the department. Attendance at an approved training session described in
subsection (a)(1)-(3) will be considered part of the employee's normal work
duties and will not require the employee to use accrued leave to
attend.
(c) Requests to attend an
external training program, seminar or conference pursuant to this section must
be approved by the commissioner. Approval of a request is contingent upon
availability of funds. If limited funds are available, and more than one
employee wishes to participate, a decision regarding who will attend will be
based upon the extent of their previous use of funds, the training's merit and
its value to the department's operations.
(d) Continuing education courses. Continuing
education courses required by licensing or certifying bodies for employees to
maintain a professional license or designation will only be reimbursed if such
courses relate directly to the employee's job duties with the department and
there are funds available.
(e)
Tuition reimbursement. The Commissioner must authorize in writing the
reimbursement of tuition in accordance with this subsection.
(1) The department may reimburse full-time
employees for part or all of tuition and required fees for formal courses of
study described in subsection (a)(4) provided the eligibility criteria set
forth below are met.
(A) An employee must
have completed 24 consecutive months of full-time employment with the
department prior to requesting approval to receive tuition reimbursement.
However, the 24-month requirement may be waived if the commissioner finds that
the employee needs a particular course to fulfill his or her work
duties.
(B) An employee must be
performing consistently above that normally expected or required and must have
achieved an overall performance rating of at least 3.50 on the employee's most
recent performance evaluation.
(C)
An employee must not have been subject to formal disciplinary action for at
least twelve months prior to requesting approval. As used in this section,
"disciplinary action" includes a formal written reprimand, suspension without
pay, or salary reduction for disciplinary reasons.
(D) The course work must be related to a
current or prospective duty assignment within the department.
(E) An employee, before the course begins,
must agree in writing to the repayment requirement stated in this
subsection.
(F) At the time of the
request for approval to receive tuition reimbursement, comparable training must
not be scheduled to be offered in-house or through the National Credit Union
Administration during the period of time covered by the tuition
reimbursement.
(G) The employee's
participation must not adversely affect workload or performance.
(H) The employee must complete the course
within the semester for which tuition reimbursement was requested.
(I) The employee must receive a passing grade
in the course. A passing grade is a grade which will entitle the employee to
receive credit for the course from the educational institution offering the
course.
(2) Reimbursable
costs. Criteria addressing the extent to which cost of tuition may be
reimbursed are as follows:
(A) The maximum
amount an employee may be reimbursed for an approved tuition reimbursement
request is $250 per semester, not to exceed $500 per fiscal year. The maximum
amount of reimbursement may be increased up to $400 per semester for good cause
shown upon approval by the commissioner.
(B) Reimbursable costs include tuition,
related fees, and required textbooks and workbooks. Employees will not be
reimbursed for auditing a course.
(C) Costs described in subparagraph (B) of
this paragraph will be paid to the employee at the completion of the course
upon the employee submitting proof that the course was completed and a passing
grade was received.
(3)
Repayment. Should an employee separate from department service within 12 months
of completion of the course, the employee must reimburse the department for all
reimbursable costs expended by the department for that course in accordance
with §
RSA
656.103 of the Texas Government Code
(relating to Restrictions on Certain Training Costs). The commission may adopt
an order waiving this requirement upon finding that such action is in the best
interest of the department or is warranted because of an extreme personal
hardship suffered by the employee.
(4) Prohibition on use of state resources.
Employees may not use department equipment, such as computers, calculators or
typewriters to complete course work
