City Council approves second reading of Educational Reimbursement Program for City Employees Ordinance

By: Jose G. Landa, Eagle Pass Business Journal, Inc., Copyright 2015

The City of Eagle Pass is seeking to amend an ordinance to clarify the City’s educational reimbursement program under Section 2-32, Article II, Chapter 2 (Administration) of the Code of Ordinances of the City of Eagle Pass, Texas, by deleting in its entirety and adopting new Section 2-32 to revise and clarify the educational reimbursement program.

During the Eagle Pass City Council meeting held on Tuesday, October 20, 2015, the Eagle Pass City Council discussed agenda item No.13 that is being sought to clarify certain issues being experienced due to unforeseen changes under the educational reimbursement program.

The City of Eagle Pass, Texas established an educational reimbursement program to promote education to increase and enhance the skill and development of its employees which is intended to help City employees maintain a satisfactory level of knowledge and expertise in their present position as well as to help them develop their skills and increase their potential for future advancement with the City of Eagle Pass.

The City of Eagle Pass experienced an increase in use of the educational reimbursement program and now seeks to modify and streamline the procedure for educational reimbursements.: The City of Eagle Pass, Texas seeks to delete Section 1. Sec. 2-32 Article II, Chapter 2 of the Code of Ordinances in its entirety and adopt new Sec. 2-32 to read as follows: 2-32. – Educational reimbursement policy. Subject to funding availability, the City may offer an educational reimbursement program to regular full-time employees who attend a course of study at a pre-approved institution, or through an approved correspondence school. Educational reimbursement is intended to help employees maintain a satisfactory level of knowledge and expertise in their present position as well as to help them develop their skills and increase their potential for future advancement with the City. Employees participating in this educational reimbursement program shall not be permitted to attend courses during work hours unless authorized by the department head and approved by City Manager, or designee. Additionally, employees attending courses under this educational reimbursement program shall not be compensated for their course work as hours of work. The course of study and courses must be directly related to the employee’s city’s job employment, as determined by the employee’s department head, and must be approved by the City Manager, or designee, on the City’s pre-approval form, prior to registration. This educational reimbursement program will not reimburse an employee for costs covered by State or Federal educational assistance programs, nor does it cover any incidental expenses such as supplies and/or other personal expenses. Employees will provide any additional documentation to the City upon request in order to be eligible to participate in this educational reimbursement program. Employees requesting educational reimbursement assistance must acknowledge continued employment with the City for a minimum period of two (2) years upon attaining a degree in the pre-approved course of study. Employees must acknowledge and agree that educational reimbursement assistance is a financial investment by the City and it is both reasonable and appropriate for the employee to reimburse the City subject to the following terms and conditions: (a) one hundred percent (100%), (i) if the employee fails to successfully attain said degree and/or vocational training/certification (ii) if the employee makes a conscious decision to no longer pursue the degree and/or vocational training/certification (iii) if employment separation occurs prior to one (1) year from the employees graduation date. (b) fifty percent (50%), if employment separation occurs, prior to two (2) years, but more than (1) year, from the employees graduation date. Procedure for the Department Head Each department head is required to inform their department staff prior to the new fiscal year of the Educational Reimbursement Policy to budget accordingly and subject to funding approval. Procedure To be eligible to receive an educational reimbursement, employees must comply with the following procedures: 1. Prior to registration, the employee must submit the following documents to the employee’s department head for review and consideration: The name of the college or institution the employee is attending; b. The employee’s degree and/or vocational training/certification plan or course of study; c. The name and description of each course the employee intends to enroll in for the semester, including a brief summary of how the course relates to the employee’s job; d. The start and end date of the course; e. The costs for tuition, books or any other fees the employee expects to incur for the course; and f. Any amount of State or Federal educational assistance the employee will receive or has requested. 2. The employee’s department head will review and confirm the following information before approving a request for educational reimbursement and returning the pre-approval form to the employee: a. The department head must ensure funding is available to support the reimbursement; otherwise, the department head must ensure a budget amendment is requested; b. The department head must ensure the proposed course(s) is/are directly related to the employee’s job; and c. The department head shall provide a recommendation regarding approval of the request. 3. If the department head approves the course(s), the employee must then submit the pre-approval form to the Human Resources department. Human Resources will review the employee’s documentation for accuracy and will forward to City Manager or his designee for approval. 4. The Human Resources department is responsible for informing the employee (or department head) of the final determination on pre-approval of the courses and shall return the pre-approval form to the employee. 5. Upon receipt of a final passing grade of “C” or better, the employee must submit the educational reimbursement request to the Human Resources department within thirty (30) days. The City may reimburse an employee up to a maximum of $3,000.00 per fiscal year for the cost of tuition, lab fees, books, and other required materials for pre-approved courses. Section 2. This ordinance shall be in full force and effect immediately from and after its final passage in accordance with the City Charter of the City of Eagle Pass, Texas.

The Eagle Pass City Council unanimously approved agenda item No.13 amending the employee school reimbursement ordinance and will now be read and discussed a third and final time at an upcoming city council meeting before final approval.

Eagle Pass City Council members Gloria E. Hernandez and Luis E. Sifuentes were not present at the meeting.