Presenter
Presented by Mr. Hertzberg
Title
Resolution amending Resolution No. 145 of 2001, as further amended, which authorized implementation of an employee tuition reimbursement program, so as to reduce reimbursement to fifty percent (50%) of tuition costs, pursuant to the Act 47 Plan.
Body
Be it resolved by the Council of the City of Pittsburgh as follows:
Section 1. Resolution No. 145 of 2001, eff. March 28, 2001, which amended Resolution No. 69 of 2001, eff. February 28, 2001, and section 1 of said Resolution No. 69 of 2001, are amended to provide for reimbursement of tuition and lab fees in the amount of fifty percent (50%) as follows:
Section 1. All full time regular non-union eligible employees of the City of Pittsburgh with at least one year of service are eligible to participate in [a] the Employee Tuition Reimbursement Program.
(a) Eligible employees may be reimbursed fifty percent (50%) 80% of tuition and lab fees for courses that are job-related or degree related and will improve the employee's job related knowledge and skills [that are job related.] Eligible employees may be reimbursed fifty percent (50%) [80%] of the tuition and lab fees for each and every course needed to obtain any college or post graduate degree, provided that the degree being sought by the eligible employee is job related and will improve or [one that tends to] enhance his/her qualifications, skills or technological capabilities for his/her job. Books and educational materials are not reimbursable.
(a) The courses must be taken at an accredited College/University. Tuition for correspondence courses and non-credit courses are not reimbursable.
(c) Costs for the Tuition Reimbursement Program will be chargeable to each Department's Education and Training account.
(d) The Director of the Department of Personnel is hereby authorized to formulate additional regulations and forms that he/she deems necessary to implement the Tuition Reimbursement Program.
PRE-APPROVAL
a) An employee must request and receive pre-approval for benefits prior to the first day of classes, or as the Personnel Department procedures/rules specify. In the event of extenuating circumstances, exceptions will be reviewed on an individual basis.
b) The request for pre-approval must be submitted to the department director, and must contain the following information:
1) the name of the accredited institution;
2) the title and brief description of each course;
3) the number of college credits for each course;
4) the total tuition cost for each course;
5) laboratory fees, if any, for each course; and
6) the starting and ending dates for each course.
c) Evidence of potential cost such as invoices, receipts or notices must be attached to the employee's request.
Department Action
a) Upon receipt of the request, the department director will review the request to see if:
1) the degree program is job-related;
2) the courses are job-related;
b) Following his/her review, the department director shall recommend approval or disapproval of the request for reimbursement, and send it to the Personnel Department for final review and approval.
FINAL APPROVAL
In the event the Personnel Director's decision is an approval, the decision shall be final. In the event the Personnel Department's decision is a denial, the eligible employee may appeal to a 3-member appeals board, consisting of an officer of a Labor Union that represents City employees and who is designated by the City Controller, the Solicitor or his/her designee and a City employee who is not an elected official and who is designated by the President of City Council. If at least two members of the appeals board wish to reverse the decision, the final decision shall be approval. The appeals board shall make its decision promptly and communicate it promptly to the employee and the Director of the Department of Personnel in writing.
REIMBURSEMENT PROCEDURE
Upon completion of the course, the employee must submit to the department director evidence of having satisfactorily completed the course. Satisfactory completion is a "C" or higher for undergraduate level courses and a "B" or higher for graduate level courses.
Upon receipt of proof that the employee has successfully completed the course(s) for which all required approvals have been granted, the department director shall prepare a departmental invoice to reimburse the employee for fifty percent (50%) of the costs incurred, and the City Controller is hereby authorized and directed to issue warrants to reimburse the employees and charge the same to the appropriate Education and Training Account in each department.
Section 2: Any Resolution or Ordinance or part thereof conflicting with the provisions of this Resolution is hereby repealed so far as the same affects this Resolution.