3750 ORDINANCE NO. 3750
A ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF SANFORD, FLORIDA, AMENDING
ORDINANCE NO. 3630 TO AMEND HUMAN RESOURCES MANUAL
PERSONNEL RULES AND REGULATIONS CHAPTER II, SECTION
2.48, EDUCATIONAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAM; PROVIDING FOR
SEVERABILITY, CONFLICTS AND EFFECTIVE DATE.
WHEREAS, it is the desire of the City Commission of the City of Sanford, Florida, to
amend Human Resources Manual Personnel Rules and Regulations, Educational Assistance
Program.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT ENACTED BY THE PEOPLE OF THE CITY OF
SANFORD, FLORIDA:
SECTION 1: The City Commission adopts the statements above as if fully set forth
herein.
SECTION 2: That the Personnel Rules and Regulations, Educational Assistance
Pro.aram, which are attached hereto as Exhibit "A" are incorporated herein by reference.
SECTION 3: SEVERABILITY: If any section or portion of a section of this proves to
be invalid, unlawful or unconstitutional, it shall not be held to impair the validity, force or
affect of any other section or part of this resolution.
SECTION 4:CONFLICTS: That all ordinance or part of ordinances in conflict herewith
be and the same are hereby revoked.
SECTION 5:EFFECTIVE DATE: That this ordinance shall become effective October
1, 2002.
MA
ATTEST:
AS THE CITY COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF
SANFORD, FLORIDA
CERTIFICATE
I, Janet R. Dougherty, City Clerk of the City of Sanford,
Florida, do hereby certify that the foregoing Ordinance No. 3750,
PASSED and ADOPTED by the City Commission of the City of Sanford,
Florida, on the c~5~-'~ day of ~~C~ , 2002, was
posted at the frontier of the City Hall in the City of Sanford,
Florida on the ~ day of ~~, 2002.
st~he/ City Cler~o~th~
City of Sanford, Florida
HUMAN RESOURCES MANUAL
CHAPTER II
PERSONNEL RULES AND REGULATIONS
2.48 EDUCATIONAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAM
The City of Sanford encourages all regular employees to pursue educational
opportunities to the fullest extent possible. Such opportunities include both job-
related and/or self-improvement courses and programs.
In this regard, the City has established an educational assistance program to help its
employees defray the costs associated with the aforementioned pursuit.
All associated costs of educational assistance will be paid directly to the educational
institution through the City's Direct Payment Program OR the Employee
Reimbursement method of payment whereby an employee may choose to have one-
half (1/2) of eligible cost reimbursed to him/her upon registration and the rameining
one-haft (1t2) reimbursed after the completion of the course work and attained a
The Human Resources Director shal~ be responsible for maintaining all records
associated with this program.
(A) ELIGIBILITY
All regular full-time (and/or part-time) employees are eligible to participate in
the City's educational assistance program. However, it shall be understood
that the undertaking of such courses must not conflict with the employee's
work schedule.
(B) NON-CITY EDUCATIONAL ASSISTANCE
Employees receiving payment or assistance for educational expenses from
any other non-city sources (i.e. grants. VA. etc) which do not require
repayment are eligible for participation in this program to the extent that such
other educational assistance will be considered as pdmary for the purpose of
determining any city assistance entitlement. It is the employee's
responsibility to provide to the City an itemized accounting of the amount of
assistance and what such non-city covers.
Employees receiving payments or assistance for educational expenses from
any other non-city sources (i.e. student loans) which d_9o require repayment
are eligible for participation to the maximum extent provided for herein and
the City's assistance shall be considered as primary for the purpose of
determining any City entitlement. In this regard it is the employee's
responsibility to provide to the City adequate certification of the source and
terms of repayment of such non-City assistance·
Once the pdmary source of assistance has been applied to the total
HUMAN RESOURCES MANUAL
CHAPTER II
PERSONNEL RULES AND REGULATIONS
educational expenses, the employee may then be eligible for additional
assistance from the City to the extent and limits as specified in Sections (B)
& (D) of this policy.
(C) INCLUSiONS/EXCLUSIONS
The items included for educational assistance consideration are:
1. Tuition costs
2. Testing fees (i.e., GED, CLEP, etc.)
3. Laboratory fees
4. Books associated with the course(s)
(Note: Only "credit related" testing fees shall be included as opposed to
"eligibility" type (i.e. GRE, SAT) testing fees).
Excluded items for educational assistance consideration are:
1. Miscellaneous supplies and course materials (i.e. pencils, pens,
calculators, etc.)
Any other items not specifically addressed above shall be considered as
excluded for the purpose of consideration for educational assistance.
(D) APPLICATION PROCEDURE
An employee desiring to participate in the City's educational assistance
program must choose between the direct pay to educational institution
method or the employee reimbursement method. flint seok writton approval
from his/hor Dopadmont Hoad to confirm that 3doquato funds 3ro availablc
from tho Dopartmont's curront budgct. Onco such approval h3s boon
obtainod thon tho omployoo must submit 3n Education31 Assistance Roquost
form to his/hot Dopartmont Hoad pdor to initi3ting tho actual courso, tost, or
laboratory work for final approval. Educational Assistanco Roquost forms
submittod 3ftor initiating tho actu31 coursc, tost, or laboratory work will be
considorod on a caso by caso basis taking into 3ccount tho roeson for tho
delay in submission in 3 timoly mannor. Tho roquost form shall thon be
forwardod to tho Human Rosources Diroctor
A, I;)qF~ECT. pAy. TO EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTION
t. Firet seek written approval from his/her Department Head to
confirm that adequate funds are available from the
Department's current budget by submiffing an Educational
Ass|stance Request form to the Department Head pdor to
initiating the actual course, test, or laboratory work.
HUMAN RESOURCES MANUAL
CHAPTER II
PERSONNEL RULES AND REGULATIONS
2. Register for desired courses and complete the Employer
Educational Assistance Authorization Form. This form must
be completed and signed by a representative of the
eduCational institution.
3. The employee must them submit the Employer Educational
Assistance form to Human Resources along with the
Educational Assistance Request Form, a school pdntout of
the course registration which must include number of credit
hours, credit related testing fees, lab fees, book costs and a
cover memo from the Department Director requesting
payment.
4. Once all the above information has been received in the
Human Resources Department, Human Resources will then
approve for final payment and issue a Direct Pay Voucher to
the employee to take to the educational institutional for
invoicing.
B. EMPLOYEE REIMBURSEMENT METHOD
1. First seek written approval from his/her Department Director
to confirm that adequate funds are available from the
Department's current budget by submitting an Educational
Assistance Request form to the Department Director pdor to
initialing the actual course, test, or laboratory work.
2. The request form, course registration, and paid receipts
covedng all eligible costs shall them be forwarded to Human
Resources with cover memo attached from Department
Director.
3. Once final approval by Human Resources has been obtained,
a copy of all information will be forwan:lad to the Finance
Department for reimbursement to the employee for one-haft
(1/2) of eligible costs to indud~ fpIfgii~l~ tuition% te~tinq,
laboratory 'fees and beeks. The remaining one heif (1/2) shall
be reimbursed to the employee after the employee has
completed the course work .~ attained the equivalent of a
passing grade of at leest a "C' or equivalent thereof.
Educational Assistance Request forms submitted after
initiating the actual course, test, or laboratory work will be
considered. on a case by case basis taking into account the
neeson for the detay in submission in a Urnely manner.
HUMAN RESOURCES MANUAL
CHAPTER II
PERSONNEL RULES AND REGULATIONS
Department Heads must also be mindful that whenever they make
commitments to employees for educational assistance late in the fiscal year,
such commitments may well impact their budget in the next fiscal year.
The Human Rosourcos Dcpartmont will onsuro that roooipts for all oli.qiblo
costs arc 3ttaohod to tho oducational assistanco roquost form.
The Human Resources Director will provide a consolidated oversight of the
Educational Assistance Program.
(E) TERMS OF AGREEMENT
Onco final approval by tho Dopartmont Hoad and roviowod by ths Human
Rcsourcos Diroc, tor has boon obtainod, 3 copy of the rcquost form will bo
roturnod to the ompioyoo along with a roimbursornont c, hoc, k for ono half (Y-)
of oligiblo costs to includo oligiblo tuition, tosting, laboratory foos and books.
Tho romaining ono half ('/2) shall bo roimbursod to the, omployoo aftor tho
omployoo has complotod tho courso work an__d attainod tho oquivalont of 3
passing grado of at Ioast a "C" or oquivalont thoroof. For all educational
institutions that are appropriately accredited, the City will pay up to a total of
$2,100 per fiscal year. Failure to complete said courses (s) or failure to
attain the aforernentior~ed passin9 grade or equivalent after having chosen
either the Direct pay or Employee reimbursement Method will result in the
employee being required to repay to the City al..J! applicable monies advanced
accordingly.
Once the coursework has been completed, proof of such completion must be
sent to the Human Resources Director. This is the employee's responsibility
and failure to do so within one (1) month from the scheduled completion date
or receipt of grade report may result in disqualification from future eligibility
for participation in this program and possible disciplinary action.
For the purpose of defining the term "equivalent" as used herein, such
descriptive results as "satisfactory' or "certification" will be considered as
meeting the "equivalent" definition standard.
(F) Should repayment to the City be necessary while someone is still employed
by the City of Sanford, such repayment must be paid to the City, in full, within
a twelve-(12) month pedod. Therefore, any amount owed to the City must be
repaid in twelve (12) equal installments. Failure to do so could result in
disqualification from future eligibility for participation in this program and
possible disciplinary action.
Should an employee wish to accomplish repayment in a shorter timeframe or
by lump sum repayment, such repayment is encouraged.
In the case of death, or upon "normal retirement as defined in Section 8.1 (D)
HUMAN RESOURCES MANUAL
CHAPTER Ii
PERSONNEL RULES AND REGULATIONS
of the Personnel Rules and Regulations, any remaining liability for repayment
to the City shall be waived.
In the case of someone terminating employment with the City by reason of
resignation or dismissal (voluntary or involuntary) and not due to death or
normal retirement, and who owes the City for repayment of educational
assistance, such repayment shall be made from any accrued sick leave or
vacation leave cash benefits due that employee at the time of termination.
Any amount owed over and above those accrual benefits must be paid to the
City in full within a twelve-(12) month period in twelve (12) equal, monthly
installments.
The application program participation shall provide an agreement to be
signed by the employee, notadzed and stipulating that should the employee's
services be terminated dudng the following pedods either voluntarily or
involuntarily, the City shall be reimbursed for funds paid the employee for
educational expenses as provided in the following reimbursement formula:
Termination after Completion Reimbursement To City
Of Course(s)
Within One (1) Year 100%
From One (1) Year and 50%
One (1) day up to and
including Two (2) years
From Two (2) years and 0%
One (1) day on