Columbia Cost reimbursement ordinance (§ 19-106)

(a) Employees required to attend special training-development on city time by the department head shall be reimbursed in full for course and travel costs. Basic training, enabling the employee to meet the primary responsibility level of a position may be required at any time in the course of the employee's service. Employees may, if their performance is less than acceptable for their classification, be required by their department head to complete relevant training on their own time and at their own expense in order to maintain further employment in their present capacity.

(b) Reimbursement for cost of eligible formal college credit course work taken on the employee's own time shall be:

(1) Limited to tuition expenses only, and not books, transportation, meals, lodging, activity, or any special fees;

(2) Limited in participation to annual budgetary allotments for this purpose;

(3) Limited to a maximum of two thousand five hundred dollars ($2,500.00), or the cost of the course(s), whichever is less, per full-time permanent employee, per fiscal year (part-time permanent employees are limited to pro-rated reimbursement);

(4) Limited to those courses passed with a grade of "C" or better, or "passed" if on an ungraded basis;

(5) Approved for full or part payment by the director prior to enrollment in the course, with reimbursement by the city being made subsequent to presentation of official documentation of successful completion and receipt of cost for the course.

(c) Employees shall be required to sign an agreement to reimburse the city for tuition costs if the employee leaves permanent city employment within twenty-four (24) months following completion of reimbursed coursework.

(d) Costs incurred by the city shall be deducted from an employee's check if:

(1) General conditions in subsection (b) of this section are not met; or

(2) The employee leaves the city service within twenty-four (24) months subsequent to completion of the course.

(e) After October 1, 1978, employees receiving aid for educational/training endeavors from military programs, scholarships, or any other similar assistance shall not be eligible for tuition reimbursement from the city to the extent aid is received from military programs, scholarships, or similar assistance for such time as other aid is being received.