Tuition Assistance Policy

Policy Statement

Investing in employees will support the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador in achieving its strategic goals and objectives, and in delivering public service excellence. The Tuition Assistance Program is intended to provide assistance to employees who participate in post-secondary programs of study, as a result of a management request related to targeted competency development (e.g., succession planning, hard to fill positions, skills gaps, etc.). Consequently, a primary focus in approving tuition assistance will be the relevance of educational courses to the work required of the department in fulfilling its mandate.

Application

This policy applies to employees of the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador.

Definitions

For the purpose of this policy:

Active Employee – refers to an employee who is currently working in their role and not on any form of leave. Internal government systems are used for the application, approval, and reimbursement processes. Therefore, tuition assistance will only be granted to employees who have access to Government email and the Expense Claim Management System (ECMS).

Eligibility

To be eligible for tuition assistance, the following conditions of employment must be met:

  • active, full-time or part-time permanent employment status, employed for two or more continuous years with the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador; or
  • active, full-time or part-time temporary employment status, with five or more years of continuous service with the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador.

Roles and Responsibilities

Centre for Learning and Development (CLD)

It is the responsibility of the CLD to:

  • review Tuition Assistance Applications to determine if an employee is eligible to receive tuition assistance;
  • confirm that all required documentation is received from the employee prior to tuition reimbursement; and
  • issue reimbursement, as required.

Employees

It is the responsibility of the employee to:

  • confirm eligibility prior to the completion of the Tuition Assistance Application;
  • complete the Tuition Assistance Application, in consultation with their direct supervisor;
  • submit the Tuition Assistance Application, in accordance with requirements outlined in the Application Process section;
  • arrange payment of all fees, in accordance with requirements outlined in the Reimbursement Process section;
  • submit all required documents for reimbursement, within two weeks of receiving their final grade(s), in accordance with requirements outlined in the Reimbursement Process section;
  • obtain necessary approvals from CLD for expense claims if the leave of absence scenario applies as outlined in the Reimbursement Process section;
  • to pay all fees if withdrawing from a course(s) prior to course completion (without tuition reimbursement); and
  • advise the CLD within three business days of withdrawing from a course(s), prior to course completion.

Public Service Commission

The Commission shall:

  • monitor and audit to ensure compliance with this policy;
  • provide guidance and interpretation of this policy; and
  • adjudicate complaints related to the application of this policy pursuant to the Public Service Commission Act.

Application Process

Applicants must submit a Tuition Assistance Application that has been developed in consultation with their direct supervisor. The form must clearly demonstrate how the identified area of study will assist the department in addressing operational/strategic requirements. Furthermore, the application must be approved by the deputy minister, or designate.

Consideration will be given to a wide range of educational options offered through accredited post-secondary institutions in the Province. Consideration may also be given for programs from other accredited post-secondary institutions, if similar programming is not available in the Province. In such cases, additional documentation may be required as part of the application process.

The CLD will administer tuition assistance via three intake periods throughout the fiscal year. To allow for due consideration, all necessary information and signatures must be submitted to the CLD, in accordance with the chart below. Please note that separate applications will be required for each intake period, except in situations where a course spans more than one semester.

 

Intake Course Start Date Application Deadline
Spring/Summer May to August April 15
Fall September to December August 15
Winter January to April December 15

 

All applications will be reviewed in the order in which they are received. Applications received after the posted deadlines will not be approved. However, employees will have the option to apply again during the next intake period.

Employees who wish to apply for tuition assistance can request an application form by emailing the CLD at TuitionAssistanceCLD@gov.nl.ca.

Application Approval Process

The CLD will endeavor to support as many employees as possible, while considering the following:

  • the degree of course relevance and practicality in relation to the department’s strategic goals and objectives;
  • the department’s ability to effectively address operational requirements as a result of the course/program selection;
  • the amount of tuition assistance being requested, as well as tuition amounts previously approved and employee progress towards program completion; and
  • the total funding available to the CLD for disbursement.

If approved, the employee will be responsible to arrange payment of all associated fees with the respective educational institution.

Reimbursement Process

Upon successful completion of approved courses, the employee will submit the required documents to the CLD for reimbursement for 50 per cent of tuition costs, up to a maximum of $1500 per intake period. Other educational fees (e.g., laboratory fees, other learning and supportive materials, etc.) are the responsibility of the employee.

The amount of the reimbursement will be provided to the employee via an expense claim through ECMS, and must include legible copies of the following documents:

  • official proof of successful completion of the course, including your name;
  • official proof of payment from the educational institution including date of payment and your name;
  • official itemized receipt(s) from the educational institution, including your name; and
  • CLD approval letter with the matching course name and approval amount.

Please Note:

Additional details on the required process for receiving the reimbursement, including ECMS financial codes, will be communicated upon approval. Employees must submit all required documents within two weeks of receiving their final grade(s).

Additional Information

Leaves of Absence

If an employee must take a leave of absence prior to course completion, but is able to continue their studies, they may be able to submit expenses via a paper submission. In this scenario, the employee must obtain prior approval from the CLD.

Termination of Study

If an employee withdraws from a course(s) prior to course completion, any associated fees will be the sole responsibility of the employee.

To ensure that other employees have access to tuition assistance, employees withdrawing from course(s) are asked to immediately advise the CLD of the withdrawal within three business days, so that funding can be appropriately redistributed.

Termination of Employment

If an employee’s employment with the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador is terminated prior to course completion, either voluntarily or involuntarily, all fees will be the sole responsibility of the employee.

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