Rule 3364-25-129 | Educational development incentive.
(A) Policy statement
The university of Toledo encourages its staff to pursue degrees in disciplines related to their work assignments at the university.
(B) Purpose of policy
To increase the degree completion rate among employees and to encourage professional development, the university of Toledo will provide an employee an educational development incentive for degree completion, subject to the following provisions.
(C) Scope
The educational development incentive rewards employees who take the initiative to increase their job worth by gaining job-related knowledge, behaviors, and skills to significantly enhance their value to their department and the university. The educational development incentive is not an entitlement and may not be awarded retroactively.
All full-time and regular part-time classified and unclassified non-bargaining unit professional staff who have been employed by the university for a continuous period of at least one calendar year are eligible for the educational development incentive, provided all of the following requirements are met:
(1) The individual earns an associate's, bachelor's, or master's degree on or after July 1, 2018.
(2) The degree is from a college or university with accreditation by an accrediting agency recognized by the U.S. department of education.
(3) The degree is in a discipline related to the individual's work assignments at the university of Toledo.
Students employed in positions that require student status as a condition of employment may not participate in this program. Employees classified as faculty are not eligible for the educational incentive.
(D) Roles and responsibilities
(1) A qualified individual who obtains a degree must submit a final, official transcript to his/her business manager (main campus) or department leader (health science campus) showing the degree was conferred on or after the original effective date of this policy from an accredited college or university. The official transcript must be submitted within sixty calendar days from the date the degree was conferred for the employee to be eligible for the incentive.
(2) The business manager or department leader will determine whether the degree is in a discipline related to the individual's work assignments at the university of Toledo.
(a) Upon confirmation that all requirements have been met, the business manager or department leader will generate an electronic personnel action and send the original transcript to the human resources ("HR") department to place in the employee's personnel file.
(b) Once the electronic personnel action is routed and returned to the HR department, the university will issue the employee a one thousand dollar incentive. For unclassified employees, the incentive will be a base pay increase, unless the employee qualifies for a higher rate in pay due to the change in credentials, in which case the incentive does not apply. The change is effective the pay period following the date on which HR confirms that all requirements are met. Classified employees will be issued a one thousand dollar incentive stipend split over regular pay dates annually, effective the pay period following the date on which HR confirms that all requirements are met.
(3) The incentive is limited to one educational development incentive per qualified employee.
(4) To qualify, the degree cannot be either a special requirement or minimum qualification established for the position offered to or held by the employee.
(5) The university reserves the right to modify, suspend, or discontinue this policy at any time if necessary due to financial constraints.
Last updated June 25, 2021 at 6:18 PM
Supplemental Information
Amplifies: 3364