State of Connecticut Tuition Reimbursement Manual

ADDENDUM E

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

1. There are two answers depending on whether a priority list is prepared for the employee�s bargaining unit.       (Currently NP-3, NP-2, P-2, P-3B, P-4, and P-5 employees have a priority list and use the following process to determine what is meant by �first-come, first-served basis�).  Applications for tuition reimbursement are to be submitted to the agency at least two weeks and not earlier than three months prior to the start of classes.  Follow-up material must be in by the deadlines stated. The Office of the State Comptroller will pay tuition reimbursement for those on priority lists as they are received based upon the semester of the course (first - summer; second - fall; third - spring) and in order of the date the application was approved by the employee's agency.  If monies are close to being depleted and applications reach the Office of the State Comptroller at the same time, the date the application was approved will determine which application will be paid first.  On a specified date (usually August 1), the Office of the Comptroller will pay those applications received that appear on the "Alternate List" for payment.

   For bargaining units without a priority list (NP-1, NP-4, NP-5, NP-6, NP-8, NP-9, P-1, P-3A) applications are paid as they are received by the Comptroller�s Office. 

1. Preparation and self-development courses, such as the Certified Public Accountant courses or language courses must receive prior approval by the State Tuition Reimbursement Coordinator. The application should include an explanation of or documentation for the program and its relevance to the employee's State job.It is important to note, however, that if the employee's collective bargaining agreement specifies non-credit classes are not eligible for reimbursement, then employees under the agreement will not be reimbursed for these expenses.If the contract is silent, employees will be reimbursed for these courses at the non-credit rate, undergraduate or graduate rate specified by the collective bargaining agreement.Rates of reimbursement are determined by the requirements of the program. For example, if program requires a Bachelor's degree or Life Experience is considered to be equivalent to a Bachelor's Degree, then the employee will be reimbursed at the graduate rate. If a Bachelor's degree is NOT required, then employee will be reimbursed at the undergraduate rate.

1. An employee who begins a course while in one bargaining unit but during the duration of the course is promoted or transferred into another job (and thereby another bargaining unit) is still eligible for tuition reimbursement if funds are available in the new bargaining unit.The original date of application will be used to determine priority.The new bargaining unit's account will be charged for the reimbursement of the course(s).If the employee becomes a confidential employee, the reimbursement is from the agency's budget based on tuition reimbursement program guidelines for the collective bargaining agreement of the union most closely affiliated with the employee's (Confidential) position.The exception is an employee entering the NP-5 Protective Services unit. For this bargaining unit, in addition to submitting the CO-101 to the TRO, the employee must complete the CPFU Tuition Reimbursement Application Form and submit it to the Connecticut Police and Fire Union.

   In general, the employee's new bargaining unit (or agency) should process the application.

1. An employee must be employed by the State of Connecticut on the LAST DAY of classes to be eligible to receive reimbursement.

1. If the Professional Development Seminar or other course that is not specified by the degree program requires a bachelor's degree as a prerequisite, it will be considered to be at the graduate level.If it does not require a degree it will normally be considered undergraduate. If the institution can show that it is a graduate course an exception can be made.

1. In a college program for credit, the level of the course will be determined by whether the student obtains graduate credit in the program of study. If a student must take an undergraduate course as a prerequisite for the graduate program but obtains no graduate credit toward the degree, the course will be covered at the undergraduate level, even if the school charges the graduate rate. However, if the student takes an undergraduate course, receives graduate credit, and is charged the graduate rate then the student should receive graduate rate reimbursement.

Question #7: Is there a conversion chart for non-credit courses/seminars?

1. Yes. The following chart explains the conversion breakdown.

* Each additional 12 hours after 44 hours equals one additional credit.

1. Yes. The employee may be reimbursed for any enrollment fee (or portion thereof) that s/he has actually paid.For example, if payments are spread over three installments, the employee may apply for reimbursement after each payment has been made. If payments are made in different semesters, the reimbursement will also be made in different semesters.

1. Applications must be filed between three months and two weeks prior to the start of the course(s). Some bargaining unit contracts require applications to be filed at least two (2) weeks prior to the start of the course. A two-day grace period is allotted for applications submitted via Interdepartmental Mail in order to determine whether the employee filed timely. If the application was submitted via First Class Mail, the TRO uses the postmark date as the date of submittal. If a copy of the application form is sent to the TRO via fax, the date of receipt on the material received via fax is used as the application date. (In this case, the employee must submit the original application form along with the fax Transmittal Sheet to the TRO immediately upon sending the information via FAX).

   Effective July 1, 2016, late applications will not be accepted except in emergency situations supported by appropriate documentation.  Agency TRO�s must submit documentation mitigating the late application to DAS for approval.  An employee waiting for approval to take a course or experiencing difficulty from an educational institution should be advised to submit his/her tuition reimbursement application at least two (2) weeks prior to the start of the course and provide documentation of acceptance to the course upon receipt but prior to the end of the course.  If the course is not accepted by the educational institution, the employee must notify his/her Agency TRO and withdraw his/her tuition reimbursement application.  There may be some variation* to this step in the process; refer to specific collective bargaining agreements to ensure applicability.  The employee may register for course(s) prior to TRO's review, but reimbursement cannot be guaranteed.

1. Each semester or year, UCONN publishes the tuition rates it charges for in-state graduate and undergraduate students at the Storrs campus. The state will obtain these rates and use these rates to determine the maximum allowable limits for reimbursement for these bargaining units.
   

1. Employees who have received financial aid must report this on their tuition reimbursement application. The amount of reimbursement paid will be calculated on the amount of money the applicant actually had to pay (the amount of aid will be deducted).
   

1. Yes, provided courses are completed within twelve (12) months from the start date. Submit your grade(s), receipt, and CO-101 form as outlined in this manual to your agency's TRO. He or she will make a copy of your original application to attach to your reimbursement documentation for those courses that you completed. At the time the incomplete is received you should request an extension to complete work on that course and indicate when the course will be completed. The TRO will then move the incomplete course to the semester where it will be completed. Typically, this should be the following semester. When you finish the course in which you received a grade of incomplete, submit your reimbursement materials per the usual procedure. Your TRO will use your original application when processing the paper work for your outstanding class.
   

The Comptrollers' Officer will reimburse tuition through union funds when an employee, who is otherwise eligible for tuition reimbursement:

1.  is actively employed before the class begins and returns to work before the class ends;
2.  is actively employed before the class begins but remains absent from work on an approved leave after the class ends; and
3.  is on an approved leave when the class begins but returns to work after the class ends.

An employee who is on an unpaid leave when the class begins and ends will not be reimbursed for the class, except when the employee is on an approved educational leave and has a signed intent to return to work on file.

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