70A.25 - EDUCATIONAL LEAVE -- EDUCATIONAL ASSISTANCE.
70A.25 EDUCATIONAL LEAVE -- EDUCATIONAL ASSISTANCE.
1. Definitions. As used in this section, unless the context
otherwise requires:
a. "Educational assistance" means reimbursement for tuition,
fees, books or other expenses incurred by a state employee in taking
coursework at an educational institution or attending a workshop,
seminar, or conference without a reduction in ordinary job
responsibilities and that the appointing authority determines
contributes to the growth and development of the employee in the
employee's present position or in a position to which the employee
may reasonably be assigned.
b. "Educational leave" means full or partial absence from an
employee's ordinary job responsibilities either with full or partial
pay or without pay, to attend a course of study at an educational
institution or a course of study conducted by a reputable sponsor on
behalf of an educational institution. Educational leave may include
reimbursement for all or a portion of educational expenses incurred.
c. "Educational leave" and "educational assistance" do
not apply to job training, employee development programs, or
departmental seminars that are conducted or sponsored by a state
agency.
2. General applicability.
a. The purpose of educational leave with full or partial pay
and educational assistance is to assist state employees to develop
skills that will improve their ability to perform state job
responsibilities or in the case of educational leave to also provide
training and educational opportunities for employees of a state
agency that will enable the agency director to better meet the
staffing needs of the state agency.
b. The director of the department of administrative services
shall not allow the payment of expenses for courses unless the
department, agency, or commission can demonstrate a relationship
between the employee's job responsibilities and the courses to be
taken or that the employee is required to learn new skills for which
the department, agency, or commission has a need.
3. Reporting and review.
a. The director of the department of administrative services
shall periodically and at least annually review the implementation of
educational leave and educational assistance programs by state
agencies.
b. The head of each state agency, department, or commission
shall report to the director of the department of administrative
services and the legislative council not later than October 1 of each
year the direct and indirect costs to the agency of educational leave
and educational assistance granted to agency employees during the
preceding fiscal year. The report shall include an estimate of costs
saved by the state agency, department, or commission through the use
of educational leave and educational assistance. As used in this
subsection, "indirect costs" includes but is not limited to
adjustments in employee work assignments and agency operations
necessitated by educational leave or assistance.
c. The report to the director of the department of
administrative services and legislative council shall identify the
relationship of each course to the employee who is granted
educational leave and how the course may improve the employee's job
performance or the task to be accomplished within the agency.
d. The report to the director of the department of
administrative services and the legislative council shall also
include:
(1) The number of employees who were granted educational leave
and the amount of tuition reimbursement allowed by the department,
agency or commission.
(2) The number of employees who were granted a leave from work to
attend the classes and who continued to receive their salary and the
number of hours of work which those employees were excused.
(3) The number of employees who were granted a temporary leave of
absence from work to attend the classes without pay and the amount of
time missed. Section History: Recent Form
85 Acts, ch 215, §2
CS85, § 79.25
86 Acts, ch 1245, § 237--239
C93, § 70A.25
2000 Acts, ch 1171, §22--24; 2003 Acts, ch 145, §286; 2008 Acts,
ch 1032, §201
Referred to in § 8A.111, 70A.1