2.1.12 Staff Development Program

To be eligible for the Staff Development Program, an employee must meet all the following criteria:

• Be a continuing regular or fixed-term staff employee (including bargaining unit employees). See Guide Memo 2.2.2 for definition of regular staff or fixed-term employee.
• Receive no financial assistance from other sources that would duplicate SDP assistance (scholarships, grants, and departmental funds may augment but not duplicate SDP assistance).

Staff Training Assistance Program

• STAP assistance is available on the first date of employment
• Academic Staff-Teaching: senior lecturers, lecturers, artists-in-residence who work at least 50% time are also eligible for the Staff Training Assistance Program.
• Faculty, students, temporary employees, retirees, and other non-staff University affiliates are not eligible for STAP assistance.

Staff Tuition Reimbursement Program

• Available after an eligible employee has completed one year in a benefits-eligible position
• Pro-rated if eligible staff works less than full-time.
• Faculty, students, and other temporary workers are not eligible for STRP assistance.

STAP assistance may be requested for job-related training, career development, STAP approved health improvement courses through the Stanford Health Improvement Program (HIP), and academic pursuit through the Stanford Continuing Studies Program.

a. Job-Related Training
Training must be directly related to performance requirements of the employee's current assignment, including training required to respond to organizational or operational need as defined by the employee's supervisor or the University. Such training may be a formal course given for academic credit or certificate of completion by an accredited college, university, technical/vocational school or institute, special skills school, or adult education school; a seminar, workshop or special emphasis short-duration program presented by an approved provider; or training obtained at a conference or professional organization. The employee's supervisor must approve the training provider.

• Release Time/Time Off with Pay
  An eligible staff employee must be granted time off with pay to attend job-related training approved by the supervisor. Such time off must be compatible with the work schedule of the department and consistent with requirements of contracts and grants regarding time worked. The department funds time off with pay for training. The employee's supervisor must approve the request only if release time/time off (with or without pay) is requested.
• Reimbursement
  Requests for reimbursement of allowable expenses through STAP must be made upon satisfactory completion of the training and within the fiscal year the expense is incurred (with the supervisor's approval). Submitted requests will be charged against the STAP funds based on the class start date. When employees are reimbursed in advance of course completion, the employee must provide evidence of satisfactory completion to the supervisor (see Section 5 for procedure).

b. Career Development Training
Training must be related to an identified and planned training objective for career development. Such training may be a formal course given for academic credit or certificate of completion by an accredited college, university, technical/vocational school or institute, special skills school, or adult education school; or be a seminar, workshop or special emphasis short-duration program presented by an approved provider. The employee's supervisor must approve this training.

• Release Time/Time Off without Pay
  An eligible staff employee may be granted a maximum of 24 hours per month of release time without pay for approved training for career development purposes if no comparable course is offered during non-work hours. Time off for eligible part-time staff should be pro-rated based on the percent time worked. Approval of time off is at the department's discretion and must be compatible with the work schedule of the department and consistent with requirements of contracts and grants regarding time worked.
• Reimbursement
  Requests for reimbursement of allowable expenses through STAP must be made upon satisfactory completion of the training and within the fiscal year when the expense is incurred (with the supervisor's approval). Submitted requests will be charged against the STAP funds based on the class start date. When employees are reimbursed in advance of course completion, the employee must provide evidence of satisfactory completion to the supervisor (see Section 5 for procedure). For HIP and Continuing Studies courses, the STAP allowance will be deducted from the fee when employees register for classes.

Eligible employees may request STRP support for courses that fulfill undergraduate or graduate degree requirements at a fully accredited college, university, technical/vocational school or institute, special skills school, or adult education school when the employee is admitted to the degree program (certificate programs excluded). The employee's supervisor must approve the request only if release time/time off (with or without pay) is requested.

a. Release Time/Time Off without Pay
An eligible staff employee may be granted a maximum of 24 hours per month of release time, without pay, for an approved undergraduate or graduate course, if no comparable course is offered during non-work hours. Time off for part-time regular staff should be pro-rated based on the percent time worked. Approval of time off is at the department's discretion and must be compatible with the work schedule of the department and consistent with requirements of contracts and grants regarding time worked.

b. Reimbursement
Reimbursement of allowable expenses through STRP will be made directly to the institution before attendance each quarter or semester.

An employee may not receive reimbursement under STAP and reimbursement under STRP for the same course or program. For example, you cannot use STRP for tuition and STAP for books, supplies and equipment for the same course or program.

a. STAP Expenses

• The current maximum STAP reimbursement is:
  - $800 for eligible employees not covered by the SEIU Collective Bargaining Agreement
  - $700 for eligible employees covered by the SEIU Collective Bargaining Agreement
     - $100 of STAP funds are reallocated for a leadership, training and educational program, known as the Apprenticeship Program (For additional information, refer to the 2009 Collective Bargaining Agreement between SEIU Higher Education Workers Local 2007 and The Board of Trustees of the Leland Stanford Junior University, Side Letter 10: Leadership, Training and Educational Fund).
• Costs of tuition, registration fees and required textbooks, CDs, eBooks or tapes are allowable for reimbursement up to a maximum determined each fiscal year.
• Travel expenses, professional memberships, testing fees, reference books and professional subscriptions are not allowable.

b. STRP Expenses

• The current maximum STRP reimbursement is $5,250. Reimbursements are pro-rated for eligible staff working less than full-time.
• Costs of tuition fees and required books, supplies and equipment are allowable for reimbursement up to a maximum determined for each fiscal year.
• STRP course books, supplies and equipment are not eligible for reimbursement using STAP funds.
• An employee may not receive reimbursement under STAP and reimbursement under STRP for the same course or program.

a. Timing of STAP Reimbursement
Requests for reimbursement of allowable expenses through STAP must be made upon satisfactory completion of the training, and within the fiscal year the expense is incurred (with the approval of the supervisor). Reimbursement must be requested within 20 days after completion of the training activity or before the end of the current fiscal year, whichever is sooner. Requests submitted after the close of the fiscal year in which the training is taken will not be approved. Submitted requests will be charged against the STAP funds based on the class start date.

b. Timing of STRP Reimbursement
Payment of allowable expenses through STRP will be made directly to the institution before attendance each quarter or semester. If the employee makes payment directly to the institution, STRP will reimburse the employee for allowable expenses upon receipt of proof of payment.

c. Departmental Reimbursement
When allowable costs exceed the current STAP/STRP limit, the excess cost may be partially or fully reimbursed by the employee's department. Departmental reimbursement is at the department's discretion and is determined based on available departmental funds for training. Documentation of guidelines for locally funded programs should be filed in the Educational Assistance Programs office. Reimbursement for career development training may be taxable if the total exceeds $5,250 in one tax year (see Section 7a), regardless of the source of University funds. Departmental reimbursements have the same tax consequences as STAP/STRP reimbursements.

d. Employee Obligation
When the University reimburses an employee for training costs through STAP prior to completion of the activity, the employee assumes an obligation to complete the supported training in a satisfactory manner. An employee who does not complete University-reimbursed training must repay the University the total amount of the reimbursement.

e. Evidence of Satisfactory Completion
Employees utilizing funds for training expenses through STAP must provide the supervisor with evidence of satisfactory completion as soon as possible—but no later than four weeks after the training activity is completed. For STRP, evidence of satisfactory completion must be provided to both the supervisor (if supervisor approval was required) and to the administrative program assistant in the Educational Assistance Programs office as soon as possible. Such evidence may be an official grade card or transcript from the institution or provider of the course. If that is not possible, written confirmation of course completion from the instructor or institution will be accepted. For academic courses, using STRP funds, a grade C or better, or pass grade in a pass/fail course is required.

a. STAP
An employee planning a training or development activity should discuss development and performance objectives with his/her supervisor before registering for the course or program. Decisions regarding applicability of training and issues regarding release time should be made at this time. The employee and the supervisor should review career development plans before registration. No application form is needed.

b. STRP
Employee must submit a completed/signed STRP application to the Educational Assistance Programs office before the beginning of the designated institution's academic year. The application and instruction can be found on the EAP website. A supervisor's signature is required if release time/time off with pay is requested.

c. Departmental Review
The supervisor should review the staff training assistance reimbursement request and evidence of satisfactory completion, confirming the following:

• Employee eligibility (see Section 1)
• Program Applicability (see Section 2 and 3)
• Allowable Expenses (see Section 4)
• Course completion (see Section 5c)

d. Procedures
Visit http://hreap.stanford.edu for application information.

e. Educational Assistance Programs Review
The Educational Assistance Programs office monitors and periodically audits all applications for conformance with standards of eligibility, applicability and allowability as outlined in this Guide Memo. The Educational Assistance Programs office has final approval of reimbursements for approved applications. A decision by the Educational Assistance Programs office concerning approval or disapproval of reimbursements is not subject to review under any grievance procedure. Appeal of a decision by the Educational Assistance Programs office may be made in writing to the Manager of Educational Assistance Programs.

SDP is intended to provide benefits that are, to the extent possible, excluded from taxation under federal and state laws. Accordingly, this Guide Memo constitutes a separate written plan for the exclusive benefit of employees under section 127 of the Internal Revenue Code and its regulations, to provide such employees with educational assistance.

a. General Rule
In general, an employee may exclude up to $5,250 received for graduate or undergraduate education under STRP and up to $800 received under STAP from his/her gross income each tax year for allowable tuition and expenses.

b. Tax Year
Employees should note that STRP provides reimbursements of up to $5,250 for each Stanford fiscal year. Because Stanford's fiscal year runs from September 1 through August 31, an employee could be eligible to receive reimbursements in excess of $5,250 for the employee's tax year.

c. Other Situations
Amounts paid to an employee in excess of $5,250 may also be excluded if they are payments for certain job-related training, when such training maintains or improves the skills of an employee. However, if the training is necessary for the employee to meet the minimum educational requirements for employment, or if the training will qualify the employee for a new trade or business, the payments will not qualify for this additional exclusion.

d. Getting Help
Employees should consult their personal tax advisor with any questions.

a. Administration
SDP is administered by the University. The University has the discretionary authority to determine all matters with respect to SDP, including, without limitation, eligibility issues, benefit amounts, evidentiary matters and tax treatment. Its decisions shall be final and binding on all persons.

b. Amendment and Termination
The University reserves the right to modify SDP in any respect, or to discontinue SDP, at any time.