Common use of Joint Administration of the Staff Development Fund Clause in Contracts

Joint Administration of the Staff Development Fund. (a) For the purpose of administering this fund, the year shall be divided into three (3) periods with one-third (1/3) of the total amount in the fund allocated for expenditures in each period. (b) Applications received by December 1st, April 1st, and July 15th, will be reviewed and approved/rejected within thirty (30) days. (c) Applications received after the dates specified shall be date stamped, and will receive consideration by the Committee within thirty (30) days of receipt. Any grant approved will depend upon the availability of funds allocated to that expenditure period. (d) Any funds unexpended at the end of the period will be carried forward for expenditure in subsequent periods within any given fiscal year. (e) Preference shall be given to an application which clearly shows that the activity to be funded is part of the employee's plan for career development, over an application for funding for an activity unrelated to any plan. (f) Preference will be given to activities offered by an accredited, recognized institution, and/or, a professional association. (g) No single employee shall be sponsored for education and training at a total cost to the fund in excess of six hundred and fifty dollars ($650) in one (1) fiscal year to be allotted as follows: (1) activities shall be funded up to one hundred percent (100%) of the cost of tuition and/or course materials, not to exceed the total cost listed above; (2) up to one hundred dollars ($100) of the total cost may be used for travel expenses. (h) The fund shall be charged only for travel expenses, tuition fees, and/or course materials. (i) If the activity only occurs during the employee's normal working hours, the leave requests shall be submitted to the supervisor and such leave shall not be unreasonably withheld. The supervisor will respond within five (5) working days of the request. Should leave not be granted, the reasons for same shall be provided in writing by the supervisor. Once the leave is approved, it is with pay. Any dispute arising as a result of a leave denial, shall be referred to the Labour/Management Committee. (j) Where such leave is granted, it shall only be for a period sufficient to cover attendance at the activity, plus travel time. (k) The supervisor, on behalf of the Employer, has the sole discretion to determine if the replacement is necessary. (l) The Joint Committee shall receive a monthly printout of the budget summary. (m) Annually, the Joint Committee will provide the Chair of the Bargaining Committee, a copy of the budget and financial records which show the specific allocations and expenditures. In addition, a report from the Joint Committee shall be a standing item on the Labour/Management Committee agenda. (n) None of the above is to be interpreted as limiting the discretionary power of the Joint Committee in assessing special and unique cases, and making a recommendation to the Labour/Management Committee. (o) In the event that an employee does not attend, fails or withdraws from an approved education and training activity, the Institute is authorized to commence payroll deductions until the amount paid by the Education and Training Fund has been deducted. A payback schedule shall be worked out by mutual agreement with the employee of the Institute. (p) If an employee terminates employment with the Institute prior to completion of an approved education and training activity, the Institute is authorized to deduct the total fee from the employee's final paycheque. (q) The Joint Committee shall send a notice to all BCGEU staff, to encourage applications. Funding may be approved retroactively, and will not be carried over into the next fiscal year. The Joint Committee will make recommendations regarding disposition of any money in the fund not committed for expenditure near the end of the fiscal year, to the Labour/Management Committee. (r) The Labour/Management Committee shall monitor the operation of this clause and may, from time to time, recommend appropriate procedural/structural changes to the Parties.