Common use of PROFESSIONAL TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT Clause in Contracts

PROFESSIONAL TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT. (a) The parties to this Agreement recognize that there are two types of professional training and development programs, namely: (i) Formal programs - which include credit courses at universities or colleges or through correspondence, leading towards a degree, diploma or certificate. (ii) Informal programs - which include non-credit training and development in the form of seminars, workshops, conferences or portions of conferences with educational content, conventions, symposiums, short courses, correspondence courses and field trips. These programs can include opportunities for an exchange of knowledge and experience with colleagues in the private and public sectors and other programs to keep up-to-date with knowledge and skills in employees’ respective fields. (b) All training and development must be of a nature related to duties in the same or similar discipline of the employee concerned, or to duties which are performed in the Public Service. In both instances, the training and development must be directed towards an improvement of skills or knowledge which, in the Employer's opinion, are required or beneficial within the Public Service. (c) The Employer agrees to consult with the Union to determine where training and development programs may be inadequate or inappropriate. (d) The Employer will meet with employees on an annual basis to discuss career or professional training and development, including any training and development required to maintain a professional licence. Training and development programs can include opportunities outside of British Columbia. (e) Where the Employer requires an employee to attend a training and development program, the Employer shall bear the full cost of the employee's training and development, and where the program entails leave of absence, such leave of absence shall be with pay. (f) An employee may request to attend a training and development program which is not required by the Employer. The Employer may grant to the employee leave of absence, where necessary, with pay or partial pay or without pay, and/or choose to defray a portion of the cost of the employee's training and development. (g) The cost of an employee's training and development, referred to in (e) and (f) above, includes, where applicable: (i) tuition fees, (ii) entrance or registration fees, (iii) course-required books, (iv) necessary travel expenses (minus travel expenses normally incurred by the employee travelling between home and the place of work), (v) necessary subsistence expenses, and/or (vi) other legitimate expenses approved by the Employer. (h) In the event that an employee on training and development receives outside support, such as a scholarship, fellowship, bursary or any other type of assistance, the total of outside support plus Employer support shall not exceed: (i) the employee's basic salary for the period of training and development, where leave of absence with pay or with partial pay is involved; and/or (ii) the actual cost of the training and development, where the Employer pays the full cost or shares part of the cost. Any amount in excess of such combined support shall be refunded to the Employer through deduction of the employee's salary either during or after the employee's training and development period as circumstances require. It shall be the responsibility of the employee to report all sources of outside support to the Employer. (i) Termination of employment by the employee or by the Employer for just cause prior to or during the employee's training and development shall nullify any obligation of financial assistance by the Employer in connection with the training and development. (j) If, after the training and development period, an employee fails to return to work on the pre-arranged date without reasonable cause, the employee shall repay in full the salary and cost, where applicable, incurred by the Employer in connection with this training and development. (k) An employee granted leave of absence with pay or with partial pay for training and development purposes shall sign a statement to the effect that, on completion of the training and development, the employee shall remain in the employ of the Public Service for a period equivalent to three times the length of the training and development leave multiplied by the percentage of basic salary which was received during the training and development. Should the employee resign from the Public Service or be dismissed for just cause before this period expires, the employee shall refund to the Employer, on a pro-rata basis, the salary plus, if any, cost incurred by the Employer in connection with this training and development. This article shall only apply to formal training programs in 25.02(a)(i). (l) An employee granted leave of absence without pay for training and development purposes shall sign a statement to the effect that, on completion of the training and development, the employee shall remain in the employ of the Public Service for a period equivalent to the length of the training and development leave. Should the employee resign from the Public Service or be dismissed for just cause before this period expires, the employee shall refund to the Employer, on a pro- rata basis, the cost, if any, incurred by the Employer in connection with this training and development.

PROFESSIONAL TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT. (a) The parties to this Agreement recognize that there are two types of professional training and development programs, namely: (i) Formal programs - which include credit courses at universities or colleges or through correspondence, leading towards a degree, diploma or certificate. (ii) Informal programs - which include non-credit training and development in the form of seminars, workshops, conferences or portions of conferences with educational content, conventions, symposiums, short courses, correspondence courses and field trips. These programs can include opportunities for an exchange of knowledge and experience with colleagues in the private and public sectors and other programs to keep up-to-date with knowledge and skills in employees’ respective fields. (b) All training and development must be of a nature related to duties in the same or similar discipline of the employee concerned, or to duties which are performed in the Public Service. In both instances, the training and development must be directed towards an improvement of skills or knowledge which, in the Employer's opinion, are required or beneficial within the Public Service. (c) The Employer agrees to consult with the Union to determine where training and development programs may be inadequate or inappropriate. (d) The Employer will meet with employees on an annual basis to discuss career or professional training and development, including any training and development required to maintain a professional licence. Training and development programs can include opportunities outside of British Columbia. (e) Where the Employer requires an employee to attend a training and development program, including training and development for an Employer required professional designation, the Employer shall bear the full cost of the employee's training and development, and where the program entails leave of absence, such leave of absence shall be with pay. To be clear, the Employer reserves the right to determine the appropriate venue and means in achieving this training. (f) An employee may request to attend a training and development program which is not required by the Employer. The Employer may grant to the employee leave of absence, where necessary, with pay or partial pay or without pay, and/or choose to defray a portion of the cost of the employee's training and development. (g) The cost of an employee's training and development, referred to in (e) and (f) above, includes, where applicable: (i) tuition fees, (ii) entrance or registration fees, (iii) course-required books, (iv) necessary travel expenses (minus travel expenses normally incurred by the employee travelling between home and the place of work), (v) necessary subsistence expenses, and/or (vi) other legitimate expenses approved by the Employer. (h) In the event that an employee on training and development receives outside support, such as a scholarship, fellowship, bursary or any other type of assistance, the total of outside support plus Employer support shall not exceed: (i) the employee's basic salary for the period of training and development, where leave of absence with pay or with partial pay is involved; and/or (ii) the actual cost of the training and development, where the Employer pays the full cost or shares part of the cost. Any amount in excess of such combined support shall be refunded to the Employer through deduction of the employee's salary either during or after the employee's training and development period as circumstances require. It shall be the responsibility of the employee to report all sources of outside support to the Employer. (i) Termination of employment by the employee or by the Employer for just cause prior to or during the employee's training and development shall nullify any obligation of financial assistance by the Employer in connection with the training and development. (j) If, after the training and development period, an employee fails to return to work on the pre-arranged date without reasonable cause, the employee shall repay in full the salary and cost, where applicable, incurred by the Employer in connection with this training and development. (k) An employee granted leave of absence with pay or with partial pay for training and development purposes shall sign a statement to the effect that, on completion of the training and development, the employee shall remain in the employ of the Public Service for a period equivalent to three times the length of the training and development leave multiplied by the percentage of basic salary which was received during the training and development. Should the employee resign from the Public Service or be dismissed for just cause before this period expires, the employee shall refund to the Employer, on a pro-rata basis, the salary plus, if any, cost incurred by the Employer in connection with this training and development. This article shall only apply to formal training programs in 25.02(a)(i25.02 (a) (i). (l) An employee granted leave of absence without pay for training and development purposes shall sign a statement to the effect that, on completion of the training and development, the employee shall remain in the employ of the Public Service for a period equivalent to the length of the training and development leave. Should the employee resign from the Public Service or be dismissed for just cause before this period expires, the employee shall refund to the Employer, on a pro- pro-rata basis, the cost, if any, incurred by the Employer in connection with this training and development.