ARTICLE 33
HUMAN RESOURCES DEVELOPMENT FUND

33.01 The Board agrees to maintain a Human Resources Development Fund in the amount of three hundred thousand dollars ($300,000) as of April 1 of each year, for the purpose of allowing employees to take training (including courses, workshops and/or seminars, but excluding University credit courses under Article 32) in order to assist them in developing job-related skills and improving performance in their current positions. Training in job-related skills for future positions may also be funded, at the discretion of the AVP(HRS), where there is a high probability of the position existing, and where the employee has demonstrated potential to fill the position.

33.02 The Fund shall be administered by the AVP(HRS), subject to Clause 33.01.

33.03 (a) A regular employee shall be entitled to a maximum reimbursement of five hundred dollars ($500) per fiscal year. However, s/he shall, in any particular fiscal year, have the right to request permission to use his/her future annual entitlements, provided that:

(1) his/her request for maximum reimbursement does not exceed one thousand five hundred dollars ($1,500);

(2) other eligible employees have prior claim, at the time of his/her request, to their current fiscal year's entitlement; and

(3) his/her request is for a single training event (a specific program of courses, if applied for simultaneously, shall be considered a single training event).

(b) An employee who is granted permission to use future annual entitlements shall use only the remainder, if any, of:

(1) the one thousand dollars ($1,000) in the immediately following fiscal year, if his/her current request is for reimbursement not exceeding one thousand dollars ($1,000); or

(2) the one thousand five hundred dollars ($1,500) in the immediately
following two (2) fiscal years, if his/her current request is for reimbursement of more than one thousand dollars ($1,000) but not exceeding one thousand five hundred dollars ($1,500).

(c) An employee shall not make another similar request:

(1) in the immediately following fiscal year, if (b) (1) applies; or

(2) in the immediately following two (2) fiscal years, if (b) (2) applies

33.04 A temporary employee shall be entitled to a maximum reimbursement of two hundred and fifty dollars ($250) per fiscal year, but shall not have access to future years' entitlements.

33.05 There shall be no carry-over of any unused portion of the annual maximum entitlement to a subsequent fiscal year.

33.06 No employee shall have access to the Fund once s/he has left the employ of the University, subject to Clauses 33.12 and 33.14.

33.07 Reimbursement shall:

(a) cover the registration and course fees and, where applicable, reasonable out-of-town expenses for travel, meals and accommodation; but

(b) not cover membership fees.

33.08 The employee shall provide proof of registration.

33.09 The University shall pay course fees on behalf of the employee directly to the institution concerned.

33.10 Where training under this Article takes place during the employee's regular work hours, his/her Department Head shall grant him/her the necessary time off with pay, provided the training is of mutual benefit to the employee and the department.

33.11 Notwithstanding Clauses 33.03 and 33.04:

(a) where utilization figures in any fiscal year reveal that there will likely exist an unused portion of the Fund by March 31, individual maximum entitlements for that fiscal year may be exceeded without dipping into the following fiscal year's entitlement; and

(b) subject to mutual agreement between the parties, individual limits for approved training shall be waived for employees on layoff status or about to be laid off.

33.12 Where approved training has commenced prior to the effective date of the employee's resignation or dismissal, the employee shall not be required to repay to the University any portion of the approved reimbursement.

33.13 Where approved training is to commence on or after the effective date of the employee's resignation or dismissal, the employee shall either cancel the training or fully repay to the University all monies already paid on his/her behalf. In the former case, the employee shall be fully responsible for all costs associated with the cancellation.

33.14 Where training has been approved and the employee is then advised that s/he is to be laid off, s/he shall have the right to proceed with the training regardless of its commencement date and the University shall honour all approved reimbursement.

33.15 Where an employee cancels approved training for personal reasons other than resignation, s/he shall be fully responsible for all costs associated with the cancellation.

33.16 Where an employee fails to attend or complete approved training without legitimate reasons, s/he shall be fully responsible for all costs associated with the approved training.

33.17 The cost of any University-required training shall not be chargeable to the Fund.