| (a) The commission may use state funds to provide education
and training for its employees in accordance with the State Employee
Training Act (Texas Government Code, §656.104).
(b) The commission's employee education and training
program benefits both the commission and the employees participating
by:
(1) Preparing for technological, scientific and professional
developments;
(2) Increasing work capabilities;
(3) Increasing the number of qualified employees in
areas for which the commission has difficulty in recruiting and retaining
employees; and
(4) Increasing the competence of commission employees.
(c) The commission's employee education and training
program may include:
(1) Mandatory commission-sponsored training required
for all employees;
(2) Education related to technical or professional
certifications and licenses;
(3) Education and training related to the promotion
of employee development;
(4) Employee partially funded external education;
(5) Commission funded external education, including
continuing legal education, online courses, and courses not credited
towards a degree; and
(6) Other commission sponsored education and training
determined by the commission to fulfill the purposes of the State
Employee Training Act.
(d) The education or training shall be related to the
employee's current duties or prospective job duties within the agency.
(e) Participation in commission assisted education
or training program requires the appropriate level of approval prior
to participation and is subject to the availability of funds within
the commission's budget.
(f) Reimbursement for completing program courses offered
by institutions of higher education or private or independent institutions
of higher education requires the approval of the Executive Director.
(g) When an employee seeks reimbursement for a training
or education program offered by an institution of higher education
or private or independent institution of higher education, the commission
may only reimburse the tuition expenses or partial expenses for a
program course successfully completed by the employee at an accredited
institution of higher education.
(h) Commission employees may be required to complete
an education or training program related to the employee's duties
or prospective duties as a condition of employment.
(i) Commission employees may be required to conduct
training for other department employees based on the information or
skills learned through an education or training program.
(j) Approval to participate in any portion of the commission's
education and training program shall not in any way affect an employee's
at-will status or constitute a guarantee or indication of continued
employment, nor shall it constitute a guarantee or indication of future
employment in a current or prospective position.
(k) Permission to participate in any education and
training program may be withdrawn if the commission determines, in
its sole discretion, that participation would negatively affect the
employee's job duties or performance.
(l) The executive director or designee shall develop
policies for administering the employee and education program. These
policies shall provide clear and objective guidelines and shall include,
at a minimum, the following:
(1) Eligibility requirements for participation;
(2) Approval procedures for participation; and
(3) Obligations of program participants.
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