Revised

Human Resources Management Policy

Employee Staff Development and Training

Policy 35

NOTE: THIS POLICY, LIKE ALL OTHER MUSC HUMAN RESOURCES POLICIES, IS NOT A CONTRACT OF EMPLOYMENT AND SHOULD NOT BE RELIED UPON AS SUCH. THIS POLICY MAY BE CHANGED AT ANY TIME BY THE MEDICAL UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH CAROLINA.

1. POLICY
   
   The Medical University is committed to the professional development of its employees. It supports improving the skills and abilities of employees to better perform their current job duties and developing employees for future opportunities.
   
   Managers and supervisors are encouraged to work with employees, without regard to race, color, religion, sex, age, national origin or disability, who wish to enhance their current skills or further their opportunities for career advancement at MUSC.
   
   
2. INFORMATION
   1. In-Service Programs
      1. Workshops, seminars, and other in-service training programs are available to employees through the Department of Human Resources Management.
      2. A variety of courses are offered in management, supervision, human relations, verbal and written communications, personnel practices, medical terminology, medical coding and computer literacy. Additionally, managers may request special programs to meet their specific department staff development needs.
      3. Supervisors and managers are encouraged to allow employees to attend courses to improve or secure those skills needed for the efficient and effective performance of their jobs. Employees may do so during their scheduled work hours.
   2. Required Courses
      1. It may become necessary for a supervisor or manager to require an employee to take a specific course to improve the employee’s performance in a current position or acquire certain skills to perform additional duties to meet departmental needs.
      2. When these situations occur, the department will pay for the costs of tuition, fees, books, and examinations. However, State regulations do not allow departments to pay for courses required to attain or maintain professional certifications or licenses.
      3. Attendance at required courses may constitute work time.
   3. Educational Leave
      1. Employees wanting to take classes for personal or professional development are encouraged to schedule classes during off-duty hours, whenever possible. When a desired class cannot be scheduled during off-duty hours, the supervisor may adjust the employee’s work schedule, if doing so does not interfere with normal operations.
      2. When employees cannot take a class during off-duty hours and adjusting the work schedule is not feasible, employees who accrue annual leave may be allowed to take annual leave or leave without pay to attend classes.
   4. Tuition Assistance
      It is the policy of the Medical University to provide tuition assistance to eligible employees for up to six credit hours at a South Carolina (State-funded) institution of higher education, i.e., The Citadel, College of Charleston, University of South Carolina or Trident Technical College. The monies received from the Tuition Assistance Program are a taxable fringe benefit. Please refer to Human Resources Management Policy No. 17, Tuition Assistance, for additional information.
   5. Requests for Special Consideration
      1. If a department determines that it has staff development or training needs that cannot be satisfactorily fulfilled by adopting one or more of the above methods, the department head may develop and submit to the Budget and Control Board for approval a proposal for employee tuition aid. The proposal must be coordinated with the Director of Human Resources Management. Each proposal must include the following information:
         1. Program justification based on departmental needs;
         2. Description of the course;
         3. All classes and the number of positions in each class for which tuition aid is requested;
         4. Fiscal year cost estimates for participation in the requested program; and,
         5. A service commitment and payback agreement.
      2. Approval of the proposal by the Budget and Control Board must precede the selection of employees for training. The Board may require the department to provide sufficient data for proper evaluation of the program’s value and cost effectiveness.