2009 Iowa Code
Title 2 - Elections and Official Duties
Subtitle 2 - Public Officers and Employees
CHAPTER 70A - FINANCIAL AND OTHER PROVISIONS FOR PUBLIC OFFICERS AND EMPLOYEES
70A.25 - EDUCATIONAL LEAVE -- EDUCATIONAL ASSISTANCE.

        70A.25  EDUCATIONAL LEAVE -- EDUCATIONAL ASSISTANCE.

         1.  Definitions.  As used in this section, unless the context
      otherwise requires:
         a.  "Educational assistance" means reimbursement for tuition,
      fees, books or other expenses incurred by a state employee in taking
      coursework at an educational institution or attending a workshop,
      seminar, or conference without a reduction in ordinary job
      responsibilities and that the appointing authority determines
      contributes to the growth and development of the employee in the
      employee's present position or in a position to which the employee
      may reasonably be assigned.
         b.  "Educational leave" means full or partial absence from an
      employee's ordinary job responsibilities either with full or partial
      pay or without pay, to attend a course of study at an educational
      institution or a course of study conducted by a reputable sponsor on
      behalf of an educational institution.  Educational leave may include
      reimbursement for all or a portion of educational expenses incurred.

         c.  "Educational leave" and "educational assistance" do
      not apply to job training, employee development programs, or
      departmental seminars that are conducted or sponsored by a state
      agency.
         2.  General applicability.
         a.  The purpose of educational leave with full or partial pay
      and educational assistance is to assist state employees to develop
      skills that will improve their ability to perform state job
      responsibilities or in the case of educational leave to also provide
      training and educational opportunities for employees of a state
      agency that will enable the agency director to better meet the
      staffing needs of the state agency.
         b.  The director of the department of administrative services
      shall not allow the payment of expenses for courses unless the
      department, agency, or commission can demonstrate a relationship
      between the employee's job responsibilities and the courses to be
      taken or that the employee is required to learn new skills for which
      the department, agency, or commission has a need.
         3.  Reporting and review.
         a.  The director of the department of administrative services
      shall periodically and at least annually review the implementation of
      educational leave and educational assistance programs by state
      agencies.
         b.  The head of each state agency, department, or commission
      shall report to the director of the department of administrative
      services and the legislative council not later than October 1 of each
      year the direct and indirect costs to the agency of educational leave
      and educational assistance granted to agency employees during the
      preceding fiscal year.  The report shall include an estimate of costs
      saved by the state agency, department, or commission through the use
      of educational leave and educational assistance.  As used in this
      subsection, "indirect costs" includes but is not limited to
      adjustments in employee work assignments and agency operations
      necessitated by educational leave or assistance.
         c.  The report to the director of the department of
      administrative services and legislative council shall identify the
      relationship of each course to the employee who is granted
      educational leave and how the course may improve the employee's job
      performance or the task to be accomplished within the agency.
         d.  The report to the director of the department of
      administrative services and the legislative council shall also
      include:
         (1)  The number of employees who were granted educational leave
      and the amount of tuition reimbursement allowed by the department,
      agency or commission.
         (2)  The number of employees who were granted a leave from work to
      attend the classes and who continued to receive their salary and the
      number of hours of work which those employees were excused.
         (3)  The number of employees who were granted a temporary leave of
      absence from work to attend the classes without pay and the amount of
      time missed.  

         85 Acts, ch 215, §2
         CS85, § 79.25
         86 Acts, ch 1245, § 237--239
         C93, § 70A.25
         2000 Acts, ch 1171, §22--24; 2003 Acts, ch 145, §286; 2008 Acts,
      ch 1032, §201
         Referred to in § 8A.111, 70A.1