How to Justify Reimbursement for a Course to Your Employer
They often seek to fill gaps in training, gain new knowledge or skills needed for lateral job moves or promotions, or pursue different careers. As course-related costs can be high, workers often ask their employers for education reimbursement assistance. The key to justifying this assistance is to clearly show how you and the company will benefit.
Unless you are prepared to cover the cost of the course whether or not the request for reimbursement is approved, wait until you have written approval to sign up for and take the course. Jennifer Dermody started writing in 1992.
If your company already has a tuition reimbursement program or business-college partnership in place, visit the human resources department to learn more. If your company does not have a tuition reimbursement program, you will need to convince your employer to design a personal program.
There may also be time limits after the end of the course in which to request reimbursement. When an employer agrees to pay for his or her employees to improve their skills or status, they will almost certainly be expecting something in return. Along with conditions, there may be tax issues.
I appreciate your consideration in sponsoring time off and any tuition costs. Going back to school while working represents a considerable sacrifice of personal time and finances on my part. At this point, I want go forward because the program and degree will make me better at what I do.
Approach asking for tuition assistance like you would a formal negotiation. Go into the discussion with clearly outlined and rehearsed messages about what you hope to gain and how it will benefit your boss and organization. Anticipate objections and be prepared to address them.
Here are 10 important tips to convince your employer to pay for continuing your education.Address Concerns Right from the Start. ... Do Your Homework in Advance. ... Provide a Specific Cost Breakdown. ... Demonstrate Your Loyalty. ... Be Considerate. ... Give Your Employer a Good Reason to Invest in Your Education.More items...•
How to ask for tuition reimbursementMake sure it's the right time. We mean this in two ways. ... Talk to other employees. Check around with your coworkers to see if anyone else has ever achieved tuition reimbursement with your company. ... Come up with a plan. Be prepared for your discussion.
If I were you, I'll ask it this way, "How much is the enrollment fee [for this class]?" In case the payment for the class is on a per-session basis [some online schools do], you may ask, "How much is the fee per session [for this class]?"
For the best success when calling a client make sure you do the following:Clearly explain who you are.Tell them why you are calling.Avoid bringing up anything not related to the payment.Speak clearly and politely.Don't make any accusations.Explain what they need to pay you.Explain how they can pay you.More items...•
Don't be afraid to broach the subject. ... Make money the main topic of conversation. ... Provide evidence. ... Formulate your request ahead of time. ... Don't give an ultimatum. ... Have a plan in case the answer is no.
MEETING AGENDA: THE "ASK" It's a good idea to keep the lines of communication open with your manager and employer about your plans for graduate school. Set up a meeting to speak with your manager about your plans and ask about help paying for your master's degree.
Key Takeaways. Going back to school can help increase employee loyalty, reduce turnover, increase productivity, and provides employers with a pool of highly-skilled employees. Some companies offer compensation packages with tuition reimbursement while others have partnerships with local colleges and universities.
Tuition reimbursement is an employee benefit like healthcare, 401K and paid time off. It means a company “pays you back” or reimburses eligible employees a certain amount towards the cost of tuition. Since the amount may not cover all higher education costs, another term for this type of program is tuition assistance.
Tuition reimbursement (also known as tuition assistance) is an employee benefit through which an employer pays for a pre-determined amount of continuing education credits or college coursework to be applied toward a degree.
If the prospective student is an employee of the company, it is possible for the employer to pay the fees on their behalf as part of their remuneration package.
Answer (1 of 8): Dear Sir(whatever his or her name is), I would like to bring your attention to a paid work expense I am seeking reimbursement for. Enclosed please find a scanned copy of the document indicating my expense. I showed Alison the town as you asked me to and she couldn't resist that ...
Step 2. Tell your employer how the course will benefit the company and improve your job performance. Explain how the course will bring education that can't be received only by working in your position.
Define the Need. One way to justify training is to show how it will improve the skills you need to do your job effectively. Training is a primary means of closing a skills gap, and the right training can help you develop skills and knowledge that make you a more valuable employee.
NULL. Image transcriptions MEMORANDUM TO: The Chief Executive Officer FROM: DATE: September 6th, 2016 SUBJECT: REIMBURSEMENT FOR A COURSE IN FINANCIAL ANALYSIS This is to formally request for tuition reimbursement for the amount spent at London business school for the advancement in financial analysis.
Letter of Justification for Funding Sample. RE: Justification for State Park Funding . Dear Mr. Kenyon, I am writing to ask for your consideration about granting the Department of Agriculture $2 million for a multi-year contract with the Wildlife Trust, to assume the role of maintaining the natural wildlife balance within our State Parks.
Show your employer how the course is directly related to your job requirements and responsibility by explaining in a brief essay how it contributes to your professional development.
Tell your employer how the course will benefit the company and improve your job performance. Explain how the course will bring education that can't be received only by working in your position.
Assure your employer that the time required to take the course will not impact your job performance negatively. If the course requires you to miss work, explain how you will make up the missed time.
Provide copies of all necessary documentation regarding tuition expenses, enrollment fees, school or course accreditation, and the content covered in the course.
Present your complete case in a timely manner, preferably before you take the course, so that if your claim is denied, you can decide to withdraw.
Research the course you want to take, along with other comparable courses. Obtain sufficient details (such as what specific topics will be taught in the course) to demonstrate to your employer that the course will give you the knowledge or training you're seeking. If your research supports your choice, great.
Do the math. Calculate the cost of tuition, books, supplies, and any other fees you will be responsible for paying. You'll need to have all the details handy when you propose the course to your boss.
Find out what your company's policy is on reimbursing employee training. Be sure your proposed program meets the company's rules, and complete any necessary paperwork specified by the company.
Prepare a short, written proposal for your boss. Describe the course you want to take and its expected benefits. Show him you've done your homework by outlining your comparative research. Don't focus on why the course is important to you, or how it makes you more marketable down the road -- even if it does.
Some companies will provide money to pay for tuition and book fees at the time of registration, while others reimburse employees upon successful completion of the course.
Several factors are considered when determining if you qualify for unemployment after a layoff, including whether your employer pays unemployment insurance taxes, whether you earned enough money during the last 12 to 15 months and the specific performance problem that caused you to get laid off.
Each state has its own rules regarding which employers have to pay unemployment insurance taxes. These rules are based on how many employees the company has and how much money is paid in wages each year. Check with your state's unemployment insurance agency to determine if your employer is a program participant.
Instead of leaving your answer at “going back to school,” take the time to research the specific programs or subjects you’d like to pursue.
Finally, there may be taxation benefits to employers who offer education assistance programs. Understand that asking for education assistance funding isn’t quite as lopsided as you might perceive it to be—employers can benefit as well. 4. Ease concerns about balancing work and school.
For example, some employers may require you to sign a contract that states you’ll be required to pay back the benefit if you don’t stay on at the organization for a set amount of time. Others may tie support to maintaining a certain grade point average.
College education is a significant time commitment. Your employer may have concerns about your ability to balance both work and school and the potential for scheduling conflicts. Fortunately, many programs are now designed to help accommodate the needs of working adult students.
Continuing your education is a big step in life—and big steps tend to go best when properly planned for. To do this well, you’ll want to take the time to research your education options and make a plan. This plan isn’t just for how you’d handle the academic workload but also how you’d make it work financially—whether your employer is willing to help or not.
Most managers want to know what motivates employees. For some, the biggest motivator is money. For others, it’s stock options or simply positive feedback for a job well done. But some employees are motivated most by the opportunity to grow their career.
Does your employer offer tuition assistance or reimbursement? If there isn’t a publicized program, don’t lose hope. Many companies allocate a certain amount of money toward professional development. Managers may earmark that budget for industry conferences and might not have considered applying it toward continuing education.
Approach asking for tuition assistance like you would a formal negotiation. Go into the discussion with clearly outlined and rehearsed messages about what you hope to gain and how it will benefit your boss and organization.
An important argument for why your organization should invest in your education is what they will get out of it. Outline how the class would help you be more effective in your role.
Consider the best time of the week, day, or even year to ask for tuition assistance. Annual performance reviews present a natural opportunity to discuss your career goals with your manager and are often the perfect time to ask for financial support to help continue your education.
Michele Reynolds handles brand marketing and PR for Harvard Business School Online. Prior to HBS Online, she led communications for TripAdvisor and Gazelle and has been widely quoted in national media outlets, including CBS News, Reuters, and The New York Times. Michele earned her bachelor’s degree from St. Bonaventure University.
If your company does not have a tuition reimbursement program, you will need to convince your employer to design a personal program. First, decide what classes you would like to take or what degree you would like to obtain. Second, create a list of ways your education will benefit the company. For example,
These companies often have strict tuition-related policies and require that employees stay with the company for at least a year.
Employers have a vested interest in making sure employees have the knowledge and skills to help them succeed at work. By earning a degree in a job-related field, you can become a better employee. Moreover, employers often see less turnaround and more employee loyalty when they provide tuition reimbursement for education.
Your new skills will make you more productive at work. You will be able to take on additional assignments. You will become a leader in the workplace. Your degree will improve the company’s professional image when you work with clients. Third, anticipate your employer’s possible concerns.
Employers don’t want to pay for your education if you’re going to use it to find another job. Companies may pay for an entire degree or, more often, only for classes related to your job. Some part-time jobs also offer limited tuition assistance. Generally, these employers offer a smaller amount to help offset the cost of education.
Response: Actually, paying your tuition may cost less than hiring a new employee with the degree you are working on and training the new recruit. Your degree will make the company money. In the long run, your employer will save by funding your education.
According to the 2014 Employee Job Satisfaction and Engagement survey of the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), 40% of employees rated job-specific training as ‘very important’ to their satisfaction, followed by professional development at 36%.
Check your employee handbook, local intranet, and HR materials for existing policies on employee training. Each company is different but these are the possible scenarios you can expect:
Here’s a collection of tips and negotiation scripts I gathered from professionals working in various fields.
Come up with answers to possible questions and objections your boss might throw at you, such as:
Let’s pick the path of least resistance. Choose two to three reasonably priced half-day workshop directly related to your work or get started by pitching an online training subscription request.
Graphic Credit: Money icon designed by Creative Stall from the Noun Project.
Most employers approve of this because it helps them maintain a highly trained and professional workforce. If this is the case, the employee can send a tuition reimbursement letter that documents the request and contains all the pertinent information.
There are four things to consider before sending a tuition reimbursement letter. • The reimbursement will most likely be a refund. In other words, the employee will be expected to pay for the course up front including textbooks and supplies. However, there are employers who will pay as soon as enrollment is verified.
Many employers encourage their employees to take continuing education courses and work-related study to improve their skills and benefit the business or institution. Some employers reimburse employees for the tuition fees and other expenses they incur while taking courses.
Course Description. The letter should contain the employee’s name, job title, name of courses and how they are relevant to their job. Some employers may require a short description of the course content. Proof of completing the course as well as any grades ...
This is a bit different than regular financial aid for higher education. • The employee should find out the company’s conditions for tuition reimbursement.
Some employers may require a short description of the course content. Proof of completing the course as well as any grades or evaluations should also be enclosed with the letter. Other than employers, private individuals and government agencies also offer tuition reimbursement.
Some employers reimburse employees for the tuition fees and other expenses they incur while taking courses. This is considered a type of financial aid. In some cases, this can even be applied to pursuing a bachelor’s or graduate degree for career advancement. .
Tuition reimbursement is an arrangement between an employer and employee in which an employer will cover a certain percentage — or all — of an employee’s tuition for a study program, college degree or another form of education.
Your company’s HR team can design an educational assistance program that they will also manage. A considerable amount of effort may go into maintaining this program, enrolling employees and keeping up with current tax laws, so it’s important to ensure your HR team is up to the job.
Employers can also benefit from a tuition reimbursement program in multiples ways, such as:
One way you might justify the reimbursement is to emphasize the reputation of the educational institution offering the course and your employer’s history with the institution, if applicable. For example, offer your manager or employer the institution’s accreditation status and professional affiliations. You might also provide details from the institution that show previous worker success with the course, such as testimonials or survey-based course success statistics. If the employer has reimbursed other employees for various types of courses in the past, you might also emphasize similarities between those cases and your own.
If you can’t convince your employer to reimburse the entire expense, present him with alternatives. For example, you might ask if he would consider covering half the cost; or reimburse all or part of the amount if, after you pay for and take the course, you show within two to three months that the training helped you increase productivity or the company’s profits. If he still refuses, you might ask if he would allow you to work or train under another employee who has the knowledge and skills to provide an education similar to the course.
They often seek to fill gaps in training, gain new knowledge or skills needed for lateral job moves or promotions, or pursue different careers. As course-related costs can be high, workers often ask their employers for education reimbursement assistance.