02.06.01 – Staff Training and Development
Section: Human Resources
Area: Training and Development
I. PURPOSE AND SCOPE
This document describes the processes for implementation of staff training and development programs, including administration of the College Program in accordance with the Texas Government Code, Chapter 656 , Subchapter C, and UH System Administrative Memorandum (SAM) 02.A.26 .
This document generally applies to training and development for all university staff employees and all university funds. Certain programs may be limited to regular, full-time employees or place other restrictions on attendance; there may be limitations on use of certain funds.
II. DEFINITIONS
A. Regular, full-time employee: A university employee employed to work 100 percent FTE (40 hours per week) for a period of 4-1/2 months or longer.
B. Staff employee: An individual employed to perform a service for the university and paid through the payroll system, with accompanying tax withholding as provided by law, excluding those employees holding teaching and/or research positions classified as faculty.
III. PROVISIONS
A. The university encourages supervisors, managers, and employees to identify educational, training, and development programs that will improve job performance and develop employee potential in their current or prospective role.
B. Purposes that may be served by training and educational programs include the following:
1. Preparation of employees to deal with new technological and legal developments.
2. Development of additional work capabilities.
3. Increasing the employee's level of competence.
4. Increasing the employee's opportunities for promotion within the university.
5. Increasing productivity.
C. Training, development, and educational activities at the University of Houston include:
1. Human Resources Training and Development Programs held during work hours on the university campus.
2. Office of Affirmative Action/EEO provides training on mandated compliance issues related to affirmative action; specifically, EEO, sexual harassment, and other related issues.
3. Training opportunities (seminars, short courses, workshops) held off campus in Houston or out of the city by outside vendors for a fee.
4. The College Program , an educational benefit that allows employees release time from work to attend college courses at the University of Houston or at other institutions of higher education.
5. UH encourages employees to participate in additional or extra activities that serve the university. All university employees may participate in service to the university subject to their supervisor's approval.
D. Eligibility:
1. All university employees may participate in training and development courses subject to their supervisor's approval, to any eligibility restrictions that may be applied to individual courses or programs, and to availability of funds (where costs are involved).
2. To be eligible to participate in the State Employees Training Act College Program , an employee must meet university admission requirements and must be a regular, full-time employee of the University of Houston.
3. Other requirements may be placed on training programs by the sponsors of the programs.
E. Travel expenditures related to employee training will be accounted for and reimbursed in accordance with MAPP 04.02.01A and MAPP 04.02.01B .
F. Normally, educational, training, and development programs are offered during an employee's regularly scheduled work hours. Employees are encouraged to take classes at times that accommodate the departmental work schedule. To the extent that it is possible and practical, supervisors and managers are encouraged to allow their employees to participate by granting release time.
Supervisors may require that employees attend training as a part of their duty assignment.
Employees attending such programs with the supervisor's authorization are not required to make up time spent in training and development sessions. Non-exempt employees shall be provided work time as determined by their supervisor to prepare study assignments required for completion of the programs.
IV. THE COLLEGE PROGRAM
A. The College Program provides that a regular, full-time university employee may be granted release time from work to attend one three-hour course each full semester, i.e. fall and spring at the University of Houston or any other institution of higher education.
Courses taken under this program shall be either related to the employee's job, related to a degree program in which the employee is enrolled, or provide for career development at the University of Houston.
B. The employee is required to go through regular admission processes and meet the relevant admission requirements.
C. An application form may be obtained from Human Resources. This form must be completed and approved prior to the first day of classes. The form requires the approvals of the employee's immediate supervisor and of the department head.
D. A maximum of three hours per week during the employee's regular work schedule may be allowed for course attendance or for travel to or from class, if the class time is outside the normal work schedule. Due to the condensed scheduling, this will preclude summer course attendance.
Employees are encouraged to take classes at times that accommodate the departmental work schedule. Employees will report the class time on their timesheet as time worked. Employees cannot be required to take the class during their lunch hour or to make up the time.
E. Supervisors are encouraged to make a good faith effort to accommodate requests for participation in the College Program. This may require re-scheduling or cross training.
F. The employee's primary responsibility is to their job. An approved application represents a department's commitment to release time for course attendance. The employee is obligated to their job responsibilities during the work hours when the course is not in session.
G. Disapproval of a request will be noted on the application form, together with the reason for the disapproval and the signature of the disapproving supervisor.
H. The costs of tuition, fees, and books are the responsibility of the employee.
I. The employee is required to furnish proof of enrollment and completion of the course upon request from their supervisor.
V. REQUIRED TRAINING
A. An employee, based on their role and access to Systems, may be required to complete one or more classes annually within the following categories:
• New Hire
• Annual
• Role Based Finance
• System Access
• Human Resources
• Research
• Other/Department Based
Employees are required to complete the Fraud Awareness and Code of Ethics classes and training related to computer security and privacy laws, policies and procedures upon initial employment and annually thereafter.
Employees are also required to complete the Equal Employment Opportunity class upon initial employment and every two years thereafter.
B. Departments have the discretion to require employees to complete the above training courses more frequently, as necessary.
C. The Office of Business Services will assist the administering departments and the College/Division Administrators with identifying employees required to complete these courses. Deadlines for completing these classes will be provided in the initial enrollment notification and reports will be provided to College/Division Administrators and executive management throughout the process to monitor progress. Staff who do not complete the assigned required courses and associated quizzes by the annual deadline may lose privileges or access, as appropriate.
REFERENCES
Texas Government Code, Chapter 656, Subchapter C
UH System Administrative Memorandum (SAM) 02.A.26, Employee Development and Training
Issued: 10/25/1996
Last Reviewed/Revised: 02/16/2024
Responsible Office(s): Human Resources