Page 55 - Personnel Policy and Procedures Manual

classification back to its original level, in order to provide growth planning for a new employee filling this
vacancy, and to generate additional funding to the department, perhaps for meeting new Career Ladder plan.

Section 400.010 – Compensation for Degrees, Licenses, and Certifications
(All degrees, licenses, certifications, etc., eligibility must be approved by the Department

Director and the HR Director prior to the employee beginning the degree, licenses,
certifications, etc., for any reimbursement to be authorized for payment. Authorization for
payment is subject to funds availability. Payments for degrees, licenses, and certifications
obtained or begun prior to implementation of this policy or prior to obtaining approval shall

not be allowed.)
A. Degrees -
Incentives for degrees from Augusta, Georgia’s approved accredited institutions of higher
learning are as follows -

1. Associate Degree - $1,500
2. Bachelor’s Degree - $3,000
3. Master’s Degree - $4,500
4. Doctorate Degree - $6,000
Degrees must be related to an employee specific job description/duty, and must be approved
by the employee’s Supervisor, Assistant Director(s), and Department Director. Degrees will
have to be earned during employment with Augusta, Georgia on or after January 1, 2011.
Special and/or rare situations will be determined by the employee’s Department Director
with approval of the HR Director. Employees will receive fifty (50%) percent of the
incentive upon completion of the degree and fifty (50%) percent of the incentive on the one
year anniversary of the completion of the degree so long as the employee remains employed
by Augusta, Georgia.

LIMITATION - Not more than $6,000 is to be paid to an employee within a three (3) year
period for earning degrees.

B. Licenses -

One-time payments for each professional license will be $2,000. Licenses must be directly
related to an employee’s specific job description/duty, and must be approved by the
employee’s Supervisor, Assistant Director(s), Department Director, and the HR Director.
Prior professional licenses before employment with Augusta, Georgia will not be acceptable
for the one-time payment. License must be obtained while employed with Augusta, Georgia.

LIMITATION - Not more than $4,000 is to be paid to an employee within a two (2) year
period for obtaining licenses.

C. Master or Special Certificate in applicable professions -

All Rights Reserved – As approved by the Commission on 05-07-2019 55 | P a g e