SHORTGRASS LIBRARY SYSTEM POLICY MANUAL Section C: Personnel Policy C.5: Continuing Education Updated and Approved: September 19th, 2012
Background The Shortgrass Library System Board recognizes the necessity of having informed and welltrained employees. Attendance at library related courses, workshops, and conferences; as well as attendance at job related courses or seminars will enrich employee work experience and will increase employee knowledge of library concerns and services. The Shortgrass Library System Board also recognizes the system's responsibility to member libraries in terms of providing opportunities for their librarians to attend workshops, courses, and seminars. Continuing education opportunities would include in-house workshops and programs as well as workshops and programs that would be offered by other systems, libraries, or agencies. Policy The Shortgrass Library System Board encourages and supports employee attendance at library related or job-related courses, workshops, and conferences. The SLS Board also supports the provision of continuing education opportunities to libraries within the system. Guidelines 1.
Employee attendance at courses, workshops, and conferences is to be determined in consultation with the CEO.
2.
The attendance of member library staff at courses and workshops that are not sponsored by the Shortgrass Library System will be determined in consultation with the CEO if reimbursement is being requested.
3.
The CEO’s approval will be in accordance with the budget approved by the Board.
4.
Employees will be reimbursed in the following manner: (a.)
Courses relative to the employees’ position or professional development: Page 1 of 2
SLS will pay the full costs of registration, as well as necessary travelling expenses. (b.)
Courses an employee wishes to take in a work related context: These will be judged on their own merits. The CEO will determine the proportion of financial assistance.
5.
Approval to attend courses will be issued on the understanding that no additional consideration in either the form of pay or time off will be granted on those occasions when employees may be required to travel outside their normal working hours; nor in the event that a statutory holiday or regular day off occurs during their absence.
6.
Employees who attend a course, seminar, workshop, etc. under the sponsorship of the Board shall be entitled to only their regular rate of pay.
7.
On those occasions when an employee attends a course at the request of the CEO, and the course occurs during the evening or on the weekend, the employee will be allowed timein-lieu equivalent to the course attendance hours.
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