Professional development

February 2023 Update: The CUPE Local 951 enhanced Career Development Fund has reached it's annual fund cap for 2023. Thank you to everyone who applied. Please check back in the fall of 2023 for updated instructions on preparing your 2024 applications.

Major enhancements have been recently made to the CUPE 951 Career Development Fund program. Please read below to review the expansion of acceptable requests, funding amounts, and inclusion of personal learning and development support.

Career development fund policies and procedures

The purpose to the fund is to provide regular employees with opportunities for career development within the university’s work force that are not directly related to their current employment. All regular CUPE 951 employees are eligible. Please review the policy for further details.

Administration of the fund

The fund committee will consider funding requests that are directly related to career or personal development. Requests may include:

• (a) tuition fees, courses, exams, workshops or seminars;
• (b) expenses such as books, course materials, software materials, and associated fees, etc.
• (c) membership fees in learned societies and professional organizations;
• (d) equipment such as computer equipment including laptops, tablets, smartphones and audio-visual equipment;
• (e) learning supports for those employees with disabilities;
• (f) travel to attend training including accommodation expenses.

Funding is available up to a maximum of $5000.00 per employee on an annual basis. This amount has been enhanced and updated as of October 2022.

Any requests that require an employee be absent from work must include the appropriate documentation as per Article 26.06/26.07 of your collective agreement. Fees for job related departmental courses are not eligible. These costs are the responsibility of the department.

Personal growth training

Personal learning and development will be approved, however, employees are required to describe how their personal learning and development is linked to their career and personal growth in their application. Personal development may include career counselling; personal productivity related to goal setting; leadership development; cultural learning related to diversity, equity, inclusion and truth and reconciliation; financial planning; organizational skills training; etc.

Procedures

Each submission must be on an official application form. Where department head approval is not required, completed forms may be submitted electronically to hrassistant@uvic.ca in Human Resources.

Requests for funding:

• Must be made before the start of the course – early submissions are encouraged.
• Course changes after the start date will be considered only if there are extenuating circumstances, and the committee is notified immediately in writing.
• The career development committee should be notified in writing if you do not use the approved funds.
• Requests to take courses during periods of extended sick leave must be supported by a doctor’s certificate stating that the course requirements will not adversely affect the employee’s health or prolong their absence from work.
• A maximum of $5000.00 may be rewarded per applicant during the calendar year (January – December)

Reimbursement requirements

• Complete Business Expense Reimbursement Form and forward to HR with supporting documents: (HR to complete expense allocation section)
  • Proof of successful completion of course.
  • Copy of invoice showing cost breakdown together with original receipts.
• Submission to be made within two months of course completion.
• Approved courses taken during layoff, leave, vacation or extended sick leave will be reimbursed after the employee has returned to work.
• You must still be employed at UVic to receive reimbursement.

Employees may opt to receive reimbursement over two months to lessen the tax impact. Please request this when submitting your receipts for payment.

Appeal procedure

If your application for funding has been rejected, you can appeal the decision by submitting in writing the reason(s) for the appeal to the chair, career development committee, c/o Human Resources.

The committee will review the written submission with the original application; invite the applicant to make a verbal presentation and advise the applicant in writing of the outcome of the appeal.

For more information, please see your collective agreement.

Click here for the application

Questions? Please contact hrassistant@uvic.ca for assistance.

For more information please see:

• Professional Development Expenses Policy ME Staff
• Professional Development Expenses Guidelines for ME Staff

Professional development includes activities that enhance a staff member’s work performance, ability or effectiveness. The university provides funding to eligible staff through two means:

1. Personal Professional Development Expense Account (PDEA) 

• assist eligible PEA staff in meeting their professional development needs.
• each staff member receives annually $250 to their personal PDEA account. Access to the account is through "Online tools" on the UVic Website.
• as an outcome of PEA collective bargaining in 2023, each eligible PEA employee will be provided a one-time additional contribution of $465. Employees can access the funds now for receipts dated on or after July 1, 2022 and may carry a negative balance to a maximum of $465.00 until July 1, 2023.
• technology-related expenses are eligible for purchase through the PDEA account as long as pre-approval from University Systems, Technology Solution Centre has been granted prior purchase.

And;

2. Central Professional Development Fund (Central Fund) 

• assist PEA members with funding professional development opportunities that exceed their PDEA and departmental budgets 
• applications are required in order to receive funds with 3 deadlines throughout the year: January 31st, May 31st or September 30th

Please see HR6420 Policy and the expense Guidelines for more details.

APPLYING FOR THE CENTRAL PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT FUND

Are you eligible to apply for Central Funds? This is open to any regular, continuing PEA members at the University of Victoria, as well as term-employees who have completed 3 consecutive years of service. Employees must pass probation before applying.

Should you apply for Central Funds? Before submitting an application for Central Funds, check if one of the following applies to you. If YES, continue with the application. If NOT, connect with your supervisor, and explore your PDEA account first.

• Current personal account (PDEA) is depleted and/or you require additional funding to pursue a professional development opportunity.
• Some or all of your PDEA is being held for a legitimate purpose according to the HR6420 Policy, section 2.00 ‘Eligible expenses’ for PDEA, and has been approved by your supervisor.

*Please see the note above in (1) for information related to a one-time additional contribution as part of PEA collective bargaining in 2023.

What is considered an ‘eligible expense’ for Central Funds? Expenses eligible for reimbursement are:

• Travel (including accommodation), tuition, course or registration fees and other expenses for
• conferences, workshops of professional organizations and other similar activities;
  Up to one (1) membership fee in a learned society or professional organization; and
• Expenses (e.g., books, journals, materials, reprints, interlibrary loan charges) directly associated with professional responsibilities.

Note: as non-taxable benefits, items reimbursed from the Central Fund will remain the property of the University.

How much can you apply for? The minimum application amount is $250, with the maximum for pro-d activities undertaken at UVic being $2,000, and $1,500 for pro-d activities undertaken at external institutions. In exceptional circumstances, eligible expenses up to $3,000 may be approved for pro-d activities at UVic.

Have you received funding in the last 12 months? Priority will be given to staff members who have not received funding from the Central Fund during the preceding 12 months.

A complete application package will contain the following:

1. Completed application form
2. A printed copy of your personal Professional Development Expense Account (PDEA). Access your account via Online tools > Employee Services > Job Information > Professional development account. Print using the link on the top right corner.
3. Supporting documents about the professional development event. This may include conference brochures, budget listings, event programs, and tuition fee printouts including reading lists. 

Submit a complete application package either via email to avphrassist@uvic.ca, or as a hardcopy in-person/or through intercampus mail to Human Resources before the deadline.

How do you know the status of your application? 2-3 weeks after a submission deadline you will receive an email notification. If your application is approved, the message will include an approval letter with the tentative award and an explanation for the reimbursement process.

How can you claim your approved professional development expenses? To apply for reimbursement, create a package with the following documents:

1. Copy of the approval letter
2. All original receipts associated with the professional development opportunity

We encourage you to process your claim through ChromeRiver. It is the most efficient way to both process and receive claims. You will find detailed instructions on your reimbursement on your approval letter. It is strongly recommended you create a copy of the reimbursement package for your own records.

You may instead prefer to make use of one or both of the Business Expense Reimbursement Form and Travel Expense Reimbursement Form. Submit your reimbursement package, with pictures of your receipts and any other supporting documentation, directly to Accounting Services at: accountspayable@uvic.ca. 

Please consider visiting the Financial Services Professional Development website for further information, FAQ's and best practice on how access, use and request reimbursement from the PEA Central Fund. 

• Application Package for PEA Pro-D Fund Central Fund
• Related Policy: HR6420
• Expense guidelines - applicable only to the PDEA