Tuition Assistance Program Application

ACR Homes Tuition Assistance Program ACR Homes has established this Tuition Assistance Program for eligible non-exempt hourly employees who are part-time or full-time higher education students. We are pleased to offer this benefit as an opportunity for these eligible employees to gain patient care and work experience with ACR’s residents, with the added benefit of financial support for approved education costs. This is yet another avenue that ACR Homes would like to encourage eligible employees that are students to use to fulfill their future goals through continuing education. Eligibility To qualify to participate in ACR’s Tuition Assistance Program (the “Program”) and receive tuition assistance reimbursement, an employee must meet and satisfy all of the following criteria: • A participant must be a current non-exempt hourly employee working in a direct care role with ACR. Salaried employees and non-exempt hourly employees working in roles other than direct care are not eligible for the Program. • Employees must enroll in TAP by completing this application before their semester begins. • Except as otherwise stated in this Program document, a participant must work at least 650 hours of direct care duties for ACR between September 1 through May 31 of the plan year. Hours worked during June, July, and August do not count toward meeting the Program worked hours requirement. • A participant must be enrolled as a student in a higher education degree or certificate program and related courses that have been approved by ACR and must provide ACR proof of successful completion of at least three (3) approved educational credits per academic semester. To be eligible for tuition assistance, the participant’s education credits must advance the employee’s progress in the degree or certification being sought by the employee. Coursework and credits related to physical education, sports, fitness, dancing, hobbies or other extracurricular interests do not qualify for tuition assistance unless required for the employee’s approved certificate or degree program • The participant must maintain a cumulative GPA of 2.0 and provide proof of their GPA to ACR through a transcript. • The participant must apply for TAP before their coursework for a qualifying semester begins.To be approved, a program must be designed to lead to a postsecondary certificate or degree (including Associate’s, Bachelor’s Master, or Doctorate degree). ACR will not reimburse employees for expenses related to completion of a GED/high school equivalency. • To be eligible for tuition assistance, a participant must, within three (3) months of course completion, provide ACR with satisfactory proof of completion of the approved courses, the requisite cumulative 2.0 GPA, and satisfactory receipts for the qualifying education costs incurred. • A participant must be actively employed on ACR’s payroll and performing satisfactorily at the time that ACR approves tuition reimbursement requests and when any approved amounts are disbursed by ACR. Participants on inactive status at the time that tuition reimbursement requests are approved or disbursed are not eligible for approval for or receipt of tuition assistance except that an individual on an approved leave of absence shall be entitled to tuition assistance if they have otherwise met all work hour, coursework and other requirements for reimbursement under this policy. Tuition Assistance Amount and Reimbursable Expenses An eligible participant may receive one of the following levels of tuition assistance reimbursement from ACR per Program year:* • Level 1: Up to $500 for an eligible employee who has worked at least 650 hours of direct care between September-May, but less than 900 hours of direct care during such period OR • Level 2: Up to $1,000 for an eligible employee who has worked at least 900 hours of direct care between September-May, but less than 1100 hours of direct care during such period OR • Level 3: Up to $2,000 for an eligible employee who has worked at least 1100 hours of direct care between September-May. The following types of education expenses are eligible for reimbursement by ACR up to the Program participant’s Program plan year eligibility amount: tuition, lab or other course fees, and books so long as such expenses are not otherwise covered by scholarship or another payment/reimbursement program. Expenses that are ineligible for reimbursement include but are not limited to: late fees, drop/add fees, mileage, parking, lodging, meals, student health insurance, equipment or tools, technology (such as laptops), or organizational/membership fees. ACR will only provide assistance reimbursement up to the amount of qualifying expenses actually incurred by the eligible employee, up to no more than the employee’s eligible Level 1 , Level 2, or Level 3 tuition assistance reimbursement amount. ACR Homes will not reimburse expenses that have not been incurred and paid directly by the employee (or paid by the employee through their student loans) or for which the employee has received other reimbursement. Employees who are receiving additional tuition assistance from another employer or a scholarship or grant from another source or some other form of reimbursement of educational expenses must disclose this information to ACR Homes. Calculation of Worked Hours In determining an eligible participant’s level of worked hours during a Program Year both for Program eligibility purposes and determining the level of tuition assistance reimbursement available to the employee, ACR will count actual hours or portions thereof worked, except that any time worked on a weekend (as defined in the employee handbook) will be doubled and any time worked on an ACR recognized holiday for which holiday pay is available will be tripled. For example, if a participant works an 8-hour morning shift on New Year’s 3 Day, that shift will count as 24 hours worked for purposes of the Program. Participants are encouraged to volunteer to be scheduled for the following holiday shifts that qualify for triple hours: New Year’s (from 4 p.m. on New Year’s Eve to 4 p.m. on New Year’s Day), Easter, Memorial Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day (from 6 a.m. on Thanksgiving Day to 6 a.m. on Friday after Thanksgiving), and Christmas (from 4 p.m. on Christmas Eve to 12:00 midnight on Christmas Day). ACR will review the number of hours worked to determine if the participant qualifies for tuition assistance and the level of the benefit. Notwithstanding any other language in this document, hours recorded by an employee for asleep shifts, administrative work, recruiting, mentoring, instructing and meetings do not count as worked hours of direct care for purposes of the Program. If a participant goes on inactive status during a Plan year (e.g. for a furlough, leave or otherwise), the worked hour requirement remains as set forth above and will not be prorated. An employee must have returned to active status and met all other eligibility criteria when tuition reimbursement is approved and disbursed to be eligible for reimbursement. Program Year Each Program year will begin on September 1st and end on May 31st. Additional Information Before beginning coursework for which tuition assistance will be sought, participants wishing to be eligible for assistance under the Program must submit an application for reimbursement and receive approval of their application from ACR. Payment of tuition assistance reimbursements will be made directly to qualifying participants only after ACR receives satisfactory documentation that the individual has met all eligibility requirements, including appropriate documentation of qualifying expenses incurred and a transcript demonstrating completed coursework with a cumulative GPA of 2.0 or higher. Receipts for qualifying expenses should include the qualifying expenses, the student’s name, institution’s name, course title, and term. Payment can only be dispersed after receiving these documents and will not be made if they are not provided to ACR Homes within three months after completion of the coursework. The employee is responsible for paying the cost of any qualifying educational expenses up front and then seeking reimbursement under the Program. ACR maintains the right to discontinue or modify this Program at any time, provided that it will not retroactively change the Program for any in-progress education credits that were already approved by ACR for tuition assistance. This tuition assistance program is intended to be tax free section 127 education assistance plan. If employees have questions about the tax treatment of the Education Assistance Benefit, they should consult a qualified tax professional. The Program and this document do not constitute a contract and do not alter an employee’s at-will employment relationship with ACR or any affiliated entity. The relationship between the company and an employee is at-will, meaning that employees have the right to terminate their employment at any time, with or without cause or notice, and that ACR Homes has that same right.