Committee changes Coffee County policy so training repayment applies to any separation within two years

The Coffee County Policy and Procedures Committee voted Oct. 27 to revise the county’s separation policy so that repayment obligations for county-funded training or certifications apply to any separation within two years.

Staff presented language in the personnel manual that currently triggers repayment when an employee performs a "voluntary separation" within two years of receiving training or certification that cost $500 or more. Members of the committee and staff said departments with high turnover had requested the change so that the county could seek reimbursement when hires leave by resignation or termination.

A staff speaker described the existing text and said removing the word "voluntary" would make the policy apply to any separation. Committee members discussed administrative details, including that the county could attempt to collect unpaid amounts from final payroll and that statutory exceptions to repayment obligations remain in place. A committee member said: “So it would be for either resignation or termination ... Any separation.”

A motion to remove the word "voluntary" from all four reimbursement bullets was made, seconded and approved. The committee instructed staff to reword the section accordingly and forward the edited text to the legislative committee for drafting and further review before moving to the full commission.

The policy as discussed requires reimbursement for training or certification that cost $500 or more if an employee separates within two years of receiving that training; the committee clarified exceptions covered by law would still apply but did not change the two-year or $500 thresholds at this meeting.