Lisle committee backs restoring tuition reimbursement for nonbargaining staff

At the July 20 Committee of the Whole meeting, Village Manager Cook proposed restoring a tuition reimbursement program for nonbargaining employees and said fiscal-year 2026–27 budget funding has been included to support the program.

"Presently, such a program is provided to 44 of the 96 authorized positions in the village through union contracts," Village Manager Cook said, explaining staff would prepare an amendment to the employee handbook to extend similar benefits to nonbargaining staff and that the board would retain annual funding authority through the budget process.

Board members broadly supported the proposal but asked staff to include typical controls in the draft: preapproval of coursework, a requirement that coursework align with the employee's current job or an achievable village job the employee might reasonably seek, and completion requirements tied to funding. Trustees also asked staff to consider service commitments following reimbursement — commonly a two-year period — and to balance enforceability with fairness.

Trustee comments noted that tuition assistance can help with recruitment and retention, and one trustee asked staff to study whether an assistance model (up-front support) or reimbursement model (pay-after-completion) would better serve younger employees entering the workforce.

Staff will draft the handbook amendment that defines eligibility, allowable coursework, repayment or service-commitment terms, and funding limits and will return to the board for formal action.