3337-40-16. Educational benefits for qualified dependents

The version of this rule that includes live links to associated resources is online athttps://www.ohio.edu/policy/40-016.html

(A) Overview

This policy provides for participation in the Ohio university educational benefits program by domestic partners, spouses, and children of benefits eligible employees who are active, on approved leave, retired, on disability retirement, laid-off, or deceased.

(B) Eligibility

For dependents of employees to receive benefits under this policy, they must meet the requirements paragraph in, (B)(1), ("Employees,") (B)(2), ("Dependents,") and (B)(3), ("Courses and Fees,") of this policy.

This policy does not apply to any dependent of an employee who is (or a retiree or deceased former employee whose final active employment by the university was) covered by a collective bargaining agreement. Please refer to the current bargaining agreement for your eligibility.

(1) Employees

Eligible employees are defined under policy 40.015, and active employees must be on the payroll by the first day of the academic term.

(2) Dependents

If an employee is affected by a reduction-in-force, qualified dependents remain eligible based on the employee's eligibility, as defined in policy 41.015.

No particular class standing is necessary for the original awarding of this benefit except that the student must meet the admission requirements.

Qualified dependents are:

(a) Legally married spouse,

(b) Domestic partner (subject to policy 40.013 ),

(c) Biological, legally adopted, or legal guardianship children of the employee, employee's spouse, or employee's domestic partner.

(3) Courses and fees

The program applies only to courses offered for credit by Ohio university.

To receive the benefit, a dependent of an eligible employee does not need to be a full-time student and may take as many undergraduate or graduate courses as academically permissible.

The educational benefit represents one hundred per cent of the instructional fee and non-residency fee when applicable. These are pro-rated for qualified dependents of part-time employees, according to the employee's full-time equivalency, as described for the employee in policy 40.015.

Benefits may be subject to withholding taxes under regulations of the internal revenue service. For more information, please see the link provided athttps://www.ohio.edu/hr/benefits/education/.

Fee structures of the university are subject to change without notice at the university's discretion.

(C) Additional information

(1) Excluded programs and fees

Benefits under this policy shall not be applicable to non-credit courses and workshops, audited courses, courses and programs delivered in partnership with an outside vendor, or special course fees.

Any unit (e.g., "eLearning") offering courses or programs to be delivered in partnership with an outside vendor shall promptly identify those courses or programs to university human resources (UHR), so that benefits will not be provided under this policy. UHR shall inform employees by ensuring that the information is available online, linked throughhttps://www.ohio.edu/hr/benefits/education/.

Courses and programs that are unique in structure and fee arrangements will be identified by the sponsoring departments. Educational benefits for these programs are limited to the maximum full-time instructional fee rate allowed for a regular program.

(2) Application process

Application by dependents for the educational benefit program must be submitted annually using the "Educational Benefits Request Form." The applicant and employee must each sign the completed form and return the signed form to UHR.

Application forms will be made available in April for the upcoming academic year. Dependents should submit an application as early as possible prior to the anticipated semester of enrollment in order to ensure the credit is applied correctly.

The version of this rule that includes live links to associated resources is online athttps://www.ohio.edu/policy/40-016.html

Effective: 6/27/2016
Promulgated Under: 111.15
Statutory Authority: 111.15
Rule Amplifies: 111.15