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Texas Payroll/Personnel Resource

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General Provisions
Training and Education

Background

Any state agency (defined as a department, agency, or institution of this state) or institution of higher education may use public funds to train and educate its employees.

Details

The training or education must be related to the duties of the employee. Attendance at the training or education programs can be required by the state agency or institution of higher education. A state agency must adopt rules that define the eligibility for the training as well as the obligations the employee assumes after receiving the training or education.

Certain restrictions apply if a state employee receives training or education that is not offered to other state employees and that is designed to improve the ability of the employee to perform the employee’s job. If a state employee receives training and does not perform his or her regular duties for three or more months, the state agency must enter into a written agreement with the employee requiring that:

  • The employee works for the state agency for at least the same time as the training period.
    – or –
  • The employee pays the agency for all the cost associated with the training, including salary that cannot be covered by vacation or compensatory time. (The governing board may waive this requirement in a public meeting if it is in the best interest of the agency or is based on extreme hardship suffered by the employee.)

Sources

Texas Government Code, Sections 656.041-049; Texas Education Code, Section 61.003.