Announcing a Tuition Reimbursement Program (Positive/Informative Message)

Your organization has decided to encourage employees to take courses by reimbursing each eligible employee a maximum of $3,500 in tuition and fees during any one calendar year. Anyone who wants to participate in the program must apply before the first class meeting; the application must be signed by the employee's immediate supervisor. The Office of Human Resources will evaluate applications. That office has application forms.

The only courses eligible are those related to the employee's current position or to a position in the company that the employee might hold someday, or that are part of a job-related degree program. Again, the degree may be one that would help the employee's current position or that would qualify him or her for a promotion or transfer in the organization.

Only tuition and fees are covered, not books or supplies. People whose applications are approved will be reimbursed when they have completed the course with a grade of C or better. An employee cannot be reimbursed until he or she submits a copy of the approved application, an official grade report, and a statement of the tuition paid. If someone is eligible for other financial aid (scholarship, veterans' benefits), the company will pay tuition costs not covered by that aid up to $3,500, as long as the total tuition reimbursement does not exceed the actual cost of tuition and fees.

Part-time employees are not eligible; full-time employees must work at the company three months before they can apply to participate in the program. Courses may be at any appropriate level (high school, college, or graduate). The IRS currently requires workers to pay tax on any reimbursement for graduate programs. Undergraduate and basic education reimbursements of up to $5,250 a year are not taxed.

As Director of Human Resources, write a memo to all employees explaining this new benefit.

Hints:

It is up to you to decide what organization you work for. Ideally you should pick an organization you know something about.

When writing your memo, consider the following questions about your audience: What do your organization's employees do?

What courses or degrees might help them do their jobs better? How much education do employees already have? How do they feel about formal schooling?

The information in the scenario is presented in a confusing order. Make sure your memo is organized in a reader-friendly way.

The scenario stresses the limits of the policy. Without changing the provisions, present them using more positive emphasis.

How will having a better-educated workforce help the organization and its employees? In other words, what are the reader benefits?

Think about the challenges the organization faces, its competitive environment, and so forth.