31 Tex. Admin. Code § 51.500 - Employee Training

(a) The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (the Department) may provide training and education for its employees in accordance with Government Code, Chapter 656, Subchapter C.

(b) The Department may spend public funds as appropriate to pay the costs associated with employee training, including, but not limited to, salary, tuition and other fees, travel and living expenses, training stipend, expense of training materials and other necessary expenses of an instructor, student or other participant in a training or education program.

(c) The Department may contract with another state, local or federal department, agency or institution, including a state-supported college or university, to train or educate its employees or may join in presenting a training or educational program.

(d) An employee of the Department may be required to attend, as part of the employee's duties, a training or education program related to the employee's duties or prospective duties. However, the training or education must be related to the current or prospective job duties of the employee.

(e) The Department's training and educational program may include, but is not limited to, the following:

(1) preparing for technological and legal developments;

(2) increasing work capabilities;

(3) increasing the number of qualified employees in areas designated by institutions of higher education as having an acute faculty shortage; and

(4) increasing the competence of agency employees.

(f) Approval to participate in a training program is not automatic and may be subject to the availability of funds within a division's budget.

(g) Materials purchased by the Department for employee training are the property of Department and must be relinquished to Department upon transfer of the employee's position or separation from employment.

(h) Certain obligations may be required of Department employees upon completion of training, including, but not limited to, the following:

(1) An employee may be required to discuss information obtained at the training with other Department employees.

(2) An employee may be required to share materials obtained from training with other Department employees, to the extent such sharing does not violate copyright law.

(3) An employee may be required to assume additional job duties for which the training prepared the employee.

(4) An employee may be required to conduct training for other Department employees concerning the information or skills taught at the training program.

(i) The Department's employee training program may include, but is not limited to, the following components:

(1) agency sponsored training;

(2) seminars and conferences;

(3) internet training; and,

(4) tuition reimbursement.

(j) The executive director shall adopt policies related to training for Department employees.

(k) A reimbursement to an employee or administrator for tuition under the provisions of Government Code, § 656.047 must be approved by the executive director before the reimbursement is paid.

Notes

31 Tex. Admin. Code § 51.500

The provisions of this §51.500 adopted to be effective January 3, 2005, 29 TexReg 12225; Amended by Texas Register, Volume 44, Number 04, January 25, 2019, TexReg 0431, eff. 1/29/2019