Article 15 of the PS&T contract provides money for training courses, grants, reimbursement for workshops and licensure exam fees. The PEF/State Joint Professional Development Committee (PDC) works together to assess the professional development and training needs of PEF members and establishes training that improves the skills and knowledge needed for job performance. The State is required to meet and confer with PEF within the PDC with regard to expenditures of these monies.

The PDC is pleased to announce the following negotiated professional development programs for PEF-represented employees.

Program Details
Program Benefits

College Tuition Reimbursement (CTR) Program
This program enables employees to maintain or improve job-related skills in their profession and gain the knowledge and skills necessary for promotional opportunities and career mobility. The CTR Program reimburses up to $5,000 per year for qualifying courses taken at any accredited college or university once the course has been successfully completed and payment has been made to the school.

Nurses’ Enhanced College Tuition Reimbursement (NECTR) Program
This program supplements the regular CTR program available to all PEF represented employees (see CTR section above). NECTR reimburses PEF represented nurse an additional $5,000 per calendar year for qualifying tuition costs.

Public Service Workshops Program
These workshops are delivered statewide and address the professional development needs of PEF-represented and Management/Confidential (M/C) employees.

Workshop and Seminar Reimbursement (WSR) Program
This program reimburses eligible employees up to $1,600 per year for attendance at professional development courses, workshops, conferences, seminars, symposiums, and educational events given by approved providers that do not result in college credit.

Nurses’ Enhanced Workshop and Seminar Reimbursement (NEWSR) Program
This program supplements the regular WSR program available to all PS&T Unit employees (see WSR section above). For eligible PEF-represented nurses, this enhanced program reimburses an additional $1,600 per calendar year for qualifying costs of educational events that do not award college credit.

Certification and Licensure Exam Fee Reimbursement (CLEFR) Program
This program reimburses examination costs, up to $1,100 per year, for first-time certification, licensure, or designation of employees. CLEFR enables employees to improve job-related skills in their profession and gain the knowledge and skills necessary for promotional opportunities. This program does not cover Civil Service exam fees.

Certification and License Renewal Fee Reimbursement (CLRFR) Pilot Program
This program reimburses the fees for certification and license renewals, up to $300 per year, that are required for an employee’s position. This will be based on the classification standard maintained by the Department of Civil Service for an applicant’s current title.

Statewide Joint Labor & Management Training
Labor Management training provides committees with information on organization, operations, and processes. This training is based on the mutual agreement that labor-management works best when all parties involved are working within the same framework. Contact PEF with any questions.

Workforce Initiatives (WFI) & Labor-Management Nursing (LMN) Grants
The WFI and LMN grant programs are administered by OER. Oversight is provided by the PDC. These grants promote labor-management cooperation by encouraging innovative and collaborative approaches to training. Contact PEF with any questions.

Lastly, New York State provides training opportunities, including some offered through the Article 15 Professional Development Committee, on OER’s Statewide Learning Management System (SLMS). You can obtain information about those programs by clicking on the following website and logging into the SLMS: https://nyslearn.ny.gov/

Members can also contact staff in the PEF Training and Education department with any additional questions at (518) 785-1900, ext. 254.