Raytheon s Education Assistance Frequently Asked Questions Contents

Transcription

1 Contents Where I can I go to get general information on the processes for EA?... 3 How do I find out who is my Business EA Representative?... 3 Obtaining Raytheon s Education Assistance Benefits... 3 Do I need to submit an Application for a New Program before registering for a course?... 3 What are Raytheon s annual spending limits?... 3 What costs are covered under the Raytheon Education Assistance Plan?... 3 Who is eligible for Education Assistance?... 3 Is there a waiting period before I am eligible to use the Education Assistance Program?... 4 Are part time employees eligible to use the Education Assistance Program?... 4 Can I access the EdFlo System from home?... 4 How do my answers to the tax questions impact my taxable income?... 4 Is the EdFlo System secure?... 5 How do I reach Support?... 5 Do I have to reapply to participate in Education Assistance?... 5 How do I know if my school is eligible for participation in the Education Assistance Program?... 5 What if the program I attend (or wish to attend) is not listed in EdFlo?... 6 What if I do not indicate I Agree to the statements reflected in the application process?... 6 What is an Approval Workflow?... 6 What if my manager is on PTO or LOA?... 6 What is a request ID?... 6 How many active Program Approvals may I have on file?... 6 I submitted a Program Approval request and need to change it Requesting Tuition Reimbursement... 7 What is a Tuition Reimbursement Request?... 7 What do I need to do before I can request a Tuition Reimbursement?... 7 When should I expect to receive my payment?... 7 What education fees are covered?... 7 What can I submit as proof of successful course completion?... 7 When can I submit for my reimbursement request?... 8 Will you pay my School directly?... 8 Can I request pre-payment of a course?... 8 What financial aid must be identified in the Tuition Reimbursement Request?... 8 What Scholarships, Stipends, Grants or Veterans Benefits documentation must be provided with Grades and Receipts?... 9 What if I do not indicate I Agree to the statements reflected in the Tuition Reimbursement Request Process?... 9 If I am approved for reimbursement for a class that starts and ends in one year, but the completion documents are not submitted until the next year, which year s benefit allowance will this be applied to?... 9 What happens if I do not successfully complete my courses?... 9 What happens if I do not submit course grades for the courses I wish to receive payment for?... 9 The grade I received is different than the traditional A-F grading scale, what do I do?...10 How do I request a Tuition Deferment Letter?...10 What do I do if my school will not accept Raytheon s standard Tuition Deferment Letter? Page

2 What if I do not get my reimbursement request submitted within 60 days from class end date?...10 What is the process once I submit an appeal?...10 Requesting a Waiver to the Cap...11 What is a Cap Waiver?...11 When should I request a Cap Waiver?...11 How do I request a Cap Waiver? Page

3 Where I can I go to get general information on the processes for EA? The Education Assistance (EA) rshare site has information and job aids related to EA for users and managers. While on the EA network use the following link to access: How do I find out who is my Business EA Representative? There is a list of EA Representatives and contact information in the reference folder on the EA rshare site. Obtaining Raytheon s Education Assistance Benefits Do I need to submit an Application for a New Program before registering for a course? Yes. You must receive manager approval in the EdFlo tool prior to registering for any course work. The EdFlo software will not allow you to submit a request for reimbursement unless you have an approved program of study or stand-alone course(s) request on file. If you are currently enrolled in a program, this program should be on file for you in your account. To see whether or not you have an approved program in EdFlo, do the following: Log into EdFlo. Click on the My Activity tab or review the Current/Pending section on your home page and locate your requests. If you have an existing program on file in the system, it will be displayed here. If you do not have an existing program on file, you need to create one. Click on the Help and Training tab at the top of the screen for information on creating a new program. What are Raytheon s annual spending limits? $10,000 each calendar year for full time employees or $5,000 per calendar year for part time employees. What costs are covered under the Raytheon Education Assistance Plan? You will be reimbursed for tuition and allowable fees only for approved course work that is required as part of an accredited program. Raytheon s policy Education Assistance for Raytheon Employees is available on the onertn site for your review and details what fees are allowed/not allowed. Note: If you receive education assistance through another source that you are not required to repay (e.g., veterans benefits scholarships, fellowships or grants), Raytheon will only provide payment for the difference in approved education expenses funded by other sources. See Raytheon s Education Assistance policy for additional detail. Who is eligible for Education Assistance? Active salary exempt, non-exempt and hourly active employees are eligible. Note: If you receive education assistance through another source that you are not required to repay (e.g., veterans benefits scholarships, fellowships, or grants), Raytheon will only provide payment for the difference in approved education expenses funded by other sources. See Raytheon s Education Assistance policy for additional detail. 3 Page

4 Is there a waiting period before I am eligible to use the Education Assistance Program? No, you are eligible to use the program from your date of hire, providing your program is accredited and you receive the necessary approvals. Any course work started prior to hire date is not eligible. Note: Education Assistance is a benefit and is not guaranteed as there are a number of factors that determine participation in the program. See Raytheon s Education Assistance policy for additional detail. Are part time employees eligible to use the Education Assistance Program? Yes, part time employees (those working less than 40 hours a week) are eligible, but only reimbursed up to $5,000 annually for tuition/fees. Note: If you receive education assistance through another source that you are not required to repay (e.g., veterans benefits scholarships, fellowships, or grants), Raytheon will only provide payment for the difference in approved education expenses funded by other sources. See Raytheon s Education Assistance policy for additional detail. Can I access the EdFlo System from home? Yes, the EdFlo System is a web based application which can be accessed from any computer with access to the intranet with access to SSO login. How do my answers to the tax questions impact my taxable income? As discussed in Raytheon Policy RP, the first $5,250 of education assistance reimbursements received in any calendar year is excluded from taxable income. The two tax questions relate to whether amounts in excess of the first $5,250 should be included in or excluded from taxable income. In order for amount in excess of $5,250 to be excluded from taxable income, the coursework must: (1) Maintain or improve the employee's skills in their current job/related position, (2) Meet the requirements of Raytheon, or applicable law or regulation, as a condition of retained employment or rate of compensation, and (3) Must not relate to minimum education requirements or qualification for a new trade or business. Tax Questions Question 1: Does the coursework you are requesting maintain or improve the skills for your current position within Raytheon? If an employee answers "No" to the first question, any reimbursement in excess of $5,250 should be included in taxable income. If an employee answers "Yes" to the first question, any reimbursement in excess of $5,250 may be excluded from taxable income provided the other requirements listed above are met. Question 2: Does the coursework you are requesting qualify you for an entirely new trade or business (i.e., a new profession in which you are not currently qualified or engaged?) 4 Page

5 For example, if you are currently employed as an Engineer and are pursuing a law degree, you would answer yes to question two. If you are currently employed as a Mechanical Engineer and are pursuing a degree as an Electrical Engineer, you would answer no to question two. If you are currently employed as a Buyer and are pursuing a Dentistry degree, you would answer no to question two and your request would be rejected as this is not a Raytheon position. If an employee answers "No" to the second question, any reimbursement in excess of $5,250 may be excluded from taxable income provided the other requirements listed above are met. If an employee answers "Yes" to the second question, any reimbursement in excess of $5,250 should be included in taxable income. Is the EdFlo System secure? Yes, the EdFlo System has security protocols in place and has been approved by Raytheon. In addition, you must be approved and use your SSO to access the EdFlo system. How do I reach Support? Questions can be submitted by phone at or at RTN_edassist@TrainingSupportAdmin.com. Do I have to reapply to participate in Education Assistance? The answer is Yes or No, depending on the status of any existing program in the system. No, you do not have to reapply if you are currently enrolled in an approved program in EdFlo. Yes, reapply if you are not enrolled in a program or do not have an active approved program (i.e. a previous program has been completed) in EdFlo. If you are currently enrolled in a program, it should be on file in EdFlo. To see whether or not you have an approved program on file or stand-alone course request, do the following: Log into EdFlo. Click on the My Activity tab or review the Current/Pending section on your home page and locate your requests. If you have an existing program on file in the system, it will be displayed here. If you do not have an existing program on file, you need to create one. Click on the Help and Training tab at the top of the screen for information on creating a new program. How do I know if my school is eligible for participation in the Education Assistance Program? Any school or university identified in the "Accredited Institutions of Post-secondary Education Directory, American Council on Education" as accredited by one of the six identified accrediting bodies is eligible. Please contact the Raytheon Educational Support Center at RTN_edassist@trainingsupportadmin.com if you have questions. 5 Page

6 What if the program I attend (or wish to attend) is not listed in EdFlo? While the list of providers available through EdFlo conforms to the Education Assistance Policy, occasionally there will be programs that are not reflected. In the event your program cannot be found when submitting a Request for Program Approval, you will need to complete a Request for Addition of New School or Major. This form can be accessed by initiating a Request for Program and selecting this option from the Submit Program Information screen. In the Request for Addition of New School or Major form, you will be asked to provide the State, School Name, School URL (Web Address), Program, and Primary Major or Emphasis. Your completed request form will be reviewed in collaboration with Raytheon Benefits/Human Resources. If approved, the desired program/school will be added to the EdFlo. You will receive an indicating the program/school has been added. At that point, you may apply for your requested program. What if I do not indicate I Agree to the statements reflected in the application process? The statements reflected in the Request for Program Approval application process are intended to ensure complete understanding of critical aspects of Education Assistance Participation; a full understanding of Program Policy, and a full understanding that should work performance be impacted, Education Assistance participation can be suspended. Your failure to reflect agreement to any of these statements will prevent your participation in the Education Assistance Program. What is an Approval Workflow? The Approval Workflow is the route a request must take in order to get approved. In EdFlo this process is fully automated and can be tracked through completion by referring to the Requests you Have Created screen and reviewing the request detail. What if my manager is on PTO or LOA? Your manager can delegate to another manager during the time they will not be available to do approvals. If on LOA and unable to delegate HR/EA Representative can request a delegate be input through the call center. What is a request ID? Upon completion of any request transaction in EdFlo, users will be provided with an Event ID. This number is the unique identifier associated with your request. If you access the My Activity from the main menu, you will notice that the transactions are sorted by Event ID. Providing the Event ID when submitting a support request will significantly expedite resolution of your issue. How many active Program Approvals may I have on file? There is nothing in the system that will prevent you from submitting multiple Programs for approval. However, because work performance is a critical measurement in deciding on program participation, careful consideration should be given to maintaining an effective balance between school and work. 6 Page

7 I submitted a Program Approval request and need to change it. A program approval request cannot be modified once submitted to the approval work flow. If the program approval has gone all the way through the approval workflow and has been approved, the Raytheon Educational Support Center will need to be contacted to delete the program of study. You may then resubmit the updated version for approval. or You can determine where in the approval work flow the request is by logging onto the EdFlo system and reviewing the workflow status. If still in progress the employee may contact the manager who has yet to approve and ask them to reject. Requesting Tuition Reimbursement What is a Tuition Reimbursement Request? An approved Tuition Reimbursement Request allows for the release of funds to an employee for the express purpose of repaying appropriate education and education related expenses upon successful completion of a course or courses. What do I need to do before I can request a Tuition Reimbursement? In order to submit a Tuition Reimbursement Request an employee must first have an approved Program of Study or Stand Alone course request on file for that specific school, program and major. When should I expect to receive my payment? The service center sends a payment file to Raytheon Financial Shared Services on a bi-weekly schedule. After receiving the confirmation that your reimbursement request has been submitted for payment, you should receive payment within the next 2 pay periods. What education fees are covered? In general, fees covered include course, registration or lab fees. If fees are requested for reimbursement, receipt documentation must be provided upon course completion. Receipt documentation must reflect the specific fees by name and amount. A definition of the fee from the school may be required for payment. Failure to provide adequate fee detail on the receipt will result in the rejection of the documentation and possible suspension from participation in the program. What can I submit as proof of successful course completion? You may submit your official transcript, report card or online grade posting. An official grade document, listing the following information: o School name and logo/url o Student name o Term dates o Course name(s)/number(s) with final awarded grade 7 Page

8 When can I submit for my reimbursement request? You can submit for your reimbursement within 60 calendar days after your class(es) have ended. You will need to supply the following completion documents for each class that you are approved to seek reimbursement for: Eligible reimbursements include, but not limited to: A reimbursement includes all associated costs for the course and must be submitted within one reimbursement request. Any costs not included in the original reimbursement request will not be eligible for reimbursement. An itemized tuition statement, listing the following information: o School name and logo/url o Student name o Term dates o Course name(s)/number(s) with tuition cost o Itemized fees An official grade document, listing the following information: o School name and logo/url o Student name o Term dates o Course name(s)/number(s) with final awarded grade Book reimbursement requests must include the following: o Receipt indicating: Name of book or ISBN Total cost of the book, including sales tax and shipping charges Document proving that the book is required, not recommended, such as: Course syllabus Book store documentation Itemized tuition statement listing the book requirement Will you pay my School directly? No, payments are made to the employee through Raytheon s payroll system. No funds are sent directly to Educational Institutions. Can I request pre-payment of a course? All expenses are paid on a reimbursement basis. If you are unable to pay for a course prior to completion, many schools will defer payment until the end of the course with verification of eligibility in an Education Assistance program. You may wish to discuss this option with the billing office at your school. The Support Center can provide a signed Deferral Request Letter to be presented to your school. We cannot change the wording of this letter. What financial aid must be identified in the Tuition Reimbursement Request? In general there are two types of Financial Aid; the first is that which requires repayment such as loans. The second is that which DOES NOT require repayment such as grants, scholarships, fellowships and veteran s benefits. It is the latter which must be deducted from any disbursement or Tuition Reimbursement Request and must be identified in any request. 8 Page

9 What Scholarships, Stipends, Grants or Veterans Benefits documentation must be provided with Grades and Receipts? Scholarships, stipends, grants or veterans benefits documentation, as any other financial documentation must provide adequate detail to verify any amount reflected on a request. Additionally, scholarships, stipends, grants or veterans benefits documentation must be provided on letterhead and provides a point of contact for validation, or in the school s tuition information. If the scholarship, stipend, grant or veteran s benefit is itemized on your tuition statement, it needs to include the payer, and the amount applied to the term listed. What if I do not indicate I Agree to the statements reflected in the Tuition Reimbursement Request Process? The statements reflected in the Tuition Reimbursement Request process are intended to ensure complete understanding of critical aspects of Education Assistance participation; a full understanding of Raytheon s Education Assistance policy, and a full understanding of potential tax obligation. Your failure to reflect agreement to any of these statements will prevent your participation in the Education Assistance Program. If I am approved for reimbursement for a class that starts and ends in one year, but the completion documents are not submitted until the next year, which year s benefit allowance will this be applied to? Reimbursement is applied to the year in which it is paid. The benefit allowance (i.e. Education Assistance cap) is for the year in which the reimbursement occurs, not when the course occurs. Once approved, your Tuition Reimbursement Request will be submitted to Raytheon for inclusion in your next possible payroll cycle. Whether you receive a check or direct deposit is dependent upon how you receive your reimbursement payment. What happens if I do not successfully complete my courses? In the event you do not successfully complete any of the courses taken, you will not be reimbursed for those courses. If you have submitted an Individual Program of Study for an incomplete course, please contact the help desk at or at RTN_edassist@TrainingSupportAdmin.com to have this closed. What happens if I do not submit course grades for the courses I wish to receive payment for? Until such time as complete grade reports, tuition and fee receipts and scholarships, stipends, grants, or veterans benefit statements for a Tuition Reimbursement Request are received, no payment will be processed. 9 Page

10 The grade I received is different than the traditional A-F grading scale, what do I do? To be reimbursed for a class you must meet pass requirements as defined by Raytheon education assistance policy. If your grading scale is nontraditional you will need to provide a document from the school that explains the conversion of their nontraditional grades to traditional grades. It is this document that would serve as the basis for accepting the nontraditional grade and determining if it is a passing grade. This document must be submitted with your reimbursement documentation. How do I request a Tuition Deferment Letter? To obtain a signed Tuition Deferment letter, submit a request to RTN_edassist@trainingsupportadmin.com and include the following: Subject: Request: Signed Tuition Deferment Letter Body: Indicate request is for a signed Tuition Deferment letter Indicate if the letter is to be ed or faxed to you Provide your address or fax number, whichever is appropriate Note: Raytheon will provide you with a signed standard Tuition Deferment letter only. We cannot adjust the wording of this letter. Please consult your HR representative if your school is unwilling to accept Raytheon s standard letter. What do I do if my school will not accept Raytheon s standard Tuition Deferment Letter? Obtain a copy of the school s required Tuition Deferment letter. Consult your HR representative or Education Assistance council member to identify the person in your organization responsible for signing school-specific Tuition Deferment letters. What if I do not get my reimbursement request submitted within 60 days from class end date? If you do not have your reimbursement request and all supporting documents submitted within 60 day, your request will be rejected per the Education Assistance Policy. You will have the option to submit an appeal with justification why you are late. What is the process once I submit an appeal? Once you submit an appeal, it is sent to the EA PM who reviews the appeal and your history and then sends to your business EA Rep who reviews and discusses with appropriate parties. Once they make a decision it is communicated to the EA PM who inputs into the EdFlo system. 10 Page

11 Requesting a Waiver to the Cap What is a Cap Waiver? Under certain circumstances Raytheon leadership may allow a waiver (i.e. an adjustment) to the annual published tuition assistance caps. When should I request a Cap Waiver? Cap waivers are approved on a case by case basis and are based on thorough research into the employee s justification for the waiver. If there are sufficient extenuating circumstances that impact your ability to complete your program as planned, you might consider requesting a waiver to the annual cap amount. Prior to submitting a cap waiver request, consult your supervisor. Note: Cap waiver requests have an extensive approval process with may take several days to complete. How do I request a Cap Waiver? Click on the Help and Training tab at the top of the EdFlo home page for detailed instructions on submitting a cap waiver request. 11 Page