Issues Related to the Provision of Housing and Utilities to Employees Page: 4 of 15
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The Honorable Mike Moncrief
Texas State Senate
April 7, 1997
Page 4
The State Employee Training Act requires agencies to file rules governing their educational
assistance programs with the Governor's Office prior to the expenditure of funds. Many of
the agencies surveyed, however, have failed to comply with this requirement. Two agencies
filed only after we made an inquiry. Another agency was unable to locate and produce a
copy of its educational assistance policy although its rules have been in place for decades
and funds continue to be expended.
Administration of educational assistance programs appears to be weak in some cases. We
found that some agencies do not monitor educational assistance benefits on an agencywide
basis, but instead delegate administration of their programs to subordinate levels. During
our review, one agency discovered that although its academic stipend program had
supposedly been eliminated, one regional office continued to offer the program through
fiscal year 1995. At another agency, it appears that appropriate controls were not developed
to ensure the agency's educational leave program was properly used by staff.
We found inconsistencies in accounting and reporting, and in some cases we were unable to
obtain consistent, comprehensive information from the agencies. Several agencies were
unable to identify recipients of assistance or associated costs. Incomplete accounting also
affects the state classification system and salary comparisons since some agencies do not
include educational assistance payments in reported employee compensation.
Potential inequities exist in the allocation of benefits within agencies. Although agencies
generally have criteria for evaluation and selection of recipients, some agencies do not
appear to have codified these in the form of written guidelines or procedures. In addition,
it appears that only five agencies have incorporated a formal appeals process into their
policies. In one case, agency policies are subject to supervisor discretion and leave room for
waiver of terms. The receipt of benefits by eligible employees may also be subject to the
availability of funds at given locations within an agency.
Recommendations:
The Legislature may wish to provide more guidance at a statewide level concerning
provision of educational assistance. Such guidance could include legislative expectations
with respect to:
* The purpose of providing educational assistance and the establishment and
documentation of the need to provide these benefits relative to an agency's mission
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Alwin, Lawrence F. Issues Related to the Provision of Housing and Utilities to Employees, report, April 7, 1997; (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc821158/m1/4/: accessed June 12, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting UNT Libraries Government Documents Department.