FBA Education Fund Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
The FBA Education Fund Coordinator has put together a Frequently Asked Questions guide to help members with general information. Please forward your questions to fbaeducfund@heu.org and watch for ongoing updates on this page.
What if the
The
Will my benefits be covered?
If you are receiving employer-paid extended health, dental and medical benefits, you are covered for the first 20 days of leave.
The
If the employer will not continue benefits after 20 days’ leave, a member may purchase benefits (approximately $20 per day). Members should speak to their payroll/benefits department for more information or to make arrangements.
Will everyone who meets the criteria receive funding?
The short answer is yes – until the $5 million Education Fund is gone.
Short-term training applications are accepted on a continuous basis. The target is to fund about 50 members in each application deadline for long-term training – this means about 350 members will receive funding from the November 2006 to October 2008 deadlines.
The Committee will also give consideration to regional and occupational distribution. There’s also a priority waitlist in place. If an applicant meets the criteria but is not funded because the intake for that period has been met, then that applicant will be given priority funding in the next intake (provided the member still meets the criteria).
How long does the application approval process take?
The approval process may take up to five weeks for short-term applications, depending on how many applications are being received and the completeness of the application information.
Long-term application deadlines are: March 13, 2008; June 19, 2008 and October 16, 2008. The earlier an application is submitted, the better.
For quick approval and/or information on the status of an application, make sure all the requested information is sent with your application.
Mail the original application, signed in ink. Send a completed Confirmation of Employee Status and Leave Approval Form – required for all applications even if leave is not taken. Send a course description, along with a confirmation or registration letter giving the course name, date(s), fees and copies of any payments made for fees or other course costs. Providing all this information with the application makes the review process easy.What can be covered under course costs?
The Fund covers course costs - such as student fees, books/materials - and may include costs such as additional licensing exam fees, Criminal Record Check, First Aid, etc. (see short-term and long-term criteria for maximum funding amounts).
Is more than $1,200 in funding available for longer, higher cost, part-time, correspondence online courses?
In April 2007, the FBA Education Fund Committee recognized that there are some more expensive, longer term, part-time/distance programs.
Retroactive to September 1, 2006, part-time/distance programs leading to a certificate/diploma or degree – that if available and taken full-time would require more than 20 days’ unpaid leave – may be eligible for up to $2,400 in course costs.
Examples of such programs include:
- Purchasing Management Association of Canada courses (PMAC – CPP);
- Nursing Unit Clerk certificate (part-time or distance), and
- Medical Transcription certificate (part-time or distance).
Note: If more than 20 days of unpaid leave is required, the training is likely to be long-term.
Are LPNs eligible for funding from the
LPNs are eligible for short-term training opportunities, provided they meet the funding criteria.
If there’s another source of funding for specific training (e.g. Nursing Directorate for LPN Leadership Skills Program), members must first apply to that source for funds.
For long-term training, licensed practical nurses have a dedicated fund – the B.C. Health Education Foundation – within each health authority and available to affiliates for continuing education and specialty training. Information is available with the
Will the
Applications from members living in rural and remote areas requesting additional funding will be considered on an individual basis. However, members should be aware that the funding is very limited.
The
To resolve some of the travel issues, the Committee is currently working on options such as distance learning programs through
What funding is available for displaced members who need training?
Regular FBA members who are displaced and within their recall period may be eligible for the
Members should contact their nearest Service Canada Centre (www.hrsdc.gc.ca) or email the
Why are FBA casual employees not eligible for the
The Transfer Agreement letter from the employers in the 2006-2010 Health Services and Support Facilities Sub-sector collective agreement says clearly, “Ministry funding is provided to FBA to provide assistance to regular employees...”.
Why are Community Health and Community Social Services employees not eligible for the
The
Is semester-based training or course-by-course part-time training that started before September 01, 2006 eligible for funding?
The
For example, training or studies in Semester #3 that started September 1, 2006 is not eligible. A training program that started Year #2 on September 1, 2006 is not eligible. In both of these examples, Day #1 of Course #1 was before September 1, 2006.
Do members have to pay up front for the course or training program?
No, although an institution may require a small fee to go on the program list. A member may send a letter from the institution that confirms entry to the training program, the start and end dates, and the costs of the program. Institutions should be able to provide this letter since a similar letter is already in use for Skills Development programs.
At the same time, a member who began training from September 1, 2006 onward may be reimbursed for course costs, if the member meets all the
Is it best to apply for the maximum amount of funding if a training program has a number of parts and each part is paid separately?
FBA members are eligible for one round of funding for both short-term and long-term training. Members may re-apply, but will only be funded after first-time applicants have been processed.
If you are in a program that requires registration and payment course-by-course, it’s best to apply for the maximum funding in one application.
For example: You are taking Program A, which has four courses. Program A is six months in duration, part-time and each course costs $300. You are not taking any leave from work, but need funding for courses and materials. Providing you meet all the criteria for short-term training, you could receive a maximum amount of $1,200 for the entire program.
When you pass Course #1, you will send your proof of completion to the FBA office and confirmation of entry into Course #2. At that time, you will receive $300. This would continue for the other two courses to the $1,200 maximum for the program.
If a member is approved for funding and then advised that the training does not have seats available or has been cancelled because of lack of registration, can the approval still apply for the next program intake?
Yes, the approval will still apply. The
Can funding be approved for training with a start date six months or more in the future?
Funding may be approved when the institution provides written confirmation of the course or training, with the start and end dates, and the costs. This could be helpful to members on waitlists at public institutions.
An example: If an FBA member wants to become an LPN and is registered to begin a course in September 2007, the member can apply to the
What are the waitlists for getting into public institution training programs?
Waitlists for public institution training programs vary across the province. In some cases, there are open seats. For example: In the Lower Mainland and
In other instances, there are long waitlists and limited course availability. The
In the meantime, the Committee encourages members to check and compare waitlists at other colleges in, or near, your region and/or explore distance learning opportunities through
If you want to notify the Committee about course availability issues, please contact the
Why will the
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- the unions support public education;
- the private institutions are generally much more expensive than public institutions;
- in many cases, public institutions will not accept certification from private training institutions when members want to upgrade;
- a majority of employers are reporting that the training standards at private institutions do not meet their requirements, and
- the differences in training standards are often in length and depth of courses, and duration of practical training (i.e. direct patient care).
Can the
The
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Where is a list of public post-secondary institutions in
A list of public, post-secondary institutions can be found at: www.aved.gov.bc.ca/institutions/welcome.htm
School District Continuing Education divisions may also offer eligible programs.
Will the
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