University Policies and Procedures Manual (previously Business Policies and Procedures Manual)

UPPM 60.71

For more information contact:
   Human Resource Services
   509-335-4521 / hrs@wsu.edu

---

1.0   Overview and Purpose

Washington State University provides employees with training and development opportunities in accordance with WAC 357-34 and WAC 200-600.

The purpose of WSU’s training programs is to establish training opportunities which promote professional development, improve job skills, and meet compliance requirements.

2.0   Applicability

The following employee types have access to the full online learning system through HRS:

• Permanent, temporary, and fixed term administrative professionals
• Permanent and fixed term classified/civil service staff
• Permanent and fixed term faculty
• Coaches

For a full list of employee types, access levels, and other questions and answers, review the WSU HRS Learning and Organizational Development (LOD) FAQ.

3.0   Requirements

3.1   Training Release Time

Training release time is the time when an employee is released from normal work duties and compensated at the regular rate of pay to attend an approved training program.

3.1.a   Training Release Hours Per Year

An eligible full-time employee may use up to 96 hours of training release time per fiscal year for training purposes. An eligible part-time employee may use hours of release time prorated according to their FTE percentage, e.g., a 50 percent FTE employee would be eligible for 48 hours of training release time per fiscal year.

3.1.b   Training Plan

Prior to approving more than 20 hours of training release time, a supervisor may ask the employee to submit a training plan outlining their development goals. An employee may use up to 20 hours of training release time annually without providing information regarding how the training promotes professional development or improves job skills.

3.1.c   Qualifying for Training Release Time

3.1.c.i   Employees

An individual appointed to a University position is eligible to use training release time. The following classes of employees are not eligible to use training release time:

• Employees with appointments totaling less than 50 percent FTE;
• Probationary employees; and
• Employees paid solely on an hourly or piece basis.

Note: The above classes of employees may attend directed training.

3.1.c.ii   Programs

Departments may grant training release time for in-service programs offered through any University unit; e.g., Human Resource Services, Environmental Health and Safety, Information Technology. Departments may grant training release time for programs offered through a reputable non-WSU organization if the training promotes professional or job skill development.

3.1.c.iii   Online Learning System

Departments may grant training release time to employees for taking online training courses through the online learning system. The online learning system is a training and development resource, provided through the Human Resource Services website, which is available to all current WSU employees and students. The University does not reimburse hours spent taking courses through the online learning system outside of regular work hours unless the training is required or directed by the supervisor.

3.1.c.iv   Directed Training

Any training required by the employee’s supervisor is considered directed training. The supervisor determines whether hours devoted to directed training may be included as part of the employee’s annual training release time total.

3.1.c.v   Outside Work Hours

Hours spent attending training outside of regular work hours are not to be included as part of the employee’s annual release time total. The University does not reimburse such training hours as extra compensation unless the training is required or directed by the supervisor.

3.1.c.vi  Academic Classes

Hours spent attending academic classes taken under the tuition fee waiver program described in UPPM 60.70 are not to be included as part of the employee’s annual training release time total. Training release time hours may not be used for academic classes.

3.1.d   Request Process

Employees are to obtain supervisory approval prior to registering for training.

3.1.e   Denials

A supervisor may deny a request for training release time. Reasons for denial include:

• Organizational and work-related needs
• Personnel coverage
• Seasonal work commitments
• Work-related emergencies
• Employee has used up all eligible training release time hours for the fiscal year

An employee may report patterns of repeated denials when a supervisor does not provide justification for denials or make alternate arrangements. The employee reports such cases to the appointing authority for their area, or Human Resource Services; telephone 509-335-4521, email hrs@wsu.edu.

3.1.f   Tracking Training Release Time

The employing department is responsible for tracking hours of training release time for departmental employees.

Training release time is considered time worked for purposes of computing overtime for overtime-eligible employees

3.2   Fee Waiver

Eligible employees may participate in the tuition fee waiver program for academic courses with prior supervisory approval (see UPPM 60.70 and 60.73).

3.3   Training Documentation

Departments may be required to document employee participation in specific types of training activities, in accordance with applicable state and federal regulations. If an attendance roster is not circulated in class, report training hours to Human Resource Services.

The department must retain training documentation created for an employee participant for six years after the employee terminates employment with the University, in accordance with state records retention requirements (see UPPM  90.01).

To fulfill the records retention requirement, departments may:

• Retain documentation in departmental files or databases of employee participation in training programs and sessions; or
• Access their employees’ learner records of participation in assigned trainings from the online learning system.

_______________________
Revisions:  Feb. 2026 (Rev. 652); July 2008 (Rev. 324); July 2005 (Rev 262); Dec. 2002 (Rev. 222); May 1997 (Rev. 103); Sept. 1990 (Rev. 83); Dec. 1988 – new policy (Rev. 72).