Fulltime hourly earn and learn

[brett636]

I am attempting to get myself back into school for the first time since I went combo back in Nov., but I'm getting some conflicting information regarding the earn and learn for fulltime employees. On the UPSers website it has the details laid out for fulltime employees, which seem better than the part-time program I was using. When I called HR they told me that program was for fulltime salary employees and not fulltime hourly, even though there is no mention of this on UPSers.com. It just says "fulltime employees. I was wondering if any fulltime hourly employees have used the earn and learn program and can tell me exactly which one I fall under.

thanks!

[hoser]

Originally Posted by brett636

I am attempting to get myself back into school for the first time since I went combo back in Nov., but I'm getting some conflicting information regarding the earn and learn for fulltime employees. On the UPSers website it has the details laid out for fulltime employees, which seem better than the part-time program I was using. When I called HR they told me that program was for fulltime salary employees and not fulltime hourly, even though there is no mention of this on UPSers.com. It just says "fulltime employees. I was wondering if any fulltime hourly employees have used the earn and learn program and can tell me exactly which one I fall under.

thanks!

I'd take HR's word over UPSERS.com. It makes a lot more sense that it is for salaried employees than for drivers that work 50 hrs a week.

Better yet, tell HR that you are getting conflicting information and ask for a firm answer in writing.

[big_arrow_up]

Originally Posted by hoser

I'd take HR's word over UPSERS.com. It makes a lot more sense that it is for salaried employees than for drivers that work 50 hrs a week.

I just wish we had Earn and Learn for hourly. Only the sups get it here. I also think that it shouldn't matter that if you are full-time or part-time.

[brett636]

I just got a call back from the same person I was dealing with through HR and he told me that there is no distinction in the program between hourly or salary. The fulltime informatin laid out on UPSers.com does apply to fulltime union hourly as well as non-union fulltime salary employees. Just an FYI for anyone else that may be interested. One thing he did tell me that was not listed on UPSers.com was that if you use this program, and leave UPS you have to pay back whatever reimbursement that you used for the prior 2 years.

Being that I am combo I only work about 40-43 hours a week and I don't go in til the early evening. So that gives me some leeway to go to school. I agree that it would be impossible for a driver to do this, but where there is a will there is a way. Going fulltime has really put some new life in my quest for getting a degree as I hate feeling like I am married to UPS. I really would like to go other routes if I so choose in the future.

[upsis]

try this link for more info:

https://ww6.edcor.com/ups/default.asp

[disneyworld]

Originally Posted by brett636

I just got a call back from the same person I was dealing with through HR and he told me that there is no distinction in the program between hourly or salary. The fulltime informatin laid out on UPSers.com does apply to fulltime union hourly as well as non-union fulltime salary employees. Just an FYI for anyone else that may be interested. One thing he did tell me that was not listed on UPSers.com was that if you use this program, and leave UPS you have to pay back whatever reimbursement that you used for the prior 2 years.

Being that I am combo I only work about 40-43 hours a week and I don't go in til the early evening. So that gives me some leeway to go to school. I agree that it would be impossible for a driver to do this, but where there is a will there is a way. Going fulltime has really put some new life in my quest for getting a degree as I hate feeling like I am married to UPS. I really would like to go other routes if I so choose in the future.

I am currently using the Tuition Reimbursement and the latest info you got is correct. If you leave UPS within two years of your last class, you have to pay it back. They just changed that last year.

[RockyRogue]

I'm a p/t'er and tried to use Earn and Learn for grad school. I, too, received conflicting information til I cornered HR and got a firm no. Only full-timers can use Earn and Learn for grad school. Then, I was talking to a friend going for an MBA and UPS was helping. I threw up my hands in disgust and frustration. I wasn't going to deal with HR and their superior's stupidity. Ohhhh, and Brett, my understanding is the Earn and Learn doesn't have a payback requirement. That's for the loans UPS offers. I could be wrong. -Rocky

>>>tell HR that you are getting conflicting information and ask for a firm answer in writing<<<

I stress the in writing part. Anyone have issues with the ConSern loan offered through UPS? I doubt I'm the only employee who has been screwed because of conflicting information.

Good luck collecting. My son has been stiffed two semesters in a row. UPS hires a third party to pay benefits. This company stalls and stalls and request the same info multiple times until you give up trying to collect. His dad and I made him quit this company because they DO NOT pay this benefit. Several other employess in the Dallas area have had the same problem with the third party. Please do not make any job changes if you are depending on this phantom benefit.

[upsis]

i work in corp. and this company does make payments for this program. your case may have yieldsed different results for whatever reason, but this progrma does make payments and they are put into payroll immediately.

In my son's case everything asked for was submitted on several occasions. He left a job he loved for this benefit and is now leaving this company with very bitter feelings. When your own HR department can not get this company to pay something is wrong. My son is not the only one having this problem!!!!!!! So please, don't anyone hire on with this company for this "benefit." That;s all I am saying . Employee beware.

[aspenleaf]

This is from upsers.com
Click on My Life and Career/ Education/ UPS Education Assistance and go to Frequently asked questions.


Responsibilities of Full-time Employees Leaving UPS
I am a participant in the full-time Tuition Assistance Program and I have decided to leave UPS. Will I still receive tuition assistance for my remaining coursework? For all coursework started after January 1, 2006, you will be responsible for repaying UPS all tuition assistance payments made on your behalf in a two-year period leading up to your departure. This policy applies for coursework approved for both undergraduate and graduate programs. This policy does not apply to part-time supervisors.
If I am currently using the tuition assistance program will I have to pay back up to two years of the classes I have already taken? The UPS payback requirement is not retroactive. Any classes taken after January 1, 2006 will be included in the payback requirement. The payback requirement applies to all full-time employees participating in the tuition assistance program. Part-time supervisors participating in the program are not included in the payback requirement.
How does the two-year payback requirement work for full-time employees? The tuition program payback requirement applies only to the last two years. When a full-time employee decides to leave UPS, the system will pick this information up, "look back" two years from the date of termination, and calculate all tuition program expenditures made on the employee's behalf during this time. This amount is what the employee owes UPS.
If a person works more than two years after their last tuition reimbursement, they are not responsible for reimbursing their tuition assistance. The only situation where a person can escape two-year payback requirement is through normal retirement.
To which employees does the payback apply? The payback applies to all full-time employees, management, and nonmanagement.
Does the payback include cases where UPS ends the employment, not the employee? A termination by UPS does not automatically release an employee from their two-year tuition repayment obligation. These situations need to be documented on a case-by-case basis. Local H.R. management may elect to waive the tuition reimbursement requirement, depending on the individual situation. In all cases, the local decision must be documented and communicated to the plan administrator, Edcor.
Does the full-time employee reimbursement payback refer to one or more classes or does it only apply only if you receive a degree? Reimbursement payback applies to all expenses booked within the tuition assistance program on behalf of the employee, regardless whether the degree is completed or not.

Part-time Employees Receiving Tuition Assistance
Will the maximum per term decrease for part time employees? While UPS reserves the right to make tuition plan changes at any time, at this point we do not plan on making any changes to either part-time management, or part-time nonmanagement tuition program thresholds.
I am a part-time employee attending a school with Deferred Payment. How will I be reimbursed for books? Part-time employees will receive an automatic $25 per course, and this payment will be added onto your tuition reimbursement check. Part-time hourly employees attending an Earn and Learn Partnership School under the current deferred billing plan will receive a $25 book payment per course when the school submits their invoice to Edcor. To collect the book reimbursement, you must be actively employed at the time of school invoice submission.
Are part-time employees required to pay back tuition expenses? No, part-time employees are not required to pay back tuition.
With all applications moving to an electronic platform, how will this affect part-time revenue auditor employees, who currently do not show as eligible within the Edcor system?
Handling the needs or UPS revenue auditors has been a continuing problem due to the fact that they are assigned to a single District SLIC that crosses building boundaries. This problem will be fixed as part of an internal project currently underway to replace SLIC with Oracle Location Code as the fundamental eligibility tool within tuition programs. After this programming is complete, revenue auditor employees will have full access to the electronic application process.
How are master's degrees affected within UPS part-time tuition programs? There are no restrictions within UPS part-time tuition programs concerning master’s degrees. As long as an employee’s program does not exceed program tuition limits, courses of study are not affected.
What happens when a part-time employee becomes full-time? The part-time employee’s program of study will be reexamined on a case-by-case basis when they transition to full-time employment.
Contact your supervisor, manager, and Human Resources representative with any further questions regarding your specific tuition assistance situation.

Originally Posted by upsis

i work in corp. and this company does make payments for this program. your case may have yieldsed different results for whatever reason, but this progrma does make payments and they are put into payroll immediately.

I know some one who also was unable to get the money from this program. You must not have taken advantage of this benefit yourself with all the spelling mistakes....

[Hinkle]

I agree 100% with Mom, above. I, too, am the mom of a UPS employee who just completed his first year as a full time college student and an employee of UPS. He gave up trying to collect this benefit after 6 months of repeated application rejections, and failed calls to HR and EdCor. I took over when he gave up, and I have to say that in all my 49 years this is the most frustrating thing I have ever dealt with. So far we have a 3 inch thick stack of notes, paperwork, and rejected applications. After 6 months of dogged pursuit, he did receive payment for Fall of 2006. Unfortunately, his Winter and Spring applications were rejected 6 times. And, yes, we did call after each rejection so that we could correct the errors before resubmitting. Ha! I laugh just thinking about all the conversations we have had with EdCor's Escalation Officers. Next stop...a meeting with UPS HR and if that doesn't work he, too, will find other employment.

[SnowCitizen]

So please, don't anyone hire on with this company for this "benefit." That;s all I am saying . Employee beware.

I see some have had problems with EdCor. I wanted to give some positive feedback.

I am a PTer and the main reason I joined UPS was for Earn and Learn. In two and a half years, I have received about $8000. All my applications submitted over the internet were approved, and all of my proof of grades and payments via fax were approved. The system has worked so well I have never had to speak with anyone.

For those who live near an Earn and Learn hub, I highly recommend UPS if you need to work your way through college.

[RockyRogue]

Originally Posted by SnowCitizen

I am a PTer and the main reason I joined UPS was for Earn and Learn....All my applications submitted over the internet were approved, and all of my proof of grades and payments via fax were approved. The system has worked so well I have never had to speak with anyone.

For those who live near an Earn and Learn hub, I highly recommend UPS if you need to work your way through college.

Very common for employees to sign on with Big Brown for the education benefit. In many cities--Denver included--I really think our hub operations would grind to a halt if the education program didn't exist.

I, too, never had a problem with Edcor. Well, except one. And that was two weeks before I left UPS the first time. It was about $250 and I wrote the money off to a lesson learned. If I had pressed the issue, I probably would have gotten the money but I moved 200 miles for school and wasn't really in the mental state to be dealing with somebody over the phone.

I HIGHLY recommend going to work for UPS if you live near an Earn and Learn facility. The school benefit helps and for "older students" such as myself, the health insurance is a huuuuuge money saver. For me, its about $2,000--a year! -Rocky

What, is this a bash the company site? I had lots of different jobs before coming to UPS and have been satisfied for the most part since coming here. My SUPERVISOR encouraged me to go back to school and use Edcor. Now, while true, Edcor acts like a beuracracy, and I hate that, UPS isn't the only company that uses them to manage their education reimbursement program. Some of their other clients, like American Airlines, have much more pressing concerns. What I've learned is that you have to get the paperwork they want to them early, and it has to be just exactly so, and if they ask for something new that they never asked for before then you just have to get it to them (and every time you fax something over you have to fax everything with it). I'm surprised I haven't had to fax over proof of shoe size. BUT so far I've managed to get all the tuition I've applied for. ...Tuition that is. PS, first time visitor to this website.

[over9five]

Great post Anonymous Knot! Take the time to register, sounds like you could really add to the discussions.