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Who is eligible to apply for participation?
You are eligible for Plan coverage if you are a regular employee of a ConocoPhillips retail marketing outlet. The Plan is not available for studies which began before your date of regular employment or for courses taken while on leave of absence.
What type of courses does the Plan cover?
The Plan is designed for single courses and degree programs that are in an educational discipline relating to your current assignment, or a probable future one at ConocoPhillips. Any elective courses taken expressly to meet the requirements of an approved degree program also are eligible for Plan coverage.
Undergraduate and graduate-level studies are eligible for reimbursement, as well as both credit and non-credit courses, provided your department's management agrees the intended studies relate to your current or probable future job at ConocoPhillips.
To qualify for Plan coverage, courses must be taken at an accredited educational institution (college, university or professional/technical school). In cases where it is impractical for residence courses to be pursued, accredited correspondence schools may be approved to a maximum of $500 per year.
Are reimbursements taxable?
No, because the refund limit for store employees is $3,500 per year, tuition refunds are non-taxable.
What costs are covered?
The Plan provides 90 percent reimbursement of tuition and incidental expenses required to enroll. The refund limit for store employees is $3,500. Incidental expenses include registration, building use, student activity, student ID, transcript, lab, part-time student and student parking fees. An itemized receipt of such costs must be obtained at enrollment and submitted with the approved refund request after the studies have been completed.
What costs are not covered?
Expenses that are not covered by the Plan include the cost of books or any other course materials, transportation expenses, field trips, testing, living expenses, fees for late enrollment and lab equipment breakage.
How is application made?
Before you enroll, advise your District Manager of the course(s) or degree program you wish to undertake and the school you plan to attend. To apply, complete sections 1 and 2-A of the Tuition Refund Policy Application for U.S. Store Employees form and return it to your District Manager for approval of your participation in the Plan. Only applications submitted to your District Manager before the studies begin will be considered for approval.
When are costs reimbursed?
Reimbursement is based on successful course completion; therefore, your covered costs cannot be reimbursed until you submit your final grades) to your District Manager. If you take a course that is upgraded, you must obtain a certificate of completion or some other statement from the school that indicates you successfully completed the course.
How is reimbursement initiated?
As soon as you receive your grades, obtain your approved Plan form from your District Manager and complete section 2-B. Attach a copy of your grades and an itemized receipt of covered costs, as explained on the form. Your District Manager will coordinate approval and payment of your refund.
Where should the Tuition Reimbursements be sent?
All approved Tuition Refund Applications for U.S. Store Employees should be submitted to ConocoPhillips, Karen Ware - LSC, 458-01 Adams Building, Bartlesville, OK 74004, for processing and payment.
Can an employee be disqualified for reimbursement?
Yes, under any of the following conditions.
Reimbursement will not be approved for any employee who:
- Does not successfully pass/complete the courses (unless as explained in No.10 below),
- Does not provide the required grade and cost documentation,
- Has given indication that employment will be sought or accepted elsewhere, or
- Has terminated before the reimbursement is processed.
Are incomplete courses ever eligible for reimbursement?
Yes. The Plan will reimburse the difference between your covered costs and the amount (if any) the school refunds when you withdraw from a course for one or more of the following reasons:
- Active military service
- On-the-job accident at ConocoPhillips
- Company-initiated change to working hours/work location or unanticipated business travel
- Company-initiated termination for reason other than "cause"
- Death of the employee (estate to receive reimbursement)
If you need to withdraw from a course for one or more of the above reasons, you should (or your supervisor, in the case of death) withdraw as soon as possible to receive the maximum amount of refund available from the school. A note of explanation and record of the school's refund must accompany the Plan form that your supervisor submits for reimbursement processing.
Is the amount reimbursed ever less than 90 percent of the costs submitted?
Yes, under two conditions:
- Any non-covered costs that you submit will be subtracted from the total course costs before the reimbursement is processed.
- If you receive financial aid from governmental or institutional sources, the total course costs will be reduced by the amount of such assistance before your reimbursement is processed.
Under what circumstances might an employee have to reimburse the company for tuition cost?
Employees who do not continue employment for 2 years following completion of any Masters Degree must repay the company for the entire amount of the reimbursements received for all Masters Degree courses.
Your participation in the Plan is entirely voluntary. Any time devoted to studies is not considered as time worked for the Company. Although courses are eligible for coverage if they relate to a position to which you could realistically progress, completing those studies does not guarantee future promotion or transfer. The Company reserves the right to modify or terminate the Tuition Refund Policy at any time.
The policy states, if an employee's course is approved by their District Manager, upon successful completion of the course and proper documentation, the employee will be reimbursed. What is successful completion?
Successful completion is a grade of "C" or equivalent or better in the course(s). There is no flexibility in determining whether a "D" constitutes a passing grade. A "D" is not eligible for reimbursement.
What type of tests/refreshers qualify for reimbursement?
Entrance exams such as SAT, GRE, GMAT, LSAT, etc or refresher courses associated with preparation for these tests are not reimbursable. Covered are non-degree refresher courses (maximum of two total programs) to prepare for professional examinations (such as but not limited to CPA, CPS, EIT, PE, etc) provided the professional certificate, license, or registration granted by successful completion of the examination is required in the performance of the employee's current job or will significantly enhance that performance.
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