Staff professional development funding

UBC staff can access professional development funds to support career growth at the university.

View information for staff on how to access PD funds, including steps to take, how to view your PD balance, and how to claim a reimbursement in Workday for your out-of-pocket or departmental PD expenses. 

Recent Notices

  • Limited CUPE 2950 PD funding for the remainder of 2024/25 fiscal year
    Approximately $11,000 remains in the CUPE 2950 Professional Development (PD) fund for the current fiscal year (April 1, 2024 – March 31, 2025). This balance is expected to be exhausted by December 2024 or sooner. When the fund is depleted, no additional claims from staff in the CUPE 2950 employee group will be accepted or reimbursed through Workday for this current funding year. The new funding year will reset again on April 1, 2025. Learn more | Posted October 18, 2024 (balance updated November 15, 2024 at 9:30am)
  • Staff PD funds exhausted for Non-union Technicians and Research Assistants employee group
    Please read the following notice for more information: There is no further funding available this fiscal year for Non-union Technicians and Research Assistants. | Posted September 11, 2024
  • UBC professional development funds cannot be used for Adobe software renewal. Please read the following notice for more information: Guidance on Adobe product licensing fees. | Posted June 26, 2024

PD funding steps

Before submitting a claim, make sure to review the following steps:

  1. Review guidelines: Review the PD fund guidelines for your employee group below.
  2. Check balance: Check your available PD fund balance in Workday. View instructions
  3. Select PD activity: Select a PD activity that supports your professional development goals and fits within the PD fund guidelines for your employee group.
  4. Get approval: Speak to your manager about your learning goals and selected PD activity to ensure that they also agree that your PD activity falls within your employee group's PD fund guidelines.
  5. Make purchase: Make your PD fund related purchase.
  6. Submit claim for reimbursement: Submit your claim for reimbursement in Workday within 90 days of the original purchase date. View instructions

Funding guidelines by employee group

The funds are negotiated as part of the collective agreement bargaining process for most employee groups.

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How to check your PD fund balance 

Your PD fund is set up in Workday as a "reimbursable allowance plan". View the related knowledge base article to help you find your PD fund details in Workday.

If you are a member of an eligible employment group but are not enrolled in a PD fund, please contact the Integrated Service Center for assistance .  

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How to submit your claim

Your PD fund claims can be submitted directly through Workday. View related knowledge base articles to help you get started.

For more knowledge base articles, claim assistance and general help with Workday, visit the Integrated Service Centre

Reimbursement Process:

Your claim will be normally be reviewed by a PD Fund Expense Partner within 5 business days, however the review time may take longer during peak claim periods or if you submit an incomplete claim. You will receive the claim back if the PD Fund Expense Partner requires additional information or if your claim is ineligible for reimbursement. 

After the PD Fund Expense Partner review, your manager or supervisor will review your claim as it relates to your current role and career growth at UBC, and approve directly in Workday.

Overall you should allow up to three weeks for the approval workflow to be completed and for Human Resources to process the reimbursement through Workday.

  • If you paid out of pocket, you'll be reimbursed by direct bank deposit.
  • If you paid with a UBC credit card (card in your name), your expense will be reconciled directly from your PD Funds. 
  • If your department paid on your behalf, your department will be reimbursed directly by general ledger credit. 

Eligible expenses

Funds can be used for a variety of professional development activities that will enhance your role-related knowledge, skills and performance as well as contribute to your career growth at the university.

  • Receipts must be submitted in Workday within 90 days of the original purchase date to qualify for reimbursement. 
  • Please note that you cannot split the cost of a PD related expense between two funding years. 

The funds aren't intended to cover job-required expenses such as job-required training, professional memberships or ongoing accreditation. These expenses should continue to be paid by your department. 

Examples of eligible expenses for staff 

  • resource books and professional journals
  • registration fees for courses, workshops, exams, webinars, and conferences
  • professional memberships and certifications that are not required for your job
  • one-on-one career coaching fees, when provided by an ICF – credentialed coach
  • travel and accommodation for out-of-town conferences, as per Policy FM8 – Business Expenses  and related documents

Examples of ineligible expenses for staff 

  • activities or travel to fulfill required work-related responsibilities
  • activities taken for health and wellness, general interest, or recreational purposes (including related equipment).
  • activities taken for the purpose of leaving employment with UBC (MCAT or LSAT exam preparations as example) .  
  • local travel expenses ( parking, gas, meals, transit)
  • academic student fees
  • application software or licensing (examples such as adobe creative cloud & acrobat pro, lucidchart, trello) 
  • home phone, data or internet plans
  • electronics such as  laptops, ipads, mobile phones, e-readers,
  • office equipment or supplies

PD funds and taxation

The funding provided is not included as taxable income on your T4 slip. In order to maintain this non-taxable benefit status of the PD funds you receive, UBC as your employer, must be the primary beneficiary your PD activity. 

Additionally, this means that  you cannot claim the value of any funds received through this program as part of a tuition tax credit or for any other credit on  your annual tax return. Please refer to Canada Revenue Agency – Eligible Tuition Fees for more information.

What managers need to know

As a manager or supervisor, you are responsible for reviewing the relevance of your staff's PD fund claim as it relates to their current role and career growth at UBC, and for approving their PD fund claim in Workday. 

View more information on the Approving Professional Development Fund claims page for managers and administrators (CWL protected). 

Questions?

If you have questions about Workday or how to submit a PD fund claim, please contact the Integrated Service Centre (ISC) .

If you have questions about Staff PD Funds guidelines contact the Workplace Learning Associate in Human Resources at email: pd.funds@ubc.ca 

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