You may be aware that UVA offers an education benefit to its eligible employees, up to $5,250 each year, but did you know that you can use that benefit to cover conference registration fees? It's easy to do with a little pre-planning and allows UA to preserve budgeted resources, since education benefits are paid from the central fringe benefit pool. 

Up to $2,000 is available each year for professional development, including classes, certification training, and conference fees (does not cover travel, food, lodging, etc.). Employees may pay for the conference upfront and seek reimbursement OR request funds and pay for the conference once the funds are received. Upon approval, funds are added to the next available paycheck. Please allow up to 2 pay periods to receive funds. No taxes will be deducted from the reimbursement amount (when total annual benefit is below $5,250).  

Concerned about the timing of receiving reimbursement? There are options! Contact Kevin Hickman for more details. 

Employee Eligibility 

• Be a full-time or part-time (20+ hours) benefits-eligible employee 
• Have had six months of service in a benefits-eligible position at UVA by the start date of the conference 

Conference Eligibility 

• A conference that is directly related to your position at UVA 
• Courses which earn CEUs or are job-related 

Process 

• Discuss with your supervisor to ensure your attendance is approved. 
• Log in to Workday, enter “Education Benefit Request” in the search box, then click on “Create New Request” in the Education Benefit Dashboard and follow the prompts. Be sure to select Central Funding in the “Funded By” dropdown. 
• Click the blue "Need Help?" button to utilize Workday Digital Assist for detailed instructions. 
• Once approved, register for your conference as noted above. 
• Upon completion of the event, employees will receive a Workday inbox task to substantiate. Employees are required to provide proof of payment and completion/attendance. 

For more information, please visit https://hr.virginia.edu/career-development/education-benefits-0