# 2021-318 Pay and Benefits, Education Reimbursement Policies

Case summary

F&R Date: 2023-05-25

The grievor enrolled in the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) under the Continuing Education Officer Training Plan, which required him to obtain a degree acceptable to his occupation within a specified time period. Prior to his enrolment, he had started a Bachelor of Arts degree. More than 10 years after enrolment, the grievor still had not obtained an approved Individual Learning Plan (ILP) or completed a degree program acceptable for his occupation. The grievor then sought approval of an ILP requesting to complete a Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) degree at an institution that would recognize his previous credits. 

The grievor contested the subsequent decision by the Director Personnel Generation Requirements (DPGR) to deny his ILP request, arguing that although his BBA degree was not specified as being acceptable for his occupation, it was relevant to his job and should have been acceptable. As redress, the grievor sought reimbursement of his BBA degree expenses dating back  to when he first began his degree.

There was no Initial Authority (IA) decision as the Commander of the Canadian Defence Academy, acting as the IA, rejected the grievance for having been submitted beyond the three-month time limit.

The Committee found that the decision by the DPGR was justified and in accordance with CAF policy. The Committee found that the grievor had ample time in the years following his enrolment to seek ILP approval to complete his BBA degree under an existing grandfathering clause, but failed to act until after the policy changed and it was too late. As such, the Committee found that the grievor was not aggrieved and recommended that no redress be granted.

FA decision summary

The grievor withdrew his grievance.