BCGEU Professional Development Funds
The intent of the BCGEU Professional Development Funds is to encourage and support employees to access learning activities that will enhance current job performance as well as to support skill development that may open up other career opportunities for transfer and promotion throughout the University.
There are two (2) Professional Development Funds available to eligible BCGEU employees:
- BCGEU Support Staff General Professional Development Fund, and
- BCGEU Support Staff Enhanced Professional Development Fund
For both of these funds, applications are approved on a first-come, first-served basis and are subject to the availability of the overall budgeted funding for the fiscal year.
Employees may apply to both funds dependent on their PD activity. Approval from one fund does not guarantee approval from the other fund.
CHANGES TO APPROVAL AND WORKDAY PROCESSES
We are pleased to advise that effective April 1, 2024 changes will be implemented to the BCGEU Professional Development Funds (UBCO) approval and Workday processes. These changes are a reflection of the agreement made in bargaining to create a more efficient process that is consistent with the approval and Workday processes with other bargaining units across UBC. UBC BCGEU Okanagan employees will experience a faster approval process that no longer involves waiting for a committee to review applications.
BCGEU Okanagan employees have access to professional development funds to assist them in maintaining and improving their knowledge and skills relevant to their position or to support their career development at the University. There are no changes to the types of funding or funding amounts.
APPROVAL PROCESS
Instead of submitting documents to a committee for approval, you will submit your PD funds request directly through Workday.
Upon submitting your claim in Workday, it will first be reviewed by a PD Fund Expense Partner within 5 business days. They will check to ensure it is a complete claim and that it fits in the terms of reference guidelines for eligibility.
Once approved by the PD Fund Expense Partner, the next step is for your manager or supervisor to review your claim.
The Manager will review to determine whether the PD submission assists the employee in maintaining and improving knowledge and skills relative to the employee’s responsibilities or to their career development at the University.
If one or both of the criteria are met, the claim can be approved through Workday and the process is complete. Managers are receiving a separate communication that highlights the benefit of the utilization of these funds for BCGEU Okanagan employees.
The final step is for the PD Funds manager to approve the claim in order to release the funds for reimbursement.
WORKDAY PROCESS
For step-by-step instructions, as well as general resources and help with Workday, visit the Integrated Service Centre. After logging in with your CWL, you can search the Workday Knowledge Base for instructions on how to submit a PD funds claim.
The following knowledge base articles describe the step-by-step instructions for submitting a claim:
The 2025-2026 funding year runs from April 1, 2025, to March 31, 2026.
Your maximum claim amount refreshed on April 1, and any unused funds from the previous funding year did not carry over.
Claims for the current funding year can be filed in Workday starting April 1, 2025.
As of April 1, you can submit claims for eligible expenses purchased within the past 90 days. For example, if you paid for a workshop on January 25, 2025, you may submit a claim starting April 1 but no later than April 25. The PD event itself may occur before or after April 1.
NOTE: You cannot split a single expense purchase across two funding years. For instance, a $500 conference fee payment cannot be claimed as $250 in the last funding year and $250 in the current funding year. However, separate expenses (e.g., registration in one year, travel in the next) can be claimed if they meet all other eligibility criteria.
TERMS OF REFERENCE
Both the General and the Enhanced fund are administered through one Terms of Reference.
These terms outline the difference between the two funds, identify the criteria for eligibility, confirm eligible and ineligible expenses, and provide reimbursement instructions and other important information.
Please review the Terms of Reference in full to understand the criteria and requirements involved.
QUESTIONS?
If you have questions about BCGEU Okanagan PD Funds, please email pd.funds@ubc.ca.
If you have questions with Workday, search Workday knowledge base, submit a Workday ticket, or speak with a Workday representative.