The Denton County Commissioners Court approved revisions to its tuition reimbursement policy Tuesday that would not require county employees to repay payments.

The policy reimburses employees up to 32 credit hours, or $525.44, per year at the University of North Texas $16.42 per credit hour rate. Reimbursement is contingent on the employee’s grades, and the degree sought must be required or related to their job.

Elected officials are not eligible for reimbursement.

In the past, employees were required to repay tuition reimbursement if they left a year after their final class. However, the personnel policy committee, which recommends changes to the policy, believed there was no mechanism to consistently recoup those funds.

“There was no mechanism that could be added,” Commissioner Ron Marchant said. “When and at what point would they pay the county back? It didn’t seem acceptable.”

Amy Phillips, the county’s director of human resources, said repayment could not be deducted from the employee’s final check, and it was difficult to identify those that violated the policy.

She also noted that the county spends money on training employees, but it does not have a policy requiring them to repay those costs if they leave after a year.

The lone dissenting vote came from Precinct 4 County Commissioner Andy Eads, who felt repayment was necessary.

“You don’t get the degree and leave,” he said. “The spirit of the policy is to develop our talent and skill level of our employees. I wanted to maintain that policy.”

County Judge Mary Horn said she grappled with the same issue, but she felt it was in the best interest of the county to allow the revision.

The revisions are effective immediately.

DAN X. McGRAW can be reached at 940-566-6875. His e-mail address is dmcgraw@dentonrc.com.