Public Employee Press

Up the career ladder with DC 37
Tuition rebate plan covers college, trade school and labor courses

DC 37’s Tuition Reimbursement program pays eligible employees up to $600 a year. Yet Viviana Tillman, associate administrator of the union’s Education Fund, says the program is still underutilized, despite outreach efforts. Many callers say they’ve been with the city for years but never knew about it, said Program Coordinator Cathy Gilchrist.

Edward Alessi, a Social Worker at Metropolitan Hospital, has used the program for the last two years. “Someone told me unions usually have some type of tuition reimbursement. I called the main number and they put me in touch with the Ed Fund.” A member of Health Services Employees Local 768, Mr. Alessi said he is in postgraduate psychotherapy training. “One semester’s reimbursement helps me pay for the next semester,” he said.

Family Assistant Guillermo Stephenson has been a Local 372 member for 16 years. A co-worker told him about the program. “I started using the program in my last undergraduate year,” he said. Mr. Stephenson will soon receive a master’s degree from Adelphi University. “My dream is to teach social studies. I hope to be in the classroom very soon.”

Associate City Planner Sharon Holder learned about the Tuition Reimbursement program by reading PEP. An 18-year member of Civil Service Technical Guild Local 375, Ms. Holder attended graduate school at Brooklyn College. “Because I was able to continue with my education, I was able to become a City Planner,” she explained. “The Tuition Reimbursement program not only reimbursed me, but they did it punctually,” she said.

Human Rights Specialist Barbara Skinner of Amalgamated Professional Employees Local 154 got her master’s degree in 2001. “I applied for Tuition Reimbursement every trimester. “It definitely helped me to achieve my goal,” she said.

Gary Goff, 2nd vice president of Electronic Date Processing Personnel Local 2627, has been taking labor courses at Cornell University. “Our local is encouraging members to use Tuition Reimbursement for these courses,” he said. “It helps them to grow as trade unionists.”

The Tuition Reimbursement Program covers undergraduate, graduate and post-graduate college courses and non-college credit career or job-related courses at accredited colleges, universities, licensed and registered business, technical and trade schools and professional associations. For more information, call Cathy Gilchrist at 212-815-1663.

— JLT