Certification Reimbursement

Certification reimbursement provides you with financial support for certifications that are required or recommended for your job position. Full-time, part-time, and flex-time employees are eligible as soon as they are hired.

Position-Required Certifications are required by accredited agencies for you to perform your job responsibilities. 

Non-Required Certifications are certifications that are recommended but not required for your position. Non-required certifications will be reimbursed once. 

Items Covered under Certification Reimbursement

• Certification and Renewal/Annual Recertification Fee
• Books/Study Materials to prepare for certification exam
• Certification exam Fee
• Some travel expenses incurred for taking the certification

Items not Covered under Certification Reimbursement

• Reimbursements for certifications do not include coursework or college courses as defined in the Tuition Reimbursement Policy.
• Continuing Education fees, credits and hours are not eligible for certification reimbursement.
• Licensure and fees are not eligible for certification reimbursement.
• Membership fees and dues are not eligible for certification reimbursement.
• A Certificate is not eligible for certification reimbursement.

To request certification reimbursement, follow the steps below:

• Complete a Certification Request Form (pdf) and obtain your immediate supervisor’s approval.
• Create an expense report through the Expense Hub in Workday. For instructions on creating an expense report see Create an Expense Report for Reimbursements.
  • Select Non-CME Certifications and Recertifications for Business Purpose
  • Select Certifications or Recertifications for Expense Item
  • Attach the completed certification request form, proof of payment (itemized receipts), and proof of passing or receiving the certification/re-certification into your Expense Report.
• Certification reviewers may approve, send back, or deny the expense report request. You will receive Workday notifications and emails that will provide additional information. 
• To ensure compliance and eligibility for future reimbursements, please submit expense reports within 90 days of the transaction or event date.

* If you are unable to pay for your required certification, please contact Human Resources through the Employee Center: Education Benefits Support

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Will the certification reimbursement be applied to my paycheck?

No, reimbursements are no longer included in paychecks, but instead, processed as separate payments. You can view or change your payment elections by going to the Expense Hub in Workday and view payment elections. You can select how to receive payment for each type of pay. For direct deposit, be sure to add bank accounts before making payment elections.

2. Are certification reimbursements taxed?

Certification reimbursements are nontaxable if they are received within 90 days of receiving your certification.

3. When can I expect to receive the certification reimbursement once I submit my expense report?

Expense reports for reimbursement are settled every Tuesday and Thursday, for payment the following day. If an expense report has been fully approved, it will be picked up in the settlement. Expense reports route to the Cost Center Manager or Worktag Manager (if applicable) for approval after being reviewed by the Expenses team. Employees will receive a Workday notification and email letting them know their expense report has been successfully completed, and statuses can be seen in the Expenses Hub.  A Workday notification is also triggered when payments are sent.

4. How do I track the expense report after submitting into Workday?

To Track your Expense Report Status:

1.           From Menu go to Personal and select Expense Hub

2.           Click Expense Reports

3.           Click on the Expense Report Number (example EXP-037403)

4.           On the next screen click the Business Process tab to track status

5.           WD Notification and email states “successfully completed”

6.           To view payment status, click on the Expense Report number. You will now see a new tab titled Expense Payment. Note: Payment Date is the day that Carilion’s Accounts Payable department settles payment with the bank.

5. Does certification reimbursement cover licenses, college coursework, membership dues, certificates, continuing education credits, and subscriptions?

No, certification reimbursement only reimburses certification/renewal fees, and exam fees/study materials/some travel expenses related to a certification. Please reach out to your manager for reimbursement questions related to other job-related expenses not covered under the certification reimbursement program.

6. I have CME/GME or other allotted educational funds that cover certifications expenses.  Do I need to complete the certification request form?

No, you will not complete a certification request form. You will need to select the Business purpose: CME-Continuing Medical Education OR GME-Graduate Medical Education when completing the expense report in Workday.

7. I am seeking reimbursement for multiple expenses related to my certification (i.e. study materials, exam fee, and certification fee). Do I submit one expense report for all expense items?

Yes, if all expenses are associated with the same certification, then you will submit one expense report.  You will add multiple line items to a single expense report as long as they fall under the same business purpose.                           

8. I have paid for study materials but have not taken the certification exam yet.  Can I be reimbursed for the study materials now?

No, you will need to submit proof of passing the certification/recertification before you receive reimbursement.  It is best practice to submit all required documentation at one time. If your expense report is missing any required documents, then the expense report will be sent back to you in Workday. It will be your responsibility to attach all required documents (certification request form, proof of payment, and proof of certification/recertification).

9. I did not pass the certification exam. Can I still receive reimbursement? 

Employees are required to submit proof of passing the certification/recertification before reimbursement is approved and processed. If the employee does not pass the exam, then they are responsible for payment of the certification/recertification.

10. I previously received reimbursement for a recommended certification. Can I receive reimbursement when I re-certify? 

No, certifications that are recommended (not required) for your job position are eligible for reimbursement once. 

11. Will I receive a certification bonus when I submit my certification reimbursement request?

No, the certification bonus program is separate from the certification reimbursement program.  If seeking a bonus, please see Certification Bonus | Inside Carilion for instructions on how to add a certification to your profile and submit a bonus application.