Educational Assistance and Veterans GI Bill

[bads33d]

What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? Virginia

Hello. My employer offers an Educational Assistance benefit. I fully accept and appreciate the fact it is a benefit. Eighteen years ago I when I joined the service I enrolled in another benefit offered to me, the GI Bill. I am in the process of kick starting my college education again and was looking into available employer benefits in regard to education/tuition assistance. It seems I currently have none. My employer's Educational Assistance Policy states "To be eligible for reimbursement, employees may not receive reimbursement from any other source such as a scholarship, GI Bill, etc." (we must sign a form agreeing to such when applying for Tuition Assistance.) While it is spelled out in their policy, is it legal for them to treat this as a benefit when clearly not all employees are eligible based on their policies stipulations? If it is, how? Scholarships are one thing, but the GI Bill? I paid into the GI Bill with MY money and used it as my primary form of "college savings". I want to believe it should have no bearing. Can I be denied a benefit because I took advantage of another from a past employer?
Thanks for taking the time to read.What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)?

[ShyCat]

There is nothing illegal about their policy. You may consider it unfair, but there are no laws that compel them to offer an Educational Assistance benefit, let alone requiring them to make it work the way you want it to work.

[pattytx]

Agree, and in fact, it's a reasonable business decision. Why should the employer pay when the government will pay? BTW, the taxes you personally, or any one individual, paid for this particular benefit is minimal compared to the benefit received.

[bads33d]

I appreciate the responses. With your replies and after some other research I understand its a fringe benefit and the employer can pretty much call the shots. I can appreciate the business decision end of it it, and while legal, the policy unfortunately doesn't seem to foster a "fair" feeling for people who are looking for a little more aid who have other tuition benefits that don't cover the full cost of their education....but that's a whole other discussion and forum. Your replies have at least given me some insight and I can now address the policies true intent from the right angle to the Executive level without coming across half-****ed. Thanks.

[pattytx]

I realized my answer may have seemed rather harsh.

I do thank you for your service.