Learning
Ways to improve your skills!
iTalki
Improve your English or learn any new language by conversing with native-speaking teachers! As part of our set of benefits, the company provides a monthly allowance of $100 for language classes through iTalki. If you're interested, simply send an email request to patricia.ferreira@rocket.chat. Important Note: Language learning opportunities are facilitated through iTalki, and as such, we do not reimburse other language courses under the 'Courses and Books' category.
Other Courses and Books
Looking to enrol in a course or purchase a book to enhance a skill related to your role or career development? Here's how this policy can support you! Be sure to read this policy until the end to fully understand all limitations and requirements.
For Books: Rocket.Chat pays for the full expense.
For Courses: In this case, we always use the 70/30 rule, in which the company pays 70% of the price and the Rocketeer 30%. The sole exception to this rule is when the company specifically requests a Rocketeer to undertake a course; in such cases, Rocket.Chat will cover the entire cost.
Here's How It Works:
You find a book and/or course you want to purchase. It's important to remind you that these should be associated with the development of skills related to your role or area of activity.
BEFORE you enrol or purchase anything, validate it with the People Team with @fernanda.bernardes.
If the People Team approves it, you can go ahead, purchase it and request the reimbursement in Zoho People, here. Remember to present the receipt of the purchase.
IMPORTANT: While you can enrol in courses of any cost, please note that Rocket.Chat will only cover expenses up to a specified max. For Rocketeers outside of Brazil, the limit is $500, and for those in Brazil, it's R$2.118,00. This specific value for Brazilians adheres to legal restrictions, as companies are permitted to pay up to 1.5 times the Brazilian minimum wage in policies like this one.
The maximum cost applies per course, not per month. For instance, if you purchase a $600 course, you cannot split the reimbursement over two months; instead, you will receive 70% of the $600 in a single month, totalling $420.
Additionally, the maximum cost covers the total amount, including any additional taxes, such as enrollment fees or currency conversion fees.
Exceptions: Long-duration and high-cost courses, such as MBAs and post-graduate programs. Approvals for these exceptions should be granted by the General Manager and must be included in the yearly budget by the business area.
Retention Ranges (Applied Only to Courses)
The retention ranges are established based on common practices observed in benchmarked organizations, creating a 'two-way street' between the organization and the Rocketeer through educational support. Different ranges of company support values are associated with varying expected retention periods. The retention period commences from the moment a Rocketeer requests a course, and should they leave the company during this period, they will be required to reimburse the proportional value for the time remaining in the retention period.
To ensure fairness, the policy delineates distinct retention ranges for Rocketeers inside and outside Brazil, considering the different maximum expenses applicable.
In Brazil (maximum R$ 1,818):
R$ 0 to R$ 300 - no retention period
R$ 301 to R$ 1,000 - 3-month retention period
R$ 1,001 to R$ 1,818 - 6-month retention period
Over R$ 1,818 - 1-year retention period
Outside Brazil (maximum $ 500):
$ 0 to $ 100 - no retention period necessary
$ 101 to $ 250 - 3-month retention period
$ 251 to $ 500 - 6-month retention period
Over $ 500 - 1-year retention period
Expensing
Every request approved by the 15th of each month will be processed in the current payroll cycle (for example, a request made on April 13th will be paid at the end of April). Requests approved after the 15th will be processed at the end of the following month.
Please remember that we have an annual budgeted amount allocated to team courses, and it's essential to manage this budget judiciously in a fair manner for all Rocketeers. Therefore, always verify with the People Team before submitting your request.
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