California Training Reimbursement Grant
Program Processes and Reimbursement Information
Class Enrollment:
Once your application is reviewed and approved by Efficiency First, you will receive a Program ID Code that you will use to enroll online for training classes through designated training providers. Courses are only available through approved training providers: click here for a current list of approved providers and classes.
Any class enrollments made prior to receiving approval from Efficiency First and a designated Program ID Code, WILL NOT be eligible for reimbursement through the program.
If you enroll a trainee for classes, but have not completed and submitted the Participation Agreement form for him/her, you will be required to complete and return the Participation Agreement form before receiving reimbursement. Failure to return this data in a timely manner will delay your reimbursement.
Reimbursement Information:
Reimbursement rates are determined by number of training class hours and vary by class. Please refer to the "Training Program Guidelines" for full details on the requirements, costs and reimbursement schedule for this program. Some important program highlights from the Training Program Guidelines are excerpted below:
Payment for Training
Employers must pay for training on behalf of their full-time employees. Under no circumstances shall any full-time employee pay for training themselves. Neither Efficiency First nor any participating employer(s) may charge tuition, fees, or costs of any kind to full-time employees for any training to be reimbursed by this Program.
Employers, business owners and independent contractors must pay the total cost of training directly to the designated training providers for training, using their assigned Program ID Code. Any class enrollments NOT accompanied by the designated Program ID Code, will be INELIGIBLE for reimbursement through the program.
Full-Time Employee Compensation During & After Training
Employers must ensure that all full-time employees will be paid their usual wages and benefits during the hours of training.
Upon completion of training, employee compensation must meet or exceed the Post-Retention Wages, set forth in the Training Program Guidelines.
Retention/Close-Out Period
The 90-day retention/close-out period for each trainee, begins after the last day of training for all classes in which they are enrolled under this program.
For NEW HIRES, employers will receive 70% of the reimbursement value immediately upon completion of their final training class (pending state processing); the remaining 30% will be issued upon completion of the same 90-day retention period as above (pending state processing).
For the retention period, all trainees must be employed on a full-time basis (at least 35 hours per week), with wages reported in California for the entire retention period.
Reimbursement Processing & Program Documentation
After employees have completed all training to be reimbursed under this program, employers must submit a completed Employee Close-Out Request Form to catraining@efficiencyfirst.org, or fax to 646-786-4124. Close-outs are processed the first week of every month for the month prior and may take up to 60 days to process.
Efficiency First will issue reimbursement payments to employers/business owners/independent contractors at the rate of $26 per class hour, for each trainee. Reimbursements will not be processed until the 90-day retention/close-out period has been fulfilled.
In order to receive reimbursements, employers/business owners/independent contractors must complete and return all program documentation on a timely basis. Trainees will also be required to sign in-class documentation verifying their enrollment data and confirming their attendance throughout training.
Contact:
Please refer questions by phone to Efficiency First representative, Lacey Ednoff: (415) 449-0551
Please refer questions via email to the ETP Program Administrator: catraining@efficiencyfirst.org