We are excited to introduce some enhancements to make our LSS Education Assistance Benefits even richer for our team members in 2025!

LSS encourages employees to seek further education in order to develop and enhance the skills and abilities that relate to the employee’s current position and/or a promotional opportunity; and provide a program which expands the pool of qualified, promotable employees, to build employee morale and loyalty to LSS, aids in recruiting, lowers the rate of staff turnover, and supplements LSS training programs. To support these efforts, LSS provides educational financial assistance through 3 different tiers (or programs).

Tier-1 is designed to help employees attend college or university courses in a field of study related to either an employee’s current position or prepare the employee for a different LSS position. Reimbursement for 100% of tuition costs, up to a maximum of $5,000.00 per year (if full-time) and a maximum of $2,500.00 per year (if part-time, 20+ budgeted hours/week). Employees are eligible once they have completed 90 days of employment (and no disciplinary actions taken within the past 90-days).

Tier-2 is designed to support team members’ pursuit of a nursing degree (LPN, ADN, BSN, or MSN). Advance payment up to $10,000.00 per year (if full-time) and up to $5,000.00 per year (if part-time, 20+ budgeted hours/week). Employees are eligible once they have completed 90 days of employment (and no disciplinary actions taken within the past 90-days).

Tier-3 is designed to financially assist team members who wish to pursue education through technical school courses, home study programs, adult education courses, and professional certification programs (including to become a C.N.A. or a C.M.T.). Advance payment up to $2,000.00 of financial assistance to pursue these courses of study with a program external to LSS. (If the employee is attending an internal LSS-administered program, all costs will be covered by LSS.) All employee types (i.e., full-time, part-time, PRN, casual, etc.) are eligible once they’ve completed 90 days of employment (and have worked an average of 20 or more hours per week over the past 90-day period) and are in good standing. Note: team members in a “Nurse Assistant, In-Training” role may qualify for this role immediately upon hire as long as the other eligibility criteria are met).

Ruth & Willis Piehl Educational Awards is designed to support LSS team members’ educational pursuits related to anything not covered by the 3 tiers of LSS’ educational assistance policy. For information on this assistance program, please click here.

Additional terms and conditions that apply to these programs, including requirements for repayment, may be found in the LSS HR Policy "Educational Assistance" located on SharePoint here, and it is the employee's responsibility to familiarize themselves with the policy for which they must comply. To apply for educational assistance, please visit Workday and submit your request prior to the class or educational program beginning. For instructions on how to apply within Workday, please refer to this job aid: Employee Educational Assistance Program - Job Aid.