(a) Employee Training Eligibility. Employees are eligible to participate in training opportunities, subject to department policy, managerial discretion, and available funds. Eligibility for training is determined without regard to race, color, disability, religion, sex, gender, national origin, age, sexual orientation, veteran's status, genetic information, or protected activity.(b) Employee Tuition Reimbursement Eligibility. To be eligible for educational assistance tuition reimbursement, an employee must meet certain criteria detailed in department policy, including:(1) department tenure requirement;(2) active employment requirement;(3) minimum performance rating requirement;(4) conduct requirements; and(5) obtain written approval for reimbursement from the Deputy Commissioner.(c) Additional criteria. The department may include additional eligibility criteria in its training and educational assistance policies for employee participation.(d) Waiver of eligibility requirements. Eligibility criteria may be waived when the department requires an employee to attend, as all or part of the employee's duties, a training or education program.