What should I do if I paid for an employee's eduction course and he quit soon after?

By Penny Morey

Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

The employee quit two months after his course was complete. Can I deduct the cost of the course from his final paycheck?
You cannot deduct the cost for the continuing education course from the employee's final paycheck unless your employee manual specifies that you do so routinely in such circumstances.

Your manual must also state that you have done this in such circumstances with all others in the same situation and/or unless you had a written agreement with the employee to this effect.

Consider this a lesson learned and put the proper policy into your employee manual and use a form that is signed by any employee to whom you are providing a benefit such as training, tuition reimbursement and so forth.

It is legal to recoup your losses if you do it in this manner.

Penny is a seasoned human resources executive and consultant with over 25 years of diverse business experience in advising enterprise leaders on employment-related matters.

Editor's Pick

Related Topics

Data & Recovery

Connect to Data Networks While You Travel with This Digital SIM

Get online anywhere while you travel with aloSIM — now $28 off.

Business News

Is Your Relationship With Your Work at a Breaking Point? You're Not Alone, Survey Finds

In a new survey by HP, 83% of unhappy workers said they are willing to earn less to be happier at their job.

Real Estate

How to Determine How Much Real Estate Your Business Needs

Here are a few things to consider when choosing a location for your business.

Business News

'Why I Have Trust Issues': Amazon Prime Video to Begin Increasing Subscription Prices Next Year

The streaming service will soon begin playing advertisements for streamers.

Business News

ByteDance's 'Meet Cute' Channel Allows Employees to Play Matchmaker

TikTok's parent company, ByteDance, reportedly has an internal matchmaking scheme.

Business News

Here's the Secret to Growing Your Small Business, According to Execs at UPS, Airbnb, Mastercard, and Other Big Brands

These 10 executives work at big companies, overseeing programs that help small business. Here's the advice they wish all small business owners were getting.