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B. EDUCATION STIPEND

(1) Eligibility

The Education Stipend shall solely apply to permanent employees who
are eligible as per Article 22.1, who have agreed to accept the terms as set

forth herein and have been notified of their acceptance by the State.
Employees who have exercised one of the options described in Section

22.1(b)(ii), (iii) of the Agreement and related Appendices shall be
ineligible for the Education Stipend set forth herein.

(2) Stipend
An employee may elect to receive an Education Stipend for full tuition

and fees at an educational institution or organization of the employee’s
choosing to pursue course work or training offered by such institution or

organization provided, however, that the employee meets the entrance
and/or course enrollment requirements. The maximum stipend cannot

exceed the one year (two semesters) SUNY tuition maximum for Resident
Graduate Students. Such tuition will be paid by the State directly to the

institution in which the employee is pursuing course work, subject to
certification of payment by the agency.

(3) Health Insurance
A permanent affected employee who elects the Education Stipend and is

separated, shall continue to be covered under the State Health Insurance
Plan at the same contribution rate as an active employee for one year

following such separation or until reemployment by the State or
employment by another employer, whichever occurs first.

(4) Grievability and Dispute Resolution

The application of terms of the Appendix shall be grievable only up to
Step III of the provisions of Article 34 (Grievance and Arbitration
Procedure).

Disputes raised to the Step III level will be reviewed by the Employment

Security Committee for attempted resolution. If a decision must eventually
be rendered and no resolution is agreed to, the decision shall be issued

pursuant to the procedures outlined in Article 34.1(b).
C. SEVERANCE OPTION

(1) Definitions
The terms “affected employee” and “affected employees” shall refer to

those employees of the State of New York who are represented by the Civil

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