Development Resources
LLEAP

LLEAP Purpose

The Lifelong Learning and Education Access Program (LLEAP) is designed to provide Academic Professionals and Open-Range Civil Service employees, release time/flex time, and/or funds for development opportunities focused on enhancing a career at UIC.

LLEAP Benefits

Each eligible employee can utilize one of the following benefits on an annual basis:

Up to $200 and up to 8 hours of release time for professional development activities
Up to $200 for coursework not covered under a university tuition waiver
Continuous flex time of four hours per week while enrolled in or actively pursuing an educational development activity
Release time of up to 16 hours per year for professional development activities

LLEAP Terms

Release Time: Paid time away from work. Employees who utilize release time are not required to “make up” hours or use vacation time.

Flex Time: Adjustments to employee’s daily work hours. The same number of hours must be worked within the workday, but the start and end time may be earlier or later than the normal scheduled time.

Development Activities:* Courses, seminars, or conferences that provide opportunities to enhance career development at UIC.

Examples may include: College or university courses (at UIC or other accredited institution), online training focused on a specific area related to career development, job-related seminars and workshops, or conferences that are technical or professional in nature.

* Recreational Activities and Programs are excluded and WILL NOT be considered.

LLEAP Eligibility

Academic Professionals (non-faculty) or Open-Range Civil Service support staff at UIC with a minimum of one year tenure (as of July 1) are eligible for LLEAP.

Manager/Supervisor Responsibility

Colleges/Units are responsible for confirming that all LLEAP requests are reviewed and approved based on Policy 603 Lifelong Learning and Educational Access Program (LLEAP) (PDF).

Up to $200 (from college/unit budget) for each eligible employee, annually, for development request(s)
Flex and release time

Refer to LLEAP Benefits section (above) for more policy details. Colleges/units unable to approve eligible LLEAP requests due to budget reason need to contact the appropriate Vice Chancellor to discuss concerns before responding to employee’s request.

LLEAP Action Steps

Review LLEAP Policy (Employee)
Complete Employee Participation Request form (Employee)
Submit Employee Participation Request form to manager (Employee)
Review Employee Participation Request form and LLEAP policy (Manager)
DECISION: Approved (Manager)
1. Manager signs Employee Participation Request form,
  1. request funds for approved LLEAP request from college/unit
  2. send form to OE for review and documenting
  3. OE signs form, captures data, and returns form to college/unit manager
2. Manager receives signed Employee Participation Request form from OE
3. Manager notifies employee and provides copy of signed form to employee
4. Manager files original Employee Participation Request form in employee’s college/unit personnel file
DECISION: Denied (Manager)
1. Manager notifies employee and provides reason for denying request
2. Manager files original Employee Participation Request form in employee’s personnel file

Employee Responsibility

Academic Professionals and Open-Range Civil Service employees interested in understanding LLEAP or the benefits of LLEAP are encouraged to review the LLEAP policy:

LLEAP Policy

If the employee is eligible, the employee must complete the Employee Participation Request Form at least three weeks in advance of the Career Development Activity and submit the completed form to his/her manager for review:

LLEAP Employee Participation Request Form

Managers review completed LLEAP request forms and are encouraged to notify employees of status within two weeks of receiving the completed form.