Guidelines for Professional Registrations and Certifications
Cost Reimbursement, Time Charges, and Recognition
Qualifying for professional registrations and certifications is an important professional achievement. Kimley-Horn encourages and supports those pursuing
registrations and certifications. This document provides answers to frequently asked questions around registrations and certifications, and clarifies KHA policy.
FEES
Are fees reimbursable?
Are the reimbursements taxable
income?
Is advance approval required?
TRAVEL COSTS
Are travel costs reimbursable?
Are reimbursed costs taxable
income?
Is advance approval required?
TIME
Is the time I spent on these
chargeable?
RECOGNITION
Is there a bonus associated with
this?
Is there a reclassification
associated with registration or
certification?
June 2008
REVIEW COURSE
Up to $1,250 in course fees:
First $750 then 50% of next
$1,000 in fees. Cumulative total
Yes; your W2 will include this
reimbursement as income
Yes, from supervisor or OPL and
regional HR manager prior to
registering for course. Approval
form is located under Forms on
KHAnet.
No.
N/A
N/A
No. Time spent on review courses
should not be recorded on
timesheets.
N/A
N/A
EXAMS
Exam fees are reimbursable each time
the exam is taken
Yes; your W2 will include this
reimbursement as income
No
In-state travel will be reimbursed
Out-of-state travel will not be
reimbursed unless extenuating
circumstances apply
Yes; your W2 will include this
reimbursement as income
Yes, from supervisor or OPL and
regional HR manager prior to
registering for course. Approval form
is located under Forms on KHAnet
Time should be charged to Continuing
Education on timesheet.
N/A
N/A
LICENSING FEES
Yes
Only the initial fee is taxable; renewals
are not
No
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
Employees will receive a $1,000 bonus
(less applicable taxes) when they
obtain their first registration/
certification in their home state.
Reclassification to P4 and $2,000
salary increase is dependent on
meeting all job level criteria and
requires registration in home state.
 FAQs:
REVIEW COURSES:

Q1: How does the reimbursement limit work if I take multiple review courses?
A: The limit will be applied on a cumulative basis.
For example, if Pam incurs $300 before she takes her first exam. If she does not pass, she can obtain reimbursement of up to $950 in review course fees for
future exams ($450 plus 50% of next $1,000)

Q2: How do I request approval for a review course?

A: The form is available on KHAnet or from a member of the HR team.

Q3: How do I get paid for my expenses?

A: Submit your expenses through Concur. If pre-approval is required, submit the pre-approval form with your receipts.

EXAM COSTS:

Q4: When will travel costs for out-of-state travel be reimbursed?

A: When extenuating circumstances dictate.
For example, if Sam relocates from Arizona to Texas at the firms request a few months before he is scheduled to take the PE exam in Arizona, travel costs would
be covered to return and take the exam. But if Sam worked in Arizona and chose to travel to Nevada in order to sit for the exam sooner, travel costs would not be
reimbursed.

Q5: How do I apply for advance approval for travel costs?

A: The form is available on KHAnet or from a member of the HR team. Instructions for submitting your expenses are outlined on the form.

Q6: How do I get paid for my expenses?

A: Submit your expenses through Concur. If pre-approval is required, submit the pre-approval form with your receipts.

RECOGNITION:

Q7: When do I receive a $1,000 bonus?

A: Employees will receive a $1,000 bonus (less applicable taxes) when they obtain their first registration/certification in their home state. Home state is
considered the employees permanent work location. For those in the process of relocating, home state will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis.

Q8: What registrations qualify for this bonus?

A: This list will likely be subject to refinement. For now, the most common registrations will apply (PE, AICP, RLA, CPA, and MCSC). Other registrations will
be reviewed with an eye toward recognizing those registrations with an equal level of rigor to the PE. Factors considered will include minimum
educations/experience requirements, presence and nature of exam, and continuing education requirements.

Q9: Does this bonus apply to each certification?

A: An employee who receives two registrations (for example, AICP and PE) will only receive a bonus after their first registration.
Q10: Will I be reclassified when I become certified?
A: Before a new PE is reclassified to P4, his or her experience, personal characteristics, and roles and responsibilities will be reviewed against the KHA career
ladder to ensure that the reclassification is appropriate. To be considered for reclassification, the PE must be in your home state.
For example, the career ladder states that a bachelors degree and four to seven years or a masters degree and three-to-six years of experience is necessary for
a P4. A newly registered PE with a bachelors degree and two years experience would not meet this requirement, so reclassification would be delayed until the
requirement is met. Note that there are criteria related to the P4/B4 classification apart from registration and years of experience that will be considered in the
reclassification decision.

Q9: Is there a pay increase associated with certification?

A: Employees with a registration/certification that qualifies for the $1,000 bonus will also receive a $2,000 increase when reclassified from either P3 to P4 or B3
to B4. If the reclassification takes place at the same time as annual salary reviews, this is over and above the normal increase.

Q10: Does this increase apply to all P4 or B4 reclassifications?

A: No. Employees reclassified to P4 or B4 without one of the registrations/certifications listed above will not receive an automatic bonus or salary increase.

LICENSE COSTS

Q11: How does the tax treatment work for license reimbursement?
A: License costs are only taxable the first time a professional obtains a license. This is due to the IRSs judgment that a new license qualifies someone for a
new career or specialty. Renewals are not taxable.

Q12: What if I become licensed in an additional state?

A: For tax purposes, additional state certifications of the same specialty (i.e., a P.E. license) are not taxable. Only new specialties are treated as a new license.
Renewals are not taxable.