The Clarke County Board of Supervisors approved 2-1 an agreement with the secondary roads department for a CDL (commercial driver’s license) training payment program at their Sept. 18 board meeting; Austin Taylor voted no. The program would give financial assistance to new hires who did not possess a CDL at the time of hire.
Clarke County Engineer David Carroll explained that by approving such a policy, it would be a tool the county could use in attracting a wider pool of job applicants. Instead of job postings stating a requirement of a Class A CDL, listings could say a license is preferred with the expectation of obtaining one within a certain time frame, generally about a year.
Carroll said that the cost of classes is estimated between $900-$1,200, with the classes supplying training vehicles, instructors and so forth; DMACC offers CDL training, as does CDL Now. If an employee were to leave the job within a year of hire, they would be responsible for paying 100% of the class costs. An employee who leaves within one to two years would be responsible for 50%, and one who leaves after two years would not have to repay anything. An employee who is terminated would not be responsible for any costs, as they would not be leaving the job voluntarily.
Taylor questioned if the training would be done on company time, and Carroll confirmed that it would be.
“You’re paying for training that’ll directly benefit you as an employer,” said Carroll.
Studying for the test would be done on an employee’s own time. The training program would be voluntary for new hires, with the understanding they would then be responsible for finding and paying for their own training within the time frame agreed upon. The cost of the classes to be paid could be adjusted by the supervisors in the future as needed.