1. (1) Eligibility for Reimbursement.

   1. (a) Qualified veterinary pathologists may seek reimbursement for educational expenses pursuant to s. 570.07(44), F.S., and in accordance with this rule.
   2. (b) Reimbursement is subject to the availability of funding and will be provided until all available funds are exhausted.

   3. (c) For purposes of this rule, “qualified veterinary pathologist” means a veterinarian who:

      1. Graduated from a College of Veterinary Medicine accredited by the American Veterinary Medical Association or equivalent with a degree in veterinary medicine, and

      2. Is enrolled in a department veterinary pathology residency program seeking board certification, or

      3. Is board-certified in clinical or anatomic pathology; and

      4. Has been a full-time employee or a full-time contract employee with the department at the Bronson Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory for at least 365 consecutive calendar days, and

      5. Received a satisfactory performance evaluation and was not disciplined during the immediately preceding evaluation period.

   4. (d) An otherwise eligible qualified veterinary pathologist who has received or who is receiving financial assistance from the Veterinary Medicine Loan Repayment Program established in 7 U.S.C. 3151a shall be ineligible to receive reimbursement pursuant to s. 570.07(44), F.S., and this rule.

2. (2) Requests for Reimbursement.

   1. (a) A qualified veterinary pathologist may seek reimbursement of educational expenses pursuant to s. 570.07(44), F.S., by submitting the following information for each reimbursement request to the Bureau of Personnel Management on or after the individual’s employment date anniversary:

      1. The individual’s name and position number,

      2. The amount of reimbursement being requested,

      3. The amount of any reimbursement or veterinary medicine student loan repayment assistance awarded previously, as well as the sources of those funds, and

      4. Documentation showing the current balance of the individual’s outstanding veterinary medicine student loan.

   2. (b) A qualified veterinary pathologist may be awarded reimbursement of education expenses pursuant to s. 570.07(44), F.S., a maximum of three times while employed with the department. Each request for reimbursement must be made in accordance with paragraph (2)(a), and a period of at least 365 calendar days must elapse between reimbursements.
   3. (c) The maximum reimbursement of educational expenses being requested in any year may not exceed $25,000 or the total outstanding balance of the qualified veterinary pathologist’s outstanding student loan, whichever is less. No qualified veterinary pathologist shall be reimbursed more than $75,000 in total.

Rulemaking Authority 570.07(23), (44) FS. Law Implemented 570.07(44) FS. History–New 3-1-26.