Half of Firms do not Reimburse Accountants for Continuing Education

April 14, 2006 (PLANSPONSOR.com) - A recent survey developed by Robert Half International found that 50% of employers do not provide reimbursement for continuing education needed for employees to maintain their professional designations such as CPA or CMA.

Of the chief financial officers surveyed, 29% said their companies provide full reimbursement for continuing education units, while 17% provide partial reimbursement, according to a Robert Half news release.

“Companies that support continuing education signal they are committed to the professional development of their staff, which could give these firms an edge in their recruitment and retention efforts,” said Max Messmer, chairman and CEO of Robert Half International Inc., in the release.

Aside from giving firms a recruiting edge, Messmer noted that support of ongoing learning can benefit companies by helping them to develop a more skilled workforce.

The survey includes responses from more than 1,400 CFOs from a stratified random sample of US companies with 20 or more employees.

Robert Half International, Inc. provides finance recruitment services. Its Web site is www.roberthalf.com .

«