The bill H. 3188 proposes to amend the South Carolina Code of Laws by adding Section 40-80-65, which establishes a reimbursement process for fire departments that incur training costs for firefighters who are subsequently hired by other departments. If a firefighter completes mandatory training and is hired by a new employer within two years, the new employer is required to reimburse the original employer for the training costs. Specifically, if the firefighter is hired within one year of completing the training, the reimbursement is set at 100% of the training costs, including salary and other expenses. If hired after one year but before the end of the two-year period, the reimbursement is 50%.

Additionally, the bill stipulates that if a firefighter works for multiple employers within the two-year timeframe, the original employer can seek reimbursement from each subsequent employer under the same conditions. The bill also clarifies that no employer can receive more than 100% of the training costs, and firefighters cannot be held responsible for repaying these costs. Existing agreements regarding training repayment that do not conflict with the new provisions will remain valid, and employers are prohibited from requiring promissory notes for training costs as a condition of employment after the bill's enactment.

Statutes affected:
12/05/2024: 40-80-65
Latest Version: 40-80-65
12/06/2024: 40-80-65