1454                             LAWS OF MARYLAND                         CH. 719

considered to be a legitimate and responsible function of the State and
is prohibited. Employees seeking "general education" as opposed to
necessary training" should be encouraged to obtain such education on
their own time and at their own expense.

(4) Limitations

Except as provided for in this Subsection 5 below, the following
limitations shall apply:

(a)    The number of employees annually in out-service training for
each department in any fiscal year shall not exceed ten percent of the
total number of employees employed by the department for that year.

(b)    No employee having less than one year of service with the
State of Maryland shall be eligible for out-service training, unless
such training is part of the approved career development plan for the
employee.

(c)    In the first ten year period of an employee's continuous service
following the date of his initial entry into State service and in each
ten year period of service thereafter, the time spent by an employee in
out-service training shall not exceed one year.

(5)    Waivers of Limitation

(a)    Limitations may be waived by the Commissioner upon a find-
ing that the postponement of the training would be contrary to the
approved career development plan for the employee concerned or such
other reason as the Commissioner considers sufficient.

(b)    If a waiver of limitations is desired, a written request for
the waiver must be forwarded to the Commissioner at least thirty
calendar days prior to the beginning of training. The request for
waiver must be signed by the department or agency head and should
include the following items:

(1)    the name or names of employees for whom the waiver is
requested;

(2)    the factors which are considered to justify the granting of
such a waiver.

(6)    Computing Time in Training.
For the purpose of these regulations:

(a)    An employee assigned to full time out-service training is
counted as being in training the same number of hours he is in a pay
status during such training assignment up to a maximum of eight
hours a day, forty hours a week.

(b)    An employee assigned to out-service training on less than a
full-time basis is counted as being in training the same number of
hours he spends in class with the instructor in such training.

(7)    Obligated Service Agreements

(a) Each employee selected for out-service training will be re-
quired to enter into a written obligated service agreement. This
agreement must be executed prior to the assignment to the training
and will reflect the conditions outlined below: