I'd like to respond as a employer.  Although I no longer employ staff,
during the 15 years that I met the payroll every two weeks my employees
were encouraged to attend relevant conferences.

In some instances, I drove them a few hundred miles, paid their salaries,
and covered the hotel/motel/meal expenses.

I sponsored workshops in the lab and gave my profits away as scholarships
to people who could use but could not afford the workshops.  Staff who
wished to attend paid the fee, but were on salary during the workshops
(I'm easy, but I'm not Santa Claus).

This was not done because I hoped that my employees would stay with me
forever; it was done because I believed then (and still believe) that we
each owe a debt to our own mentors which can best be repaid by giving
others an opportunity to learn.

Jack C. Thompson
Thompson Conservation Lab
Portland, OR

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