Government subscriptions are the same as memberships with just one small difference – they can be transferred to another government employee should the original holder leave their position.

Some Federal agencies do not pay for or reimburse memberships in professional organizations. This is primarily a case of not using the public's tax dollars for an individual's benefit. Since our memberships are tied to a particular person, agencies with such rules will not reimburse the expense.

To resolve this, we have subscriptions available instead. Unlike regular memberships, these are transferable if an individual is reassigned, retires, or otherwise leaves the agency.

Not all local user groups will offer this option. If the group you wish to join does not, contact them and ask for a subscription instead. Bear in mind though that the receipt you'll receive states "International Sybase User Group Membership/Subscription Receipt" so that may be sufficient for reimbursement purposes without needing any special action. If in doubt, check with your agency first on the rules applicable to your situation.