Reduction in Workforce

Although the University hopes that circumstances do not require employees to be laid off, there may be instances where it is required, such as when there is lack of work, lack of funds, or a department has reorganized. Only administrators at or above the level of dean, vice president, the director of intercollegiate athletics, and vice chancellors ("organization unit head") have the authority to determine when a layoff is needed. The organization unit head along with Human Resource Services will also determine who will be laid off based upon objective, job related standards including knowledge, skills, abilities, and documented work performance. In the absence of these distinguishing factors, the individual with the fewest continuous years of service will be laid off first. In making layoff decisions, the University may also consider protection of affirmative action gains.

An employee may remain in layoff status for no more then 120 calendar days from the date of being laid off (the "layoff period"). If the employee does not secure employment at the University within the layoff period, the University will terminate his or her employment.

An employee in layoff status will be given priority consideration for placement into positions for which he or she qualifies. Placement assistance will be given in a manner consistent with the following:

• A staff member who receives a written layoff notice and is interested in other University employment must contact the employment team in Human Resource Services or his or her regional campus human resources department.
• Such individuals will be referred for positions for which they express an interest and for which they meet the minimum qualifications. It will be the employee's responsibility to view the posting and submit a referral request. Supervisors must interview any candidate referred to them who is in layoff status. For any candidate in layoff status that the supervisor chooses not to hire, the supervisor will document the direct job-related reason(s) supporting this decision and include them with the hiring completion documentation.
• A staff member who contacts Employment or the regional human resources department will receive priority consideration from the date of the employee's written layoff notice to the date of the employee's termination.

A staff member who is terminated after exhausting the 120-day layoff period will receive continuous service credit for vacation and sick leave accrual purposes if he or she is re-employed at the University within 12 months. In addition, continuous service credit toward the TIAA-CREF waiting period will be granted if the staff member returns to an eligible classification.

The re-employment must occur within 12 consecutive calendar months from the date of the termination. In such cases, the employee's service credit will be bridged from the date of the termination and extended forward as though there had been no break in service. Sick leave that was unused prior to the termination will be reinstated.

Service credit for the Public Employees Retirement Fund (PERF) will be given for time in layoff status, subject to a limit of six months in any four calendar years of service. Service credit for laid-off employees covered by the Federal Civil Service Retirement Program will be governed by the terms of the program in effect at the time.

For more details regarding the University's layoff policies and procedures, including eligibility for staff benefits, refer to Reduction in Workforce Policy IV.14.2.