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Announcements
Date: May 7, 2008
To: Vice Presidents, Chancellors, Deans, Directors, and Department Chairs
From: Sandra L. Russell, Associate Vice President for Human Resources
Re: Managerial, Professional, Supervisory, and Confidential (MPSC) Staff Layoff Guidelines
The following university layoff guidelines apply to MPSC employees and other employees not covered by a bargaining unit agreement. These guidelines are intended to ensure that the university acts both wisely in protecting institutional priorities and responsibly towards those individuals whose separation from the university is a direct result of budgetary constraints or restructuring.
Deciding Whom to Lay Off
Type 1 Employees
The basis of any layoff decision must be a judgment regarding which positions can be eliminated with the least consequence to the unit’s ability to perform its most critical functions.
Generally, there are no particular choices to make in those situations where there is only a single individual who performs the function to be eliminated, or if all the individuals who perform the function will be eliminated. Choices must be made in those situations where there are several individuals who perform the same or substantially similar functions and only some of the positions will be eliminated. In those cases, layoff decisions should be based upon an assessment of the following factors:
- The quality of the employee’s service as documented in the employee’s recent annual performance appraisal and elsewhere, including disciplinary and attendance records;
- The capacity of the employee to perform a wider range of activities that may be necessitated by the layoffs; and
- An employee’s length of service in the particular title within the department and at the university.
Temporary Employees (Type 4)
Units should cease to employ temporary employees before laying off Type 1 employees if budgetary reductions can be achieved and operational needs can be met. If the functions of Type 1 employees are of lesser priority than the functions performed by temporary employees, the unit should consider reassigning Type 1 employees to those functions.
Alternatives to Layoff
Units are encouraged to use 10-month appointments in appropriate situations, job sharing, or other adjustments that accommodate the necessary budget reductions.
Policies
Notice Period
As provided in university policy 60.4.3, MPSC and other nonaligned regularly appointed employees are to receive five (5) working days notice of impending layoff for each full year of service, with a minimum of twenty (20) working days and a maximum of one-hundred twenty-five (125) working days.
Downgrade
If an employee is given notice of layoff but is the successful candidate for a lower grade position before being removed from payroll, university policy 60.4.10, regarding salary downgrades must be followed. In such instances please contact University Human Resources at 732-932-3020 for further guidance.
Notifying University Human Resources
Whenever an employee is laid off, a Type 1 Staff Layoff Form must be submitted to University Human Resources. This form is available on the UHR website. Units in Newark and Camden should send an additional copy of the completed form to their respective campus human resources office.
Accrued Vacation Time
MPSC and other nonaligned employees who are laid off should be encouraged to take any accrued vacation time prior to the layoff effective date if it is practical for the department. A vacation day may be used as the employee’s last day of employment. The employee is entitled to compensation for any unused earned vacation time that remains at the time of the effective date of layoff. Departments should take into account such payments in assessing the actual budgetary reduction achieved by the layoff.
Assistance to Employees Who Are Laid Off
University Human Resources will provide resources and guidance to employees who have received notice of a layoff. These include:
- Advisement on resume development and job search strategies
- Access to a statewide job bank developed by the Department of Labor
- Personal counseling services
- Unemployment claims processing
- Status of benefits
Detailed information and downloadable resources are available on the UHR website.
University Human Resources and the Newark and Camden human resources offices are prepared to assist you during the layoff process. Please do not hesitate to contact these offices as you develop and implement your plans.
Distribution: A0, A1, A2, F1
