OPEIU 153, CWA 1031, HPAE 5089, HPAE 5094 and URA-AFT Shared Work Program

What is a Shared Work Furlough Program?

A Shared Work Furlough Program is a program that allows for temporary reductions in scheduled work hours and compensation to help mitigate a fiscal emergency, thereby minimizing layoffs wherever possible. The Program is subject to approval by the State.

Participants in The Program are not laid off. The salaries of program participants are reduced in an amount equal to the temporary time off. As a furloughed employee, you remain in active status and your employee benefits are not affected. Participants are eligible to apply for New Jersey state unemployment benefits regardless of their residence.

OPEIU Local 153 Program Duration, Parameters, Process and Exceptions

OPEIU Local 153 Shared Work Furlough Program

Program Duration and Parameters

  • Pending NJDOL approval, The Program will commence on June 13, 2021 and conclude on August 20, 2021.
  • Participants shall have their salary and regular workweek reduced by 20% (1 day per week) for each workweek of The Program.
  • Furlough days may only be designated from Monday through Friday (no weekend days).
  • Only one (1) weekday may be designated for each employee and that day of the week cannot be changed for the duration of The Program (except for the week of July 5, 2021 due to university holiday).
  • Monday, July 5, 2021 is a university holiday. Furlough on this day will automatically be adjusted and Tuesday, July 6 will be designated as the furlough day.
  • There must be a total of ten (10) furlough days assigned for each employee.
  • Participants cannot work more than 80% of their regular workweek; this includes overtime and working extra days.
  • During this period, eligible participants will receive state unemployment insurance benefits and $300 enhanced federal benefits for each week that a furlough day is taken.
  • Instructions for applying for unemployment will be provided in a forthcoming communication once The Program is approved by the NJDOL - PARTICIPANTS MUST NOT APPLY FOR UNEMPLOYMENT UNTIL UHR HAS COMMUNICATED INSTRUCTIONS TO THEM TO DO SO.
  • Exceptions to The Program are outlined in the OPEIU Process and Exceptions section below.
OPEIU Process and Exceptions:

Senior Leadership Team members are reviewing rosters and designating participants. The following are excluded from The Program.

  • Excludes employees who have participated in a Shared Work Furlough Program and taken a furlough salary reduction in FY21 provided the furlough period equaled or exceeded 10 furlough days
  • Excludes all unit members of the Union who are or will be covered by separate MOAs whose salaries are funded through contracts between the University and the State of New Jersey
  • Excludes employees on visas (Green card holders are not exempt from The Program)
  • Excludes employees on approved family and other paid leaves of absence
  • Excludes employees on all leaves (unpaid, paid, intermittent)
  • Excludes New Hires and Transfers into the department with effective dates during The Program
  • Excludes employees with secondary appointments which disqualify them from receiving short-time benefits under The Program due to that secondary appointment:
    • Excludes anyone who currently holds or is expected to hold a Class 8 appointment from 6/13/21 – 8/20/21
    • Employees who are furloughed and are later deemed ineligible for UI benefits will be removed from The Program and made whole for wages and benefits lost for furlough days taken and for which short-time benefits were not paid solely due to the fact that the employee held secondary employment with the University
  • Employees whose positions are fully funded through research grants or external funding sources are exempted from furloughs
  • Employees with secondary employment from a source other than Rutgers who are furloughed and are later deemed ineligible for UI benefits will be removed from The Program and made whole for wages and benefits lost for furlough days taken and for which short-time benefits were not paid solely due to the fact that the employee held secondary employment with an employer other than the University
  • Employees who were laid off effective June 1, 2020, and subsequently recalled/rehired shall not be required to participate in the Shared Work Program provided the layoff period equaled or exceeded 10 working days
  • In addition to the exceptions above, an exception may be requested for employees whose positions fall under the categories of Direct Patient Care or specific mission-critical and time-sensitive job functions. Justification and approval by the Chancellor or SLT member will be needed.
CWA Local 1031, HPAE Local 5089, HPAE Local 5094, URA-AFT Local 1766 Program Duration, Parameters, Process and Exceptions

Program Duration and Parameters:

  • Pending NJDOL approval, The Program will commence on May 16, 2021 and conclude on July 23, 2021 for 12-month employees (10-week program) and commence on May 16, 2021 and conclude on June 25, 2021 for 10-month employees (6-week program).
  • Participants shall have their salary and regular workweek reduced by 20% (1 day per week) for each workweek of The Program.
  • Furlough days may only be designated from Monday through Friday (no weekend days).
  • Only one (1) weekday may be designated for each employee and that day of the week cannot be changed for the duration of The Program (except for the week of May 31, 2021 and July 5, 2021 due to university holidays).
  • Monday, May 31, 2021 and Monday, July 5, 2021 are university holidays. Furlough on this day will automatically be adjusted and Tuesday, June 1, 2021 and Tuesday, July 6 will be designated as the furlough days.
  • There must be a total of ten (10) furlough days assigned for each 12-month employee and six (6) furlough days assigned for each 10-month employee.
  • Participants cannot work more than 90% of their regular workweek; this includes overtime and working extra days
  • During this period, eligible participants will receive state unemployment insurance benefits and $300 enhanced federal benefits for each week that a furlough day is taken
  • Instructions for applying for unemployment will be provided in a forthcoming communication once The Program is approved by the NJDOL - PARTICIPANTS MUST NOT APPLY FOR UNEMPLOYMENT UNTIL UHR HAS COMMUNICATED INSTRUCTIONS TO THEM TO DO SO
  • Exceptions to The Program are outlined in the Process and Exceptions section below.
Process and Exceptions:

Chancellors and Senior Leadership Team members are reviewing rosters and designating participants. The following are excluded from The Program.

  • Excludes employees who have participated in a Shared Work Furlough Program and taken a furlough salary reduction in FY21 provided the furlough period equaled or exceeded 10 furlough days for 12-month employees and 6 furlough days for 10-month employees
  • Excludes all unit members of the Unions who are or will be covered by separate MOAs, including the members of HPAE 5089 and 5094, whose salaries are funded through contracts between the University and the State of New Jersey
  • Excludes employees on visas (Green card holders are not exempt from The Program)
  • Excludes employees on sabbaticals, approved family, and other paid leaves of absence
  • Excludes employees on all leaves (unpaid, paid, intermittent)
  • Excludes New Hires and Transfers into the department with effective dates during The Program
  • Excludes employees with secondary appointments which disqualify them from receiving short-time benefits under The Program due to that secondary appointment:
    • Excludes anyone who currently holds or is expected to hold a Class 8 appointment from 5/16/21 – 6/25/21 for 10-month employees and from 5/16/21 – 7/23/21 for 12-month employees
    • Employees who are furloughed and are later deemed ineligible for UI benefits will be removed from The Program and made whole for wages and benefits lost for furlough days taken and for which short-time benefits were not paid solely due to the fact that the employee held secondary employment with the University
  • Excludes employees whose positions are fully funded through research grants or external funding sources are exempted from furloughs
  • Employees with secondary employment from a source other than Rutgers who are furloughed and are later deemed ineligible for UI benefits will be removed from The Program and made whole for wages and benefits lost for furlough days taken and for which short-time benefits were not paid solely due to the fact that the employee held secondary employment with an employer other than the University
  • Excludes employees with first summer session appointments
  • Excludes employees who receive additional compensation through external grants during the summer beginning in June 2021
  • Excludes employees who were laid off effective June 1, 2020, and subsequently recalled/rehired shall not be required to participate in the Shared Work Program provided the layoff period equaled or exceeded 10 working days for 12-month employees and 6 working days for 10-month employees
  • In addition to the exceptions above, an exception may be requested for employees whose positions fall under the categories of Direct Patient Care or specific mission-critical and time-sensitive job functions. Justification and approval by the Chancellor or SLT member will be needed.
Unemployment Instructions and Resources

OPEIU Local 153 Shared Work Furlough Program

CWA 1031, HPAE 5089, HPAE 5094 and URA-AFT Shared Work Program

OPEIU 153, CWA 1031, HPAE 5089, HPAE 5094, and URA-AFT Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Does the Shared Work Furlough Program affect my eligibility for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) program?

No, all of the criteria for PSLF would still be met while participating in the Shared Work Furlough Program.

How do I change the mailing address on file with the NJDOL?

If you need to change your mailing address on file with the NJDOL, please follow the instructions below.

  • Go to https://myunemployment.nj.gov/
  • Click on “Existing users log in here” in the blue banner and log in to your account
  • Click on “Update Address/Telephone” on the menu bar to the left
  • New Jersey residents will need your New Jersey state-issued Identification Card or New Jersey Driver's License, or the Personal Identification Number (PIN) from your Unemployment Insurance benefits claim.
  • Out-of-state residents must have a valid Personal Identification Number (PIN) from your Unemployment Insurance benefits claim.
  • Former New Jersey residents changing to a non-New Jersey address must call 888-795-6672.
How do I change my payment method on file with the NJDOL?

If you need to change your payment method on file with the NJDOL, please follow the instructions below:

  • Go to https://myunemployment.nj.gov/
  • Click on “Existing users log in here” in the blue banner and log in to your account
  • Click on “File/Update Direct Deposit” on the menu bar to the left
  • New Jersey residents will need your New Jersey state-issued Identification Card or New Jersey Driver's License, or the Personal Identification Number (PIN) from your Unemployment Insurance benefits claim.
  • Out-of-state residents must have a valid Personal Identification Number (PIN) from your Unemployment Insurance benefits claim.
What do I do if I am having trouble with or forgot my Username and Password for my NJDOL online account?
  • Your username is the email address you used when you registered on the NJDOL website and opened your claim.
  • If you forgot your password, use the “Forgot Password?” option on the sign-in page. Instructions on how to reset your password will be sent to the email address we have on file.
  • If you need further assistance, please submit a message through the online NJDOL form. Fill in first page of the form and click "Next." Select “Trouble Creating an Account (Password Reset)" to submit a request to reset your password. After the NJDOL reviews your request, they will email instructions so you can reset your password.
How do I reset my NJDOL PIN?
  • You can request a new PIN using the NJDOL’s Claim Status application. You will need your Claimant Identification No. (Claimant ID) which can be found on mailed NJDOL notices you have already received including "Unemployment Insurance Instructions & Appointment Notice" or "Unemployment Insurance Appointment Notice”.
  • From the main Claim Status page, provide the required personal information and click "Enter." Your claim status will be displayed. Below "What does my UI claim status mean?", select the option labeled “How can I reset my PIN?”. Enter your 9-digit Claimant ID in the box. Enter a new 4-digit pin where instructed. NOTE: Please be sure to record your PIN and keep it safe. Click "Submit."
  • You will see a confirmation message that the NJDOL has received your request to reset your PIN however, you cannot use your new PIN until you receive an email confirmation from ui-noreply@dol.nj.gov. If you submit your request after 7:00 p.m., please check your email after 11:00 a.m. the next morning.
  • To avoid delays, please do not submit multiple requests until after you have allowed enough time to receive your email confirmation.
Can I work overtime hours during the shared work furlough program?

No, participants in the shared work furlough program are not permitted to work overtime hours for the duration of the Program.