Current through all regulations passed and filed through September 16, 2024
The version of this rule that includes
live links to associated resources is online at
https://www.ohio.edu/policy/40-056.html
(A)
Overview
Planning units and departments can
address short-term budget concerns while fulfilling scheduling needs of their
full-time contract administrative staff by offering a voluntary short-term full
time equivalent (FTE) reduction. The program objectives are:
(1)
To offer
employees an option of greater workplace flexibility to meet their personal
needs.
(2)
To offer departments a short-term budget reduction
option.
(3)
To allow adjustment of staffing to predicted workload
variations.
Employees may arrange with their
supervisors, department heads, and planning unit heads for a voluntary,
short-term reduction in the employee's position FTE. Review of these
arrangements by university human resources (UHR) will include examination of
their voluntary nature.
(B)
Process
Voluntary short-term FTE reduction
occurs according to the following process:
(1)
Employee requests
FTE reduction from immediate supervisor (see part (D)(1) of this
policy).
(2)
Immediate supervisor, department head, and employee
clarify terms of reduction and complete the "Voluntary Short-term Reduction
Form." This may include specification of the minimum notice for early
cancellation; if not specified, it defaults to two weeks; see part (B)(9) of
this policy.
(3)
Department head evaluates operating needs, service
levels, and other FTE reduction requests from within the department (see part
(D)(2) of this policy).
(4)
Department head forwards request(s) with
recommendations to planning unit head for approval or
disapproval.
(5)
Planning unit head informs the department head and
employee of the decision (see parts (D)(3) to (D)(6) of this policy), including
any modifications of the duration and vacation accrual described in the
submitted "Voluntary Short-term Reduction Form."
(6)
The employee
confirms in writing his or her acceptance of the FTE reduction as
approved.
(7)
Department head processes approved FTE reductions with
UHR and payroll services.
(8)
Approved reductions are short-term reductions with a
duration as specified in the submitted "Voluntary Short-term Reduction Form."
unless modified by the planning unit head at the time of
approval.
(9)
The department may cancel the reduction based on the
needs of the university or department. The employee may also cancel the
reduction. Such cancellation by the department or employee takes effect two
weeks after notice is given, unless a different date is mutually agreed upon,
or a different minimum notice was specified under part (B)(2) of this
policy.
(C)
Compensation and benefits
The following apply to short-term
reductions:
(1)
Pay: will be reduced and pro-rated in accordance with
the FTE reduction.
(2)
Health insurance: There will be no change in the health
insurance coverage or premium.
(3)
Payroll
deductions: The employee will need to arrange (with UHR) for direct payments
for those months, if any, when pay is zero or so small that no payroll
deduction takes place. This applies to health insurance and other payroll
deductions.
(4)
Vacation accrual: For the duration of this short-term
FTE reduction, the vacation accrual will be adjusted. If the employee work
forty
-hour
weeks for a reduced number of months per year, vacation will accrue at the
regular two days per month rate:
(a)
Eleven months -
earn up to
Twenty days per year
(b)
Ten months - earn up
to
eighteen
days per year
(c)
Nine months - earn
up to
sixteen days.
If the employee works fewer hours per
week, vacation will accrue on a pro-rated basis, as specified in the submitted
"Voluntary Short-term Reduction Form." unless modified by the planning unit
head at the time of approval.
These vacation accrual schedules are an
exception to policy 41.010.
(5)
Education
benefits: no change.
(6)
Retirement: OPERS retirement credit will be earned for
every month worked. To receive credit for a month, the employee must earn a
minimum of Two hundred fifty dollar
and be on active pay status (includes
time worked, vacation, sick, and personal-time pay) during that
month.
(7)
Sick time accrual: no change (see policy 40.029
).
(8)
Twelve-month pay plan: During their short-term FTE
reduction, employees may choose to receive their pay in twenty-four equal
semi-monthly amounts, as described in policy 41.007.
(D)
Notes
(1)
The reduction can
be in many forms, examples of which include:
(a)
Reduced days per
week.
(b)
Reduced weeks per month.
(c)
Reduced months
per year (OPERS credit is only available for months worked: contact UHR for
advice and counsel).
(2)
Department heads
and planning unit heads must consider the operating needs of their units and
all requests from other employees to determine what should be approved.
Requests from other employees and service impact will influence the planning
unit head's decision to accept, alter, or deny any requests.
(3)
Savings accrued
from the FTE reductions will be used at the discretion of the planning unit
head to meet short-term budget shortfalls.
(4)
Approval of the
reduction does not reduce the authorized FTE strength of the planning
unit.
(5)
The reduction can be extended by mutual consent. A new
"Voluntary Short-term Reduction Form" should be completed and the process of
part (B) of this policy, followed. All documentation must be forward to payroll
services and UHR's records department.
(6)
If a "permanent
reduction" is later mutually agreed upon, the department and employee will
officially change and adjust the FTE of the position, as governed by separate
guidelines available from the provost's office.
The version of this rule that includes
live links to associated resources is online at
https://www.ohio.edu/policy/40-056.html
