Furlough

Scope

This policy applies to all Staff employees.

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Policy Statement

In the event of a furlough, which is a curtailment of the workforce for no more than 180 calendar days for reasons of, but not limited to budget, lack of work, or reorganization, Indiana University will take steps to ensure that the furlough is implemented in a manner ensures fairness and consistency; determines which employees are placed on furlough based on seniority; notifies employees in advance; and recalls furloughed employees based on seniority. During a furlough of less than 60 days, the employee remains on active status. A furlough of 60 days or more is treated as a leave of absence. The employee accrues university service credit during this time.

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Procedures

1. Responsibility for Making Furlough Decisions
   1. The following individuals and units have specific responsibilities regarding the furlough policy.
      1. Deans and unit heads (or designees) determine (1) the need for a furlough, (2) which positions are affected, and (3) the eligibility levels of employees affected by a furlough. Units must contact their campus Human Resources office before notifying Staff of a furlough.
      2. The campus Human Resources office works with units to ensure that the procedures set forth in this policy are being administered correctly, including reviewing occupational unit seniority lists with unit heads.
      3. University Human Resources reviews, audits, and monitors the process to ensure that units are applying this policy fairly and consistently throughout the university. University Human Resources will work to ensure that employees are furloughed solely for appropriate reasons. University HR determines university seniority.
   2. Management is responsible for addressing performance issues as they arise. A furlough is not an appropriate management action for responding to employee performance issues.
2. Advance Notice
   1. Units must contact the campus Human Resources office before notifying an employee of a pending furlough.
   2. A unit must give Staff employees at least 30 days written notice of a furlough. If a unit is unable to provide 30 days written notice due to unforeseen circumstances, such as when the unit is adversely affected by the actions of another unit, it must nonetheless provide at least a minimum of 14 days written notice of a furlough.
3. Implementation of Furloughs
   1. When preparing for a furlough, university administration will evaluate the functions and responsibilities of the unit and identify positions that are affected. The unit head determines which employees will be furloughed.
   2. In accordance with the advance notice rules in Section B. above, units must follow these guidelines:
      1. Except for Temporary student employees, all Temporary employees must be furloughed first.
         1. If a unit cannot afford to eliminate all Temporary positions, Staff employees who are designated for furlough will receive first preference for Temporary jobs.
         2. The campus Human Resources office and the unit management determine whether a Staff employee designated for furlough is qualified to fill a particular Temporary position.
      2. Staff employees are furloughed second. The unit head determines which employees will be furloughed, either:
         1. By equal distribution of lost time; or
         2. In order of least occupational unit seniority within each functional classification.
            
            1. For CWA covered Staff employees, in order of least university seniority.
            2. The campus Human Resources office and the unit management determine whether an employee designated for furlough is qualified to fill an available position.
4. Continuation of Insurance and Benefit Plan Coverage

   Staff employees affected by a furlough of 60 days or more are considered to be on a leave of absence for up to 180 calendar days. For information regarding medical and dental benefits, see the Health Care Benefits During An Unpaid Leave of Absence policy.

5. Use of Accrued Time Off
   1. During the advance notice period, Staff employees can be required to use accrued time off.
      1. Staff employees represented by CWA cannot be required to use any type of accrued time off, including comp time, during the advance notice period.
   2. In the event of a furlough due to lack of work, such as during the holiday break, spring break or summer term, Staff employees are allowed to use accrued time off or take the time as leave without pay. Accrued time off used during a furlough does not count toward the maximum usage rules for PTO and vacation.
   3. In the event of a furlough due to budgetary constraints, Staff employees are not permitted to use accrued time off and must take the time as leave without pay.
   4. Sick leave and income protection time cannot be used during furloughs unless the employee was otherwise off or scheduled to be off during this period due to a serious health condition (such as surgery) or FMLA.
   5. Staff employees continue to accrue time off during a furlough of less than 60 days.
   6. Staff employees do not accrue time off during a furlough lasting 60 days or more.

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Definitions

Furlough: a curtailment of the workforce for no more than 180 calendar days for reasons of, but not limited to, the following: budget, lack of work, or reorganization. During a furlough of less than 60 days, the employee remains on active status. A furlough of 60 days or more and no more than 180 is treated as a leave of absence. The employee accrues university service credit during this time.

Occupational Unit:  a functional classification within a campus or subunit of a campus. The administrators of each campus identify occupational units within their respective campus.

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Sanctions

Violations of University policies will be handled in accordance with applicable university policies and procedures, which may include disciplinary actions up to and including termination from the university.

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Additional Contacts

Campus HR offices

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History

May 2020
Title and internal references changed from “layoff” to “furlough.”  The time period of a furlough was extended from 90 calendar days to 180 calendar days. A furlough of 60 days or more is treated as a leave of absence, which was previously 30 days or more.

July 2019
Updates made to CWA procedures based on union discussions.

December 2018
Updated the time period an employee remains on active status during a layoff from 30 days or less to less than 30 days. The update aligned the leave of absence during a layoff with a discretionary leave of absence. 

July 2013
This is a new policy. Its provisions were originally contained in the Reduction in Force policy for the respective employee group.

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