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Frequently asked questions: Layoffs,
flexible appointments What is a layoff? A layoff is a reduction in the workforce. Reasons for a layoff can include the elimination of a position, budget cuts, non-renewal of a grant, and/or insufficient work. A CT cannot be laid off as an alternative to disciplinary action or discharge. Return to the top of the page. Who is laid off first? The first CT to receive a layoff notice is the one in the structural unit with the least University seniority in the grade level where the layoff occurs. (For purposes of layoff, the University has administratively designated structural units, which can be an entire college, a department, or a unit.) If your position is eliminated and you are not the least senior CT in your grade level in your structural unit, you will be reassigned to the position of the least (or less) senior person in your grade level, provided that you are qualified for the position and can do the work after a 256-working-hour training period. This step is mandatory, and it is not "bumping." The official layoff notice goes to the least senior person in your grade level. Return to the top of the page. When and how will I be notified if I’m going to be laid off? CTU’s Contract mandates that you be notified of an impending layoff at least 15 working days prior to your last day of work, but it is the administrative policy of the MSU Office of Human Resource Services (HRS) to inform employees of layoff at least 60 calendar days prior to the last day of work. The CTU will also receive a copy of the layoff notice. Where insufficient or improper notice is given, a revised notice must be issued and you may be eligible for back pay. Return to the top of the page. What happens when I receive a layoff notice? You should call CTU immediately to discuss your options with a contract administrator. After contacting your Union, you must also call an HRS representative to arrange a meeting to discuss your job qualifications and your options. HRS representatives are responsible for placing you in another position. CTU’s contract administrators track job openings and work with HRS staff to ensure you are placed in an appropriate position as rapidly as possible. Return to the top of the page. What are my options if I receive a layoff notice? You must accept the next vacant position for which you are qualified in your grade level. At your meeting with HRS, you will be asked to indicate whether you will:
If you do not choose one or all of these options and there are no vacancies in your current grade level, you will be laid off. If you do not choose one or all of these options and there are no vacancies in your current grade level, you will be laid off. You should discuss these options with a CTU contract administrator (355-1903) before making these decisions. (NOTE: Project Technicians who receive notices of layoff do not have the option of choosing to displace a less senior CT. They will, however, receive severance pay for up to five weeks following layoff. CTs classified as Research Technologist I or II or Veterinary Technician I or II are usually hired as Project Technicians, and these restrictions would apply.) Return to the top of the page. Can I wait to decide whether to bump until after I’ve been laid off? No. Once you are laid off, you still must accept a vacant position for which you are qualified at your current grade level or a lower level. However, once you accept a layoff, you no longer have the right to bump a less senior CT. Return to the top of the page. If I accept a position at a lower level, will my salary be cut? Yes. CTs on layoff status who take positions at a lower level will have their salaries decreased by no more than 3% for one grade level or 5% for two grade levels, and 2% for each additional grade level. However, your base rate of pay is required to be within the range of the new grade level. Return to the top of the page. What are the pros and cons of bumping? The CTU guarantees seniority protection for CTs through the bumping procedure. This protection has meant that very few CTs actually ever experience a layoff. The decision as to whether or not to exercise your right to bump is yours. However . . .
If you decide to bump:
Concerns about bumping usually focus on acceptance by faculty and staff in other departments. To date, this has not presented a significant problem, but, if it should, your Union Representative and the Union office will be available to provide assistance. Return to the top of the page. Where do I go when I bump? You bump the least senior person in your grade level or a mutually agreed lower level in the University where you can assume the duties after a 256-working-hour training period. Return to the top of the page. If I am laid off, am I eligible for unemployment compensation? Yes. You should call the Michigan Employment Security Commission (MESC) to find out the date you should report to file a claim. You become eligible to collect unemployment compensation following your last day of work, even though the University will continue to pay off your accrued vacation time. Health insurance premiums will be paid until the end of the month following your last date on the payroll. After that time, you may continue coverage but will be responsible for paying the premiums. Return to the top of the page. What about choosing a flexible appointment instead of layoff or bumping? A flexible appointment involves full-time active employment for 9, 10 or 11 months per year with a prescheduled unpaid leave of absence with some benefits equivalent to full-time appointments. It is the position, not the person, that is deemed to be a flexible appointment. It may only be approved in order to achieve budgetary savings in the affected department. Once a position is designated as a flexible appointment, it shall maintain that designation until the department administrator submits a request to HR that the position be designated otherwise. Positions may be designated as flexible appointments only in one of the following circumstances:
If you are approached by your department about designating your position as a flexible appointment, contact your UR or the Union office immediately. Return to the top of the page. What happens if the department notifies me that my hours are being reduced from full-time to part-time? If you do not want to accept part-time work, you have the right to bypass to the next available vacant position. Individual situations may vary, so if you have an involuntary reduction in hours, you should contact the Union office immediately to determine the best protection for you. Return to the top of the page.
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1998-2003 Clerical Technical Union of MSU. Clerical Technical Union
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