Last updated: August 6, 2009
A. General Questions
1. What is a furlough?
A furlough is a mandated period of time off without pay. Furloughs differ from salary reductions and pay cuts in that they are temporary and preserve employment status, health benefit eligibility and pay rate for retirement benefits.
2. Who is subject to furloughs?
- Bargaining Unit 1 (UAPD – Physicians)
- Bargaining Units 2, 5, 7, 9 (CSUEU), except Dispatchers
- Bargaining Unit 3 (CFA – California Faculty Association)
- Bargaining Unit 4 (APC – Academic Professionals of California)
- Management (except MPP Sworn Police Officers)
- Confidential (C99) Non-Represented (E99) – at CSUCI, includes Casual Worker; Helper/Aid; Research Fellow; Special Consultants; Instructional Faculty-Extension Non-Credit (excluded if self-support non-state funded)
*Full or partial exemptions may apply to positions funded by grants.
3. When will the furloughs begin?
Furloughs will begin August 1, 2009 for all employees as specified in #2 above.
4. How much is pay reduced during the furlough period?
The annual salary for work performed during the fiscal year ending June 30, 2010 is reduced by 9.23%.
- 12 month faculty and staff: Since the furlough period does not begin until August 1st, and the reduction is spread evenly across the last 11 monthly pay periods, employees will see a 10% reduction in gross pay during those months.
- Academic year faculty: Academic year faculty are paid for fall and spring teaching starting in September through the following August. Therefore, their gross pay will be reduced by 9.23% over those 12 months starting in September 2009.
5. When is the first pay period that will be reduced for the furlough? And the last?
The first pay check to reflect a reduction will be the one issued at the end of August for all staff or 12 month faculty or beginning of September, 2009 for all academic year faculty. The last pay check to reflect a reduction will be the one issued at the end of June or beginning of July of 2010 for all staff or 12 month faculty or the end of August 2010 for academic year faculty.
6. Will health and retirement benefits be reduced as well?
No. The furlough has no effect on eligibility for, and amount of, health, dental, and vision benefits or the Flex Cash option. It also has no effect on retirement benefits, which will be based on the pre-furlough salary rate. Similarly, the furlough has no effect on eligibility for, and amount of, sick leave, vacation, sabbaticals, difference in pay leave, and leave of absence with pay. However, staff on such leave, vacation, or sabbatical will have their pay reduced for the period in question as described above.
7. Can I work on a furlough day?
No. It is important that employees not work on furlough days.
8. How does a furlough affect my exempt status?
During the week in which the exempt employee is taking a furlough day, that employee becomes “non-exempt,” which means that any time worked over 32 hours in that work week is considered overtime. If you do work over 32 hours in a furlough week, you will be paid at your straight time rate up to 40 hours. Any hours that exceed 40 will be compensated at the time and a half rate.
During non-furlough weeks, an exempt employee reverts back to their regular status.
This provision does not apply to faculty, who do not become non-exempt during furlough weeks.
9. What happens if I have not taken all my furlough days by the end of the fiscal year, June 30, 2010?
The campus President is responsible for ensuring that all employees have taken the appropriate number of furlough days. In any event, your annual salary will be reduced by 9.23%.
10. Will the furloughs continue after June 30, 2010?
No, there is no plan or agreement to extend furloughs beyond June 30, 2010.
11. How can I get a special concern or issue resolved?
A Labor/Management Council (LMC) has been formed that includes members of campus administration as well as the union leads for all represented employees. Employees are encouraged to first communicate concerns to their supervisor or appropriate chain of command. Any issues that cannot be resolved in that manner can be referred to the LMC either by the supervisor or union representative. Your issue will be collaboratively resolved by the Council.
12. Will this impact students, and how will this be communicated to them?
Communication and Public Relations is currently crafting its message to communicate this and other furlough-related information to students.
B. Scheduling of Furlough Days
13. How will furlough days be scheduled?
Between July 1, 2009, and June 30, 2010, there will be five State Budget Closure days (complete campus closures). They are:
- November 23, 24, and 25, 2009 (during Thanksgiving week)
We have scheduled Monday through Wednesday of Thanksgiving week because these are low attendance dates in classes and it’s a week that everyone appreciates taking off. Since we are only able to have one week during which the entire campus can take more than one furlough day, this makes it clear that all other furlough weeks can contain only one furlough day.
- December 31, 2009
- January 4, 2010
These closures apply to CFA, CSUEU, APC, MPP’s, and all non-represented employees. (The Dec. 31 and January 4 dates fall outside the Academic Calendar and do not apply to academic year faculty)
Beyond that, we are asking staff (CSUEU, APC, MPP and non-represented) to become part of Group A or Group B, which will place them on the 1st and 3rd or the 2nd and 4th Friday-of-the-month-off schedule. This will be determined in conjunction with your managers. This equates to 38 Reduced Administrative Services days (partial campus closure days), which will be divided into two groups:
- Group A will take the first and the third Friday of the month as a furlough day.
- Group B will take the second and the fourth Friday of the month as a furlough day.
Because Fridays are the slowest days on campus, they should be the least disruptive to our students. Our intention is to keep all offices open except on the campus closure days. We realize that some offices are very small and this may not be possible.
For people who made plans on days that were originally posted as furlough days, accommodations can probably be made. Any substitutions must be made up within the same month.
There are separate furlough plans for Student Housing, the Library, and Construction Management. There may be a few other exceptions, primarily with supervision of SETC staff, since they are not on furlough with the rest of campus.
POST certified Peace Officers and Dispatchers are not impacted by furloughs.
14. What are my furlough days going to be for this month (August, 2009)?
We are allowing staff to choose their August furlough dates because it is too late to expect you to be able to adjust your plans to our latest schedule. You are allowed to stick to the originally announced dates of August 19th and 28th, or switch to other dates. Still, you must take 2 furlough days in August, take them in 2 different weeks, and get the approval of your manager.
15. What about furlough days that precede a weekend campus event (i.e. Fridays are busy with preparations)?
Review the situation with your supervisor. It may be possible to switch your furlough day to earlier in the week. If that’s not possible you will be paid for your hours above 32 hours. All overtime must be approved in advance by your vice president and is discouraged.
16. What if I choose Group A, and then change my mind?
Your manager will be asking for your feedback when scheduling you for Group A or Group B. It is expected that, once decided, you will not switch, although managers are encouraged to be as flexible as possible.
17. What if my vacation falls on a week that I’m supposed to take a furlough day?
During that week, your time sheet should include only 32 hours of vacation.
18. Can I substitute vacation, sick leave, or personal holidays for furlough days?
No.
19. What if I’ve accrued the maximum allowable Vacation hours for the year? Will I be able to carry them over into next year in light of the furloughs?
Earlier this year, President Rush announced that no vacation that could be carried over to the following year. Because of furloughs, employees may not be able to take all of their vacation. This will be added as a Cabinet agenda item, and the outcome of the discussion will be communicated shortly.
20. Can I take two furlough days in one week other than the week of Thanksgiving?
No.
C. Furloughs and Special Situations
21. How do furloughs work for part time employees?
Part-time employees are subject to the furloughs on a pro-rated basis consistent with their time base.
22. I’m a Special Consultant. Am I furloughed, too?
No.
23. My position is 100% grant-funded. Do I take furlough days?
No. Partially grant-funded staff will be furloughed on the portion of their salary that is state-funded. It is still to be determined how to furlough within the state-funded portion of your position.
24. What about part-time faculty?
Part-time faculty members are also subject to the furloughs on a pro-rated basis consistent with their time base. Academic year part-time Lecturers will have 18 furlough days in an academic year (9 furlough days in a semester term), which is the same number of days as academic year full-time faculty. Each of the furlough days for a part-time Lecturer is pro-rated consistent with their time base. For example, an AY part-time Lecturer with a 50% time base appointment for 7.5 units in a term would have each of his or her 18 furlough days pro-rated to 50% of full-time and no CSU work would be done on any of these furlough days.
The salary reduction for a part-time Lecturer is also pro-rated consistent with their time base. Using the same example, an AY part-time Lecturer with a 50% time base appointment for 7.5 units in a term and pre-furlough salary of $2,000 per month would have a furloughed salary of $1,815.40 per month:
[$2,000 – ($2,000 x .0923 = $184.60) = $1815.40]
A full hour has been allocated at the first fall faculty meeting, scheduled for August 20, 2009, to discuss your faculty furlough-related issues.
In the meantime, for additional information, faculty can go to: http://www.calfac.org/allpdf/Budget_09_10/FAQ_onfurlough_0804.pdf
Or to: www.csuci.edu/academics/faculty/facultyaffairs/furlough.htm
25. I’m a Temporary employee. How do furloughs affect me?
Temporary employees will be furloughed or not just like everyone else in their status.
26. I am a non-citizen with a work visa. Will the furloughs affect my status?
Some visas have a minimum salary requirement. Please contact Human Resources and ask whether the furloughs will affect your status. If the answer is "yes," you may have to consult an immigration attorney. Your local bar association may have a referral service that can assist you in finding such an attorney. You may also want to consult the website of the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services:
http://www.uscis.gov/portal/site/uscis
27. What if there’s a campus emergency and I am called into work on one of my furlough days?
Report to work as you would under your Emergency Preparedness Plan, and you will be compensated for hours worked.
28. Is anything being done to assist those employees who will find the pay cut to be an extraordinary hardship?
Yes. An Employee Benevolent Fund is being created. More information will be provided about how to contribute to the fund and how to access it.
In addition, “Money Matters” classes are currently being scheduled on September 9, 2009 to assist employees to better manage their household budgets. Notice will go out once the times have been established.
D. Furloughs and Workload
29. Will I be expected to accomplish my usual workload?
No. You should reduce (rather than just reshuffle) your workload so that you do not have to work on furlough days. It is expected that you will perform 10% less work than you had planned on accomplishing during the year. Each employee will work with their manager to decide if certain work will not be done this year, will be done in a different way or will take longer to get done.
If you are an exempt employee, during your regular work week, it is expected that you work the usual amount of hours. That is to say, if you typically work a 45-55 hour week, it would be expected that you put in about the same amount of time on a non-furlough week; not cramming in additional hours to get a job done. However, we do expect you to only work 32 hours in a furlough week. Overtime is discouraged and must be approved in advance by your Vice President.
[top]