{"id":2045,"date":"2024-12-23T16:55:02","date_gmt":"2024-12-23T22:55:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/uwm.edu\/hr\/?page_id=2045"},"modified":"2026-03-31T09:10:41","modified_gmt":"2026-03-31T14:10:41","slug":"university-staff-layoff-policy-and-procedures","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/uwm.edu\/hr\/policies\/university-staff-layoff-policy-and-procedures\/","title":{"rendered":"University Staff Layoff Policy and Procedures"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Authority:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Wisconsin Statutes \u00a7 36.115<\/p>\n\n\n\n

UW System Administrative Policy SYS 1232<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Date:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

December 15, 2020 (Revised)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

July 1, 2015 (Original)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Initiator:<\/strong> Robin Van Harpen, Vice Chancellor, Finance & Administrative Affairs<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Responsible Party:<\/strong> Department of Human Resources, University Staff Senate<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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1. Purpose<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

To provide 51ÁÔÆæ with operational practices for implementing the layoff of a University Staff employee or employees for reasons of budget or due to the discontinuance, curtailment, modification or reduction of a program or programs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

2. Policy Background<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Wis. Stat. \u00a7 36.115(2) requires the Board of Regents to develop personnel systems that are separate and distinct from the personnel system under Wis. Stat. Chapter 230. Effective July 1, 2015, the layoff procedures contained in Chapter ER-MRS 22 of the Wisconsin Administrative Code and the procedures established by the Office of State Employment Relations are no longer applicable to current UW System University Staff employees. Therefore, this policy and these procedures provide the framework for layoff of University Staff employee(s) that hold positions with an expectation of continued employment at 51ÁÔÆæ.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Layoff procedures for faculty and academic staff are set forth in Wis. Admin. Code Chapters UWS 5 and UWS 12; 51ÁÔÆæ Faculty Policies and Procedures Chapter 5 and 51ÁÔÆæ Academic Staff Personnel Policies and Procedures, Chapter 110.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For group health insurance purposes, an employee separated due to layoff will be treated as if on a leave of absence according to Wis. Stat. \u00a7\u00a7 40.02(40) and 40.05(4)(bm).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

3. Definitions<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Layoff<\/em> means separation from employment for reasons of budget or due to the discontinuance, curtailment, modification, or reduction of a program.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Layoff Group<\/em> means a combined group of employees in related positions from which the layoff will be made. The layoff group will generally include all employees employed in a particular operational area that are similarly, although not necessarily identically, situated by title, pay range and\/or function.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Operational Area<\/em> means an area of focus or function in a school, college, division, department, or office. An operational area will generally be a subset of a school, college, division, department, or office, and need not encompass the whole unit.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Probationary Period<\/em> means the initial period of employment in an appointment during which the employee has no right to appeal discharge as identified in the employee\u2019s appointment letter.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Temporary Employment<\/em> means employment in a University Staff temporary or project appointment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

University Staff Layoff Committee<\/em> is a 5-person committee of the University Staff Senate. Membership of this committee includes one senator with knowledge of the operational area affected by the proposed layoff action. This senator is selected jointly by the committee chair and the Associate Vice Chancellor (\u201cAVC\u201d) for Human Resources.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

4. Policy and Practice<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

This policy shall apply in the event of a contemplated layoff of a University Staff employee that otherwise holds a position with an expectation of continued employment. It does not apply to furloughs, seasonal layoff of seasonal employees; academic year employees during recesses in the academic year or summer session, or temporary employees.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

5. Layoff Selection and Plan<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Budget or program decisions that may result in the layoff of University Staff members shall be detailed in a plan and shared with the Chair of the University Staff Senate prior to the employee(s) being issued \u201cat risk\u201d notice(s). Within five working days of the receipt of such notice, the chair may request that the Vice Chancellor or their designee(s) discuss the plan with the University Staff Layoff Committee.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

(The discussion portion of this policy will be in effect through the FY 2020-21, at which time both parties will evaluate whether to continue such practice.)<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The discussion, to be held in closed session and scheduled within five working days of the chair\u2019s request, will review the proposed layoff plan, determine viable alternatives to layoff or other budget reduction strategies, and to assure that all applicable policies have been met.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This discussion shall include specific information about the school\/college\/division affected as well as job series and titles so that other alternatives may be considered and\/or proper \u201cat risk\u201d periods and mandated release of temporary staff may be determined. Every effort will be made to ensure confidentiality during and following this discussion.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Employees subject to layoff will be determined and evaluated by using the following criteria:<\/p>\n\n\n\n