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Managing furloughs will require a crucial balance between the ‘task focus’ and the ‘people focus’. It will be important to communicate clearly, openly, and early in the process so that employees know what you expect and how you will manage this over the course of the year. Below is a brief synopsis of
Deans/directors/department heads are ultimately responsible to ensure that all required furlough time in their unit is taken by June 30, 2010.
- Anyone who supervises others will likely be most instrumental in the planning and scheduling of how and when that furlough time is taken.
- The term ‘ supervisor ‘ is used to refer to anyone who has formal supervision or oversight of the expected work outcomes and work schedule (including requests for time away from work) of an employee. A supervisor may be a front line supervisor, academic chair, dean, director, department head, etc.
- The term ‘employee’ is used to refer to any paid staff or faculty member who falls under the furlough requirements.
Key considerations in scheduling furlough time
- Each employee will have unique needs to consider: financial impact, peaks and valleys in that individual position, current vacation balance, etc.
- Each department will have unique needs to consider: coordination of coverage, peaks and valleys in the department, number of employees to coordinate, etc.
- Furlough must be taken during regularly scheduled work time, holidays, or closure days in increments of one hour or more per day.
- Furlough time taken cannot be credited back to an employee who leaves NAU.
- Supervisors need to manage the process to balance the individual and departmental needs.
A supervisor CAN:
- Ask people to schedule far in advance / have a plan – and request that plan early in the year
- Create a department guideline for taking furlough. Some examples:
- Have a ‘drop dead’ date to have all furlough scheduled (even if not necessarily taken)
- Pick one day or part of a day that everyone takes furlough; can ask for input on which day or not, but it’s important to plan and communicate well in advance for employees
- Substitute furlough for sick or vacation if employee asks
- Allow furlough the day before a holiday (and with no penalty)
- Allow a paid holiday to be used as furlough (and then be unpaid)
A supervisor CANNOT:
- Make people take furlough on a paid holiday or snow closure day
- Make people work on furlough day (or imply people should)
- Make people ‘unofficially’ work extra during the week to make up time on projects, etc.
- Allow people to use sick/vacation/comp in that week to make up for furlough
- Allow people to take more than their required furlough
- Cancel class or close unit without consulting with their vice president
- Reduce an employee’s FTE or salary to minimize the impact of furlough
Unless there is a clear and compelling business need, here are a few things that we would ask supervisors to PLEASE AVOID (due to the high potential for negative repercussions):
- Making winter closure days required furlough time
- Making someone schedule their days all in one pay period
- Making a blanket rule or interpret the guidelines to make it easier to manage - but in a way that discounts individual employee situations and needs. Some examples:
- Requiring that all employees must use half their time by Dec. 31 when someone may already have a clear plan and ability to take it in the spring.
- Requiring that an employee who is leaving prior to June 15, 2010 take remaining furlough time when you will, in a sense, ‘get’ their furlough time after they leave.
Unique scenarios
- Human Resources will work directly with supervisors on the management of unique situations like new hires, transfers, employees on special assignments, or employees on approved leave of absence.
- Resignation / retirement – if someone officially resigns or retires and will be leaving before June 15, 2010, a supervisor does not have to make them take the remaining furlough since that will unofficially occur after they are gone. However, should June 15 come and they are still working, the full furlough must still be taken prior to the end of the fiscal year (June 30).
One example of how you might approach planning with your employees
- Involve people in the process (ask them to look at the vacation they have on balance; what will they accrue by Dec. 31; talk to those close to losing vacation - may need to use vacation before furlough)
- Ask them to create rough map of how they want to take furlough; how does that balance with vacation time/ with others’ request
- Remind people of coverage coordination issues in certain areas/teams
- Take the information and look at it collectively – decide where you need to ask people to make adjustments
- Check periodically to see if people are on track with their plan
- Talk to those behind on their plan - be more directive with those folks on next steps
Other resources for help
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