Overview

This guide is designed to assist academic appointees impacted by layoff, including involuntary reduction in time. The guide is general in nature and is not intended to substitute for the layoff provisions contained in academic personnel policies or collective bargaining agreements. Prior to the initiation of a layoff action, all relevant academic personnel policies and collective bargaining agreements are carefully consulted.

A layoff is a separation from employment, or an involuntary reduction in the percentage of time of appointment, prior to the expiration of the appointment because of programmatic or budgetary considerations, or lack of work. Academic appointees with term appointments are considered to be separated from employment at the expiration of such appointments. This separation does not constitute a layoff.

Layoff status begins on the effective date of the layoff or reduction in time and is limited to a maximum of one year. Layoff status may be less than one year if the term appointment would normally have expired, or reappointment occurs within the campus to the same or equivalent position (i.e., same or higher percent time, and same or higher title, including rank and step).

Policies, Procedures & Collective Bargaining Agreements

Layoff and Involuntary Reduction in Time of Non-Senate Academic Appointees, Campus Academic Personnel Policy 004.145

Postdoctoral Scholar Series, Campus Academic Personnel Policy 610.000

Recall from Layoff Status and Preferential Re-Employment, Campus Academic Personnel Policy 004.145 (see Sections K and L).

Collective Bargaining Agreements

Employee Rights

Refer to the applicable personnel policy or collective bargaining agreement for specific provisions.

Right to Recall

If a vacant position is to be filled in the same unit and the same title or title series from which the appointee was laid off or involuntarily reduced in time, the unit must recall the appointee back to work provided the appointee is still on layoff status and is qualified for the position and is available to begin work within a reasonable amount of time. If more than one qualified appointee is on layoff status, the order of recall shall be in inverse order of layoff.

Preferential Rehire

If a vacant position is to be filled in any campus unit in the same title or title series, and at the same or lower rank as the position from which an appointee was laid off or involuntarily reduced in time, the hiring unit shall grant preference for re-employment to appointees on layoff status or appointees who have received written notice of layoff or involuntary reduction in time within the six months prior to the implementation of the noticed action.

Filing a Grievance

Non-represented employees who are laid off may file a grievance with the Academic Personnel Office Labor Relations within thirty calendar days from the date of the written layoff notice. See the campus academic personnel manual (CAPM 008.140 ) for more information.

Represented employees who are laid off may file a grievance with the Labor Relations Office within thirty calendar days from the date of the written layoff notice. See the applicable collective bargaining agreement for more information.

Benefits

Layoff Resources

The UCnet website provides information on What to Do If You're Being Laid Off.

Continuation of Group Insurance Coverage

Laid off employees may be eligible to continue university-sponsored health, dental, and vision coverage. The Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1985 (COBRA), as amended, gives eligible UC employees, annuitants, and their enrolled family members the right to temporarily continue health (medical, dental and/or vision) coverage in situations that would ordinarily cause an individual to lose group health coverage. More information regarding COBRA is available on the UCnet web site.

Contact the UCSC Benefits Office for assistance.

Employee Assistant Program (EAP)

The UCSC Employee Assistance Program (EAP) offers confidential, no-cost assistance for a variety of personal or workplace concerns, ranging from stress and depression, to coping with grief and loss. Employees indefinitely laid off may continue to use the EAP for up to 6 months following their layoff date. Call 866/808-6205 24 hours a day, seven days a week for more information.

Unemployment Insurance

Please refer to the state of California's EDD (Employment Development Department) website. Additional resources for academic and non-academic employment may be found on the Staff Human Resources web page.

Academic Employment

Other Resources