Layoff and ReductionTable of Contents Show
Planning and implementation Managing complex layoffs Communication planning Planning checklist Resources to help employees Layoffs can be one of the most difficult tasks you face as a supervisor. Understanding how the process works will prepare you for any layoffs that your unit must initiate. Adequate planning and communication will have a significant effect on the employees being laid off, the remaining staff, and on clients who work with your employees. Planning and implementationThe term “layoff” has the following meanings:
(NOTE for SEIU 925 bargaining unit employees only: An increase in an employee’s percent FTE can entitle the employee to layoff rights. Before increasing the percent time of an employee in an SEIU 925 bargaining unit, please contact your unit’s HR consultant to review the process you need to follow.) Process summaryBelow are basic steps outlining the layoff process for both the employing unit and their HR consultant. Employing unit responsibilities:
HR consultant responsibilities:
Probationary employeesProbationary classified staff employees do not have the layoff and reemployment rights that permanent classified staff do. If a probationary employee must be let go for reasons related to funding or departmental restructuring, Human Resources prepares a special notice that informs the employee that their position is being eliminated because the department can no longer sustain it. The employee may be eligible for unemployment compensation and for insurance continuation benefits. Regularly occurring layoffsAs a heavily grant and contract-funded research institution with many self-sustaining programs, layoffs due to funding reductions or changes in research programs are regularly necessary. Such layoffs typically involve small numbers of employees who often know about the possibility of layoff well in advance of the time that the layoff action becomes necessary. Examples include situations where:
Complex layoffsComplex layoffs are characterized by one or more of the following:
Initiating a layoffWhen planning regularly occurring layoffs, such as those due to grant or contract funding reductions, enter the request into the layoff request tool at least 8 weeks in advance to ensure the layoff action takes place on your requested effective date. Use netid\yourUWNetID with your NetID password to log-in. Your HR consultant will contact you to review the layoff process. Return to top Managing complex layoffsComplex layoffs require advance discussion with Human Resources and detailed planning. Learn the steps involved in preparing for, initiating, and managing complex layoffs. Contact Human ResourcesWhen you need to manage a complex layoff situation, your first step is to contact your HR consultant. They will make sure that:
Develop your unit’s layoff or reduction planYour plan will need to address some or all of the following elements. As you plan and communicate the layoffs that your unit faces, maintain a record of the actions you take and when you take them. The layoff planning elements below are divided into three sections:
Planning elementPlanning goalCommunicationEnsure that all members of the organization, at an appropriate time for their position, receive communication about the reductions and the degree to which the reductions will affect them. Address any special needs like having information in alternative formats or language interpreters. Incorporate resources designed to assist employees in your communication plan; see the communication planning section below. Preserve the functions necessary to support your core missionIdentify and prioritize the functions necessary for you and your department to fulfill its core mission, the work that is necessary to support those functions, and the positions that perform the work.Position(s) being considered for elimination or reduction including temporary positionsFor each position, identify the reason(s) the position was selected (e.g., the position’s work will no longer be performed; funding limits the number of people who can be employed and the work of a less senior employee is being distributed to employees in similar positions with more seniority, etc.). Anticipate that the positions/employees initially identified for layoff could change as an evaluation of job skills and employee layoff seniority is completed.Post-layoff work distribution planIdentify individual positions and the work that will be assigned to them. Develop revised job descriptions, as necessary.Possible job classification or grade changes that may result from work redistribution and/or changed job dutiesIdentify actions you need to take to see those changes implemented (the need for job classification or salary grade changes will be determined by having the Compensation Office review new or revised job descriptions). Evaluate the budgetary impact of anticipated classification or grade changes.Possible changes to organizational structureIdentify changed reporting relationships based on the number or type of positions that you will have to eliminate or reduce, consolidation of functions, etc.Planned vacations or other leaves of absenceMake a record of planned vacations or other known leaves of absence. Your HR consultant will need this information to ensure that employees receive proper notice of layoff.Items that may require special attentionIdentify/record the need to restrict access to sensitive information and information systems and/or the need to get customer feedback about planned service changes.Special considerations for employeesIf any employees scheduled to be laid off have indicated an interest in retirement, ensure that they have sufficient notice so that they can plan the timing of retirement to coincide with the layoff effective date if possible.Identify any professional staff who have accrued more than 240 hours of vacation time off, and make sure they understand the vacation time off payout limitations of the Professional Staff Program. Layoff notification planningPlanning elementPlanning goalWritten resources Post-layoff notification planningPlanning elementPlanning goalPlan for employees who will move to another department through the layoff process – bumping or rehire list placementReview the Checklist - Transferring Employee (campus) (MS Word).Plan in advance for tasks related to ending employmentReview the Checklist - Ending Employment (campus) (MS Word). Return to top Communication planningWhen confronted with the need to eliminate or reduce positions, some supervisors may be reluctant to share information out of fear that employees will leave for other jobs before the unit is ready, or that they will become upset and unproductive. Instead, it is almost universally the case that employees respond best when they receive accurate and timely information about the circumstances the unit faces. Your unit’s HR consultant can help you to be prepared to meet your unit’s communication needs. If employees remaining in the unit after layoffs believe that management has neglected their needs by withholding critical information for too long, they may not trust management, may not support changes in work, and may look for other employment opportunities just when their contributions are most needed. Your communication to employees should be:
Tailor your communication planTailor communication to the circumstances of the layoff and the dynamics of the workplace. For example, if one or two employees must be laid off due to loss of grant funding, the employee communication will need to recognize that:
When significant funding reductions or departmental restructuring are anticipated, employees will be anxious about their own security and look to management for information that will help them know what to expect. If this is your situation, share as much information as you reasonably can about your assessment and planning process so employees do not feel left in the dark. In the absence of real information, rumors may propagate and disrupt the workplace. If employees do not know of the situation, determine how soon you can tell them about it. Anticipate that employees whose positions are being eliminated or reduced will want to know how the decisions about which positions to eliminate were made. Group dynamicsGroup meetings can be effective if affected employees get along and trust each other. However, if the group is not very cohesive or if there is a history of conflict, consider meeting individually so that employees will feel free to air any concerns they may have. Prepare for workload concernsEmployees will want to know how service or performance expectations will be adjusted after a significant staff reduction. Be prepared to tell employees how you plan to make adjustments to service standards and/or expectations. Be sure to share that information with affected clients. If employees do not see management acknowledge that “things are different” and that expectations of them are therefore different, they are likely to feel that the burden of the reductions is falling on their shoulders and that management has not developed a comprehensive plan. Plan for employee responseWe all react differently to information that will affect our employment adversely. Some will immediately begin to marshal financial resources and develop an action plan for a job change. Others may be daunted by the challenges they will face and experience fear, shock, anger, grief, a sense of helplessness, depression, or difficulty focusing on tasks. Employees who remain after staff reductions may also need support. They may experience guilt if close friends have lost their jobs. If management has not adequately addressed revised service plans, employees may be angry and frustrated. They may not deliver services effectively and share their frustrations with customers and employees in other units. Return to top Planning checklistThe checklist below contains various elements to consider and necessary actions for planning and implementation of staff reductions. Due to the unique nature of each individual situation, some items may occur simultaneously, in a different order than in the list below, or not at all. Be sure to read through them and recognize which are applicable. Layoff preparation
Communication planning
Security
Implementation
Return to top Resources to help employeesBelow, you’ll find additional information that we encourage you to review with any employees scheduled for layoff. Time off balancesLet employees know what their current time off balances are and what their projected balances will be as of the effective date of layoff. Ensure that employees know what will happen to their time off and or compensatory time accumulations (for example, professional staff are not paid for more than 240 hours of vacation time off, regardless of the final vacation time off balance). BenefitsThe benefits summary for employees at layoff can help employees with questions about insurance coverage following layoff, including medical/dental and life insurance, retirement plans, and other benefits. Employees may also send questions to the Integrated Service Center. Laid off employees who work for the UW for at least eight hours a month will continue to receive the employer-paid portion of medical and dental benefits for up to twenty-four (24) months following the layoff effective date. The opportunity for such work is based on the need for workers and is not guaranteed. To ensure benefits are kept current, employees who are working as a temporary employee following layoff should notify the Integrated Service Center. UW CareLinkUW CareLink, the University of Washington’s faculty and staff assistance program, can provide resources to help employees cope with the personal and financial challenges of job loss. UW CareLink is available to laid off employees up to 30 days following the date of separation from employment. UW employment resourcesEncourage employees to review UW job listings. Employees scheduled for layoff may also wish to consider exploring temporary employment opportunities at the University through UTemp Staffing. Unemployment compensationIndividuals who meet eligibility criteria and who are laid off from the UW may be eligible for unemployment benefits. For more information, view UWHR’s Unemployment benefits webpages along with information provided by the Employment Security Department regarding unemployment benefits in WA state. Which of the following is a difference between skill variety and multitasking quizlet?Which of the following is a difference between skill variety and multitasking? Skill variety is the extent to which the work requires several activities for successful completion, whereas multitasking involves doing several tasks at the same time.
Which of the following is an advantage of telework?More free time and an improved work/life balance. Provides an opportunity for flexible scheduling. Reduces stress. Increases productivity and job satisfaction.
Which jobs analysis method is likely to be the fastest way for an organization to gather information about a large number of jobs inexpensively in a short period of time?Answer: E Explanation: When a large number of employees perform similar or identical tasks, then a group interview is a quick and inexpensive way to gather job analysis information. The work environment or age of the employees are not important factors in deciding whether a group interview is appropriate.
Which of the following statements is true of stay interviews?Which of the following statements is true of stay interviews? They usually focus on the employees' reasons for leaving an organization in order to improve retention.
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