You need to make your decisions by Feb. 22. Please read carefully and call the local at 619-296-4937 if you have any further questions.

1. Q. What are my choices?

You have these choices to make:

• EITHER have a 4-6% pay reduction every month over a 12-month period commencing with February 2010 earnings (paid March 2, 2010, or first bi-weekly pay period thereafter) and receive 11-16 temporary layoff days to schedule as you choose (default choice if you sign nothing)
• OR leave your monthly pay at the same rate, but take 11-16 unpaid temporary layoff days to schedule as you choose (REQUEST TO OPT OUT OF THE REGULAR PAY PERIOD SALARY REDUCTIONS form)
• Retroactively apply temporary layoff days to the six holiday closure days in Dec. 2009 (REQUEST TO OPT INTO THE RETROACTIVE APPLICATION OF TEMPORARY LAYOFF DAYS form)

For addition information see blink:  http://blink.ucsd.edu/sponsor/budgetline/CUE.html

2. Q.  How much will my pay be reduced?

That depends on what your annual full time salary is, according to the table below (which appears in your Notice of Temporary Layoff):

Annual Full Time Salary Amount as of January 2009	Days of Temporary Layoff	Corresponding Percentage Reduction in Salary
40,000 and below	11	4%
40,0001-50,000	13	5%
50,001 and above	16	6%

3. Q.  I only work part-time.  How is my salary reduced?

You have to look at what you would make if you worked 100% (your full-time rate).  This will tell you the rate at which your salary would be reduced. For example, your appointment is at 75%, and you make $33,000 a year. Your full time rate would be $44,000, which would place you in the 5% salary reduction band. Now take that percentage reduction and apply that to your actual earnings, which gives you an annual salary reduction of 5% x $33,000 = $1650, or $137.50 a month.

4. Q.  If I’m part-time, how would that affect my temporary layoff days?

Using the above example (75% appointment at 33K a year), your full time rate of $44,000 would put you in the middle band, which is 13 temporary layoff days. 75% of 13 is 9.75 days.

5. Q.  Can I take temporary layoff days when I want to? Can my boss tell me when I have to take my temporary layoff days?

In the temporary layoff –effects agreement negotiated between UC and CUE, temporary  layoff day requests are to be treated just like vacation requests.  They shall not be “unreasonably denied.”  Request your temporary layoff days in writing in advance in the same manner you make vacation requests.  If your department has approved closure days and you are scheduled for temporary layoff to coincide with an approved closure day, you have the option of advising your supervisor in writing that you do not wish to have your temporary layoff day coincide with the closure day and charge your absence to accrued vacation, comp time or no pay.  If your requests are denied, call CUE.

6. Q.  I want to take off my 11 temporary layoff days in April 2010. Can I do that?

If you’re on the monthly payroll reduction plan, you will accrue temporary layoff days similar to how you accrue vacation and sick leave. Your balance will be shown on your LASR form.  You won’t have enough days accrued to take the time off as temporary layoff days.

The only way you could do this with temporary layoff days is if you opt out of the salary reduction plan, but remember that your salary will then be reduced by 11 days pay in April if you want to do this.

7. Q.  When is the last day I can use my temporary layoff days?

Jan. 31, 2011.

8. Q. What happens if I don’t use all my temporary layoff days by that cutoff?

You will lose them.

9. Q. Will I be allowed to apply my temporary layoff days to the 2010 holiday closure?

UCSD has not issued any announcements about a closure for the 2010 holidays, but there may be a closure similar to previous years.  It could be as little as 3 days or as long as 6 days.  Keep that in mind as you use your temporary layoff days. If you save 6 days for the closure, and it turns out that UCSD is only closed for 3 days between holidays, you can apply the remaining temporary layoff days in January 2011.

10. Q.  What happens if I do not opt out of equal salary reduction and do not opt into the retroactive holiday application, i.e. do nothing and accept the default?

You will automatically be enrolled in the monthly payroll  reduction program, and will accrue temporary layoff days to use no later than Jan. 31, 2011. You will not be able to retroactively apply temporary layoff days to the December 2009 holiday closure.

11. Q. I am a medical center employee (paid biweekly, not monthly). Does this apply to me?

No.  All UC medical centers and positions funded by contracts and grants were exempted from the UC salary cut/furlough program by UC President Yudof and the UC regents. It was this salary cut/furlough program which necessitated the temporary layoff-effects agreement between UC and CUE.   In addition, the UCSD Medical Center has informed CUE that they have no intention of doing temporary layoffs.

12. Q. I’m on START, does this apply to me?

As long as you are enrolled at a percentage rate of reduction equal to or greater than the percentage band from the table above, no.

13. Q. I went on START, and then quit START. Do I get any credit towards the payroll reduction?

UCSD is allowing participation in START from Sept. 2009 forward to count towards the temporary layoff program.  Any START reductions you made during that time will count towards the total annual reduction you will be expected to make. 

14. Q. If I take the unpaid temporary layoff days and pay reduction all at once, will I be able to receive unemployment benefits?

While CUE cannot guarantee that anyone will get unemployment assistance, we urge you to apply for  unemployment and any other forms of assistance for which you may be eligible since this layoff represents a significant pay cut.    You should apply for those benefits no later than the first day of your layoff, in order to receive the maximum benefit to which you are entitled.  Application may be made on the website for Employment Development Department. (EDD: http://www.edd.ca.gov/)
 We recommend that employees taking the layoff days for a consecutive period of time and seeking unemployment insurance payments put aside savings on their own in case their claim is denied.  Please note, the first 5 days of temporary layoff are not counted for unemployment assistance.
Taking the temporary layoff period adjacent to paid holidays or paid vacation days may result in denial of an unemployment claim.  EDD claims are by the calendar week, so you should take the layoff over 2 full weeks if possible.

15. Q.  I want to do the 12-month salary reduction program, and apply temporary layoff days to the 2009 holiday closure, which I charged to vacation or comp time. What do I need to do?

You need to fill out the Request to opt into the retroactive application of temporary layoff days form. You can specify how many temporary layoff days you want to apply to the holiday closure (up to 6), and they will be deducted from the total number of temporary layoff days you can use through Jan. 31, 2011 (for example: if you have 11 temporary layoff days, and apply 6 to the closure, you will have 5 left to use). Then your vacation leave or comp time balances will be restored. 

16. Q.  If I opt out of the salary reduction program and take all of my temporary layoff days as a 2-week layoff, will my vacation and sick leave and retirement credits be affected?

Because the temporary layoff days are unpaid, you will not accrue vacation time or sick leave or retirement credit for that period. However, if you obtain EDD and other assistance benefits, they will likely be greater than the cash value of your vacation and sick leave.  It’s your decision to trade off one for the other.

17. Q.  I want to OPT OUT of the 12-month salary reduction program and apply 6 of my temporary layoff days to the December 2009 closure. Why do I have to pay them back?

Temporary layoff days are unpaid days.  If you used vacation or comp time for the 2009 closure, you received a full paycheck for December earnings.  UCSD will recredit your comp time or vacation leave, but to retroactively make those temporary layoff days, you will have to pay UCSD back. You can do so over a 3 month period. We don’t foresee many people choosing this option, but if you want to, it’s there.

18. Q.  I already made my selections, but after reading this, I’d like to change them.

Talk to your supervisor or department head immediately and see if they can accommodate you. If not, you can call the local at 619-296-4937 or email us at info@cuesd.net and we’ll do our best to assist you.  The deadline for making your selections is Feb. 22.

http://www.cueunion.org/bargaining/2008/docs/CUE-Temp-Layoff-Effects-Agreement-12.4.09_redacted.pdf