UI administrators have announced the details of two voluntary separation programs available only to employees in Urbana campus units.
Interested employees can enroll through April 2.
In an e-mail sent to deans, directors and department heads Jan. 28, Associate Provost for Human Resources Elyne Cole said given the economic problems facing the university, staff reductions are inevitable. These programs, she said, will give qualified employees an incentive to resign or retire voluntarily.
"These are difficult times for our campus, and we are looking to provide something positive to employees who have served our campus so well," she said.
The impact of the program on layoffs and notices of non-reappointment will depend on several factors, including the number of employees who choose to participate, units' strategic plans and changes in the state's financial health. In some units, participation may be helpful in limiting the number of employees who are laid off or given non-reappointment notices.
Interested employees will have until April 2 to apply for the program. Units will review the applications by April 14, and Human Resources will draft agreements for employees approved by units between April 15 and 23. As soon as employees receive a fully signed agreement, they will have seven days to change their minds.
The programs are voluntary and unit representatives should not initiate discussions with individual employees to encourage or discourage participation.
Voluntary separation qualifications
The Voluntary Separation Incentive Program is available to current civil service and academic professional employees who have worked for at least the last four consecutive years. Employees do not have to be retirement-eligible to qualify for this program, but may use this program to retire.
Eligible employees who wish to take advantage of the program may qualify to receive a lump sum payment of 50 percent of their current annual salary, up to a maximum payment of $75,000, less required deductions for federal and state income tax withholding and/or federal Medicare withholding. The payment will not be treated as earnings for the purpose of making contributions to the State Universities Retirement System.
The current annual base salary does not include overtime for civil service employees or administrative stipends for academic professionals.
Voluntary retirement qualifications
The Voluntary Retirement Program is available only to current faculty members who meet SURS retirement-eligibility requirements. Eligible employees who wish to voluntarily retire also may qualify to receive the same lump-sum payment as the voluntary separation offers.
How it works
All applications for the VSIP and VRP programs will be reviewed by campus human resources first and then forwarded to the appropriate college or major administrative unit office. The college office will distribute the information to the unit level. If an agreement is approved, employees will receive their incentive payments within 45 days of separation.
Because the programs are funded through each unit, denial or acceptance of applications is based on unit budget, the position's funding source and unit operational needs.
Units will consider whether an individual request has a financial benefit or return to the unit. Each unit may establish caps on the maximum amount of funding it will devote to the separation programs. No central funds are set aside for this program.
The university reserves the right to approve or deny separation agreements based on whether the separation is in the best interests of the affected unit and its ability to fulfill its missions.
Each employee will have seven calendar days from the date the agreement is fully signed by both the employee and the university to revoke it. Revocations must be in writing. For those who retire, future employment is governed by the current UI Board of Trustees guidelines on re-hiring retirees.
Those who choose to take advantage of the VSIP will have until Aug. 15, 2010, to leave the university, but employees may choose a date before that time. Those who resign must agree not to seek employment at the university for one year from the separation date.
Similarly, employees participating in the VRP must retire on or before Aug. 15, 2011. Any future employment for these individuals is governed by guidelines established by the board of trustees for re-hiring retirees.
Want to learn more?
Those interested in taking advantage of either program are encouraged to review the programs online and then speak with their unit head or designated representative. Campus human resources staff members also will be available to answer questions. Faculty members, other academic employees and academic professional employees may contact Sandy Jones, Academic Human Resources, 333-6747 or sjjones@uillinois.edu. Civil service employees may contact Corbin Smith, Staff Human Resources, 333-3105 or cjsmith1@uillinois.edu.
Information sessions
More information about both the retirement and separation programs will be provided at several information sessions to be held at the Beckman Institute auditorium.
Voluntary Retirement Program for faculty members
- 10:30-11:30 a.m. Feb. 5
- 1:30-2:30 p.m. Feb. 9
Voluntary Separation Incentive Program for civil service and academic professional employees
- 9:30-10:30 a.m. Feb. 9
- 3-4 p.m. Feb. 9