Voluntary Furlough & Early Retirement Program
The world is experiencing an unprecedented time. Unlike other crises or natural disasters, there are many unknowns surrounding COVID-19 and its effects, including how long it will continue to force us to change our daily routines and ways of going about our lives and work.
The health and wellbeing of members of our community is the top priority of the college as we execute our core mission to provide the finest liberal arts education to our students. We realize that new realities and uncertainties generated by COVID-19 and national, state and local responses to the disease may add another layer of complexity to how our community thinks about teaching and working at CC under new and complicated conditions.
Out of respect for our employees to make decisions concerning their health and wellbeing, the college is offering the following voluntary options for eligible faculty and staff. Please contact HR with any questions.
Voluntary Retirement Program - Faculty Only
The following option is available for faculty age 70 or older who are eligible for CC retirement benefits:
- Applications must be received by July 31, and notifications for approvals will be sent to employees.
- Paid 75% of annual salary for one year (8/1/2020 - 7/31/2020)
- Retirement effective August 1, 2020 and is irrevocable.
The following option is available for faculty age 59.5 to 69 who are eligible for the "Full Early" retirement program:
- Applications must be received by July 31, and notifications for approvals will be sent to employees.
- If application is approved for the "Full Early" program, the first year will be at 75% of your annual salary with no teach, research, or service obligations.
- Years Two and Three will transition into the regular agreement for the "Full Early" program at 50% of salary.
- This option is effective August 1, 2020 and is irrevocable.
If you are interested in participating in this program, please discuss with your supervisor, then download this form and submit to HR.
Voluntary Furlough Program - Faculty and Staff
This program is available for all ongoing (i.e. not temporary), benefits-eligible faculty and staff. Employees may elect either a 6-month or a 12-month furlough.
- Applications must be received by July 31, and notifications for approvals will be sent to employees.
- The effective date will begin August 1, 2020 and end on either January 31, 2021 (6-month furlough) or July 31, 2021 (12-month furlough). At the end of the unpaid furlough you will be offered reemployment in your current position, or a position that is similarly situated.
- Employees who take advantage of this opportunity will maintain health benefits, and the college will continue its portion of cost-sharing throughout the furlough.
- Employees may be eligible to collect unemployment benefits under these circumstances. Employees are encouraged to contact the local unemployment office for information on eligibility and applying for benefits.
- While this option is being offered broadly, approval of specific applications may not be possible in some cases, for varying reasons.
If you are interested in participating in this program, please discuss with your supervisor, then download this form and submit to your supervisor.
Frequently Asked Questions
Voluntary Furlough
Application Questions
-
What
are
the
steps
for
submitting
an
application?
- Discuss your role with your supervisor/department chair and whether or not your responsibilities might be halted or reassigned for either a 6-month or 12-month period.
- If your supervisor agrees, complete and submit the application to your supervisor/department chair.
- Supervisor/Department Chair signs/dates application and sends it to HR.
- HR confirms the information, signs/dates, and sends application to the Division Head/Dean for signature/date.
- Division Head/Dean sends executed application to Robert Moore for final approval/signature/date.
- HR notifies all employees who applied
-
How
do
I
know
if
I
am
in
a
position
not
critical
to
college
operations?
- Discuss with your supervisor whether your responsibilities might be halted or reassigned for either a 6-month or 12-month period
-
When
will
I
know
if
my
application
is
approved?
- Applicants will be notified if their applications are approved.
-
If
I
request
the
6-month
option,
what
six
months
will
that
be?
- Employees who choose the 6-month option will be furloughed from August 1, 2020 through January 31, 2021.
-
If
I
am
accepted
into
the
6-month
voluntary
furlough
program
can
I
change
it
before
the
end
of
the
6-month
period
to
12
months
(or
vice
versa).
- No, once you are accepted into the program you are in that program for the duration.
Benefit Questions
-
Am
I
still
eligible
for
tuition
assistance
if
my
application
for
the
voluntary
furlough
program
is
approved?
- Yes, employees receiving tuition assistance are still eligible for that assistance while on furlough.
-
Do
my
health
plan
elections
and
contributions
remain
the
same
if
my
application
for
the
voluntary
furlough
program
is
approved?
- Yes, your health plan elections remain the same and your contributions remain the same. The college will continue to cost-share with you at the same level.
-
How
will
I
pay
my
health
plan
premiums
if
I
do
not
have
payroll
from
which
to
deduct
them?
- You will receive payment coupons from WageWorks and you will pay your share to them.
-
If
my
furlough
application
is
accepted
and
my
spouse
loses
their
job
during
the
furlough
period,
may
I
add
my
spouse
to
my
insurance?
- Yes, that is a life event and a furloughed employee is still eligible for life event changes to the health plan while furloughed.
-
May
I
take
a
distribution
and/or
loan
from
my
retirement
account
if
I
am
approved
for
the
voluntary
furlough
program?
- CC's retirement plan adopted relief measures available due to the Coronavirus pandemic. The relief offers expanded loan amounts and distributions without penalty. For more information, visit the TIAA website at: https://www.tiaa.org/public/learn/prepare-unexpected/guiding-you-through-turbulent-times/cares-act
-
Do
my
years
of
service
still
accrue
for
purposes
of
tuition
assistance
and
tiger
service
awards
while
I
am
on
furlough?
- Yes.
Unemployment Questions
-
Will
I
be
eligible
for
unemployment
while
on
unpaid
furlough?
- Unemployment eligibility is a decision of the State, but all furloughed employees are encouraged to apply for unemployment.
-
How
do
I
file
for
unemployment?
- If you are a traditional employee and are not working or had your hours reduced, file a regular unemployment claim at colorado.gov/pacific/cdle/unemployment.
- If your last name begins with A to M, file your unemployment claim on a Sunday, Tuesday or Thursday, or after noon on Saturday. If your last name begins with N to Z, file your unemployment claim on Monday, Wednesday or Friday, or before noon on Saturday.
-
Do
you
know
if
the
Colorado
Department
of
Labor
will
award
unemployment
in
the
case
of
a
voluntary
furlough?
- We do not know if the Colorado Department of Labor and Employment will accept an optional furlough to qualify for unemployment. The DOL generally will not make blanket statements but will view each application as an individual case and make decisions based on the facts and circumstances of that case. Because we haven't yet had anyone make the application for furlough there haven't been any cases from CC that we can look to.
- We cannot say that any employee would be granted unemployment benefits but we do encourage every employee who separates from service to apply.
Employment Questions
-
If
I
am
on
voluntary
furlough,
will
the
college
lay
me
off
or
eliminate
my
job
before
I
return?
- If you are accepted for the voluntary furlough program you are guaranteed a job at the end of your furlough.
-
If
I
am
in
the
pool
of
candidates
for
a
job
and
the
search
is
now
on
hold,
if
the
search
resumes
before
the
end
of
my
voluntary
furlough,
am
I
still
considered
a
candidate?
- Yes, you will still be in the pool considered for the open position when the search resumes, unless you contact us to cancel your application.
-
If
approved
for
voluntary
furlough,
is
it
more
likely
that
my
job
will
be
cut
after
I
come
back?
Will
the
college
view
me
in
a
negative
light
for
taking
a
furlough?
Is
there
some
time
period
during
which
my
job
will
be
guaranteed
when
I
return.
-
This
opportunity
is
not
being
made
available
to
determine
which
jobs
can
be
cut.
Your
job,
or
a
similarly
situated
job,
will
be
available
to
you
at
the
end
of
your
furlough.
Reasons
for
offering
a
furlough
include:
- To give employees who are uncomfortable coming back to work because they are compromised or who live with someone who is compromised the ability to take time off while COVID responses (e.g. vaccine) continue to improve.
- To give employees who may not be able to work their full schedule from home the ability to take time off with benefits and job security.
- To help the college in responding to the financial shortfalls during this difficult time (see Robert Moore's email on financial impact of COVID sent 6/11).
-
This
opportunity
is
not
being
made
available
to
determine
which
jobs
can
be
cut.
Your
job,
or
a
similarly
situated
job,
will
be
available
to
you
at
the
end
of
your
furlough.
Reasons
for
offering
a
furlough
include:
-
If
I
am
selected
during
my
furlough
for
another
job
at
the
college
and
that
job
requires
a
start
date
before
the
end
of
my
furlough,
may
I
start
in
that
new
job
and
end
my
furlough
early?
- Yes, If you are selected for a open position at the college while you are on furlough and that position requires a start date prior to the end of your furlough, you may end your voluntary furlough early.
-
May
I
take
another
job
or
assignment
while
I
am
on
furlough?
- Yes, as long as it does not create a conflict of interest with your CC position. You must come back to work at the end of your furlough period or you will be terminated.
-
I
generally
don't
work
in
July
and
August
but
defer
my
pay
so
that
I
receive
paychecks
in
July
and
August
when
I'm
not
working.
If
I
am
approved
for
the
voluntary
furlough
will
I
still
receive
my
deferred
pay
in
August.
- Yes, you will still receive any pay earned and deferred.
Voluntary Early Retirement Incentive FAQs
-
If
I
am
approved
for
the
voluntary
retirement
incentive,
I
understand
I
will
be
paid
75%
of
my
salary
over
24
regular
pay
periods.
Will
I
be
able
to
take
a
distribution
from
my
retirement
account
to
supplement
my
reduced
salary?
- Yes, you may take a distribution from your retirement account. It will be an in-service distribution because you are still receiving pay from the college so not considered 'retired' by TIAA. You should contact TIAA to determine the amount available for distribution.