Thanks to so many of you for your help, engagement and suggestions on ways that together we can tackle an unexpected budget shortfall. In this article, you will find some additional thoughts around one of those suggestions – voluntary reduction in hours announced earlier this week via the Broadcast Message. Just to recap, I have asked that management take 3 mandatory furlough days in 2017, and we are asking that non-management employees consider taking a voluntarily reduction of time in 2017.
Many of you will remember this from a similar voluntary schedule reduction in 2009 and the details, to be found in the plan and policy are largely the same. This can be, for many, a very tangible way to ‘do something’ to help the organization while addressing a personal time need as well. Our thanks in advance for all volunteers. Please note, that to make sure we are appropriately staffed to meet core business needs at all time, all voluntary reductions of hours need approval in advance.
There are several ways it can work, depending on your work, the needs of your team and your personal situation. Common situations include:
Unpaid days off: Working in coordination with your leader, many work units know the day before or after a holiday are particularly slow. Think about taking that additional day off, days like September 3 (the day before the Labor Day Weekend), November 25 (the Friday of Thanksgiving week), or December 23 (the start of the Christmas holiday weekend).
Reduction in schedule: The most popular concepts here are a) I’ve have been wanting to reduce my FTE and have not wanted to bring it up or b) reducing for the summer, reducing a day a week or other mutually agreeable schedule change that helps you navigate life, and helps UConn Health.
Make a Vacation Day a Voluntary Reduction Day: Swap a planned paid vacation day for an unpaid day. The department has already planned not to have you, the vacation day stays in your bank AND you do a part in helping the organization.
Again this is voluntary not mandatory and requests will have to be approved by management to ensure that schedule reductions do not affect patient care or other critical functions. To apply for the voluntary reduction program, please talk to your leader or review the policy at http://health.uconn.edu/human-resources/services/benefits/leaves-of-absence/voluntary-schedule-reduction-program/.
So we can process and plan the work, we ask that all voluntary reductions proposed for Fiscal 2017 (July 1, 2016 to June 30, 2017) be submitted to your leaders no later than Friday, June 17th for consideration.
Sincerely,
Dr. Andrew Agwunobi, M.D., M.B.A.
Chief Executive Officer, UConn Health
Executive Vice President for Health Affairs
