This guidance is for completing the layoff process for a non-funding-contingent Career Faculty member who is in the United Academics bargaining unit. Please address any questions regarding this process to uoelr@uoregon.edu.
Note: This process does not apply to funding-contingent faculty. That process can be found on the Funding-Contingent Career Faculty Layoff Guidance page.
Process Overview
- Unit prepares and submits the layoff justification memo for approval;
- Layoff justification reviewed by ELR, the unit is then informed of the review decision;
- Unit informs impacted faculty member of the decision to lay them off and issues layoff notice letter to their UO Email and HR Operations.
Process Steps
Step 1. Layoff Justification Memo
The layoff justification memo is an internal document intended to help units plan their layoff and follow the criteria outlined in Article 16, Sections 11, 12, and 13, to ensure that adequate justification, appropriate rationale, and earned seniority are considered in the layoff decision. The memo must fully document the legitimate basis of the layoff decision and will be used if the layoff is challenged. Units must complete the layoff justification memo template and submit it to ELR for approval. Units may consult with ELR as needed in the preparation of their layoff justification memo. The final memo from the unit for ELR approval must also be signed by the School/College Dean or equivalent.
Units can use the Layoff Justification Memo template provided by ELR to complete this step, which is also available on the Tools/Templates webpage.
Step 2. Layoff Memo Approval by ELR
After unit and School/College level approval, the layoff justification memo must be sent to ELR (uoelr@uoregon.edu) for approval. Units are encouraged to send their memo at least one month prior to the anticipated notice date. Units may not provide layoff notice without ELR first approving the layoff.
Step 3. Layoff Notice Letter
After receiving ELR approval units are strongly encouraged to inform the impacted faculty member of the layoff decision verbally or in-person and are required to provide layoff notice using the Career Faculty Layoff Notice template. A copy of the Layoff Notice Letter should be sent to the impacted faculty members to their UO email address and to hrops@uoregon.edu, which will be used to generate the layoff PRF.
Units should retain copies of the approved Layoff Justification Memo and Layoff Notice Letter in case the layoff is challenged and taken to arbitration. Unit leaders should take time to plan and prepare for their conversation with the faculty member and be familiar with the UO’s career transition resources.
Additional Considerations
Layoff Notice Timelines:
- Career Faculty members who are in their first year of employment will have a notice period of at least 30 days before being laid off. For 9-month faculty, it is encouraged that the 30-days' notice be delivered during their appointment period.
- Career Faculty members who are in their second or subsequent years of employment, but have not achieved promotion, will have a notice period of at least 90 days before being laid off. For 9-month faculty, it is encouraged that the 90-days' notice be delivered during their appointment period.
- Career Faculty members who have achieved promotion will have a notice period of at least 365 days before being laid off.
Example Notice and Effective Layoff Dates:*
Career faculty members can be laid off from their position at any time with appropriate notice. The table below provides example notice and layoff dates with the required notice periods. Units are strongly encouraged to provide adequate notice as to align effective layoff dates with the conclusion of a given academic term and their operational needs. Units must provide benefits continuity for eligible faculty members through their termination date.
| Notice |
End of Fall Layoff (12/15) |
End of Winter Layoff (3/31) |
End of Spring Layoff (6/15) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 30-days notice | November 15 | March 1 | May 15 |
| 90-days notice | September 15 | January 1 | March 15 |
| 365-days notice | December 15 (previous year) | March 15 (previous year) | June 15 (previous year) |
*Term dates are approximate. Layoff justification memos must be submitted for approval 30 days in advanced of the anticipated layoff notice date.
Replacement and Rehiring
The CBA requires the following considerations for replacing or rehiring a laid off career faculty member:
- Article 15: Section 5. If the University lays off a bargaining unit faculty member in a position in the Career classification for economic or programmatic reasons (Article 16.12.b or c, or Article 25), then the position cannot be refilled in the Career, Visiting, Pro Tem, Retired, or Postdoctoral Scholar classifications within the subsequent two years unless approved by the Office of the Provost or unless the affected faculty member has been offered reinstatement and at least 30 days in which to accept or decline it. It is the bargaining unit faculty member’s responsibility to keep the university advised of their current email address for receipt of such offers. Reinstatements will be at the former rank or equivalent and follow Article 26, Section 11. If multiple bargaining unit faculty members have been laid off for economic or programmatic reasons within the previous two years and would meet the specific qualifications for the position as affirmed by the unit head, the University will offer reinstatement consistent with the principles in Article 16, Section 13.
- Article 26: Section 11. For For a period of two years post layoff, Career faculty members who are laid off for academic or financial reasons (Article 16, Section 12.b & c.) and who are rehired in the same category must retain the same or greater FTE as of the time of layoff. Laid off Career faculty members hired back into the same department or unit will be hired back at the same or greater FTE and salary.
More information on Career Faculty rehiring is available through HR Operations.