Staff and Academic Reduction in Time (START) Program: Announcement
June 25, 2008
To: Deans, Directors, Department Chairs, and Administrative Officers, All Staff, and Non-Senate Academic Employees
From: Patti Owen, Assistant Vice Provost -- Academic Personnel
Jeannine Raymond, Assistant Vice Chancellor -- Human Resources
Subj: Staff and Academic Reduction in Time (START) Program, 2008 - 2010
As you may be aware, the University is implementing a new two-year Staff and Academic Reduction in Time (START) Program to enable non-probationary career staff and academic appointees, except those in faculty and student academic titles and Postdoctoral Scholars, an opportunity to voluntarily reduce their working time and corresponding pay. The reduction in time and pay will help us achieve temporary salary savings during this period of budgetary shortfall. The program will be in effect from July 1, 2008 through June 30, 2010.
As soon as possible, department heads should decide whether the START program can be made available to department employees based on operational needs of their area, and communicate that decision, preferably in writing, to their employees. In departments that choose to participate in START, an employee may request the department head’s approval to voluntarily reduce working time, for a period of one month to a maximum of 24 months, in exchange for a number of advantages. Requests will be reviewed on a case by case basis and decisions based on the operational needs of the department.
For exclusively represented employees, participation in START is subject to collective bargaining. These employees should check with Labor Relations in Human Resources (labrel@berkeley.edu) or their Department Human Resources Manager to determine their eligibility to participate in the program.
Program guidelines, a program brochure describing the features of START with useful questions and answers, START contract forms, and Berkeley’s implementing procedures are available online at:
http://hrweb.berkeley.edu/policy/start2009/start2009_toc.htm (updated for 2009)
Arrangements should be made by the department to make these materials available to employees who do not have access to a computer.
The University has provided flexibility in the design of START to give departments latitude in implementing the program effectively within the context of their missions, operational needs, service requirements, and budgets. In negotiating individual START work schedules with employees, it will be most important that managers and supervisors evaluate departmental priorities and adjust workloads to ensure that functional objectives continue to be met.
Questions about the Berkeley Implementation Procedures should be directed to your Department Human Resources Manager, your Employee Relations Consultant or the Academic Personnel Office at APpolicy@berkeley.edu.