Staff and Academic Reduction in Time (START) Program: Berkeley Campus Implementing Procedures
The START Program is one of several strategies available to managers to address budgetary constraints. When considering START requests from employees, managers should keep in mind such issues as workload considerations, the need to reduce expenditures, and vacation leave balances.
Effective dates: July 1, 2008 to June 30, 2010.
- Program overview
- Enrolling in the START program
- Deadlines for processing contracts
- Submitting the forms – handling confidential information with care
- Managing vacation leave balances
- Responsibilities of the department head
- Frequently Asked Questions
- 2009 START Updates
- 2009 START Additional Frequently Asked Questions
Program overview:
For details about the START Program and information on how to begin your participation in START:
http://atyourservice.ucop.edu/employees/policies_employee_labor_relations/start/qna.html.
Full program description: http://atyourservice.ucop.edu/employees/policies_employee_labor_relations/start/index.html.
Enrolling in the START program:
- If the program is being offered by the department, the employee initiates the process of enrolling by completing the START Contract, UCB Version (U270) and submitting it to the supervisor for approval.
- The manager or supervisor makes a decision regarding the employee's participation in accordance with departmental or unit procedures. If approved, the department head signs the contract form, and the supervisor informs the employee of that decision. If the contract is not approved, the supervisor should provide the employee with a reason, in writing.
- If the employee's participation is approved, the supervisor sends a copy of the signed contract to Human Resources Records Management Unit (2150 Shattuck Ave, Ste #750) and gives a copy to the employee. The department is the office of record and should maintain the contract in the employee’s personnel file.
- The Human Resources Records Management Unit will send copies to the Academic Personnel Office if appropriate and in all cases to Retirement Administration at Office of the President.
- If the START contract changes in accordance with program guidelines (e.g., an employee elects to terminate his/her START contract early), the department must submit a signed Contract Amendment (U271) to Records Management in accordance with departmental payroll deadlines.
Deadlines for processing contracts:
- For contracts to be effective July 1, 2008: Contract forms for employees paid semi-monthly or monthly must be received in Human Resources Records Management Records Management by 5 pm on July 7, 2008.
- For subsequent months: Contract forms for all pay schedules must be received in Human Resources Records Management by the first of the month in which the START schedule is to be effective. For example, START contracts to be effective on August 1 must be received by 5:00 pm on August 1.
- Human Resources Records Management will enter the data from the contracts into HRMS.
- For employees who are paid monthly, a START contract must begin on the first day of a month and end of the last day of a month. For employees who are paid semi-monthly, time reductions are to be made in two semi-monthly increments, so a START contract would begin on the first day of the semi-monthly pay period and end on the last day of the second semi-monthly pay period.
- No requests that require retroactive payroll processing can be considered. If contract forms are received after these published processing deadlines, the START effective date will be modified to the following pay period. Departments should develop internal processes to ensure sufficient time for review and approvals.
Submitting the forms – handling confidential information with care:
The START participant’s department is the office of record for START forms. The forms reside in the employee’s personnel file. Recommended methods of sending the confidential copies of the START contract to the office of Records Management in Human Resources are:
- By FAX: (510) 642-1882 (this is a secure machine located in the Records Management office)
- Hand delivered or in campus mail (in a sealed envelope marked “CONFIDENTIAL”):
Records Management, Human Resources
University of California, Berkeley
2150 Shattuck Ave., Suite #750
Berkeley, CA 94704-3540.
Managing vacation leave balances:
Employees participating in START earn vacation at pre-START rates. Departments will need to monitor this, particularly for employees who are close to reaching vacation accrual limits while participating in START. Failure to consider this issue may result in financial liability to the department, reducing or even eliminating any gains from the employee's participation in START. For these and other concerns, departments may want to consult with their Employee Relations Consultant, the HR Help Desk (643-4443), or the Academic Personnel Office at APpolicy@berkeley.edu.
Responsibilities of the department head:
Once the department makes a decision as to whether or not the program will be offered to eligible employees, the decision should be communicated to employees, preferably in writing. If the decision is to allow employees to participate in START, the department will need to clarify the approval process.
ADDITIONAL FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS:
The following questions were received from the campus during the comment period regarding the START Program. The responses are intended to supplement the general questions and answers found at http://atyourservice.ucop.edu/employees/policies_employee_labor_relations/start/qna.html
Can represented employees participate in START? (See 2009 START Additional Frequently Asked Questions for participation at 5%)
UPTE has agreed to participate in the START program for employees in the following collective bargaining units:
- Technical Unit (TX)
- Research Support Professionals Unit (RX)
- Health Care Professionals Unit (HX)
AFSCME has agreed to participate in the START program for employees in the following collective bargaining units:
- Service Unit (SX)
- Patient Care Technical Unit (EX)
The American Federation of Teachers has agreed to participate in the START program for the Professional Librarians Unit (LX).
The California Nurses Association has agreed to participate in the START program for the Registered Nurse Unit (CNA/NX).
CUE has agreed to participate in the START program for employees in the Clerical Unit (CX), effective August 1, 2008.
Represented employees in the following groups are not eligible to participate in the START program because their terms and conditions of employment do not meet the START eligibility requirements:
- Academic student employees employed under the terms of the UAW contract
- Non-senate faculty covered by the Memorandum of Understanding with the UC-AFT
Eligibility for other represented employees is subject to agreement by the representing unions. Discussions with these bargaining units are ongoing, and updated information will be posted on this website when available.
Will the new START Program account for holiday pay the same way it was under the former START Program?
Yes. Under START, you will receive holiday pay in proportion to your reduced time in accordance with the applicable personnel policy or collective bargaining agreement.
Will there be a special time sheet training by ER to deal with the START Program?
For these and other concerns, departments may want to consult with Human Resources Records Management at: 642-5470, the Academic Personnel Office at APpolicy@berkeley.edu, or their Employee Relations Consultant.
How will this program change FMLA leave policies on campus?
FMLA entitles an eligible employee to a total of 12 workweeks of leave during any 12-month period when: 1) an employee has a son or daughter in need of care; 2) a child is placed with an employee for adoption or foster care; 3) an employee needs to care for the serious health condition of a spouse, son, daughter, or parent.; or 4) an employee has a serious health condition that makes the employee unable to perform his or her job functions. Participation in START could affect the hours you have available under the Family Medical Leave Act because the hours available to you would be pro-rated based on the actual hours you work. However, your eligibility for health and welfare benefits will remain at pre-START levels as long as your pay status does not fall below 50% time. For more information about leave policies, please contact your Department Human Resource Manager or your Employee Relations Consultant.
Will departments receive clear, implementing guidelines for handling multiple START contracts from a single employee within a fiscal year?
Yes. Guidelines are available at http://atyourservice.ucop.edu/employees/policies_employee_labor_relations/start/guidelines.pdf.
Will departments be allowed to keep their START Program salary savings?
Whether or not a department will keep its START Program salary savings will vary by control unit.
Is there a required period of service to qualify for this program?
No. There is no additional required service period to qualify for START. All academic appointees, except those in faculty and student academic titles and Postdoctoral Scholars, and full or part-time (at least 60% time pre-START) non-probationary career (“regular status”) staff may qualify for participation in START.