Voluntary Furlough Program
Procedure Administrator: Associate VP for Human Resources
Authority: N.J.A.C. 4A:6-1.23
Effective Date: January 25, 1996; January 26, 1996; May 30, 2009; August 10, 2010; December 29, 2018; April 9, 2021
Index Cross-References: Procedure 6153: Leaves of Absence
Procedure File Number: 6128
Approved By: Dr. Harvey Kesselman, President
The Voluntary Furlough Program (“Furlough Program”) is authorized and governed by
N.J.A.C. 4A:6-1.23.
The Furlough Program is intended to reduce salary costs and thereby lessen the need for reductions in the workforce by allowing employees in the career or unclassified services to take up to thirty (30) days off from work without pay in a calendar year without adversely affecting employee benefits and seniority. Furloughs are subject to the approval of the employer.
The Furlough Program cannot be utilized in place of sick or disability leave; rather, it is meant to accommodate personal leave needs without pay. State employees are prohibited from seeking alternate employment during furlough days, while retaining State-paid benefits.
Eligibility
With the approval of the University, all full and part-time employees are eligible to participate in the Furlough Program. Employees in a working test period shall have their working test period extended by any furlough days utilized during that period.
Application Procedure
General Conditions - The Furlough Program is administered by the Associate Vice President for Human Resources subject to monitoring, audit, and applicable rules issued by the New Jersey Civil Service Commission. Participation in the Furlough Program is on a voluntary basis and is limited to 30 workdays, or equivalent number of work hours in a calendar year without interruption of benefits. Leave may be extended an additional 60 days for childcare and/or educational reasons. Such extensions must be requested in blocks of 10 full-day increments but need not be used consecutively. Employees will continue to earn sick and vacation leave credits during approved extensions beyond the 30-day furlough, up to the maximum of 90 days. Thereafter, Leave without Pay or New Jersey Family Leave Act regulations apply.
Generally, approvals for this leave would be granted unless the Associate Vice President for Human Resources determines that the leave request would be detrimental to operational integrity, public safety or welfare, or result in additional overtime, temporary help costs, loss of anticipated revenue, or would be utilized in place of sick or disability.
Furlough Program participation options are as follows:
Option 1: Reduced Hours Worked Per Day
One to four-hour reduction per workday is possible provided that the reduction occurs at the start of or the end of a work shift.
Option 2: Reduced Days Worked Per Pay Period
Single day or multiple furlough days are possible under this option. For example, furlough could occur each Tuesday of the bi-weekly pay period (i.e., two days per pay period) or on specified calendar dates.
Option 3: Reduced Weeks Worked Per Year
A full workweek furlough is possible under this option. Weeks furloughed could be consecutive (e.g., December) or on a monthly basis (e.g., third weeks of each month) or as otherwise requested (e.g., first week of January, third week of March, etc.).
Application Form - Eligible employees who wish to participate in the Furlough Program must submit a request to their unit Manager on the University’s Request for Voluntary Furlough Program Form, which is available from the Office of Human Resources or on the Human Resource website.
Furlough Submission/Approval Process
An employee must submit an application to the employee's unit Manager at least ten working days prior to the effective request date.
Unit Managers shall review applications for participation pursuant to the General Conditions set forth above and make a recommendation to the Divisional Executive (or equivalent manager).
The Divisional Executive (or equivalent manager) shall review the recommendation and make appropriate recommendations to the Associate Vice President for Human Resources who will finalize the response to the request and notify the affected employee.
If approved for participation in the Program, an employee may not revise the request unless the employee provides written notice to the Office of Human Resources at least 10 working days in advance of the requested revision.
Review History:
Procedure Administrator 01/28/2021
Divisional Executive 02/03/2021
General Counsel 03/14/2021
Cabinet 04/081/ 2021
President 04/09/2021
