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<p><em><strong>Answer:</strong> This is a detail that the College and the FA are still working out.</em></p>
<p><strong>Question:</strong> Can you please explain bumping rights in more detail? Who is at risk of being bumped? What then happens to the bumped person? When will people who are being bumped be notified?</p>
<p><em><strong>Answer:</strong> Bumping rights are dictated by Civil Service rules. An individual who has more seniority than </em><br /><em>the least senior person in the same title can bump that person. There are also retreat rights that allow the person who is losing their position to bump someone in a lower title, but in the same progression such as a Secretary I who can bump a Secretary II. The rules are complicated and Civil Service provides us with the rights of each individual in the affected titles.</em></p>
<p><strong>Question:</strong> My question is on the CSEA side. We are eliminating positions both filled and unfilled. What <br />happens with the workload? With a tight budget and management wanting things done in an expedient order how will we be compensated going forward?</p>
<p><em><strong>Answer:</strong> Management will evaluate closely how effective we can be in maintaining the obligations of the various departments. Every effort will be taken to shift some duties and again, eliminate some of the activities carried out in the past. As for compensation, the College will adhere to the rules of the bargaining unit contract; those employees working out of title will be so compensated. Those employees being asked to work additional hours will be paid overtime.</em></p>
<p><strong>Question:</strong> We all need a realistic timeline that will be followed even if it requires everyone to make <br />tough quick decisions. I need to be able to plan...we all do. Those in tough financial situations such as me only have so many options and some are running out or have run out. Can we put a strict deadline and make the decisions by then? We do not even have a loose deadline to look forward to.</p>
<p><em><strong>Answer:</strong> Management has proposed an August 31st deadline as stipulated in the FA contract to the </em><br /><em>Faculty Resource Committee.</em></p>
<p><strong>Question:</strong> What is the rationale for arbitrarily eliminating vacant positions? If the end goal here is to <br />have a leaner more efficient organization it seems like the role of the position and how critical it is to college operations should be prioritized over whether the position is currently vacant or not.</p>
<p><em><strong>Answer:</strong> Every vacant position is reviewed under the guidelines of the Board of Trustees Hiring Freeze. Given our circumstances many are eliminated. If a position is approved to be filled, internal searches are conducted first. If that is unsuccessful, external searches require Presidential approval.</em></p>
<p><strong>Question:</strong> Is there a target timeline for discussions with FA about position eliminations? How much notice will people have about their positions being eliminated?</p>
<p><em><strong>Answer:</strong> An August 31st deadline has been proposed. All contractual notification periods and compensation will be implemented.</em></p>
<p><strong>Question:</strong> If an employee is laid off and have less than a month to be vested will you take this into <br />consideration when determining their last day of employment.</p>
<p><em><strong>Answer:</strong> Yes, these will be considered on a case-by-case basis.</em></p>
<p><strong>Question:</strong> When will we find out the process of bumping employees for CSEA members?</p>
<p><em><strong>Answer:</strong> We are working with Civil Service and hope to have all the information available by early to </em><br /><em>this week.</em></p>
<p><strong>Question:</strong> Can you at least let the individuals who are being considered for lay off know? I think it will <br />help with anxiety as knowing is better than not knowing even if the end result works in the favor of the staff member.</p>
<p><em><strong>Answer:</strong> Violation of a legally binding collective bargaining agreement is not in the best interest of the </em><br /><em>College or our employees.</em></p>
<p><strong>Question:</strong> Can you please explain what you mean by the contract is honoring 30 days for CSEA?</p>
<p><em><strong>Answer:</strong> CSEA members whose position is eliminated will receive 30 days compensation.</em></p>
<p><strong>Question:</strong> Could you please let us know an approximate timeline of when everything will be completed <br />for FA employees whose positions will be eliminated?</p>
<p><em><strong>Answer:</strong> Management has proposed an August 31st deadline to be in compliance with the FA contract.</em></p>
<p><strong>Question:</strong> Why are you telling people who have been laid off to keep it a secret from other staff? These <br />people need to be supported from colleagues.</p>
<p><em><strong>Answer:</strong> Maintaining confidentiality has to do with not violating contractual responsibilities to interact </em><br /><em>in good faith with Article 8 of the FA contract.</em></p>
<p><strong>Question:</strong> Did Bethany say the FA contract states a year's notice for those employee's whose position <br />will be eliminated?</p>
<p><em><strong>Answer:</strong> Yes. The underutilization language in the contract requires a one-year notice period for layoff </em><br /><em>and also sets the effective date for layoff as August 31.</em></p>
<p><strong>Question:</strong> My daughter has been trying to contact someone on how to sign up for monthly <br />payments...no one is answering their phones. What should she do? Obviously, she probably <br />has been dropped. Now what?</p>
<p><em><strong>Answer:</strong> Students can enroll in the payment plan online by visiting the following link: </em><br /><em><a href="https://www.monroecc.edu/etsdbs/MCCatPub.nsf/Financial+Information/C.?OpenDocument">https://www.monroecc.edu/etsdbs/MCCatPub.nsf/Financial+Information/C.?OpenDocument</a></em></p>
<p><em>In addition, students and parents are encouraged to contact the Student Accounts Office at </em><br /><em>292-2015 or via email to studentaccounts@monroecc.edu.</em></p>
<p><strong>Question:</strong> What about comp time? Our contract indicates that we would receive comp time over our <br />contractual 35 hours. Many of us have acquired hundreds of extra hours over these past <br />months.</p>
<p><em><strong>Answer:</strong> Per page 52 of the Faculty contract (Section I), an employee will receive additional </em><br /><em>compensation when performing additional responsibilities which require working beyond </em><br /><em>their normal work week provided the assignment/compensation has been pre-approved by </em><br /><em>the Vice President. Per Section H, the additional compensation should be used in the form </em><br /><em>of flex time within 20 days unless extended. If that is not practical, the employee will be </em><br /><em>compensated at their salary/hourly rate.</em></p>
<p><strong>Question:</strong> When will we know who's being laid off before August 31st?</p>
<p><em><strong>Answer:</strong> Management has proposed a deadline of August 31st in order to be in compliance with the FA </em><br /><em>contract.</em></p>

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MCC Daily Tribune

Responses to Unanswered Questions from August 21st MCC Town Hall

Question: Can Bethany please explain how the seniority for position elimination works and give an example please?

Answer: This is a detail that the College and the FA are still working out.

Question: Can you please explain bumping rights in more detail? Who is at risk of being bumped? What then happens to the bumped person? When will people who are being bumped be notified?

Answer: Bumping rights are dictated by Civil Service rules. An individual who has more seniority than
the least senior person in the same title can bump that person. There are also retreat rights that allow the person who is losing their position to bump someone in a lower title, but in the same progression such as a Secretary I who can bump a Secretary II. The rules are complicated and Civil Service provides us with the rights of each individual in the affected titles.

Question: My question is on the CSEA side. We are eliminating positions both filled and unfilled. What
happens with the workload? With a tight budget and management wanting things done in an expedient order how will we be compensated going forward?

Answer: Management will evaluate closely how effective we can be in maintaining the obligations of the various departments. Every effort will be taken to shift some duties and again, eliminate some of the activities carried out in the past. As for compensation, the College will adhere to the rules of the bargaining unit contract; those employees working out of title will be so compensated. Those employees being asked to work additional hours will be paid overtime.

Question: We all need a realistic timeline that will be followed even if it requires everyone to make
tough quick decisions. I need to be able to plan...we all do. Those in tough financial situations such as me only have so many options and some are running out or have run out. Can we put a strict deadline and make the decisions by then? We do not even have a loose deadline to look forward to.

Answer: Management has proposed an August 31st deadline as stipulated in the FA contract to the
Faculty Resource Committee.

Question: What is the rationale for arbitrarily eliminating vacant positions? If the end goal here is to
have a leaner more efficient organization it seems like the role of the position and how critical it is to college operations should be prioritized over whether the position is currently vacant or not.

Answer: Every vacant position is reviewed under the guidelines of the Board of Trustees Hiring Freeze. Given our circumstances many are eliminated. If a position is approved to be filled, internal searches are conducted first. If that is unsuccessful, external searches require Presidential approval.

Question: Is there a target timeline for discussions with FA about position eliminations? How much notice will people have about their positions being eliminated?

Answer: An August 31st deadline has been proposed. All contractual notification periods and compensation will be implemented.

Question: If an employee is laid off and have less than a month to be vested will you take this into
consideration when determining their last day of employment.

Answer: Yes, these will be considered on a case-by-case basis.

Question: When will we find out the process of bumping employees for CSEA members?

Answer: We are working with Civil Service and hope to have all the information available by early to
this week.

Question: Can you at least let the individuals who are being considered for lay off know? I think it will
help with anxiety as knowing is better than not knowing even if the end result works in the favor of the staff member.

Answer: Violation of a legally binding collective bargaining agreement is not in the best interest of the
College or our employees.

Question: Can you please explain what you mean by the contract is honoring 30 days for CSEA?

Answer: CSEA members whose position is eliminated will receive 30 days compensation.

Question: Could you please let us know an approximate timeline of when everything will be completed
for FA employees whose positions will be eliminated?

Answer: Management has proposed an August 31st deadline to be in compliance with the FA contract.

Question: Why are you telling people who have been laid off to keep it a secret from other staff? These
people need to be supported from colleagues.

Answer: Maintaining confidentiality has to do with not violating contractual responsibilities to interact
in good faith with Article 8 of the FA contract.

Question: Did Bethany say the FA contract states a year's notice for those employee's whose position
will be eliminated?

Answer: Yes. The underutilization language in the contract requires a one-year notice period for layoff
and also sets the effective date for layoff as August 31.

Question: My daughter has been trying to contact someone on how to sign up for monthly
payments...no one is answering their phones. What should she do? Obviously, she probably
has been dropped. Now what?

Answer: Students can enroll in the payment plan online by visiting the following link:
https://www.monroecc.edu/etsdbs/MCCatPub.nsf/Financial+Information/C.?OpenDocument

In addition, students and parents are encouraged to contact the Student Accounts Office at
292-2015 or via email to studentaccounts@monroecc.edu.

Question: What about comp time? Our contract indicates that we would receive comp time over our
contractual 35 hours. Many of us have acquired hundreds of extra hours over these past
months.

Answer: Per page 52 of the Faculty contract (Section I), an employee will receive additional
compensation when performing additional responsibilities which require working beyond
their normal work week provided the assignment/compensation has been pre-approved by
the Vice President. Per Section H, the additional compensation should be used in the form
of flex time within 20 days unless extended. If that is not practical, the employee will be
compensated at their salary/hourly rate.

Question: When will we know who's being laid off before August 31st?

Answer: Management has proposed a deadline of August 31st in order to be in compliance with the FA
contract.

Katherine Douglas
Office of the President
08/26/2020