Brown’s Staff Voluntary WorkShare Program comes from a unique WorkShare opportunity offered by the State of Rhode Island, Department of Labor and Training (DLT). Staff who need work flexibility may elect to receive unemployment benefits for reduced hours worked (1-2 days per week reduction) during an eight week furlough period. The DLT has provided guidelines on how Brown must administer the SVWP as it pertains to use of accrued time, scheduling furlough days, eligibility for additional hours worked and unemployment insurance payments.
About the Program | Pay and Benefits | Furlough Days
About the Program
What is the SVWP and why is Brown offering this program at this time?
The Staff Voluntary WorkShare Program (SVWP) will allow staff to apply to participate in a voluntary, partially paid furlough for one or two days per week over a duration of eight weeks beginning on April 4, 2021, and ending on May 29, 2021. This program creates cost savings for the University through the reduction of total salary expenditures and payroll costs while also giving eligible staff the opportunity to be partially compensated for taking time out of their work week for personal time to address life priorities.
Brown is offering this program to staff who are working remotely or designated as “limited,” and who meet the eligibility criteria (outlined in the question below). Eligible staff who elect to participate in this program will retain their active full-time employment status and continue to access their Brown enrolled benefits. Participation will be approved by a staff member’s manager, in consultation with the department head, and consistent furlough days (the same one or two days every week) will be set by the staff member’s department based on operational needs and business continuity for the University. Staff cannot work on the approved furlough days.
Who is eligible to participate in this program?
The SVWP will be available to Brown staff who meet all of the following criteria:
- Active non-union staff member of grade 13 or below, or authorized union staff;
- Hold a regular position (not seasonal, temporary, grant-funded, contract or fixed-term), with a full time equivalent of 100%;
- Have an essential designation of “remote” or “essential-limited” (see the University Human Resources FAQ for more information about designations);
- Is eligible for Rhode Island unemployment benefits; and
- Actively being paid (e.g. employee is not currently on unpaid leave).
Do participating staff need to participate for the full eight weeks?
Yes, participating staff must participate for the full voluntary furlough period, unless you move into a position where you are no longer eligible or you have a qualifying life event. Qualifying life events include:
- marriage or divorce of employee
- birth, adoption or death, or acquiring new dependent
- the beginning or ending of your spouse’s employment
- a change from full-time to part-time employment
- when there is a change in employment status for you, your spouse or your covered dependent, including a strike or lockout, or commencement
- return from an unpaid Family/Medical Leave or Rhode Island Parental and Family Medical Leave of Absence (FML or RIPFML)
How do staff members request participation in this program?You must meet the eligibility criteria and have received a direct email notifying you of the opportunity to participate in this program. If eligible, requests to participate in this program will be submitted through Workday for the one- or two-day WorkShare program and note the preferred furlough day(s). The days of the week must be consistent each week of the program. Submission of the request will acknowledge your intended compliance with program requirements, including any tracking time worked, furlough days and time off, as applicable. Eligible staff can begin the request process for a 1 day WorkShare click here or for a 2 day WorkShare click here.
What is the deadline for requesting to opt into the program?
Eligible employees must submit the request in Workday by March 25, 2021. Approved staff will receive official notification on or before April 1, 2021.
What is the approval process?
Once you submit your request in Workday, it will route to your manager for review and approval. Managers should work in consultation with their department heads to set furlough days. Staff members’ furlough day preference should be reviewed and accommodated whenever possible. Approvals will be granted based on operational needs and business continuity for the department. Departments are encouraged to support staff that request to participate in this program.
The RI Department of Labor guidelines require a minimum level of participation for Brown to facilitate the program, so it is important that staff who are eligible and interested in participating submit their applications by the deadline to ensure implementation of the program.
If I am a manager, how do I review and approve requests?
Managers with eligible staff will receive a program overview with guidance for managers on the process for reviewing requests, including what factors to consider in evaluating requests from multiple staff members.
Can a staff member’s request to participate in the program be denied?
Requests may be denied if operational needs cannot be sustained over the eight week furlough period. Managers must follow up directly with the employee when denying the request. Denied requests require a stated reason for denial.
Will I be penalized for participating in this program?
No. Brown welcomes staff participation in the program. Brown is offering this program to proactively support employees who desire work flexibility, while defraying staffing costs for the University. Participating in this program will not impact future programmatic or staffing decisions.
Will this program be extended beyond May 29, 2021?
Brown is deploying phase three of this program for an eight week period with the support of the State of Rhode Island. If the program is successful and there is an ongoing demand, it may be extended. Participants in this offering of the program do not need to extend their participation in the third phase beyond May 29, 2021, but may choose to continue with the program if extended.
How do I access my submitted request to participate in Workday?
Once a staff member submits their request in Workday, it’s status can be viewed by using the My SVWP Status report in your Request app in Workday.
Pay and Benefits
Do I need to apply to the State of Rhode Island to receive unemployment benefits?
Yes, approved participants will need to apply for unemployment benefits through the DLT. Details on how to apply will be provided to approved program participants directly via email from [email protected] (please watch for an email from this address).
How will I receive the State of Rhode Island unemployment benefits? How often will I receive this benefit?
Upon program participation approval, you will receive the DLT unemployment benefit forms via email from [email protected]. Forms must be completed, scanned and submitted back to [email protected] by November 1, 2020, to receive unemployment benefits. Unemployment benefits are paid on a bi-weekly basis by the State of Rhode Island regardless of your pay cycle in your Brown position.
How can I confirm how much WorkShare benefit I am eligible for through the State of Rhode Island?
The State of Rhode Island has published a WorkShare chart to display estimated total unemployment benefits for which you may be eligible. Brown has also created examples to help staff estimate their potential salary changes including sample health elections and taxation. Participants are also eligible for any federal unemployment benefits.
How will participation impact my Brown benefits?
Your access to benefits will remain unchanged. Your contributions for all non-retirement based benefits will continue at their current rate. Additionally, your health and dental insurance employee contributions will remain the same. Contributions to your 403b are wage-dependent, meaning if your wages are limited by an abbreviated schedule, your contributions from both Brown and your current voluntary contribution will be reduced accordingly. Retirement contributions will continue to be based on actual pay received as a Brown employee (this does not include the state unemployment insurance).
How will my time off be accrued?
Your time off will continue to be accrued at your full-time equivalent accrual rate.
I am a non-exempt employee; how do I enter my time for my approved furlough days?
You should use the WorkShare day time type in Time Tracking for your approved furlough days. Furlough days will not be paid by Brown.
I am exempt; do I need to enter time?
No. To comply with Rhode Island’s WorkShare program requirements, the University needs to provide reports to the DLT confirming that its employees are working reduced schedules aligned with those for which the WorkShare plan is approved. For exempt (salaried) employees participating in the program, the University expects that opting into a 1 day program work no more than 30 hours per week (32 hours for those working 40 hours as a standard workweek) those opting into a 2 day program work no more than 22.5 hours per week (24 hours for those working 40 hours as a standard workweek). This is what the University will report to the DLT.
By submitting this request, exempt employees commit to notifying [email protected] no later than Monday at 11 AM if the actual hours that they work in the previous week during the Program deviate from this estimate. In the event the University identifies that an exempt employee has failed to give such notice, the employee may be subject to discipline. Nothing in this application or the workshare program shall change the fact that salaried employees are exempt and not entitled to overtime pay.
Furlough Days
May I take furlough days in partial days or does it have to be in full-day increments?
A furlough day must be taken in a full-day increment.
May I work during a furlough day?
No, a participating employee is not allowed to work on the furlough day(s). Supervisors may not require, ask, or permit employees to work on a furlough day. Work not permitted includes reviewing or responding to work emails.
Can my department change my furlough days week to week?
Departments cannot vary furlough days without substantial business requirements to do so. Furlough days should remain consistent (the same one or two days each week) throughout the SVWP for the duration of the seven-week furlough period and will be set by the department based on operational needs and business continuity for the University. Furlough day(s) cannot be changed without approval by the department and University Human Resources and cannot change without adequate notice (five business days) unless it is during a holiday week. See additional questions below.
Why does a colleague in a different department have different furlough days?
Furlough days are set by the department based on their business needs and therefore will vary from department to department.
Am I allowed to work extra hours during my non-furlough days?
You should be adhering to your regular schedule for your non-furlough days while on SVWP.
What happens if one of my furlough days falls on a holiday?
A participant cannot receive unemployment benefits on a day for which they are also getting paid for the holiday. The holiday will be counted toward your non-furlough days (since the participant is getting a full day of pay for the holiday from Brown). As a result, a participant would move their furlough day from the holiday to another day during the week.
My furlough days are Thursday and Friday. During a holiday week, can I use vacation time for my three working days so I can be out for a full week and still receive my WorkShare benefit payment?
No; the DLT WorkShare program requires that a participant works at least one non-furlough day during any given week in order to qualify for the benefit. If you would like to receive unemployment insurance for this week, you will need to move your furlough day to another day in the week.
If you choose not to move your furlough day, you can take the non-furlough days as vacation time and be paid by Brown for the week; there would be no unemployment benefit paid in this week.
What happens if I have an unplanned sick day on one of my scheduled workdays?
Under the DLT WorkShare guidelines, if an employee has any unplanned absence on any of their scheduled workdays, they will be disqualified from receiving the benefit payment for that week. For the purposes of the SVWP and to allow employees flexibility during this difficult time, if an employee has an unanticipated need to be off on a scheduled workday or days, the employee may choose to use their vacation time. If the employee has no accrued vacation time to use, the employee can choose to work a furlough day that week. If an employee is sick and is unable to work a portion of the week, the employee must use sick or vacation time for all 5 days that week and would not receive unemployment benefits for that week.
What happens if I have a vacation week planned — can I use three days of vacation time and still receive my unemployment benefit payment?
If you have a vacation week planned, you will not be eligible to receive your unemployment benefit payment for that week and you will need to use vacation time for the full week. The DLT WorkShare program requires that employees work at least a portion of their hours during any given week in order to qualify for the benefit.
Who should I contact if I have questions about participating in the program?
All questions should be directed to [email protected].
Where can I go if I have more questions about DLT’s WorkShare program?
More information is available from the state online by visiting the WorkShare Program, Documents and FAQs.You may also access the WorkShare Brochure.