Article 29 - Voluntary Reduction in Hours

The Appointing Authority may allow an employee(s) to take an unpaid leave(s) of absence or reduce their hours, if the Appointing Authority determines that the following conditions are met: 

1. an existing or projected budget problem exists; 

2. granting an unpaid leave of absence would help alleviate the projected budget problem and/or help mitigate layoffs as per Article 17 (Layoff and Recall), Section 2 (Labor-Management Cooperation); 

3. staffing needs can continue to be met; and 

4. other unpaid leaves of absence, other than personal leave, are not applicable to the situation. 

Employees taking leaves of absence under this Article shall continue to accrue vacation and sick leave and be eligible for paid holidays and insurance benefits equivalent to what the employee would earn if they had not voluntarily reduced their hours or taken an unpaid leave. If a leave of absence is for one (1) full pay period or longer, any holiday pay shall be included in the first payroll period after return from the leave of absence.