Message from Chancellor Watson on updated furlough plan
Dear Campus Communities,
In late April, you were informed that two types of furloughs would be used to help mitigate the additional expenses and loss of revenue our campuses experienced because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Since May 1, our university has used two types of furloughs – continuous for up to 90 days for employees whose work changed due to campus operational shifts and intermittent furloughs for 13 days for all other employees.
Furlough days must be taken by June 30, 2021.
We still have employees on continuous furlough through July. Some of the employees who were placed on continuous furlough have been brought back to work because of changing situations in specific departments.
Since that April announcement was made, several issues have been raised regarding the furloughs. After multiple meetings with governance leaders and others across campus, an additional furlough type has been added.
Employees who make $100,000 or higher will be required to take 14 furlough days by June 30, 2021 and employees who make $150,000 or more will be required to take 15 furlough days during the same time period.
Only employees in those salary categories are impacted. Anyone making less than $100,000 a year will continue to be required to take 13 furlough days by June 30, 2021.
The updated furlough plan can be found here >>
If you have questions regarding these changes, please contact your supervisor or the Office of Human Resources and Diversity.
We understand this an additional contribution by a segment of our employees. There was much concern that a greater burden was being placed on our lower paid employees. And we also understand this change does not address all of the issues raised by our employees. However, these steps are necessary for our institution’s financial liquidity and continuation of operations.
Your hard work and sacrifices for the good of UW-Whitewater are seen and acknowledged by me and our leadership team. These times ask much from all of us, and yet we need to continue to come together to discuss the difficult decisions we must make, and always put first what is best for our students and our university as a whole,
Sincerely,
Dr. Dwight C. Watson
Chancellor