TUCSON, Ariz. — University of Arizona employees set to begin partial furloughs this week will have a few more months reprieve, and some more flexibility.
In an email to all staff and faculty, University of Arizona President Dr. Robert Robbins announced the school's furlough plan would be delayed until July 1, though it was set to begin this Monday. Robbins didn't say whether the late start would force the plan to be extended past its original end date of June 30, 2021.
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Robbins also announced changes to the general structure of plan, which the university says it's implementing due to financial hardship stemming from the COVID-19 pandemic.
In the original plan, UArizona employees would take between 13 and 39 furlough days each pay period, depending on their salary, with higher-salaried employees taking more.
Under the new plan, employees are given more flexibility -- their salaries will be cut consistent with the amount of furlough days under the original plan, but they'll be allowed to take their furlough days as "personal flex time days" whenever needed throughout the year.
Robbins's email also said university administrators making more than $300,000 will continue their pay cuts without the "personal flex time" days.
The university is also hoping for ABOR approval in allowing employee vacation days to rollover this year, in order to make sure employees aren't shorted out of the paid time off they've earned.
Robbins also said employees exempt from the original program will remain exempt.
