Voluntary Schedule Reduction Program (VSRP) - from 5/21/2009 until further notice
To Participate in the Governor's Voluntary Schedule Reduction Program (see letter below), please use the form CT-HR-7c below. Complete and sign the employee section. Have your supervisor approve, sign, and forward to Human Resources attention Sheila Carenzo (MC-4035). Please review the Q&As below, and if you have any remaining questions call Sheila at x4368.
Questions & Answers Pertaining to Governor's Letter of March 9,
2009 - Revised 5/21/2009
Q1:
Are employees required to participate in the
Voluntary Schedule Reduction Program (VSRP) in response to the request made
by the Governor in her March 9, 2009 letter?
A:
Participation in the VSRP is purely voluntary. The VSRP has existed since
1991; however, the Governor is reminding all employees and agencies of its
availability as a cost-savings measure during these difficult economic
times.
Q2:
What is the timeline for the Governor’s recent request?
A:
The Governor is encouraging all employees to participate in the VSRP between
March 11, 2009 and June 1, 2009. The Governor’s request has been extended
until further notice.
Q3:
Will my creditable service for the purpose
of seniority, longevity and retirement be negatively impacted if I choose to
take unpaid leave time under the VSRP?
A:
Section 5-248c-3 of the Personnel Regulations specifically addresses this
topic. An employee who participates in the VSRP receives full credit
towards seniority, longevity and retirement. Additionally, earnings for
unpaid leave taken under the VSRP are not impacted for retirement purposes.
In other words, salary that would have been earned will be added to your
actual earnings for retirement calculations if the voluntary leave occurs
during your three highest earnings years. (Note: this language is effective
June 9, 1994)
Q4:
I currently receive health insurance benefits through my employment with the
State of Connecticut. If I participate in the VSRP, am I still eligible for
health and life insurance?
A:
Section 5-248c-2(c) of the Personnel Regulations specifically addresses this
topic: “A schedule reduction shall not be granted if it would result in an
employee falling below the threshold for eligibility for health insurance
benefits.”
Q5:
I would like to take unpaid leave under the VSRP but I am still in my
initial working test period. Is there an exception that may be made for me
to participate in this program?
A:
No. Section 5-248c-1(b) requires an employee to be permanent in order to
participate in the VSRP.
Q6:
I am in a promotional working test period. If I participate in the VSRP,
will the time I take as unpaid leave be counted toward completion of my
working test period?
A:
No. Section 5-248c-2(d) specifies, “…Days off which are taken as a result
of this program shall not be counted toward completion of a Promotional
Working Test Period.”
Q7:
How do I make my request to take unpaid leave day in response to the
Governor’s request?
A:
Employees requesting unpaid leave under the VSRP from June 1, 2009 until
further notice must complete the Form CT-HR-7c. This form is
available on-line at:
http://www.das.state.ct.us/HR/Forms/VSRP%20Form%207c%202009%2005%2018.pdf
(Please note the June 1, 2009 end date has been removed from the request
form to conform to the Governor’s most recent request; however, a note has
been added on this form for agencies to restrict any single request for
unpaid leave under the VSRP to a maximum of three months duration.)
Q8:
What are my options under the VSRP?
A:
You may take leave under the VSRP as (A) sporadic full or partial days, or
as (B) a reduction in your weekly schedule. See Form CT-HR-7c “Option A”
and “Option B”.
Q9:
I would like to take more than one day off
in a row. May I do this?
A:
Yes. The limitation on taking consecutive full scheduled workdays is being
waived for unpaid leave taken under the VSRP from March 11, 2009 to June 1,
2009; however, as indicated above the provisions of the Governor’s request
have been extended until further notice. The regulations provide for leave
under the VSRP provide your hours do not fall beneath the threshold for
health and life insurance benefits. For most bargaining units, this is the
equivalent of working at least halftime (weekly). Check with your Human
Resources Office for the minimum number of weekly hours you are required to
work. Note: this provision applies to all employees, whether an eligible
employee has opted to receive these benefits with the State of Connecticut
or not. Additionally, for the purpose of calculating the number of hours
for eligibility for benefits, furlough days are considered to be equivalent
to unpaid leave taken under the VSRP. Therefore when a furlough day occurs,
you must be careful that the furlough day and hours taken under the VSRP do
not bring you below the threshold for benefits.
Q10:
May I take consecutive partial days under the VSRP? For example, would it
be permissible to reduce my hours each day from 8 to 7?
A:
Yes.
Q11:
If I take a partial day of unpaid leave under the VSRP, is there a minimum
amount of time I must take?
A:
Yes. You must take at least one hour in a day.
Q12:
I work a Monday through Friday work schedule and I want to take every Monday
as unpaid leave under the VSRP. Will I get paid for a holiday if it falls
on a Monday such as Memorial Day?
A:
Yes. You will be paid for the holiday as if you were not taking unpaid
leave under the VSRP. You will revert back to your normal schedule for the
workweek containing Memorial Day.
Q13:
I work a Monday through Friday work schedule and I want to take every Monday
as unpaid leave under the VSRP. What happened when a holiday falls on
another day in the week such as Good Friday?
A:
You will take your voluntary leave day on the Monday and you will be paid
for the holiday on Friday
Q14:
If I take an unpaid leave day under the VSRP before and/or after a
holiday, will this affect my holiday pay?
A:
No. Benefits are not to be diminished under the VSRP so holidays are to be
paid in both of these situations.
Q15:
If I request unpaid leave under the VSRP, will my request be automatically
approved?
A:
No. Although agencies are encouraged to consider all requests for unpaid
leave under the VSRP between now and June 1, 2009, agencies cannot approve
requests that would result in overtime costs or have a significant impact on
critical services. This remains in effect for requests submitted after June
1, 2009. Although individual requests may be approved for a three months
period, agencies may opt to limit the approved request to a shorter duration
due to operational and staffing reasons.
Q16:
If I take part in the VSRP, will my position change from full-time to
part-time?
A:
No.
Q17:
I took unpaid leave, vacation or PL prior to the Governor’s most recent
request/communication about the VSRP. Can I change this time to a day under
the VSRP?
A:
No. Time under the VSRP must be pre-approved.
Q18:
How should I code my timesheet for unpaid
leave under the VSRP?
A:
One of the following Time and Labor (attendance) codes should be used:
UVLRP – for agencies who enter attendance data directly into Core-CT system
VL – Time Processing System
Other time code denoting absence was due to leave under the VSRP – for agencies not entering attendance data directly into Core-CT nor using Time Processing System
Q19:
If I am sick and I have sick leave accruals available, can I take unpaid
time under the VSRP instead of using my sick time?
A:
No. Time under the VSRP must be
pre-approved and typically sick leave is not pre-approved although a medical
certificate may be required. In addition, when an employee's is absent from
work for medical reasons the employee must use their sick leave
accruals: the employee cannot use personal leave or vacation leave or take
unpaid leave when the employee is incapacitated for duty and has not
exhausted his/her sick leave. The same logic would hold for unpaid time
taken under the VSRP.
Q20:
If I am sick and I have exhausted my
sick leave accruals, can I take this time as unpaid under the VSRP?
A:
No. If the employee has exhausted
his/her sick leave, unpaid time under the VSRP cannot be approved as the
purpose of the VSRP is to save the state money: this would not result in a
savings to the state.
Q21:
If I request and receive approval to take leave under the VSRP and later
change my mind, may I rescind the request?
A:
Yes and no. You may rescind your request to take leave under the VSRP
provided the date(s) requested have not yet passed. You may not,
however, take the pre-scheduled leave off and then rescind your request
after-the-fact.
Q22:
If I take unpaid leave under the VSRP now and later am required to take a
furlough day, can the leave under the VSRP satisfy the furlough day
requirement?
A:
No. At this time, leave taken under the VSRP may not substitute for any
furlough day(s) that may be required in the future.
Q23:
My full-time schedule was 40 hours per week but I have been approved to work
a reduced schedule under the VSRP. My schedule is to work Monday – Friday,
6.50 hours each day. When a holiday is observed, will I be paid 8 hours or
6.50 hours for that holiday?
A:
You will be paid the same number of hours that you would have otherwise
received had you not been participating in the VSRP (8 hours).
Q24:
I am in a Leadership Associate program. Am I eligible to participate in the
VSRP?
A:
Yes and no. As with all employees, if you are in your initial working test
period you may not participate in the VSRP. If you are not in your initial
working test period you are eligible to take full or partial days under the
VSRP (Option A) but ineligible to reduce your schedule from full- to
part-time (Option B), as employees in the Leadership Associate job class
must work full-time, in accordance with the class specification. Keep in
mind if you take more than 3 leave days (or the equivalent number of hours)
under the VSRP, your training period will be extended by the same number of
days, consistent with extensions of the working test period (see General
Letter No. 31). Additionally, three year training programs cannot be
extended (see CGS §5-234).
Q25:
I am in a training program (other than Leadership Associate). Am I eligible
to participate in the VSRP?
A:
Yes and no. As with all employees, if you are in your initial working test
period you may not participate in the VSRP. If you are not in your initial
working test period, then you may participate in the VSRP provided you meet
the experience and training of the target position at the end of your
training program. Keep in mind if you take more than 3 leave days under the
VSRP (or the equivalent number of hours), your training period will be
extended by the same number of days, consistent with extensions of the
working test period (see General Letter No. 31). Additionally, three year
training programs cannot be extended (see CGS §5-234).
Q26:
I have requested and have received approval to reduce my (Monday – Friday)
work schedule from full-time to part-time (five 8-hour days to five 5-hours
per week). If I am absent and must charge my leave accruals, how many hours
will be charged per day?
A:
Five. The benefit is
that you are accruing leave time based on your schedule prior to initiating
your reduced work schedule under the VSRP. However, the deduction from your
leave codes is to be based on the hours of work you are missing due to your
absence based on the approved (VSRP) work schedule. The same is true for
any absence that is not caused by the observance of a holiday.