Dartblog

Voluntary Retirement Incentive Offer

Eligible staff members, including those in professional schools and in
grant-funded positions, will be at least 55 years of age with 10 years of
service at the time of retirement. Eligible employees will also receive an
email from Human Resources outlining the incentive details. Discussions are
underway with the union about whether the offer will be made to its members. To
participate in the retirement offer, eligible employees must notify their
supervisors and Human Resources of their intent to retire under this program.
Notifications will be binding and must be made in writing. Letters must be
received by Human Resources by Jan. 15, 2010, and can be sent via email
human.resources@dartmouth.com, mail (Hinman Box 6042) or delivered in person
(Human Resources, 7 Lebanon Street, 2nd floor, Hanover, NH 03755). Those who
accept the offer will retire before June 30, 2010 on a date mutually agreed
upon with the employee’s supervisor. A lump sum payment of nine month’s
pay (including 7% benefit where applicable) will be paid upon retirement.

Employees can ask questions and make appointments with the Benefits Office by
calling 646-3588. Retirement vendors will available the first week in January
to offer individual consultations.

Staff Option for Layoffs and Reductions-in-Hours

The “Staff Option” is a new program allowing employees who do not meet the
age or service requirements for retirement to apply for a lay-off package.
While consideration will be given to those who apply, divisions will make the
final decision on whether a position can be eliminated, thereby resulting in a
layoff. The layoff package and policies will apply to these individuals as
well.

We also invite requests for reductions-in-hours. These may come in the form of
a weekly schedule or annual reduction in position. Examples include going from
40 to 30 hours per week, or from a twelve month position to a ten month
position. Acceptance of these requests must be appropriate for the operations
of the department or program and must be approved by the supervisor and
department head. Employees whose hours are reduced will have benefits costs
made whole through December 31, 2010. These options are also available to the
professional schools and those in grant-funded positions.

Interested staff members should submit an application and discuss their requests with their supervisor by January 15, 2010.

Benefits in the Event of Layoff

Finally, many employees have asked about the benefits that will be provided to
employees who are laid off. While I do not anticipate layoffs until after the
February Board meeting, I am providing details of what an employee would
receive. As an enhancement to the College’s standard layoff policy,
employees who are laid off will be given four weeks working notice, and they
will receive a lump sum payment at the end of their employment of two weeks’
pay for each year of service, with a minimum payout of four weeks and a maximum
payout of 52 weeks. (e.g., An employee with one year of service would work for
four weeks and be eligible for a 2 week lump sum based on the policy, but will
get a four week package based on the minimum in the enhanced policy.)
Additionally, the package will include a healthcare subsidy. This package does
not apply to grant-funded positions or employees covered by the collective
bargaining agreements. Note that for a long-term employee, the payment is
nearly equivalent to the retirement incentive. We very much want people to
make the decision that is right for them about retirement and not to be
burdened by comparing a retirement incentive and a layoff package.

Career counseling and transition support will be provided to affected
employees, with specific services for support staff, management, and leaders.
Through December 31, 2010, laid-off employees, both those affected in 2009 and
in 2010, will be considered “internal” when they apply for open positions.
Staff who accept an incentive or package in 2010 and return to Dartmouth within
one year must repay a prorated amount of the package.

Employees Represented by Unions

Please note that under federal law, we cannot make the options described above
available to qualified employees represented by the SEIU or IATSE without an
agreement from the union. The College expects to have negotiations related to
these options and the timing for them with the representatives of the unions
once we return in January.

We encourage your careful consideration of the staff options. Please do not
hesitate to contact your supervisor, or Human Resources, to ask questions about
these programs, and new restrictions on hiring for staff and temporary
positions. All of these initiatives have been generated in response to
suggestions submitted by the Dartmouth community. We encourage you to continue
to submit ideas through the budget website. We appreciate your support and
input.

Best wishes for the holidays, and thank you for your service and support.

Sincerely,

Traci K. Nordberg
Chief Human Resources Officer
http://www.dartmouth.edu/~HRS