Last Updated: March 30, 2021
We have a tentative agreement from our fiscal emergency negotiations that makes progress toward our demands of grad student funding extensions, job security for staff unions, PTL reappointment, and scheduling of our deferred raises. In return for winning these concessions from management, we have tentatively agreed to a work-sharing arrangement under which full-time faculty in our bargaining unit (not just union members) would accept a weekly half-day furlough for 12 weeks. There would be some exceptions, described in detail in the “Who Is Eligible?” section below. Most faculty would maintain their full income if they apply for unemployment, thanks to the federal unemployment supplement passed in President Biden’s COVID relief legislation.
Our members have the final say on whether any agreement is ratified, so we want you to know as much as possible about what we negotiated before you vote. We know you have questions and concerns about furloughs and work-sharing. Below are answers to some of the questions we’ve heard most often. We will update this page continually with new information. Please email us at aaup@rutgersaaup.org if you have a question that isn’t taken up here.
Click on any of the questions below to see the answers.
Work-Sharing Basics
What is work-sharing, and how would it work under the agreement we negotiated with management?
Under a work-sharing program, employees work reduced hours and are paid less by their employer proportionate to this furlough time, but the difference is made up through government unemployment benefits. Under New Jersey law, we can get unemployment insurance for 80 percent of our lost pay from furloughed time, up to a cap. The federal unemployment supplement of $300 a week would make up the difference for the large majority of our members.
If the agreement we negotiated is ratified by members, full-time faculty from the Rutgers AAUP-AFT bargaining unit would furlough for a half-day each week for 12 weeks through June 30. By applying for unemployment, those earning up to $194,000 a year would be able to fully replace their income. In fact, those earning less than $100,000 (over a third of full-time faculty) would see a significant boost in their income.
Around 12 percent of full-time faculty make more than $194,000 a year, and the $300-a-week federal unemployment supplement wouldn’t fully cover their loss of income from the half-day furloughs. Most of these faculty would lose a small amount of their weekly income during the weeks of work-sharing. They would be sacrificing a part of their salary for 12 weeks to support lower-paid, more vulnerable workers and to get a timetable for payment of all of our raises that would otherwise be canceled.
The university has an online Shared Work Furlough Gross Income Calculator. You can use the calculator to see what your paycheck will look like under work-sharing. For “Current Furloughed Days Per Week,” enter “0.5.”
Management can’t force us to furlough. So why should we accept them?
We are using our union’s power to fight for all Rutgers workers. We proposed to accept furloughs under a work-sharing arrangement if management agreed to conditions that protect workers who are more vulnerable than tenured faculty. We didn’t get everything we want from management, but we think we made significant progress in achieving our demands for grad student funding extensions, job security for our staff colleagues, and PTL reappointments. We are operating on the basis of the old labor movement slogan: An injury to one is an injury to all.
In addition, the tentative agreement includes a timetable for getting the raises that were canceled last summer when management declared a fiscal emergency. They will be paid on a deferred basis, but if we didn’t negotiate this agreement, including work-sharing, we would not get the raises without winning our arbitration case—and management would be able to declare another fiscal emergency and take our 2.5 percent raises due July 1 of this year, too.
Would the 10 percent missing from our paychecks because of furloughs really be made up by unemployment?
Yes, for all but the highest-paid full-time faculty who earn more than $194,000 a year. They would be sacrificing a small part of their salary to support their colleagues and to ensure we get our raises.
Most of us with lower salaries would, in fact, come out ahead. The $300-a-week federal unemployment supplement is paid to everyone approved for state-level unemployment benefits, and the lost pay from a half-day furlough is less than that for the vast majority of members of our bargaining unit.
The university’s online Shared Work Furlough Gross Income Calculator shows what your paycheck will look like under work-sharing if the agreement is ratified. For “Current Furloughed Days Per Week,” enter “0.5.”
Sen. Cory Booker and other members of Congress say this was exactly how they intended the supplemental payments to work when they were first enacted in last year’s CARES Act: use federal money to keep laid-off and furloughed workers whole.
What does it mean to furlough? Am I supposed to work less?
Under work-sharing, you would not be paid by Rutgers for one half-day of work a week, and you shouldn’t work during your designated half-days of furlough time. Some of you may have experienced interactions with non-union staff and administrators, such as deans, who have been off their email or unable to schedule meetings on days when they were furloughed.
But our jobs aren’t built around clocking in and clocking out, and your class time won’t be reduced by 10 percent. Management will confirm your specific day of the week and time to furlough, but it will be up to you how you adjust your work routine during that time. You are within your rights to work 10 percent less and decline meetings during your furlough time. But realistically, many of us will change little about our routines.
What day would I take my half-day furlough on?
We don’t know that yet. Your day of the week and time to take a half-day furlough will have to be confirmed by management and submitted to the NJ Department of Labor. Once the furlough time is confirmed, it can’t be changed—it will be the same each week.
When non-aligned (non-union) employees took partial furloughs in the fall, many of them fell on Fridays. We expect that a lot of us will be told to furlough on Friday afternoon, but that won’t work for faculty who teach at that time.
We’ll get you more information about this as soon as we can.
Work-Sharing and Unemployment Insurance
But I’ll have to apply for unemployment. Won’t that be a nightmare?
Our union will hold multiple meetings to walk members through this process, but we won’t sugarcoat this, and it will be up to you whether you apply or not (neither the university nor the union can apply for you).
Rutgers has a special process to handle unemployment applications, developed for non-aligned (non-union) employees who have been partially furloughed since last year. We’ve been told by some members of other unions that management’s system works efficiently and payments come quickly. You can see the process that non-aligned employees are being told to follow at this webpage. The instructions are precise but fairly clear.
We have also heard reports from Rutgers employees who have run into problems and delays with the system. Again, no sugarcoating: At best, applying for UI will be an inconvenience at a time when we’re all coping with increased workloads. At worst, it will be a time-consuming and frustrating mess, though you will only need to apply once, not each week.
One significant pitfall is that anyone who doesn’t have a New Jersey driver’s license will have to apply for unemployment by phone and speak to a live agent. This may mean long hold times while you try to get through to busy call centers. We are seeking assurances from management and state officials that an efficient system will be set up for our members to use. But we can’t guarantee that you won’t run into problems or delays.
No one wants to spend their time tangled up in bureaucracy and online forms, much less on the telephone with call centers. But our offer to participate in furloughs under work-sharing is the way we got movement on our priorities of funding extensions for grad workers, protecting the jobs of PTLs and staff, and getting our deferred raises paid. Applying for unemployment will be a burden, but we believe it is a sacrifice worth making to support our vulnerable colleagues.
If you choose not to apply for unemployment insurance and simply take a 10 percent pay cut for those 12 weeks, that choice is entirely yours to make.
Do I have to apply separately for the federal unemployment supplement?
No. Everyone who qualifies for state-level unemployment benefits—and because our work-sharing program will be sanctioned by the NJ Department of Labor, all of us will qualify—will automatically receive the $300-a-week federal unemployment booster.
I don’t live in New Jersey. Will this work for me?
Yes. The unemployment insurance system covers employees based on the location of their employer.
However, the process for filing a claim will be different if you don’t have a New Jersey driver’s license. You will have to apply by phone. We are seeking assurances from management and state officials that an efficient system will be set up for our members to use. But those living outside of New Jersey may run into long hold times.
No one wants to spend their time on the telephone with call centers. But our offer to participate in furloughs under work-sharing is the way we can get funding extensions for grad workers, job security for PTLs and staff, and a schedule for paying our raises. We think the sacrifice is worth it.
Who Is Eligible for Work-Sharing?
Will TAs, GAs, and postdocs participate in the work-sharing program?
No, grad workers in our unit will not participate in furloughs and work-sharing. There was some confusion about this during negotiations, but the tentative agreement we reached does not include TAs and GAs in the work-sharing program.
I’m working at Rutgers under a visa. Will I still have to furlough? Would that put my visa status in jeopardy?
Management has agreed that anyone holding non-immigrant (temporary) visas will be exempt from the work-sharing program. They did not grant this exception for employees who aren’t represented by any of the unions. Because of our negotiations, members of our bargaining unit will have the security of knowing that work-sharing will not jeopardize their visa status or future applications for citizenship.
My salary is fully funded by external grants. Will I be included in work-sharing?
No. Employees whose positions are fully funded through research grants or external funding sources are exempted from participating in the work-sharing program.
We are discussing with management how they will make up the list of participants in work-sharing that they send to the NJ Department of Labor. The plan is for management to send rosters of faculty to departments and programs that indicate who they think should be exempted. Departments would then consult with all faculty and make any necessary corrections for those who have a reason they should be exempted from work-sharing. So be on the lookout for communications from your department about eligibility for work-sharing.
I have a secondary appointment (co-ad, overload, grader, etc.) at Rutgers in addition to my full-time position. Am I eligible for the work-sharing program?
Full-time faculty who have secondary university appointments (such as co-adjutant or overload appointments) during any week in which the program is in effect won’t participate in work-sharing. This is an important protection that we have been able to win at the bargaining table.
There is an exception. If your only secondary appointment at Rutgers during the term of the program is teaching in Summer Session or if you do grant-funded research during the two summer months, you will participate in work-sharing from its inception (estimated to be April 12) through Friday, May 28, or through the commencement of your summer session course/s, whichever is sooner.
We are discussing with management how they will make up the list of participants in work-sharing that they send to the NJ Department of Labor. The plan is for management to send rosters of faculty to departments and programs that indicate who they think should be exempted. Departments would then consult with all faculty and make any necessary corrections for those who have a reason they should be exempted from work-sharing. So be on the lookout for communications from your department about eligibility for work-sharing.
I get additional pay over the summer for teaching a course during the Summer Session or doing grant-funded research. Will I be included in work-sharing?
Yes, but not all the way through June 30. Summer Session instruction or grant-funded research would jeopardize your eligibility for unemployment benefits under work-sharing. We negotiated an agreement under which, if your only secondary appointment at Rutgers during the term of the program is teaching in the Summer Session or if you will receive summer salary for externally funded research, you would participate in work-sharing from its inception date through the start of your summer session course/s or research.
Specifically, you would furlough when the work-sharing program begins in April, but you would stop your half-day furloughs by May 28 or the beginning of Summer Session courses, whichever comes first.
We are discussing with management how they will make up the list of participants in work-sharing that they send to the NJ Department of Labor. The plan is for management to send rosters of faculty to departments and programs that indicate who they think should be exempted. Departments would then consult with all faculty and make any necessary corrections for those who have a reason they should be exempted from work-sharing. So be on the lookout for communications from your department about eligibility for work-sharing.
But my appointment is for the academic year. Does that mean I’ll stop work-sharing when the academic year is finished?
No. You get paid year-round even if your contract is only for the academic year. The work-sharing program is based on those year-round paychecks. Unless you are excluded from the program (see the exceptions above), you would take a half-day furlough each week from April 12 to June 30, and your biweekly paycheck from Rutgers being reduced by 10 percent during that period. The vast majority of us could fully make up the lost income by filing for unemployment insurance.
The only faculty who would start in the work-sharing program but not go all the way through June 30 are those whose only secondary appointment at the university is teaching Summer Session or who get a summer salary for externally funded research during the summer. They would stop participating in work-sharing at the end of May.
What about faculty who suffered identity theft due to fraudulent unemployment claims? Won’t they be ruled ineligible for getting unemployment?
This is an issue that has affected a number of faculty and staff at Rutgers, especially in the libraries. We have met with management to make sure that anyone who suffered identity theft will either have an expedited process to apply that clears them to receive unemployment or be taken out of the program.
What if I have another job outside Rutgers? Will I still qualify for unemployment under the work-sharing arrangement?
If you have another source of income that makes you ineligible for unemployment under the state’s rules, you will be excluded from work-sharing. We achieved a strong agreement from management on this so that no one will lose money because of a second job outside of Rutgers.
If you are furloughed under a work-sharing arrangement but are later declared ineligible for unemployment benefits by the NJ Department of Labor, management has agreed to remove you from the work-sharing program and reimburse you for wages and benefits lost during any furlough days taken.
We are discussing with management how they will make up the list of participants in work-sharing that they send to the NJ Department of Labor. The plan is for management to send rosters of faculty to departments and programs that indicate who they think should be exempted. Departments would then consult with all faculty and make any necessary corrections for those who have a reason they should be exempted from work-sharing. So be on the lookout for communications from your department about eligibility for work-sharing. You can tell your department that you have outside employment and need to be excluded.
I do freelance work. Does that kind of self-employment count as a second job outside Rutgers? Would I be excluded from work-sharing?
Yes, if your work definitely takes place during the April 12–June 30 period when work-sharing is in effect. Work of this kind is often more flexible, so it may be possible to schedule your self-employed work so it doesn’t coincide with work-sharing.
If you are worried about the state ruling you ineligible because you receive a 1099 at the end of the year, remember that getting a 1099 does not, in and of itself, show you were self-employed during the April 12–June 30 period of work-sharing. You would not be declared ineligible for unemployment simply because you get a 1099 at the end of the year—only if your self-employed work definitely takes place during the work-sharing program.
We are discussing with management how they will make up the list of participants in work-sharing that they send to the NJ Department of Labor. The plan is for management to send rosters of faculty to departments and programs that indicate who they think should be exempted. Departments would then consult with all faculty and make any necessary corrections for those who have a reason they should be exempted from work-sharing. So be on the lookout for communications from your department about eligibility for work-sharing. You can tell your department that you have outside employment and need to be excluded.
I’m on sabbatical right now. Would I be in the work-sharing program?
No. Faculty on sabbatical will not participate in the work-sharing program.
If I’m on approved family leave or another type of paid leave of absence, will I participate in the work-sharing program?
No. Unit members on approved family and other paid leaves of absence are exempted from participating.
How will I know for sure that I’m excluded from work-sharing? Do I have to tell someone that I have a reason why I shouldn’t be included?
We have been in discussions with management about implementation of work-sharing, and this is our proposal that they agreed to: Management will send rosters of full-time faculty to departments and programs, with indications of who UHR thinks should be exempted. Departments will review and correct that information and also solicit information from each of us about whether we have, for example, outside employment that takes place during the work-sharing program period. Management will then use the department’s corrected lists to prepare the final roster of faculty who will participate in work-sharing, which they will send to the NJ Department of Labor.
So if you think you have an issue that should exempt you from work-sharing, be on the lookout for communications from your department, and be sure you raise that issue. Contact your union if you have any issues or questions; we’ll be happy to help you sort through your personal situation.
Other Questions
Will I make an individual decision about participating in work-sharing?
No. If the tentative agreement is ratified, all members of the Rutgers AAUP-AFT bargaining unit would be subject to work-sharing furloughs, unless they are excluded under the agreement reached with our unions. It is not up to individual unit members to decide whether to accept furloughs under work-sharing. But by the same token, the university could not pick and choose how work-sharing is applied among employees. We are all in this together.
It will, however, be up to you whether you file for unemployment, and you will have to go through the process of filing as an individual—neither the union nor the university can do this for you.
Are my health insurance and other benefits affected?
Work-sharing programs protect employer-provided benefits such as health insurance. Rutgers must still make its full contribution for employees’ health insurance. For most of us, the pay reduction will mean a proportional reduction in Rutgers’ contribution to our retirement savings, through the Alternative Benefit Plan. The reduction amounts to about $10 a week per $100,000 in annual salary. If you would like to adjust your employee contribution to the Alternative Benefit Plan, you can complete the form available through UHR.
Does work-sharing mean we would literally share work or job responsibilities?
No. The term “work-sharing” is sometimes confused with job-sharing—the idea that two or more workers share the same job or position, an entirely different concept. Work-sharing is the term used by legislators for programs that protect jobs through managed furloughs. What is being shared is not jobs or work responsibilities but who will pay for salaries. Under work-sharing, the employer and the government share the cost of salaries for furloughed employees.