UWS Will Continue Intermittent Furloughs Through June 2021
The University of Wisconsin-Superior announced during a town hall meeting that they will be continuing intermittent furloughs for it's employees well into 2021. The furloughs are being used across the entire staff and faculty so that employees will still have their jobs, benefits, vacation, and sick leave accrual.
The next round of intermittent furloughs will begin on January 1st. This means employees each giving up 8 days of paid work if they work 12 months of the year, and 6 days if they work 9 months out of the year. That equates to roughly a 6% earning reduction. The employees would need to take the unpaid days off between January - June 30, 2021.
UWS further adds in a press release that there are bright spots to their 2021 enrollment. Their goal with the intermittent furloughs is for employees to keep their job, and also that the university can keep their academic and athletic programs robust. The spring furloughs also are less than the fall furloughs, which were roughly a 10% reduction in pay. There also will be a University of Wisconsin system wide 2% wage increase that is scheduled to take place in January, which will help offset some of the earning reductions.
University of Wisconsin-Superior Chancellor Renee Wachter offered a message of hope to the faculty, staff, and students in the press release,
“While at times it can be hard to see the other side of this, it’s important to remember that we as a university will prevail because of their sacrifice, dedication and resilience. This has been a year unlike any other in UW-Superior’s history, but I remain tremendously proud of our campus and each campus community member who make us Superior.”