Contact

Compensation and Classification

Phone
Fax
319-353-2384
Campus Address
121-11 USB
Mailing Address

121 University Services Building, Suite 11
Iowa City, IA 52242-1911
United States

At the University of Iowa, the term furlough typically refers to the permanent elimination of Professional and Scientific staff positions. P&S staff who receive furlough notices have access to programs that can help them identify and apply to new positions. 

If you're furloughed, your access to these programs and the length of time until your job ends depends on your employment status (probationary, at-will, career, etc.). It's important to understand the time periods leading up to and following a furlough:

  • Furlough notice period: The time between a furlough notice and your last day of work. Furlough notifications range from 1-12 months, depending on P&S employment status.
  • Furlough period: The 12-month period after your last day of work. P&S staff with career status or more than two years in a specified term position can continue to use furlough-related programs during this period. (Other P&S staff can use these programs for more limited periods.)

Furlough Notice

In most cases, your supervisor and/or local HR professionals will notify you that your P&S position will be eliminated. They'll work with University Human Resources staff to make sure you receive information about the timeline for your furlough, programs that can help you find a new job, and additional support resources.

Furlough Meeting

Compensation and Classification staff at University Human Resources will receive a copy of your furlough notification. They'll create a central file that includes the notification and any furlough extensions or additional documentation.

If you request it, Compensation and Classification also will schedule a meeting to review the furlough process and the options available to you. You'll receive information about:

  • The length of your furlough notice and furlough periods
  • Programs that can help you find a new P&S position, including the Furlough Networking Program and the Furlough Resume Database
  • Personal and job-search resources including the Employee Assistance Program and Career Development Advising Services
  • Furlough interview priority or consideration available to P&S staff with career status (or in some specified term positions) which guarantees interviews for open positions at or below your current salary for which you meet all required qualifications
  • What happens if you return to the university within 12 months of your furlough date

Furlough ICON Course

Complete furlough information also is available in an ICON course. Find the course by:

  1. Logging into Employee Self Service
  2. Clicking "My Career" then "My Training"
  3. Clicking the "Enroll in Courses" button at the top of the Compliance & Qualifications page
  4. Entering "WFURLO" into the "Course Number" field and clicking the "Search Courses" button

During Your Furlough Notice Period

Over the weeks or months prior to your furlough date—the day your job ends—you'll continue to work (unless you've made other arrangements with your unit or have accepted a Lump Sum Payment Option offer).

If you have career status or have been in a specified term position for two or more years, you have furlough consideration. You can request interview priority or consideration, which guarantees you consideration for open positions at or below your current pay level (and, for specified term employees, in the same job family) if you meet the qualifications of the position.

You also can use the Furlough Networking Program and Furlough Resume Database regardless of your P&S employment status, and can make use of additional resources like the Employee Assistance Program and Career Development Advising Services.

After Your Furlough Date

Once your job ends and your furlough period (if applicable) begins, you can continue to use some of the programs described above.

If you've left a career status position or a specified term position with at least two years of service, you can access all of these programs—including interview consideration—for the duration of your furlough period.

If you've left any P&S position, you can continue to use the Employee Assistance Program for up to three months after your job ends.

If you're a former career, specified term, or at-will status employee who returns to the university within 12 months following termination, the university will:

  • Reinstate any sick leave you'd accumulated prior to termination of your previous job
  • Let you purchase any vacation leave for which you'd received a payout at termination
  • Restore your seniority date to the date that was in effect prior to termination
  • Reinstate your previous P&S career status date, benefit eligibility date, and retirement eligibility date
  • Reinstate priority eligibility for parking, athletic tickets, and any other benefits you had at the time or termination

If you return to the university after a furlough, check with your new HR representative if you're unsure whether the actions listed above have been completed. Your new hiring department may not be aware you were previously furloughed.