START Program Overview

Why is START being offered?

To help the University achieve temporary salary savings during the current budget crisis.
To give eligible academic personnel and staff the opportunity to voluntarily reduce their working time and corresponding pay in exchange for a number of advantages.
To provide START participants with the increased time and flexibility of a reduced work schedule, allowing them to pursue educational opportunities, enjoy avocational and personal interests, and attend to family needs.

Eligibility

All academic appointees, except those in faculty and student academic titles and Postdoctoral Scholars, and full- or part-time non-probationary career ("regular status") staff.
In all cases, participation will be dependent upon the approval of the department head. Some departments may elect not to offer START.

How START Works

Subject to your department head's approval, START arrangements may be available between July 1, 2008 through June 30, 2010.
To START, you volunteer to reduce your working time by a minimum of 5 percent to a maximum of 50 percent of full-time. Your work schedule cannot be reduced below 50 percent of full-time in any month of START participation.
You can volunteer to reduce your time in monthly increments from a minimum of 1 month to a maximum of 24 months. No START contract can extend beyond June 30, 2010.
You may change the percentage of time reduction of your START contract during the contract period and with 30 days advance notice.
You or your department head can end your START arrangement earlier than the end date in your contract provided that a minimum of 30 days advance notice is given. Advance notice will be waived if termination of your contract is due to an emergency situation.

Advantages of START Participation

You will accrue, on a month-by-month basis during your START contract, vacation and sick leave credits at the same rate as you did before you began your START.
If you are a UC Retirement Plan (UCRP) member, you will accrue, on a month-by-month basis during your START, UCRP service credit for each START month at the same rate as you did before your START—provided you are on pay status for at least 50 percent of full-time during each month of participation.

UCRP service credit during START will be reduced, under UCRP rules, for periods of leave without pay or other periods of time off pay status not reflected in the START contract.

The service credit feature is specific to UCRP members and does not apply to UC members of other retirement systems.

There will be no reduction in UCRP benefits such as retirement, disability, or survivor benefits as a result of your START time reduction, provided that you are on pay status for at least 50 percent of full-time during each month of participation. (This feature does not apply to UC members of other retirement systems.)
Your UC health and welfare benefits (medical, dental, vision) will not be affected during your START contract. Remember, you cannot reduce time worked below 50 percent under the program.
You may find that the actual impact of reducing time on take-home pay is cushioned by the corresponding reduction in tax withholding.
At the end of your START contract, you will return to the percentage of time you held before START.

Other Key Points

If you are an exempt (salaried) employee, you should be aware that although you are normally expected to work your appointment percentage, greater emphasis is placed on meeting the responsibilities of your position than on working a specified number of hours. For this reason, you and your supervisor will need to agree on appropriate workload adjustments if you participate in START.
It is not appropriate for employees with existing reductions in appointments to increase their appointment and then reduce their time under the START program.
Your participation in START will not change the applicability of layoff or termination policies consistent with your regular appointment.

How Do You START?

You and your department head sign a written START contract [PDF] or a START contract amendement [PDF], specifying the percentage reduction of time, the beginning and end dates of the contract, and your work schedule.

Click here for more START information