Benefits for Rehires from RIF:

April 2006 issue

I was employed by Depaul effective 9/1/99 and was laid-off as of 4/18/2004. This gave me 4 years and 8 months of service. On 8/29/2006 I was re-hired by Depaul which was 1 year and 4 months since my original lay off. DePaul's current policy states that I lose credit for previous service and must start all over again as a new employee, first, because I didn't have 5 years of service at lay off and secondly, because I wasn't rehired within 1 year of termination. This is very upsetting because I missed both deadlines by only a few months. Human Resources is looking at revamping some of its policies and I think that former employees who were laid off due to a reduction in force, or a position elimination should be given special consideration. These individuals should be given full credit for their cumulative years of service if re-hired at DePaul. Possibly if re-hired within 5 years of the lay-off or if re-hired at any time after the lay off. It was difficult enough to deal with a lay off without any notice, but to come back and be punished for when I was laid-off in the first place just doesn't seem fair. Please let me know if you can be of some assistance to me and any re-hires from the lay off at Depaul

Response

Source’s Name: Gary Miller
Title: VP for Human Resources
Unit/Department: Human Resources

• Employees who were laid off were not given special rehire rights.
• There are no policy variations because of the reason of termination. The policy changes under consideration also do not include any variations by type of termination.
• One change that was already made was on May 1, 2005 for the 403(b) retirement plan. As of May 1, 2005, employees who are match eligible, terminate, and are rehired, are immediately match eligible as of the month following their rehire date, provided they are in an eligible class of participants and are making at least a 5% deferrral into the plan.
• Regarding the other plans, such as vacation, HR is currently considering changes to the rehire rules. There are multiple options being considered, none of which have yet been reviewed by the Policy Review Group. The changes are not being considered for compliance reasons - there are no compliance issues involved. Also, timing of any changes, if any, is still undecided.
• It is undetermined whether or not changes would be made retroactively