Updates: Short-Term Furloughs and Staff Vacation Policy

June 26, 2020

Dear Colleagues,

I write to provide you with an update on two of the cost mitigation efforts that were referenced in Dr. Pestello’s May 4 email to our campus.

Short-term furloughs

There will beno additional staff furloughsfrom now through the end of July. Based on the already-announced and implemented cost mitigation efforts –– as well as our ability to use the CARES Act Employee Retention Credit –– we are able to avoid additional furloughs during June and July. It is also our hope that we will be able to return those who have already been furloughed before the end of July, if not sooner.

There are still many unknowns as to how COVID-19 will impact the University and its operations in the coming fiscal year. It is possible that, as the year unfolds, the University will need to take additional cost mitigation actions. We all must remain diligent and focused on everything we can do to help SLU, our students, our patients, and each other get through this pandemic. We hope holding on this particular expense reduction tactic gives you and your families some peace of mind this summer.

Vacation payout policy change

The University Leadership Council voted last week to implement the previously-announced change to the vacation policy, in which vacation payouts at time of termination will be limited to 40 hours. During the discussion of this policy change, a few key policy provisions were discussed and implemented:

• The policy change implementation date was moved back to October 1.
• Employees who retire from the University prior to January 15, 2021 will be eligible to receive a payout for all accrued, unused vacation.
• An employee whose employment ends due to death or position elimination will be eligible to receive a payout for all accrued, unused vacation.
• We must reinforce that employees are encouraged to take vacation, and that supervisors are expected to both approve vacation requests, and work with employees to ensure they are taking vacation.

Thanks to many of you who offered constructive feedback to help improve the final version of thispolicy.

And finally, thank you for your continued dedication to Saint Louis University. We will get through this together as OneSLU.

Sincerely,

Mickey Luna
Vice President, Human Resources