Fort Lewis College

Separation Incentive Program Policy

The Fort Lewis College Separation Incentive Program has been approved for the implementation of the fiscal year 2003-2004 campus budget reductions.  The program is permitted by State Personnel Board Rule R7-21 and provides a financial incentive to eligible classified employees who waive their retention and reemployment rights associated with their current employment during the layoff process.  Employees accepting a separation incentive retain their eligibility for reinstatement if they leave their employment in good standing, and may apply for other state positions.  Probationary employees are not eligible for this Separation Incentive Program. 

The Separation Incentive Program is available to classified staff  who may be separated from service as a result of a layoff in progress or subsequent bumping process.  Separation incentives are discretionary and  are approved by the President of the College upon review of the function performed by the employee and  the implications of the bumping process resulting from the application of the employee’s retention rights. Approval may not be delegated during the Separation Incentive Program. 

The dollar amount of the separation incentive must be calculated using the base salary rate in effect on the employee’s last day of employment.  State classified employees who may be separated from service as a result of a layoff in progress or subsequent bumping process may be eligible for up to one week of pay for each full year of state service worked, not to exceed 13 weeks.  The availability of funds, the impact of expending funds on the Colleges ability to conduct business and the impact of the use of the retention rights available to the employee being separated from service shall be considered in determining the amount of separation incentive.  

The appropriate Vice President, the appointing authority and/or the employee who will be separated from service by a planned layoff or subsequent bumping process may suggest use of the Separation Incentive Program.  The separation incentive can be negotiated by the appointing authority within the parameters identified in this plan and the parameters approved by the State Personnel Director.

Based on the negotiated separation incentive (referenced above), a written Separation Incentive Agreement and General Release (“Agreement”) must be completed.  The President  and the State Controller(or delegee of the State Controller) must approve agreements.  The following procedures must be followed when implementing an Agreement: 

The appropriate Vice President must submit the agreement for review and approval to the President.

The affected employee(s) shall be advised in writing to consult with a lawyer and be given forty-five (45) calendar days to consider the Agreement before signing.  After signing the agreement, the employee will have seven (7) calendar days to revoke the Agreement.  The Agreement will not be effective until the end of this seven day period.

Fully executed Agreements must be sent to the Office of Human Resources/Equal Opportunity.

Employees accepting a separation incentive will receive payment of the agreed-upon separation incentive after the last day of employment and in accordance with the College’s normal payroll process.

The Office of Human Resources/Equal Opportunity will monitor the Separation Incentive program.  This information will be reported to the President and appointing authority on a regular basis.