Q & A: Layoffs of Full-Time Faculty Members
Q. Will full-time faculty be laid off due to current budget cuts?
A. No one is sure at this point. Given the magnitude of the planned cuts, the District has said that some layoffs are likely.
Q. When will I know if I will be laid off?
A. According to the current timelines, faculty members will be given an informal preliminary notification of intent to layoff on February 11, 2009 (date subject to change). In accordance with state law, the District must give formal written notification of intent to layoff to all full-time faculty member(s) by March 15. Note that the Governing Board is scheduled to approve formal notification to faculty members of intent to layoff at the March 9 Board Meeting.
Q. Is the March 15 layoff notice final?
A. No. Final notice of layoffs must be served by May 15.
Q. Will I have the right to a hearing if I am laid off?
A. Yes. Within 7 calendar days after the intent to layoff is served to a faculty member, CCFT or the individual faculty member may request a hearing to see if the District has proper grounds for not reemploying the individual(s). All unit members may request CCFT representation for layoff hearings. The cost of the hearing is paid by the District; the cost of a union lawyer will be paid by the union.
Q. Do laid off faculty members have reemployment rights?
A. Yes. In accordance with the Education Code, regular tenured faculty members have reemployment rights for 39 months, contract probationary faculty for 24 months.
Q. Do layoff hearings apply to categorically-funded faculty members?
A. Some categorically funded faculty members may not have the right to a hearing, but given all of the details involved, we would need to do case-by-case research to find out. Thus, we encourage all full-time faculty members who receive layoff notices to contact the union.
Q. Who in the union should I contact if I receive a layoff notice?
A. Please be sure to contact CCFT Grievance Officer Debora Bone (425-0622) or CCFT Director Maya Bendotoff (464-2238). Division reps from each affected area will also serve to represent you.