Temporary Alternative Duty Assignment

Temporary Alternative Duty Assignment is available to all employees whose position is designated as full benefits eligible.

It is the intent of the University to provide family-friendly policies and practices aimed at supporting employees to balance work and family life. Deans, directors, department heads, and other supervisors shall make every reasonable effort to accommodate the needs of employees, to the greatest possible extent, and in a manner consistent with the effective and efficient operation of the University.

Under this policy, eligible employees may request a period of up to sixteen (16) weeks during which the employee may receive a temporary assignment of alternative duties that will make it more feasible for the employee to remain on active employment at the University while affected by the following circumstances:

• the birth or surrogacy birth of the employee's child and to care for the child within the first 12 months of birth; or
• a child's placement with the employee for adoption, legal guardianship, or foster care within the first 12 months of placement, or
• the need to provide temporary care to the employee's spouse/domestic partner, child, or parent who has a serious health condition.

During the period of temporary assignment of alternative duties, the employee's FTE (full-time equivalency) will remain unchanged and the employee will be compensated at the same rate of pay for all hours worked. If the employee elects to temporarily work a reduced number of hours in addition to performing alternative duties, the employee shall use paid or unpaid leave (including any remaining Family and Medical Leave) for the absence portion.

A supervisor may not impose this policy as a substitute for an employee's request for Family and Medical Leave due to a qualifying reason or when medical conditions restrict an employee's ability to work.

Employees may make a written request for a temporary alternative duty assignment to their immediate supervisor. The request must include a signed statement attesting that the employee will be responsible for at least 50 percent of the care after the birth, adoption, foster placement, legal guardianship placement, or surrogacy of a child, or other family member with a serious health condition. The request shall include the dates of the proposed period of alternative duty assignment, the proposed alternative duties, and any other necessary arrangements to implement the request. The employee shall request the period of reassigned duties as far in advance as possible.

It is expected that the temporary alternative duties will be ones normally included in the employee's job description but the range of actual duties will be altered. Examples of temporary alternative duties may include alternative work schedule, substitution of duties within the classification, project-specific work, and/or transportable work.

Approval of the temporary alternative duty assignment request is subject to the discretion of the supervisor in consultation with the unit administrator. The supervisor shall consider the feasibility of the request within the nature of the position, circumstances and budget of the affected work unit, and whether it is in the best interests of the University.

The department shall maintain a copy of the employee's written request and the supervisor's written response.