Flexible-Year Positions

Flexible-year positions of nine (9) months are available as an alternative to 12-month positions for departments who wish to make more efficient use of personnel service resources during summer periods of decreased activity. Such positions are dependent upon operational and staffing needs as well as available funding.

Eligibility

Any Regular Classified Staff position may be designated as a flexible-year position with the concurrence of the appropriate dean, director, or department head. Such a position may not be converted, however, unless it is vacant or the current incumbent consents. Positions will be converted to flexible-year positions by written notification to Systems Control from the appropriate dean, director, or department head. Such notification will include a Flex-Year Agreement signed by the current incumbent of the position.

The department may reconvert a flexible-year position to a 12-month position at any time upon reasonable notice to the current incumbent. The current incumbent shall have the opportunity to accept the 12-month position or be placed on layoff status (see Layoff/Reduction in Force).

The work and non-work periods of flexible-year positions will always correspond with the beginning and end of the academic year.

Classified Staff employees in flexible-year positions who have not completed their probationary period by the beginning of the non-work period must complete their probation when they return to work. Employees in flexible-year positions will be paid in accordance with existing University pay policies and procedures for academic-year positions and will receive 20 paychecks per year.

Benefits

The University will continue to pay the employer's share of benefits/insurance costs while the employee is in a non-work status.

While in a non-work status, the employee:

1. shall not accrue vacation or sick leave;
2. shall not be eligible to use vacation or sick leave accruals;
3. shall not be eligible for holiday compensation; and
4. shall not be eligible for unemployment compensation.

Deductions for insurance coverage during the summer months of a year shall be taken from all paychecks during the Spring semester that have a voluntary benefit deduction.

Employees who do not return to work during the first pay period of the academic year shall have their insurance programs canceled effective the last day of the pay period for which they had pre-paid a premium, which is the pay period that immediately precedes the start of the academic year.

Service credit for retirement purposes would be earned in accordance with the rules and regulations of the Arizona State Retirement System.

Flex-year information and enrollment forms are available at http://syscon.arizona.edu/sites/default/files/Flexible-Yr_Pgm_Guide_FY15_16.pdf