Compensation and Benefits
Flex Work Relief Pilot Program
On Monday, April 27th, 2009 Dean and Provost Dr. Terence R. Flotte and UMass Memorial Medical Center President Dr. Walter Ettinger Jr. announced the Faculty Flex Work Relief Pilot Program. This initiative, administered by the Office of Faculty Affairs, will provide a financial support mechanism that enables a faculty member to maintain productivity while working a reduced schedule for up to two years. All full-time, academically salaried faculty who have been employed for at least two years are eligible to apply.
The Faculty Flex Work Relief Pilot Program is an initiative to support faculty in times of pressing personal needs. This program will provide a financial support mechanism to enable the faculty member to maintain productivity while working a reduced schedule for a discrete period of time not to exceed two years. The goal is to assist in the retention of faculty during periods of personal need.
All full-time academically salaried faculty, at the rank of Assistant Professor or higher, who have been employed as a faculty member for at least two years at UMMS and/or UMass Memorial Health Care.
Applications must be developed in collaboration with the faculty member’s department chair and demonstrate how the business needs and missions (e.g., clinical, education, research and service) of the department or unit will be met while the faculty member is on a reduced schedule. The application should identify the personal need or crisis that is the basis for the request. If the personal need is medical in nature, confidentiality will be retained and Human Resources will be contacted for verification. A budget and justification also must be included outlining how expenses would be covered. The application should be no longer than two pages and also include a letter of support from the applicant’s chair. The chair’s letter should be an assessment of the faculty member’s current and potential future contributions to UMMS/UMass Memorial; the interim staffing plan; and a mechanism for assessing the effectiveness of the plan. Applicants can apply for up to a period of one year, with the option to apply for a second year if needed. Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis and should be sent to the Office of Faculty Affairs. This is not meant as a mechanism for permanent part-time faculty, intermittent leave, or transition to retirement.
A standing committee of six to eight people composed of research and clinical faculty and administration will evaluate the applications quarterly. Each application will be competitively evaluated by at least four committee members and the appropriate Human Resources contact will be consulted. Factors to be considered include the faculty member’s current and future contribution, length of service, justification and available program funding.
Awards of up to $30,000 per person per year will be considered depending on the circumstances and requirements of the individual faculty member. Examples of potential expenses that could be funded include: salary and/or benefits for replacement personnel, malpractice insurance, lab manager, teacher or scientific editor. The faculty member’s department would be expected to use salary savings from the faculty member’s reduced effort to offset expenses and would be encouraged to supplement with additional funds as needed.
Participants and their chairs will be required to complete a brief, one page assessment every six months during their participation. One year after completion of participation in the program another brief survey will assess whether the additional funds helped the faculty member to retain and prosper in their career at UMMS/UMass Memorial.