624.01: Reduction in Force

Enterprise State Community College has implemented a reduction-in-force (RIF) action under the following conditions should such an action become necessary and appropriate under Alabama’s Students First Act of 2011 found in Alabama Code §16-24C-6(h)(3) with the written consent of the Chancellor.

A reduction in force (RIF) is defined as:

Layoffs or other personnel actions that are unavoidable reductions in the workforce beyond normal attrition due to extraordinary circumstances such as but not limited to decreased student enrollment, shortage of revenues, programs or courses are impractical or economically unreasonable, or changes in academic mission, administrative or ministerial function that necessitates significant organizational changes.

The College may adopt additional policies or guidelines for RIF actions that are consistent with this Policy.

Procedure:

If believed that a Reduction In Force (RIF) is warranted, the President of the College may submit a written request for approval of a RIF action to the Chancellor indicating the reason for the RIF, the current employee roster of the affected organizational unit with employee classifications, and how the employee roster is proposed to be affected and the manner in which the unit and employee will be affected. Before proceeding with the RIF, the President must obtain written approval to proceed with the proposed RIF action. 

The President shall: 

1. in the event of a proposed reduction-in-force, identify each organizational unit and each employee to be affected by the reduction-in-force to the Chancellor and the manner in which unit and employee shall be affected;
2. in the event of an approved reduction-in-force action, temporary and/or part-time employee(s) performing the same duties as non-temporary full-time personnel shall be released prior to the release of any of the non-temporary full-time employee(s);
3. in the event of an approved reduction-in-force action affecting non-temporary full-time personnel, a probationary employee performing the same duties as a respective non-probationary employee shall be released prior to the release of the non-probationary employee;
4. in the event of an approved reduction-in-force, affecting a full time non-probationary employee, the following factors shall be taken into consideration in the following order: 
   1. The requirements of any applicable court order or consent decree; 
   2. Seniority at the respective college in the respective job classification taking into consideration minimum qualifications for the respective position. 
   3. Seniority at the respective college in the respective organizational unit;
   4. Seniority in general at the respective college; 
   5. Education level. 
      
5. when the respective institution imposes a reduction-in-force action and the President determines that a full-time non-probationary employee who is not the senior person in a given job classification or occupational area possesses a certain license, certification, or job skill the loss of which would be severely detrimental to the operation of the college, the President may request review and approval by the Chancellor of an exception to the general guidelines relating to the release of full-time personnel on continuing service status. (This exception shall not be available for part-time, temporary, or probationary employees.)