Voluntary furloughs

Dear HPL Team –

Like other cities across the nation, we are currently experiencing an economic crisis in the City of Houston. Per the memo from the Mayor, if you would like to participate in the voluntary furlough program to help the city with the current budget crisis, please make sure you consult with your supervisor, just as you would before taking a vacation or personal leave day, to insure that there will be adequate coverage in your area or location.

We are asking you to do the following:
 Consult with your Supervisor/Manager to schedule the day(s)
 Complete a 206 for the day(s). Please chose “Other” on the form and put Voluntary Furlough in the provided space
 Focus on utilizing days that are within the period of December 11 to December 24, - that is when payroll deductions are at their lowest for the year, thus helping to minimize the impact on you from any lost wages.
 Supervisor – Please send the name of the employee and hours to Tameka Hardison and cc: Sharon Alvarez
 Time-Keepers – We are waiting on City Payroll to provide the payroll code. Once we get the code, we will provide that information to you

PLEASE NOTE: YOU ARE PROHIBITED FROM DOING ANY CITY WORK DURING YOUR TIME ON VOLUNTARY FURLOUGH.

If you have any questions, please contact Deputy Director Roosevelt Weeks (832-393-1327) or Tameka Hardison (832-393-1341).

I echo the Mayor in thanking you for all you do and for any sacrifice you are willing to make to help bridge the City’s budget shortfall.
All the Best,
Rhea Brown Lawson, PhD, Director


(Original email from Mayor Parker below)


Dear City of Houston Employee:

As you know, the economic crisis our nation faces has affected the fiscal affairs of government at all levels. While the City of Houston has been able to withstand the crisis longer than most, we too are now faced with budget challenges that force us to make tough fiscal choices.

You have my respect and appreciation for the work that you do for the people of Houston. You also have the benefit of a strong union, HOPE, that ably represents your interests. In recent weeks, I have had a variety of discussions with HOPE leadership regarding the impact of our budget crisis and ways that we can work together to address it. One such approach is the use of a voluntary furlough program.

While the time may come to institute an involuntary furlough for a small period of days next calendar year, we would first like to see what we can accomplish in cost savings through a voluntary furlough program this month. It is entirely your choice as to whether or not you take any voluntary furlough days. If you choose to do so, however, you must coordinate with your supervisor the day(s) you will take, and you should focus on utilizing days that are within the period of December 11 to December 24, as that is when payroll deductions are at their lowest for the year, thus helping to minimize the impact on you from any lost wages.

In deciding whether you will take any voluntary furlough days, please understand that any voluntary days taken this month cannot be offset against any involuntary furlough days that may be instituted in the New Year. In addition, under the City’s agreement with Houston Municipal Employee Pension System, you will only be able to receive up to a total of ten (10) credited service days for furlough days (voluntary and involuntary) taken during a given fiscal year. If we have to institute an involuntary program, I do not currently anticipate that it would exceed a total of six (6) days for the remainder of the fiscal year, which ends June 30, 2011.

Please note that you are prohibited from performing any City work on a furlough day.

Thank you again for all you do for our City and any additional sacrifice you are willing to make. Should you have any questions regarding this Voluntary Furlough Program contact Omar Reid, Human Resources Director, at 713-837-9330.

Sincerely,


Annise Parker
Mayor

Note from us below:
*Please note* : The same rules apply for taking a furlough day as we do with vacation days:

1) They cannot be used on late nights. Should you need your late night off as a furlough day, you must switch your night with a staff member of another night.

2) If the date is in red on the calendar then we cannot give the day off due to staffing constraints unless otherwise directed.

3) Furlough days cannot be used on a Saturday.