Register July 2018 No. 751
Chapter ER-MRS 22
LAYOFF PROCEDURE
ER-MRS 22.02 Definitions.
ER-MRS 22.025 Vacancies, how filled.
ER-MRS 22.03 Application.
ER-MRS 22.035 Layoff group.
ER-MRS 22.04 Certain employees released first.
ER-MRS 22.05 Layoff plan subject to approval.
ER-MRS 22.06 Procedure for making layoffs.
ER-MRS 22.07 Notice prior to layoff; appeal notice.
ER-MRS 22.08 Alternatives to termination from the service as a result of layoff.
ER-MRS 22.09 Failure to accept reasonable offer of appointment.
ER-MRS 22.10 Restoration rights and conditions.
ER-MRS 22.11 Reinstatement eligibility and conditions.
ER-MRS 22.12 Layoff of seasonal and sessional employees.
ER-MRS 22.13 Layoff of school year employees.
ER-MRS 22.14 Temporary layoff of employees.
ER-MRS 22.01
ER-MRS 22.01
Purpose. This layoff procedure is adopted under s.
230.34 (2), Stats., and is intended to be fair to and understandable by all employees; retain for the state service its most effective and efficient personnel; and insure that all layoff actions are appropriately and systematically administered.
ER-MRS 22.01 History
History: Cr.
Register, October, 1972, No. 202, eff. 11-1-72; emerg. am. eff. 4-25-75; am.
Register, September, 1975, No. 237, eff. 10-1-75; am.
Register, February, 1981, No. 302, eff. 3-1-81.
ER-MRS 22.02
ER-MRS 22.02
Definitions. The following are definitions for terms used in this chapter:
ER-MRS 22.02(2)
(2) “Layoff group," means an aggregation of related positions which is the group of employees from which the layoff will be made.
ER-MRS 22.02(4)
(4) “Subtitle," means a secondary explanatory title which is used to identify positions whose duties distinguish them from other positions in the same class in terms of the qualifications required for successful performance in the position.
ER-MRS 22.02(5)
(5) “Vacancy" or “vacant position" means a classified position to which a permanent appointment may be made after the appointing authority has initiated an action to fill that position and the position has been fully authorized and budgeted by law.
ER-MRS 22.02 Note
Note: The definitions of employing unit, layoff and recruitment option are set forth under s.
ER-MRS 1.02 (7),
(11) and
(28), respectively.
ER-MRS 22.02 History
History: Cr.
Register, October, 1972, No. 202, eff. 11-1-72; emerg. r. and recr., eff. 4-25-75; r. and recr.
Register, September, 1975, No. 237, eff. 10-1-75; renum. (1) and (2) to be (2) and (3), cr. (1),
Register, February, 1981, No. 302, eff. 3-1-81; am. (1),
Register, February, 1983, No. 326, eff. 3-1-83; r. and recr.
Register, May, 1988, No. 389, eff. 6-1-88; correction in (1) and (3) made under s. 13.93 (2m) (b) 7., Stats.,
Register, October, 1994, No. 466;
emerg. cr. (5), eff. 6-12-95; cr. (5),
Register, December, 1995, No. 480, eff. 1-1-96.
ER-MRS 22.025
ER-MRS 22.025 Vacancies, how filled. For purposes of this chapter, the appointing authority shall fill vacancies in the following order, after considering transfers, demotions and reassignments limited to persons currently employed in the employing unit who are not affected by the layoff:
ER-MRS 22.025(1)
(1) Through alternatives in lieu of termination as a result of layoff.
ER-MRS 22.025(2)
(2) Through restoration following layoff for persons with restoration rights obtained from layoff prior to July 1, 2016.
ER-MRS 22.025 History
History: Cr.
Register, February, 1983, No. 326, eff. 3-1-83;
CR 18-006: am. (2) Register July 2018 No. 751, eff. 8-1-18. ER-MRS 22.03(1)(1)
This chapter shall be applied by the appointing authority in the event of an impending reduction in work force.
ER-MRS 22.03(3)(c)
(c) School year employees at institutions and schools, during recesses in the academic year or summer. In accordance with s.
ER 18.14 (2) (c), such employees shall be considered on an approved leave of absence without pay during these periods.
ER-MRS 22.03(4)
(4) The layoff grouping under s.
ER-MRS 22.06, shall not apply to employees in positions funded by nonstate funds made available contingent on special employee eligibility requirements under s.
230.34 (2m), Stats. However, if layoff is to be made among such employees, the provisions of this chapter shall apply.
ER-MRS 22.03(5)
(5) The appointing authority shall identify the position or positions to be eliminated in the event of a reduction in the work force.
ER-MRS 22.03 History
History: Cr.
Register, October, 1972, No. 202, eff. 11-1-72; am. (1), r. (2) to (5), cr. (2) and (3),
Register, September, 1975, No. 237, eff. 10-1-75; r. and recr. (1), renum. (2) to be Pers 22.04, r. (3), cr. (2) to (5),
Register, February, 1981, No. 302, eff. 3-1-81; am. (3) (a),
Register, February, 1983, No. 326, eff. 3-1-83; am. (3) (c),
Register, May, 1988, No. 389, eff. 6-1-88; corrections in (3) (intro.) and (4) made under s. 13.93 (2m) (b) 7., Stats.,
Register, October, 1994, No. 466;
CR 18-006: am. (2) Register July 2018 No. 751, eff. 8-1-18. ER-MRS 22.035(1)(1)
The layoff group, within the employing unit, may be identified by, but not limited to:
ER-MRS 22.035(1)(c)
(c) Progression series that has been approved by the administrator for use by the agency; or
ER-MRS 22.035(2)
(2) All positions in the layoff group must be in the same pay range except when the layoff group is a progression series which has been approved by the administrator for use by the agency.
ER-MRS 22.035 History
History: Cr.
Register, May, 1988, No. 389, eff. 6-1-88; correction in (1) (c), (2) made under s.
13.92 (4) (b) 6., Stats.,
Register September 2015 No. 717;
CR 18-006: am. (1) (intro.) Register July 2018 No. 751, eff. 8-1-18. ER-MRS 22.04
ER-MRS 22.04
Certain employees released first. Before an employee with permanent status in class may be laid off, the appointing authority shall terminate all employees in the approved layoff group in the employing unit in which the layoff occurs who are serving an original appointment probationary period unless authorized by the director.
ER-MRS 22.04 History
History: Cr.
Register, September, 1975, No. 237, eff. 10-1-75; renum. from Pers 22.03 (2) and am.,
Register, February, 1981, No. 302, eff. 3-1-81; am. (intro.) and (1),
Register, February, 1983, No. 326, eff. 3-1-83; am. (intro.),
Register, May, 1988, No. 389, eff. 6-1-88;
CR 18-006: renum. (intro.) to ER-MRS 22.04 and am., r. (1) to (3) Register July 2018 No. 751, eff. 8-1-18. ER-MRS 22.05
ER-MRS 22.05
Layoff plan subject to approval. Whenever it becomes necessary for an agency to lay off employees, the appointing authority shall prepare a comprehensive written plan for layoff following the procedure specified in this chapter and submitted to the director for review and approval prior to implementation.
ER-MRS 22.05 History
History: Emerg. cr. eff. 4-25-75; cr.
Register, September, 1975, No. 237, eff. 10-1-75; renum. from Pers 22.09 and am.,
Register, February, 1981, No. 302, eff. 3-1-81; correction made under s.
13.92 (4) (b) 6., Stats.,
Register September 2015 No. 717.
ER-MRS 22.06(1)(1)
In the layoff plan submitted to the director, under s.
ER-MRS 22.05, the appointing authority shall recommend the layoff group in which the layoff is to occur. The layoff group shall reflect the staffing processes followed for included positions. Full-time and part-time positions may constitute different layoff groups. The primary order of layoff is determined by job performance. Thereafter disciplinary records, seniority, and ability are factors used to determine the order of layoff action.
ER-MRS 22.06(2)
(2) The appointing authority will determine the order of layoff primarily based on job performance. Employees, including those on an approved leave of absence, in the layoff group, will be grouped by category of performance based on the evaluation categories established in the employee's annual performance evaluation. To determine the most appropriate category for layoff grouping, the appointing authority will use the current year and previous 4 years.
ER-MRS 22.06(3)
(3) Within each performance category, the employees in the layoff group shall be ranked by seniority computed on the basis of continuous service as set forth in s. ER18.02 (2) and (3), with any resulting tied cases to be ranked, relative to each other, according to their total continuous service in the approved layoff group. If, after completing this ranking, a tie still exists between 2 or more employees, continuous service of the tied employees shall be determined by age, with the oldest employee deemed to have the greatest continuous service. Disciplinary record review will consist of an employee's disciplinary records from the current and previous 4 years. An appointing authority may request the exemption of an employee from the seniority order due to the results of the disciplinary record review. Ability is applied by requesting to retain up to 20% of the employees in the layoff group who have special or superior skills as determined by the appointing authority. Remaining employees shall be laid off according to their continuous service ranking, with the employee with the least continuous service laid off first.
ER-MRS 22.06(4)
(4) With the agreement of the appointing authority, an employee with more continuous service in the layoff group may volunteer to be terminated from employment in lieu of the layoff of an employee with less continuous service, with the guarantee that the appointing authority will not challenge the volunteering employee's eligibility for unemployment compensation.
ER-MRS 22.06 History
History: Emerg. cr. eff. 4-25-75; cr.
Register, September, 1975, No. 237, eff. 10-1-75; renum. from Pers 2.035 and am.,
Register, February, 1981, No. 302, eff. 3-1-81; am. (1) and (2), cr. (4),
Register, February, 1983, No. 326, eff. 3-1-83; am.
Register, May, 1988, No. 389, eff. 6-1-88; correction in (1) and (2) made under s. 13.93 (2m) (b) 7., Stats.,
Register, October, 1994, No. 466;
CR 04-138: am. (2)
Register June 2005 No. 594, eff. 7-1-05; correction in (1), (2) made under s. 13.92 (4) (b) 6., Stats.,
Register September 2015 No. 717;
CR 18-006: am. Register July 2018 No. 751, eff. 8-1-18. ER-MRS 22.07
ER-MRS 22.07
Notice prior to layoff; appeal notice. ER-MRS 22.07(1)(1)
Any employee affected by layoff shall be given written notice of the anticipated action, not less than 60 calendar days prior to its effective date. If the appointing authority is provided fewer than 60 days' notice of the need for layoff, because of loss of funding or otherwise, the director may authorize a layoff notice of 30 calendar days prior to the effective date. The written notice of layoff shall, to the extent practicable, include the specific alternatives within the agency available at that time to the employee in lieu of termination. The appointing authority shall continue to keep the employee aware of new alternatives available up to the effective date of the layoff.
