First, a quick clarification: our last update about the 60-day layoff notifications was written to address if funding for positions ended on June 30th (which is common). If you did not receive a layoff notification at the time of that message, you can be assured that the 60-day window for June 30th has passed. Also, during that time we received an incorrect list of layoff and FTE reduction notices from management. They are working to identify the issue and as we understand it you will hear from them more shortly if you have not yet. In the meantime, please let us know if you need any other support or assistance from your union.

Secondly, we have an important update on the status of an expanded Letter of Agreement (LOA), a document signed by RWU and OHSU which has activated certain articles of our contract before ratification. As you may have seen, we previously signed and shared the Layoffs LOA, which guaranteed all Researchers a 60-day layoff notice and established the preferred hire list. This LOA has now been expanded to include its sibling articles - Appointments & Renewals and Evaluation Periods. You can read that LOA here.

Here are the major impacts you should know about:

• Researchers are now full employees of OHSU with ongoing employment status!
• This replaces the yearly renewal process, and the non-renewal process will no longer be used to layoff Researchers.
• We encourage laid off Researchers to file for unemployment benefits.

Additionally, researchers shall have access to the preferred hire list, promoting internal hiring of laid off employees!

• RWU aims to keep as many Researchers employed as possible, and prioritizing the rehiring of employees who may be forced out of research is a crucial step.

You may be concerned about the implementation of evaluation periods - this was the compromise to establishing Researchers as full employees of OHSU and the standard model for other academic research unions. There are two kinds of evaluation periods:

1. Probationary periods for new employees
2. Internal job change evaluations for employees transferring between two research positions, including rehired employees from the preferred hire list.

Any Researcher currently employed and not facing a layoff will not serve a probationary period. This is only for employees newly hired into a Research role. The key difference between them is that probationary periods do not include layoff or rehire rights while internal job change evaluations do.

However, employees transferring between two research positions, and employees who are reemployed by a different lab or department following a layoff will be required to serve a six month internal job change evaluation.

We understand that the whirlwind of news around layoffs has been stressful and confusing and we extend our sympathies to anyone under the threat of losing their job. The RWU bargaining team has been fighting to implement these provisions and protect vulnerable Research staff in the midst of sudden and unprecedented grant cancellations and will nevertheless continue to push for a strong contract. Please reach out with any questions or concerns to [email protected] and one of our organizers will get back to you as soon as possible.

In solidarity,

RWU