U. of California Puts New Rehiring Policy in Place

Now that the University of California has a new rehiring policy in place, it will review hundreds of university employees who were rehired after they retired, sometimes for the same job but at higher pay, The San Francisco Chronicle reports.

The new policy comes in the wake of a controversy over UC-Berkeley Police Chief Victoria Harrison, who left with a lump sum $2.1-million retirement package only to be rehired for her old job at a higher salary, the newspaper reports.

According to a university data base reviewed by The San Francisco Chronicle …

There were 1,900 pensioners on the payrolls of the 10 campuses and the university’s headquarters last February. The review also found widespread violations of guidelines that limited retired workers to no more than one year of re-employment and generally no more than about 19 hours of work each week.

At least 440 pensioners were hired to work for an indefinite period and apparently are not limited to the one-year rule. Roughly 20 percent of those rehired – 348 employees – were working more than the maximum allowed hours, with 181 working fulltime.

According to a university spokesman, rehired pensioners who appear to violate earlier guidelines will be reviewed and brought into compliance with the new policy.

“Any existing cases that involve variances will come forward for review under the new reporting procedures,” said UC spokesman Paul Schwartz.

The regents’ new policy tightens restrictions, barring rehired retirees from working more than 17.2 hours a week – or 43 percent of a regular work week. It also says there must be a written explanation of the special circumstances requiring the retired employee’s services and that regental approval is required for any retirees rehired at a salary of $205,000 or more. Presidential approval is needed for extensions.