The Ferris Board of Trustees recently approved an early retire­ment incen­tive program.

The pro­gram was approved on Feb. 23. This oppor­tu­nity is cur­rently avail­able to only CTA, AFSCME, POLC (Police) I, POLC (Police) II unions, admin­is­tra­tion and admin­is­tra­tive sup­port employees.

Warren Hills, asso­ciate vice pres­i­dent of human resources, said, “They would need to have an appli­ca­tion com­pleted and in my hands by Friday, Mar. 26.”

While union mem­bers have pro­posed ques­tions as to whom will be replaced after an employee retires, Hills said they have no idea and that issue is up to the vice pres­i­dents of admin­is­tra­tion and affairs.

Hills said he vice pres­i­dents do not have any stan­dard num­ber right now and that the issue involves an indi­vid­ual stan­dard that will need to be examined.

Hills said this pro­gram is being offered to full-time employ­ees in the cat­e­gories listed for those who have worked in the uni­ver­sity for 10 years or more.

Requirements must be met by the Teacher’s Union con­tract expi­ra­tion on June 30, 2010.

This pro­gram requires vice pres­i­dents to deter­mine if cost sav­ings from a par­tic­u­lar res­ig­na­tion would be mean­ing­ful and reserves their right to grant or deny an appli­ca­tion from an oth­er­wise qual­i­fied employee.

“This has noth­ing to do with part-time employ­ment,” said Hills.

The pro­gram is not being offered to Ferris fac­ulty at this time, accord­ing to Hills.

“We are in the midst of nego­ti­a­tions with them,” said Hills. Hills declined to com­ment on the cur­rent state of the nego­ti­a­tions tak­ing place.

Those who choose to apply must fill out an appli­ca­tion and sign an agree­ment form indi­cat­ing they will abide by the rules and regulations.

Hills indi­cated that about only 30 peo­ple have applied so far.

“We’re only really in the first week of accept­ing appli­ca­tions,” said Hills. “It gets to only be kind of a rel­a­tive thing.”

There is an appli­ca­tion avail­able for those who qual­ify. The qual­i­fi­ca­tions include employ­ees with at least 10 years of full-time, con­tin­u­ous employ­ment with the uni­ver­sity and who have not already announced or applied for retirement.

The ERIP appli­ca­tion, res­ig­na­tion agree­ment form, and plan descrip­tion can be found on Ferris’ Web site. Further ques­tions can be answered by con­tact­ing Hills at ext. 3879. Applications can be dropped off at Hills’ office in Prakken 150. n