Public HR KB - How to Manage Short Work Break in UCPath

OVERVIEW

Short Work Breaks (SWB) are used to stop pay for an employee for a temporary time while allowing the employee to stay in Active status. PayPath is used to put an employee on Short Work Break and only goes through local approval before being committed to the system.

When to use

To put an employee on a Short Work Break
To extend a Short Work Break
To return an employee from a Short Work Break

Intended Audience

UCPath Transactors

BEFORE YOU BEGIN

Tasks to Complete Before Starting

Review the employee’s Job Data, UCPC’s Job Aid: Short Work Break Matrix, and any additional short work break guidance from UC San Diego to ensure the work break you are about to enter adheres to policy.

Review the employee’s Appointment End Date on the record you intend to put on short work break. If the Appointment End Date is before the Expected Return Date, then you must first extend the Appointment End Date. Depending on the effective date of the extension, which must be before the Appointment End Date, you may need to enter the extension in a separate transaction. If the effective date of the extension and the short work break can be the same:

On the Job Data tab, enter the extension first (Effective Seq 0)
Then click Add a New Row (+) to enter the short work break (Effective Seq 1)

UCPath treats a Short Work Break similar to an unpaid leave because the employee’s pay is stopped for a temporary period. Although SWB is not a type of leave; it is a break in active status for payroll purposes. During a Short Work Break, the employee’s Payroll Status is changed to W for Short Work Break and is considered inactive; meaning that they may be responsible to pay for any benefits that continue through the Short Work Break. However, their HR status is active because they are still considered an employee.

Benefits eligibility should be assessed and benefits-eligible employees should be given the Benefits Billing Election Form along with the Instruction Sheet and Cost Summary page.  It is the department’s responsibility to notify employees of benefit premium amounts due while on an unpaid leave of absence or short work break to continue and/or cancel benefits. Employees can opt-out of benefits during the Short Work Break, or elect to retain benefits coverage, which they may be responsible to pay for. By default, the employees are automatically enrolled in direct billing and must contact the UCPath Center to cancel plans. For employees who choose to continue benefits coverage, a monthly Benefits Billing Statement will be mailed to them by the UCPath Center. Refer to the chart below for clarification on who pays for what is based on Short Work Break Action/Reason Codes.

Action/Reason	BAS Action	Effect on Billing (If Enrolled in Benefits)	Rate	Notes
SWB/BEN – U18 Benefits Bridge Eligible	S18	Start Billing	Total Rate	Employee pays the required group plan premiums for both employees and UC portion
SWB/POS – Partial Year Career – 9 Months	R	Start Billing	Employee Rate	Considered a Furlough, UC will continue its contribution to medical, dental, vision premiums during a furlough period up to 3 months. Employee will pay their portion of medical and legal plan premiums during the furlough
SWB/P10 – Partial Year Career – 10 Months	SFR	Start Billing	Employee Rate	Considered a Furlough, UC will continue its contribution to medical, dental, vision premiums during a furlough period up to 3 months. Employee will pay their portion of medical and legal plan premiums during the furlough
SWB/P11 – Partial Year Career – 11 Months	SFR	Start Billing	Employee Rate	Considered a Furlough, UC will continue its contribution to medical, dental, vision premiums during a furlough period up to 3 months. Employee will pay their portion of medical and legal plan premiums during the furlough
SWB/LMT – Limited Employees	SLM	Start Billing	Total Rate	Employee pays the required group plan premiums for both employees and UC portion
SWB/FLT - Floaters	SWB	Start Billing	Total Rate	Employee pays the required group plan premiums for both employees and UC portion
SWB/GST - Terminated	SWB	Start Billing	Total Rate	Employee pays the required group plan premiums for both employees and UC portion
SWB/RFB – Research Funding Bridge	SWB	Start Billing	Total Rate	Employee pays the required group plan premiums for both employees and UC portion
SWB/U18 – Benefits Bridge Not Eligible	SWB	Start Billing	Total Rate	Employee pays the required group plan premiums for both employees and UC portion
SWB/UNX – University Extension	SWB	Start Billing	Total Rate	Employee pays the required group plan premiums for both employees and UC portion
SWB/UST – Staff Students	SWB	Start Billing	Total Rate	Employee pays the required group plan premiums for both employees and UC portion
SWB/VAR – Academic Variable Appointment	SWB	Start Billing	Total Rate	Employee pays the required group plan premiums for both employees and UC portion

For additional information on the benefit billing process for short work breaks refer to the Benefits Billing / Short Work Break Operational Alignment Workshop.

For Best Results

A job should not be on SWB status at the beginning of the appointment. You cannot process off-cycle pay for an employee record that is on SWB; instead, you must submit a detailed ticket to UCPC to request the missing pay
It is the Department’s responsibility to monitor an employee on short work break, which includes notifying the employee to return and confirming return as expected. Use the Short Work Break Monitoring Report on the Business Analytics Hub to monitor Short Work Break end dates and decide whether to extend SWB, return the employee to active status, or terminate the job.
For additional guidance on Unit 18 see KBA: Short Work Break for Unit 18 with Multi-Year One-Ninth Commitments and UCPC’s Job Aid: Unit 18 Short Work Break for 1/9 and 1/10 Appointees

STEPS TO TAKE IN UCPATH

Initiate Short Work Break PayPath Transaction (Staff/Acad) – Step by step guidance on entering a Short Work Break in UCPath
Initiate Short Work Break Extension PayPath Transaction (Staff/Acad) – Step by step guidance on extending a Short Work Break in UCPath
Initiate Return from Short Work Break PayPath Transaction (Staff/Acad) – Step by step guidance on entering a return from Short Work Break in UCPath

WHAT TO DO AFTER

The Payroll Processing Calendar deadline for PayPath transactions is the Stop Processing PayPath & Position Mngt(5:00 PM) deadline. The transaction must be approved by this deadline to be processed with the current pay cycle.

No new PayPath transactions on this employee record can be submitted until the current transaction has been approved or denied.

Once UCPath Center has been notified (via Extended Absence Module) that an employee has returned from a Short Work Break, UCPath Center will:

Assess benefit eligibility and notify employee of plan re-enrollment options
Reinstate any plans terminated during the Short Work Break
Reconcile the Benefit Billing Account

How to Manage Short Work Break in UCPath