Bookstore Staff to Barnes & Noble: 38 B&N Job Offers; 26 Acceptances

Barnes & Noble made employment offers to 38 of the 54 Penn Bookstore staff members available* for employment, according to Business Ser vices' Marie Witt. The package summarized below was discussed individually with candidates in meetings May 30, where in addition to B&N rep resentatives there were staff from Human Resources, the Penn Faculty/Staff Assistance Program, and Business Services available to answer ques tions and discuss options. By Friday, June 14's decision deadline, 26 had accepted and 12 had declined the offer. The 16 present staff who did not receive offers were scheduled for sessions with in- and outplacement units during the week of June 4-7. Similar services are provided for the 12 who declined, Ms. Witt added. In a related item, Executive Vice President comments on outsourcing in response to a D.P. article headed U. considers outsourcing 'everything'. -- KCG.

* The total number of Book store staff affected by the Barnes & Noble agreement is 56. One transferred before the offers were made, and another has the option to remain a Penn employee. Ed.


A Summary of the Salary/Benefits Package

Each staff member transitioning to B&N received a personalized worksheet describing the salary and benefits provisions and the comparsion to their current Penn benefits.

Staff will receive their current base rate of pay plus a 3% increase. Total base salary will increase on a one-time basis to offset certain "out-of -paycheck" contributions required to transition to the B&N benefits plan. (For example, if a staff member is enrolled in a Penn medical plan that does not require an employee contribution, his/her base pay will be increased by the amount of any contribution required by the B&N medical plan.) The same will occur for life insurance and long-term disability coverage, pension contribution and dental coverage.

Staff will receive 3 personal days each year and the same annual vacation days they had with Penn or the B&N schedule, whichever is greater. Staff will be immediately vested with their years of service at Penn for the B&N 401 K plan. B&N has waived all waiting periods and pre-existing conditions for medical coverage.

Current Bookstore staff who transition to B&N July 1 will be eligible for tuition reimbursement for up to a maximum of four years (July 1, 1996 -June 30, 2000 only) for dependent children and staff who enroll in a degree program while they are employed at B&N at Penn.

Library access and borrowing privileges will be extended for one year at a time for up to two years. Penn's recreation, credit union services, and the guaranteed mortgage program will also be extended as long as the staff member remains employed by B&N at Penn. Staff transitioning to B&N will be eligible for a new PennCard and will retain their current parking permits and be eligible for van pools and Escort Service.

Bookstore staff who are not transitioning to B&N are eligible under Penn's Position Dis-continuation Policy (PDST) for pay and benefit continuation based on their years of service. These staff members are also eligible for in-placement assistance and an outplacement program through Career Concepts. Staff have received counseling on the provisions of PDST and have already met with both inplacement and outplacement counselors.

Two half-day sessions were held for each staff member at Career Concepts last week to begin the placement process and interviews for jobs on campus have also begun.

Bookstore staff with at least one year of service who are separated from Penn are covered under the service bridging policy. If the staff member is separated for less than 90 days and returns to a Penn position, they will be immediately bridged. If the staff member is separated for more than 90 days, they must return and work in a Penn position for one full year to be bridged. (Bridging only applies to the Faculty Staff Scholarship program, long -term disability, family dental benefits and the accrual of vacation for non-exempt staff.)

Marie D. Witt, Director, Support Services, Office of Business Services


Almanac

Volume 42 Number 34
June 18, 1996


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