5.15 Voluntary Modification of Employment
Modified employment agreements may be negotiated on an individual basis, modeled upon previous agreements on file. Faculty members contemplating Voluntary Modification of Employment should inquire carefully into the impact on their benefits, since policy on these may change from time to time. Note that an individual on modified employment contract is limited to participation in health and life insurance programs only "to the extent provided... for retirees." They also lose any accumulated sick leave and do not further acquire sick leave. In previous instances, the university has, however, extended the following provision, taken from the guidelines adopted by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board.
The participant and university agree that should the participant become physically or mentally unable to continue the reduced workload, the university will continue to pay the participant’s salary as provided herein until the end of the academic year in which the participant could not perform his or her workload. At the end of such academic year, the obligation of the university under this policy shall terminate.
Faculty members in the Teacher Retirement System of Texas (TRS), as opposed to an Optional Retirement Program (ORP), should be aware of the special conditions applicable to their workload arrangements if they intend to draw retirement benefits while on modified employment.
The Human Resources Office can provide a statement of benefits available whenever a member is considering Voluntary Modification of Employment.