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NEIU To Halt Employee Furloughs — For Now

By Patty Wetli | April 28, 2016 7:26am
 The Northeastern Illinois University community rallied in early April for state funding.
The Northeastern Illinois University community rallied in early April for state funding.
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DNAinfo/Patty Wetli

NORTH PARK — With stopgap funds on the way from Springfield, Northeastern Illinois University will suspend the staff furloughs that were implemented as a cost-cutting measure back in March.

The one-day-a-week furloughs will end May 1, according to NEIU spokesman Mike Hines.

The affected employees include administrative and professional staff, nonbargained civil service employees, Teamsters, engineers, university police and members of AFSCME.

The administration has also reached a tentative agreement with NEIU's chapter of the University Professionals of Illinois, which represents many of the university's faculty members and had agreed to "sacrifice days" through September.

NEIU's hiring and spending freeze remains in effect, according to a note President Sharon Hahs sent to staff.

"I feel certain that the fact that Northeastern had our furlough and cost-savings program contributed to the General Assembly’s understanding of the critical impact of the budget impasse," Hahs wrote.

If NEIU fails to receive its appropriation for the 2016 fiscal year by June 30, the furloughs will resume the week of July 4, she added.

On April 1, thousands of members of NEIU's community took part in a rally for fair funding of public education in Illinois.

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