KALAMAZOO, MI (WKZO AM/FM) — Western Michigan University is facing criticism for how they sent home some of their employees amid the coronavirus pandemic.
At a special online city commission meeting Tuesday night, Kalamazoo City Commissioner Erin Knott prepared a written statement demanding answers from the university.
According to Knott, on Friday, March 20th, WMU “essentially pink slipped” the majority of their non-bargaining employees, forcing them to use their annual or sick leave in order to be paid and maintain their health insurance.
She says that WMU is the only major employer in Kalamazoo to take such actions. “We have not seen this yet from KVCC, KPS, or Kalamazoo College,” Knott stated.
However, WMU Director of Strategic Communications Paula Davis reiterates that there has been no such decision to layoff staff. “It’s true that with the executive orders first suspending specific operations (dining halls, gyms and recreational centers, performance auditoriums) and with the stay at home order, the University has focused on operations that are essential for the institution to continue its most critical function,” said Davis.
Knott states that university employees are now facing hardships and tough decisions in order to stay afloat financially. She says that the university blamed Governor Gretchen Whitmer’s stay at home order for the staffing decision; however, Knott claims WMU officials sent employees home before the governor issued her executive order.
In addition, during an interview with MLive, WMU’s Vice President of Marketing Tony Proudfoot explained that no employees would lose their health insurance and a provided statement from WMU’s President Edward Montgomery explained that this is not a layoff.
“For a period when a WMU staff member is not performing essential duties, the University has provided 128 hours of paid time off. These 128 hours are in addition to vacation leave and sick leave, which employees are free to use once the 128 hours of leave are exhausted. And we are not yet at the point where that leave could be exhausted for staff,” Davis explained in a written statement.
She adds that over the next several weeks, some employees will cycle on and off essential work assignments so no leave use is necessary. A leave is being used when a worker is not called in to perform essential work, but when they are back to performing essential duties, then a leave is not taken. In fact, this week, WMU will pay $10.2 million to approximately 7,281 employees.
Under WMU’s Frequently Asked Questions section, staff compensation employees that run out of COVID-19 allowance would fall into a no-pay status and would continue as a WMU employee. The website recommends that those affected should file for unemployment with the state agency. “Remaining in a no-pay status would be a COBRA-qualifying event, so you would receive a notice allowing you to continue your health care at group plans rates,” according to the website.
Commissioner Knott also criticized the university’s recent we are together campaign, “It doesn’t feel that way to the countless students, employees, and other community members that we are actually ‘all together.’”
She even pointed out that her fellow city commissioner Chris Praedel has been cut down to 12 hours a week. “Chris right now is burning through his annual leave to support his family,” Knott stated.
Overall, the commissioner is demanding that Western “do right” to their employees and protect them during this health pandemic.
But, according to MLive, faculty members have stepped up to help their non-union coworkers, creating a new non-profit called, “Solidarity Fund for WMU Employees and Students.” They’re now asking for donations to provide aid and assistance to the student workers and employees hit the hardest by COVID-19. In under a week, they have raised over $20,000.
More information on WMU’s response to the coronavirus crisis can be found here. Knott’s prepared statements from MLive can be viewed here.
– This article has been updated to reflect the latest statements provided by WMU –
