Reasonable Assurance of Re-Employment

Who is affected?

Service and support staff at Western Michigan University with less than fiscal year appointments, including temporary and regular academic year and 10-month hourly paid staff.

Temporary and non-tenure track faculty with less than fiscal year appointments, whom you intend to reappoint in the summer and/or fall. This includes part-time instructors, adjunct faculty, and instructors who are limited to five consecutive one-year terminal appointments, as well as those appointed as temporary replacements for regular, tenure track faculty.

Why?

The Michigan Employment Security Act, which governs unemployment compensation in Michigan, requires that such employees be provided with written reasonable assurance of reemployment if the University intends to continue employment in the following semester or term, and the University does not wish to be liable for unemployment compensation. Written reasonable assurance of reemployment renders staff and temporary faculty with less than 12-month appointments ineligible to receive unemployment benefits during the summer or other break periods.

Exception

If you do not intend to reappoint a specific temporary or non-tenure track faculty member, the reasonable assurance notification should not be issued.

What to do?

Issue a written reasonable assurance of reemployment to affected employees. A sample letter is provided through the link below. Please be sure to send Human Resources a copy of each written reasonable assurance letter you issue. The memo sent explaining this year's Reasonable Assurance is provided at this link.

When?

Provide affected employees with a written reasonable assurance of reemployment by April 19, 2024.

Sample letter

A sample letter is available at Forms: Business Managers and Hiring Agents.

Questions?

Contact Human Resources.