ARTICLE 3 – DEFINITIONS
A. Break in Service
A break in service is any separation from employment status. In addition, a break in service occurs, effective the last day on pay status, whether or not a separation form is submitted, when an employee is off pay status for four (4) complete, consecutive calendar months without an approved leave without pay, furlough, or temporary layoff.
A return to pay status from an approved leave without pay, furlough, temporary layoff, indefinite layoff during a period of right to recall and preference for reemployment, or on the next working day
following a separation, is not a break in service.
B. Address of Record
It shall be the responsibility of each employee to inform the University in writing of their current home address and of any change in such address, and the information so provided shall constitute “the
employee’s last known home address.” Via the File Transfer Protocol, the University shall make accessible to the Union a report of bargaining unit members. The report will include the employee’s name, classification, date of hire, departmentand home address. Home addresses shall be made available to the Union provided the employee has not objected to the release of theinformation. The release of home addresses shall be pursuant to Government Code Section 6254.3. For purposes of Article 41 – No Strike/No Lockout, notice to the home addresses provided hereinshall meet the Union’s obligation.
C. Seniority
As used in the Layoff and Hours of Work Articles, seniority iscalculated by the number of full time equivalent months (or hours) of University of California Merced service excluding employment
prior to a break in service. When employees have the same numberof full-time equivalent months (or hours), the employee with the most recent date of appointment is considered the least senior.
As used in the Vacation Article, seniority is determined by the dateof appointment of the employee to the classification. If employees have the same date of appointment to the classification, the one with
the most recent appointment to the organizational unit shall be the least senior.
As used in the Overtime Article, seniority is determined by the date of appointment of the employee to the classification in an organizational unit.
D. Rates of Pay
1. Base rate is the rate of pay exclusive of any additional pay, such as shift differential, overtime, compensatory time, or on-call pay.
2. Regular hourly rate is the employee’s base rate plus any shift differential, and on-call pay.
3. Salary increases are calculated on current base rate.
E. Classifications
The term “classification” shall refer to the job title and title codes listed in Article 1, Recognition.
F. Day
Unless otherwise indicated herein, the term “day” shall refer to a calendar day.
G. Year
1. Fiscal Year. July 1 through June 30
2. Calendar Year. January 1 through December 31
3. Unless otherwise indicated herein, the term “year” shall refer to a fiscal year.
H. Emergency
The term “emergency” shall be specifically defined to mean an occurrence of a serious nature, developing suddenly and unexpectedly, requiring immediate action to protect property, equipment, life, safety, and health, including affected research.
I. Official University Business
A pre-approved activity that contributes to one of the University’s major functions of teaching, research, patient care, or public service.
J. Job Family
A job family is a category of positions that involve work in the same functional occupation and have related core knowledge and background requirements. Article 1 lists Title codes and job titles
that are in the bargaining unit and make up the job families. The families link titles together. See Appendix J.
K. Work Location
The location the employee is regularly assigned to begin and end their workday. UC Merced Main Campus or other satellite locations.
L. Organization Unit
The department designation to which the employee is hired or transferred into. For example:
1. Facilities Management
2. Housing and Dining
3. Health Center or
4. Rec Wellness