Common use of Grant Funded Positions Clause in Contracts

Grant Funded Positions. 28.1 The Company may hire or transfer employees to fill grant- or community-funded positions. Employees transferred into these positions shall not receive a pay cut as a result. It is understood that existing, regular-status employees transferred into grant- or community-funded positions will remain covered by all terms of the CBA. At the expiration of funding, a regular-status employee who was transferred into a grant- or community-funded position shall return to a regular-status position at a rate of pay at least equal to what they earned prior to the transfer, or what they earned under the grant funding, whichever is higher. The Company may also hire full- or part-time temporary employees to fill grant- or community-funded positions in accordance with the CBA. Job purpose, compensation and length of assignment are determined by individual funding agreements. Such employees will be covered by all terms of the CBA, including, but not limited to, just cause protections, healthcare benefits, 401K, expense reimbursements, and parental leave (under the terms of the policy), with the exception of the following: 7.1 (Severance pay - short-term temporary employees, hired for less than six (6) months are ineligible for severance), and 14.3 (Guild Leave). It is understood that this exclusion of Guild Leave does not include unpaid time taken for contract negotiations. 28.2 Upon creation of a grant-funded staff position, the Guild shall be notified of the duration of the funding for said position(s) and shall receive a copy of the funding agreement that includes, but is not limited to, the source of the funding, terms and conditions of the funding and the beat or coverage area for this position. Upon hiring, the new employee shall also receive a copy of the funding agreement. 28.3 Sixty (60) days prior to the scheduled expiration of funding, the Company shall meet with the employee to discuss renewal of the funding. If the funding will not be renewed, the Company shall discuss with the employee any opportunities to move into another newsroom position with the Company for which the employee is qualified. If the employee is qualified for a vacant position that has been approved to fill, and has met performance standards, they shall be given the first opportunity to interview for the position before external candidates. (a) In the event the Company chooses not to continue/renew the funding agreement, or the funding ends prior to the temporary employee’s expected termination date, the Company retains the discretion to keep them employed under temporary status, until their expected termination date. (b) If the circumstances in 28.4 (a) result in the termination of the temporary employee, prior to their expected termination date, the temporary employee will be eligible for severance benefits in accordance with the CBA. The Company shall give as much notice as possible and the Company will not challenge unemployment benefits. (c) It is understood that short-term temporary employees — employees hired for less than a six (6) month period — are not eligible for severance benefits. (d) If the temporary employee is not retained following the termination date described in the employee’s offer letter, or if the employee decides to leave prior to their expected termination date, the employee will not be eligible for severance benefits. 28.5 It is understood that grant-funded positions can participate in covering other news events, as long as the employee is able to meet the requirements of the funding agreement. Any work outside of the funded beat or area shall be assigned using the same process as other newsroom employees. An employee may request to reject an assignment on the grounds that it interferes with their ability to meet the requirements of the funding agreement, and such requests shall not be unreasonably denied, however it is understood that the final decision will be made by the Company. (a) The Company and the Guild agree on the value of adding grant- or community-funded positions to enhance local coverage. In the event such position is not renewed, after the expiration of funding, the Company at its discretion may attempt to source alternative funding to continue coverage of the impacted beat or area. (b) In the event the employee leaves the Company prior to the term of the funding, and to the extent the funding agreement allows, the Company may hire another reporter to ensure coverage of the beat or area is continued for the duration of the funding agreement. 28.7 In order to supplement coverage, the Company may rely on a partnership with an outside organization to produce content similar to the work performed by bargaining-unit employees provided the use of such content is consistent with past practice.