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MUSC Furlough Relief Fund
More than $175,000 raised to help employees
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by Heather Woolwine
Public Relations
In response to recent cuts in state funding, MUSC employees have
stepped up to assist those colleagues hit hardest by mandatory
furloughs implemented to offset those cuts.
The MUSC Employee Furlough Relief Fund has raised $175, 829.48 in gifts
and pledges, which will be distributed to furloughed employees who make
less than $40,000 per year, according to university officials.
Almost half of the 1,200 full-time employees impacted by the
university’s mandatory furlough will receive complete or partial
relief. The mandatory, four-day furlough became effective Jan. 1.
“While we had high hopes for the fund, we only had a matter of weeks to
raise the money and we did not know what kind of response we would
receive,” said MUSC President Ray Greenberg, M.D., Ph.D. “The number of
contributors and the generosity of their gifts underscores how MUSC
employees, faculty and friends feel about the university and those who
work here. It is truly remarkable that even during the toughest of
times, the MUSC family will rise to the occasion and take care of each
other, along with the citizens of this state.”
“I gave to the MUSC Furlough Relief Fund because, for the time being, I
have something to spare to support folks who are pinched trying to make
ends meet during furloughs. Even when they are working full-time,
many of our employees have to work two jobs to provide for their
families. Giving to the fund is the least I can do to help those
who have helped make MUSC what it is,” said Steven Mcleod-Bryant, M.D.,
Institute of Psychiatry.
Distribution of the gifts will not require an application process, and
supplemental checks will be sent to qualified employees in mid-April to
affected employees. A committee comprised of MUSC development, human
resources, financial admini-stration, university operations and legal
leadership reached a consensus that the relief would be extended to
furloughed employees earning lower incomes considering that
the furlough would result in a greater financial hardship for these
people. In crafting a disbursement plan, the committee set out to
provide relief to as many furloughed employees as the fund would allow,
beginning with those at the lower end of the pay scale and working
upward.
“I’ve been working here for eight years and I’ve learned many times
that people don’t just care about the work you do here, they care about
you, too,” said Deborah Cook, MUSC Housekeeping staff member and
recipient of the fund. “This makes me feel so good; it makes me feel a
lot of love. It means a lot to us in Housekeeping to get this money
back; we were just happy to keep our jobs. Getting the money back means
I’m able to help my mom and my grandchild with their finances again. It
means a lot, and I’m just really surprised and happy.”
Stewart Mixon, MUSC Chief Operations Officer, contributed to the fund
and explained, “Given that the intent of the furloughs was to help
prevent the loss of jobs throughout the university, I believe there was
a general willingness by those affected to participate in the
furloughs, “ he said. “Of those 1200 people, almost 25 percent of them
are among our lowest paid employees. I applaud the efforts of this
group to help contribute to the overall well being of the university,
but given the economic times that we are currently living in, I believe
that giving back to the group that could least afford to see a
temporary reduction in pay was the right thing to do.”
Those who earn less than $30,000 annually will receive a gift that will
cover their gross wages lost due to the mandatory furlough. Full-time
employees earning between $30,001 and $40,000 annually will receive a
partial gift based on their pay level.
“Although we wanted to make everyone whole again, I hope that the MUSC
family will take pride in the fact that their generosity will provide
help to almost half of the furloughed employees,” said Jim Fisher, MUSC
vice president for Development. “The fact that we can do anything to
help is fantastic, and a testament to the spirit of those at MUSC.”
Friday, Feb. 6, 2009
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