Glad You Asked: How Can I Work Full-time and Still Finish My Degree?
Monday, August 7, 2006
Durham, N.C. -- “Is there a policy or a program that is designed for a
full-time employee who wants to go back to school to get or finish
a degree and still be able to keep their job with Duke? Some
degrees require class hours during work. Is there anything a
full-time employee can do to maintain their position and still
obtain a degree?”
We talked with Sylvester Hackney, associate director of Benefits, to find out about maintaining employment while getting a degree. He said there are benefits such as the new Employee Tuition Assistance Program to help staff pay for continued education, but those benefits don’t specifically address whether staff can attend classes during work hours. “Supervisors manage the work schedules for their units to ensure sufficient coverage to deliver the services that support Duke’s daily operations, so discussions about options for taking classes during work hours must begin with them,” Hackney said. “They can help determine if a flexible work arrangement or a personal leave of absence might be possible to help support your education.”
Hackney said that staff can take a personal leave of absence for education with approval from their supervisor for up to one year. “Personal leaves of absence are typically unpaid leaves,” he said. “And while a personal leave does not include a job guarantee, if a department has to hire someone to take your place during your absence, when you return you can be referred for available positions at Duke and still keep your continuous service date at Duke, which has implications for retirement and other benefit accruals.”
Flexible work arrangements offer another option for continued employment while pursuing a degree, Hackney said. “A flexible or abbreviated work schedule is another option you may want to discuss with your manager,” he said. “If business needs allow, your manager may be willing to work with you to adjust your work schedule so that you are able to continue working while pursuing a degree. The ability to offer flexible work schedules varies from department to department depending on the nature of the work.”
You can find details about personal leaves of absence under the “Time Away from Duke” section of the Human Resources Policy Manual. Details about flexible work options are on the HR website. Call Staff & Labor Relations at (919) 684-2808 for more information.
