Uganda Christian University(UCU) has joined an ever increasing list of institutions to announce the suspension of working contracts for their employees amidst uncertainties caused by Coronavirus on the economy.
In a public letter dated 22nd May and signed by the Vice Chancellor Rev Canon John Senyonyi, the institution expressed concern over the prolonged lockdown since March 20 which has rendered it unable to maintain the institution beyond the current month.
The decision follows the fact that they have not been able to receive any tuition from it’s continuing students since suspension of operations was announced on may 20, neither have they admitted any new students which are the major avenues of acquiring income to meet it’s financial obligations.
As such, salaries of members of the University staff will be paid for only the month of May at a rate of 75%, after which their contracts with the University will be suspended.
” UCU will pay salaries for the months of May only, to all members of staff on full time contracts of employment/ full time members of staff at the rate of 75 percent of what is due to each of them under their respective contracts of employment, ” reads the statement.
The memo further stresses that the said suspension would remain in place for as long as the lockdown stays untill a time when the University will resume normal business, which is expected to be in the month of August or September as the situation may permit.
They however clarified that the development doesn’t mean that the contracts of the members suspended are completely terminated but rather halted for the time being as they await the return of normalcy when members would resume working as long as they will be having running contracts with the institution.
” The suspension of the performance of contracts of employment referred to above is not ) does not amount to a termination of any contract of employment. Thus for clarity, all members of staff and with valid/ running contracts of employment will remain in service of UCU but the performance of duties and responsibilities under the respective contracts of employment will remain suspended.
UCU becomes the second major institution of higher learning to announce suspension of employment contracts after Islamic University in Uganda broke the bad news for it’s staff earlier this month, with more institutions expected to follow suit as uncertainty over the resumption of operations for education institutions.
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