(1) You will not be considered to have been separated from employment for a disqualifying reason when:

(a) Your employer takes the first action in the separation process by announcing in writing to its employees that:

(i) The employer plans to reduce its work force through a layoff or reduction in force, and

(ii) That employees can offer to be among those included in the layoff or reduction in force;

(b) You offer to be one of the employees included in the layoff or reduction in force; and

(c) Your employer takes the final action in the separation process by accepting your offer to be one of the employees included in the layoff or reduction in force, thereby ending your employment relationship.

(2) This section does not apply to situations where an employer modifies benefits or otherwise encourages early retirement or early separation, but the employer and employee do not follow the steps in subsection (1)(a) through (c).