Human Resource Services

October 2009 > HR Forum > HR Pro > HRS Home

HR Forum — October 14, 2009

Also available as a downloadable PDF file: Presentation [PDF: 1.61 MB; 50 pages]

H1N1 Update—Julien Carter, Associate Vice President, Human Resource Services

Family Life Services—Sandra Briley, Ph. D., Director, University of Texas Child Care Center & Susan Harnden, Senior Social Worker, Work/Life & Employee Assistance Program (EAP)

Work/Life & Employee Assistance Program—Connie Deutsch, Director

Work/Life Balance Resources—This new web page provides a complete list of university (and some off-campus) resources available to all employees of The University of Texas at Austin.

Workplace Rudeness & Incivility

Presenter: Rita Handrich, Ph.D., Psychologist
For Managers, Supervisors, & HR Reps
Tuesday, October 20, 2009
8:30 a.m. to Noon
North Office Building A, Training Room, NOA 4.106A

Registration required
Contact: EAP or 471-3366

Helping Children Cope with Illness in the family

Co-Presented by Work/Life & EAP and Child Development Center

Presenter: Kim Fryer of Wonders and Worries
Wednesday, October 21, 2009
Noon - 1 p.m.
Texas Union, Sinclair Suite UNB 3.128

For more information
Contact: EAP or 471-3366

Tools for Responding to Distress & Disruption in the Workplace—When to Refer to EAP

Presenter: Rita Handrich, Ph.D., Psychologist
For Managers & Supervisors
Tuesday, October 27, 2009
8:30 a.m. to Noon
North Office Building A, Training Room, NOA 4.106A

Registration required
Contact: EAP or 471-3366

Hearts of Texas—Corina Del Toro, Senior HR Representative, Employee & Management Services

  • Hearts of Texas Web site
  • Campaign is from Oct 1-31st
  • Contributions can be made by cash, check, or payroll deduction
  • Reminder: Staff Emergency Fund, Student Emergency Fund, and Friends of Orange Santa are under the umbrella of “228176, University of Texas Foundation”

Ethnicity and Race Re-Survey—Linda Millstone, Associate Vice President Institutional Equity and Workforce Diversity

Compliance Poster Update—Luther Johnson, Associate Director, Employee & Management Services

Change in Procedures

  • In the past, we created two large posters (English & Spanish) containing all required posting notices to employees. Over the years, these posters have gotten larger and larger.
  • Currently, we are experiencing unprecedented changes in law that require posting notices to employees. It has been a challenge to keep pace with these new changes and to keep our poster updated.
  • In order to keep pace with these changes and to have posters up by the effective date, we will begin posting all new changes at the link  provided below and will ask that you make copies for your respective buildings.

    Compliance Posters

  • Whenever there is a change, we will send you an e-mail to let you know of the new law that requires an employee notice.
  • It is imperative that posters are updated as changes are made so that we remain compliant.

HRMS New Employee Separation Process—Jim Mcelroy, Director, Human Resource Service Center

  • ALL assignments MUST have End Date
  • No Paper Separation Form (UC1)
  • New Separation Reason Codes
  • Involuntary Separation Reasons–Hard Audit
    • Dismissal (Conduct, Violation of Rule, Performance)
    • Layoff
    • Non-Renewal/Non-Continuation
    • Dismissal (Student Employee and AW)
    • Work with HRS/Employee &Management Services

New Re-employment Recommendation Wording

  • Eligible for re-employment
  • Reference check recommended
    • Employee NOT referred back to dept
  • Reference check required – Hard Audit
    • Employee NOT referred back to dept and warning placed on job application

The Visiting Researcher/Scholar Program—Liza Scarborough, Vice President for Research Office

The Process

  • Visiting researcher/scholar nominations originate in a department of the University.
  • A faculty member or researcher will accept an active responsibility for helping the researcher/scholar while they are here, and is responsible for obtaining the signature of the visiting researcher/scholar on the appropriate Agreement and sending it to the Office of the Vice President for Research for approval.
  • A confirmation letter is sent to the researcher/scholar via the sponsoring faculty member, and a notice of appointment is sent to the sponsoring department.

Qualifications

  • The designation “Visiting Researcher/Scholar” is a privilege.
  • Visiting Researchers/Scholars do not receive a stipend, nor does their appointment imply tenure or continuation at the University.
  • Required Qualifications:
    • Bachelors degree or higher
    • In residence two or more weeks, up to one year
    • May be extended with prior approval

Documents Required

  1. HRMS electronic approval for ‘affiliated worker’ as a Visiting Researcher/Scholar
  2. A current CV
  3. Agreement (only one should be submitted):
    • Visiting Researcher/Scholar Agreement: for participants employed by a higher education institution or working independently
    • Visiting Researcher/Scholar with Company Agreement: for participants affiliated with a company

Privileges

  • ID Cards and keys will not be provided until the visiting researcher/scholar application is approved via the HRMS system.  Accounts are provided by the sponsoring department.
  • Office space (if it is available) is provided by the sponsoring department.
  • Other privileges, such as cost for membership in Recreational Sports and parking may be available at the discretion of the sponsoring department.

Questions?

Benefits Updates—Vilma L. Santos, Interim HR Manager, Human Resource Service Center

UT Saver Communication Campaign

  • National Save for Retirement Week is this month, October 18-24
  • UT System Office of Employee Benefits will target employees who are not currently contributing to either the UT Saver DCP 457(b) or UT Saver TSA 403(b)
    • E-mails will begin the week of October 18, with 2 more follow ups the week of 10/26 and 11/2
    • Employees with no e-mail will receive a postcard

ARRA COBRA Subsidy Update

  • High volume of requests as of 8/31/09
  • Confirming subsidy eligibility requires research if separation reason codes are not clear
    • May require the Benefits reps to reach out to department HR contacts
  • Academic Graduate Student Employees
    • Student Insurance is NOT considered group coverage for purposes of this subsidy
    • Graduate students turned away for this issue, please have them contact the Human Resource Service Center

COBRA Reminders

  • 60 day election period
  • Effective date is always the day following insurance termination
  • For general information about COBRA, visit the COBRA Web site

Employee and Applicant Records: Former Foster Child—Robin Jarman, HR Manager, Human Resource Service Center

  • Question added to Job Application and Employee Information System: “Are you less than the age of 25 and an orphan under permanent managing conservatorship of the Department of Family and Protective Services (DFPS)?”
  • Mandated by Texas legislature
  • Former foster child has preference in employment decisions

University Compliance Services—Jane Shaughness, Compliance Coordinator

Training Notification

  • Please help us streamline our process!  If you have employees who do not have an e-mail address on file, how do you notify them of their needed compliance training?

with the following information, if your department has a training binder.

  • Department name (with unit code)
  • Your name
  • Notification process used

REMINDER: Training Binders

with the following information:

  • Department name
  • Unit Code
  • Receipt date of binder (if known)
  • Frequency of use

Occupational Health Program—Cindy Posey, Communication Coordinator, Human Resource Services

  • Formerly the Laboratory Animal and Biomedical Occupational Health Services Program associated with the School of Nursing
  • Moved to HealthPoint – Occupational Health Program (OHP) in Human Resource Services
  • Welcome:
    • Adrienne Howarth-Moore, Director
    • Henry Guevara, Staff Nurse III
  • Location & Contact Information:

Outstanding Staff & Outstanding Supervisor Awards—Kelly Lomasney, Interim Assistant Director, Human Resource Service Center

Nomination Period

  • November 2 – December 11
  • Nominations are submitted online for eligible individuals
  • Eligible individuals
    • Continuously employed for at least 20 hours per week from September 1, 2007 to August 31, 2009
    • Previous honorees who received an award more than five years ago
  • E-mail to campus on November 2, with later reminders
  • 30 staff & two supervisor award recipients receive $1,500 each
  • The President’s Staff Awards ceremony: May 6, 2010

Class Updates—Tom Rapp, Senior Staff Development Program Coordinator, Human Resource Services

Upcoming Classes: Texas Executive Education

  • Building Management: What Leaders Do to Manage Talent, October 15th and 16th.

To enroll and more information

Upcoming TXClasses

  • Managing Compensation and Classification, PN609  10/16/09
  • International Students: Immigration & Employment, PN552  10/21/09
  • Supervisory Leave Policy Overview, PN604  10/22/09
  • Objective Listening, PN614  11/03/09
  • Conflict 101 for Employees, PN546  11/06/09
  • Retaining and Recognizing Employees, PN608  11/09/09
  • Insurance & Retirement – SPANISH, PN300  11/10/09
  • Managing Workers’ Compensation for Supervisors, PN605  11/10/09
  • Retiring from UT Austin, PN400  11/11/09

To enroll and more information

Student Employment Forum—Amy Greenspan, Student Employment Coordinator, Employee & Management Services

Next Meeting

  • Tuesday, November 17, 2009
    10:30 a.m. - Noon
    NOA 4.106A

Next HR Forum

  • Wednesday, November 11, 2009, 10 a.m.