HR LIAISON NETWORK NEWS: Week of May 14, 2012
Bernal, Brenda
Please see email below with more information………………thanks, Brenda
From: Pendleton, Mary
Sent: Monday, May 14, 2012 4:53 PM
Subject: FW: HR LIAISON NETWORK NEWS: Week of May 14, 2012
Brenda – Please send to grad students.
From: VPFN-HR Liaison Network Shared Account
[mailto:hrne...@tamu.edu]
Sent: Monday, May 14, 2012 4:27 PM
To: VPFN-HR Liaison Network Shared Account
Subject: HR LIAISON NETWORK NEWS: Week of May 14, 2012
May 14, 2012
Please make the following information available to the employees throughout your department as appropriate.
Human Resources
Health Plan Consolidation – Scott & White Health Plan Option Elimination
Benefit Briefs: Tobacco User Status (A MUST read for ALL benefit-eligible employees)
Guidance for Posting Wage Positions
Reminder Regarding Merit Eligibility Criteria
Save the Date: HR Liaison Network Summer Meeting, June 26
Payroll Services
Employee & Organizational Development
Coffee Conversations on Friday, May 18
Tip of the Week
Human Resources
Health Plan Consolidation – Scott & White Health Plan Option Elimination
It was recently announced through the Texas A&M University System Offices that the health plan options for employees would be consolidated and Scott & White Health Plan would not be an option for the upcoming benefit plan year starting September 1, 2012. A copy of the press release is available on our website along with a questions and answers document to address common inquiries.
May is typically one of the peak months for retirement processing. As a reminder, Benefits Services would like to provide the following information regarding the retirement process along with a link to the recently updated Retirement Standard Administrative Procedure (SAP) available at http://rules-saps.tamu.edu/PDFs/31.07.01.M0.01.pdf online.
Individuals who meet the Texas A&M University System retiree eligibility requirements will complete an Acknowledgement of Employee Retirement form (sample attached) during their retirement counseling meeting. This form will be signed by Benefits Services as verification of retiree eligibility and returned to the department to authorize the HR Liaison to code the Employee Payroll Action (EPA) as a retirement. This form should be attached to the EPA when submitted to Payroll Services.
What does this mean for you? You, as the HR Liaison, no longer need to determine which employment action to process based on last day worked or feel responsible for verifying retirement eligibility. It is now VERY easy – if you receive a signed Acknowledgement of Employee Retirement form from Retirement Services, the EPA should be coded as a retirement. If no form is received, then it should be coded as a termination. To ensure the employee is coded properly, Payroll Services will reject EPAs that are coded as a retirement action that do not include the Acknowledgement of Retirement form attached.
Benefit Briefs: Tobacco User Status (A MUST read for ALL benefit-eligible employees)
System Benefits Administration recently sent their May edition of Benefit Briefs electronically to employees which included instructions about how to designate the tobacco-user status. Since employees will automatically be defaulted as a tobacco-user effective September 1, it is critical for employees to update the tobacco-user status for themselves and for their covered dependents. As a reminder, the additional tobacco premium charge will be $30.00 for an employee, $30.00 for a covered spouse and $30.00 for one or more covered children who are listed as tobacco users. HR Liaisons are encouraged to please share this important information with employees in your department.
Guidance for Posting Wage Positions
HR Liaisons, attached is a document that provides additional guidance for departments who have begun posting wage positions following the May 10, 2012 effective date for hiring process changes. For more information and assistance, contact Recruitment and Workforce Planning at recru...@tamu.edu or 845-5154.
Reminder Regarding Merit Eligibility Criteria
With merit increases a possibility for the first time in several years, here’s a reminder about the merit eligibility criteria per University Rule 31.01.01.M7, Employee Compensation Administration (http://rules-saps.tamu.edu/PDFs/31.01.01.M7.pdf) and the FY2013 budget guidelines:
· An employee must have been employed by Texas A&M for at least six months immediately preceding the effective date of the merit salary increase.
· In addition, six months must have elapsed since the employee’s last merit increase (including one-time merit). Please note that this six month requirement does not include salary increases such as hiring salary adjustments, salary increases in conjunction with a promotion or reclassification, temporary salary increases, or other salary increases not considered to be merit-related. However, a division or department may have other restrictions on merit funds.
· Employees receiving a merit increase must also have demonstrated meritorious performance as documented on a current year, formal performance evaluation with an “Achieves” or higher overall rating (or equivalent language in modified performance evaluation forms approved by Human Resources) that has been conducted in accordance with university rules.
For more information about interpreting merit eligibility, please contact Classification & Compensation at (979) 845-4170 or hrc...@tamu.edu.
Save the Date: HR Liaison Network Summer Meeting, June 26
Plans are underway for the HR Liaison Network Summer Meeting. Please hold Tuesday, June 26 on your calendar to attend the meeting which will spotlight your Texas A&M benefits for the upcoming fiscal year. The information shared will not only benefit you as an employee, but also as the HR Liaison who is fundamental in the communication surrounding the annual enrollment process. As in the past, we will offer you the flexibility of attending a morning or afternoon session. More details will follow in the upcoming weeks.
The May processing schedule is posted and available at http://payroll.tamu.edu/docs/general/Calendar0512.pdf online. Log in at http://imgweb.tamu.edu/finance_dept/ to view the reports online. If you have any questions or concerns please contact Payroll Services at pay...@tamu.edu or 845-2711.
Monday, May 14, 2012
· EPAs Due at Noon for #12-19, Pay Date 5/25
Tuesday, May 15, 2012
· PPRs Print for #12-19, Pay Date 5/25
Wednesday, May 16, 2012
· PPRs Available On Line for #12-19, Pay Date 5/25
Friday, May 18, 2012
· Supplements Due at Noon for #12-19, Pay Date 5/25
· Uploads Due at 1pm for #12-19, Pay Date 5/25
· TimeTraq Due at 4pm for #12-19, Pay Date 5/25
· Monthly EPAs Due by Noon
employee & organizational development
Coffee Conversations on Friday, May 18
Join us for coffee as we learn how the Brazos Valley’s “biocorridor” is at the epicenter of the emerging biotech industry.
One Health Plus Initiative – How Does it Affect Us?
By Dr. Bhanu P. Chowdhary, Associate Dean, College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences
Friday, May 18 at 8:30 – 10:00 a.m., General Services Complex 101A
Find out about the world’s first large-scale, integrated program dedicated to interdisciplinary collaborations and research in health care for humans, animals and the environment — housed right here in the Brazos Valley.
“Coffee Conversations: Hot Topics in Higher Education” is a no-cost series sponsored by Employee & Organizational Development to provide employees the opportunity to hear from campus experts about timely topics and how they impact us at Texas A&M. All are welcome. Free conversation! Free coffee! For information and to register, access: http://EODinfo.tamu.edu/HotTopics online. Questions can be directed to EOD...@tamu.edu or (979) 845-4153.
TIP OF THE WEEK
Individual Circumstances May Impact Performance Evaluation Completion Date
The annual non-faculty employee performance evaluation period begins March 1 and concludes May 31, 2012. What if an individual employee is absent due to extenuating circumstances, such as illness or other approved leave, and not scheduled to return until after May 31? Your Dean, Vice President or designee may approve an exception to this time frame. More on the evaluation process is found at http://employees.tamu.edu/managers/evaluations.aspx online.
HR Liaison Network News is distributed weekly to departmental HR Liaisons. For questions about the HR Liaison Network, contact Laura Dohnalik, Liaison Administrator in Human Resources at ldoh...@tamu.edu or 979.862.3854.