Topics included in this issue:
A Personnel Specialist Meeting will be held on Monday, October 26, 2009 from 10:00 a.m. to 12 Noon in the Hemisphere Room, Hale Library. There are several new topics that will be discussed and it is important that you or someone from your area attend. We will have the PolyCom video conferencing available for those that are in outlying areas; dial into IP #129.130.36.1. We will post a Powerpoint presentation and handouts on the HR website.
Open Enrollment season is half over. Employees have just 15 days, through October 31, 2009, to complete Health Insurance and Flexible Spending Account on-line enrollment. The State Employee Self Service Help Desk, 1-866-999-3001, is available 24 hours a day to assist with login problems.
A final Health Insurance open meeting will be held on Thursday, October 22, in 101 Cardwell Hall from 3:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. There will be a short presentation at the beginning and employees may come and go once their individual questions are answered. Employees do not need to register for this open meeting.
The original login information memo is available under the HR Hot Topics listing. www.k-state.edu/hr/
Department personnel specialists or timekeepers are required to complete a brief on-line H1N1 flu survey each pay period when reporting the hours worked and/or leave used in HRIS. The survey must be completed whether your department has employees out with the flu or not. All data compiled will be general and not connected personally to any employee. For further information about this survey, see previous newsletter article at: http://www.k-state.edu/hr/news/090409.htm#news4
The URL for this week.s survey is: https://surveys.ksu.edu/TS?offeringId=148587
Thank you for your cooperation in this matter. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact the Office of Environmental Health and Safety at 785-532-5856.
As a temporary emergency practice during this flu season, the requirements regarding the approval of leave and FMLA protection are relaxed, effective immediately and until further notice. During this emergency period:
Contact Stephanie Harvey, Benefits Administration, benadmin@ksu.edu, or (785) 532-6277, with any questions on FMLA.
Effective October 18, 2009, the State of Kansas will implement a new
leave advancement policy for classified employees. When regular
classified employees have the H1N1 flu or flu-like symptoms and have
exhausted all of their leave, they may be eligible for advancement of
leave in order to remain in pay status while staying away from the
workplace. Two new leave codes have been created for reporting this leave:
AVD — Leave Advancement Non-Exempt
AVE — Leave Advancement Exempt
For more information about this new policy see the October 15, 2009 Memo
at: http://www.k-state.edu/hr/news/mem101509.pdf
(pdf)
Veteran's Day will be observed, Wednesday, November 11, 2009. Veteran's Day is a designated holiday for both classified and most unclassified employees; however, it is not a student holiday and classes will be in session. Any employee who accrues annual leave is eligible for Veteran.s Day. Note: Most 9-month unclassified employees do not accrue annual leave. Only those 9-month unclassified employees who are non-instructional will accrue annual leave if in a benefit eligible position.
Details and Scenarios: http://www.k-state.edu/hr/hris/Veterans_Day.pdf (pdf)
EXEMPT employees will NOT be affected by daylight saving time. NONEXEMPT employees who work during this time will be compensated as follows: Nonexempt employees who work during the time when the clock is set back (Sunday, November 1, at 2:00 a.m.) will have an extra hour. All hours actually worked on Sunday will be recorded as regular (REG) hours. (Example: 8-hour shift — 9 REG hours will be recorded if the employee worked during the specified shift on Sunday.) If the employee does not adjust his or her work schedule for the workweek, the employee could potentially receive compensatory time earned (CME) or overtime pay (OTP) at the end of the 11/01/09-11/14/2009 work week. Remember that overtime is not reported until an employee has met the FLSA limit (40 hours). Please contact Alma Deutsch at almamd@ksu.edu, (785) 532-1448, or Kristi Fronce at fronce@ksu.edu, (785) 532-1889, if you need further explanation.
" When the character of a man is not clear to you, look at his friends. " Japanese Proverb