New Employee Orientation

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HR Website

Services Benefits Employment Opportunities Forms

Staff Development & Training

August 2014

UWF - A Great College to Work For

The University of West Florida is listed as one of the Great Colleges to Work For, according to a recent survey released by

The Chronicle of Higher Education.

The results are based on a survey of more than 43,000 employees at 278 colleges and universities. Only 92 institutions gained recognition for specific best practices and policies. The survey is organized into 12 "Great College" categories, including collaborative governance, diversity and job satisfaction.

The results are reported for small, medium and large institutions, with UWF included among the large universities with 10,000 or more students.

UWF was recognized in the Supervisor or Department Chair Relationships category.

The Chronicle worked with Modern Think LLC, a human-resources consulting firm, to conduct the survey and analyze the results. It was a two-part assessment process: the first part consisted of a

questionnaire about institutional characteristics, followed by a faculty/staff questionnaire to get individuals' evaluations of their college or university. The primary factor determining which institution gained recognition was employee feedback.

UWF was previously recognized in 2008, 2009, 2011 and 2012. Now in its seventh year, the Great Colleges program is one of the largest and most respected workplace recognition programs in the country. View the complete "Great Colleges to Work for in 2014" list at chronicle.com.

Deadline Approaching: Employee Tuition Fee Waivers

Eligible employees who have not done so may apply for tuition waivers for the Fall 2014 semester at this time. Remember to allow a

minimum of five business days for processing of waiver requests. For employees assigning waivers to dependents, allow additional time for the verification of dependent documentation by Human Resources. If you have questions regarding course eligibility for the tuition fee waiver, please contact the UWF Cashier's Office at 850-474-3110.

New Employee Orientation

During this busy time of year, the HR Team will be hosting an extra installment of NEO to help welcome all fall new hires.

Sessions will take place August 6 and August 20 from 8:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. in Building 20 West, Room 156A.

Please register via the Training Reservation Desk or by calling 850-474-2694.

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Early Payroll Processing: Labor Day Holiday

Due to the Labor Day holiday observed Monday, September 1, on-line time sheets and leave reports for the August 17 to August 30 pay period must be submitted electronically no later than 3:00 p.m. Thursday August 28, and approved no later than 10:00 a.m. Friday, August 29. Should you need assistance, please contact Carol Gentry at 850-474-2605 or Nicole Lohr at 850-474-2608.

Supplemental Life Insurance Special Open

Enrollment

The Gabor Agency is pleased to announce an open enrollment for their payroll deducted permanent life insurance product during the month of September. UWF employees and spouses are eligible to apply. For more information please contact your UWF representative, Samantha Wells at (850) 291-5379.

If you have questions, please contact Adrian Rowley at 850-474-2604 or Sheri Jernigan at 850-474-2884.

Faculty Premium Deductions Resume in

September

Nine-month faculty will notice that insurance premiums are not being deducted from pay in the month of August. Beginning with the September 5, 2014 paycheck, these deductions will resume.

Financial Planning Workshops Quickly

Approaching

Sign up for any of the workshops in our six-session series on various financial planning topics to strengthen your knowledge on a variety of money matters (revised schedule below). Each week a different guest speaker will be featured who will provide a wealth of valuable

information and will be available to answer questions from the most basic to advanced. Visit the Training Reservation Desk for more information.

Protecting Your Family’s Future: Estate Planning Friday, September 19

Using the Florida Retirement System to Plan for Your Retirement Wednesday, September 24

When Employment Income Fades: Social Security and Medicare Friday, September 26

Financing and Planning Your Benefits Transition to Retirement Friday, October 3

Different Kind of Savings Plan: Deferred Compensation Friday, October 10

Investing 101: Tax-Deferred Annuities & the Optional Retirement Plan (ORP)

Friday, October 17

Address Verifications in People First

Our State of Florida insurance and pre-tax benefits administration website, People First, is now seeking contact information updates from employees in preparation for Open Enrollment. Informational

messages notifying employees of the address verification process have been posted on the People First system Log In and Home Page. In

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Enrollment Benefits Statement, any address updates must be completed no later than September 30. You may find State of Florida announcements regarding the address verification process online: Address Verification Information and Frequently Asked Questions.

If you have any questions, please contact Adrian Rowley at 850-474-2604 or Sheri Jernigan at 850-474-2884.

Leadership and Management Program

The Certificate in Leadership and Management Program is designed for University of West Florida employees. This program will help maximize the leadership qualities you already possess while allowing you to cultivate new strengths through education and training, all within a framework designed with the goals of the university in mind. The program is comprised of a series of nine (9) courses that are combined to represent a degree of knowledge and skills within a particular work area. Participants can earn a Certificate in Leadership and Management by completing any five (5) courses in the series. The five courses must be completed within a two year period. This series will run in the fall of each year, beginning August and ending in October.

Course Outline:

Discipline and Documentation Fundamentals: The Power of Positive Discipline

Date: September 25, 2014; Time: 9:00 a.m. -11:00 a.m. Employment Essentials: What You Need to Know (for Supervisors Only)

Date: August 5, 2014; Time: 10:00 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.

Fair Labor Standards Act, Family and Medical Leave Act, Leave of Absence & Effort Reporting: What are the Leave Options?

Date: October 8, 2014; Time: 9:00 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.

Managing Critical Behavior Issues and Conflict in the Work Place: This Employee Issue is Critical

Date: September 3, 2014; Time: 9:00 a.m. - 10:00 a.m. Managing Unemployment Compensation (for Supervisors Only)

Date: September 18, 2014; Time: 9:00 a.m. – 10:00 a.m.

Mandatory Training: Preventing Discrimination and Harassment For Supervisors

Date: September 10, 2014; Time: 10:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. Mandatory Training: Preventing Discrimination and Harassment For Employees

Date: September 10, 2014; Time: 8:30 a.m. – 10:00 a.m. Performance Management: Managing the Performance Evaluation Process

Date: August 13, 2014; Time: 9:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m.

Recruitment, Selection and Appointment: Hiring the Right Person for the Right Job

Date: October 9, 2014; Time: 9:00 a.m. - 10:30 a.m. Team Dynamics: Building Successful Teams

Date: October 22, 2014; Time: 9:00 a.m. – 10:00 a.m.

Please register via the Training Reservation Desk or contact LaBratta Epting at 474-2292 or Sharon Jones at 474-2611.

State of Florida Enrollment Dates

The Division of State Group Insurance has announced that Open Enrollment for 2015 will occur October 20 through November 7, 2014. Other information pertaining to the 2015 plan year will be published once it is available.

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Make Plans to Attend the Benefits Fair

This year, our Benefits Fair will be held on Tuesday, October 28. Check that this key date is on your calendar, and plan to attend the Employee Benefits Fair between 10:00 am and 3:00 pm in the Commons Conference Center. Leaders in each department may wish to explore options for office coverage that would allow all employees to attend this important event. More information will be made available in upcoming HR Bulletins.

PROGRAM SPOTLIGHT OF THE MONTH

AETNA Employee Assistance Plan (EAP)

Did you know we have an Employee Assistance Program (EAP) as a benefit to employees?

The Aetna Employee Assistance Program (EAP) is one of the many valuable benefits available for all employees of the University of West Florida. This benefit, administered by the Human Resources Department, is available to assist employees in resolving personal and work problems through professional assistance/psychological

counseling. All counseling services provided by the EAP are provided by Licensed Mental Health Counselors (LMHC).

The Employee Assistance Program (EAP) can serve as the early point of intervention for many problems that can affect an employee’s or family member’s physical and mental well-being. Employees or family members can use the program to help address work and life issues before they become unmanageable.

Your benefits:

EAP covers cost-free benefits, confidential counseling and referral service, psychological counseling, work life services, resources and referral service on a variety of life balance topics, legal services, financial services and identity theft resolution consultation services, just to name a few. It covers you and anyone in your household including dependents who reside outside of the household (up to age 26), and unlimited telephonic consultations, 24/7. Each employee and each of the employee’s family members receive up to six (6) counseling sessions annually per issue with unlimited issues. Your benefits also include access to EAP web site www.mylifevalues.com

(Login: UWF and Password: UWF) which includes: • 5,000 self-help web assist topics

• Includes free monthly webinars (employees must pre-register for monthly presentations)

• Legal templates/webinar library/discount center/shopping coupons/online will kit

Reasons to consider calling:

You may contact EAP for emotional/psychological, marital or relationship issues, career and job issues, depression and stress management, financial problems, grief and bereavement, substance abuse, and gambling and other compulsive behaviors, anxiety, social development, work life balance, child and elder care, education planning, monthly newsletters, and webinars.

Legal services:

Your benefit to legal services include attorney consultations by phone and face-to-face on domestic/family, civil, landlord/tenant, criminal, estate planning, immigration, and motor vehicles. After-hour attorney consultations are available by phone on criminal, incarceration, and DUI.

Financial services:

The financial services include budgeting, debt, retirement, college funding, buying versus leasing, mortgages, refinancing, financial planning, tax questions and tax preparation and IRS matters.

Confidentiality:

Participation in services is confidential and is not shared with your employer, but there are certain required-by-law exceptions.

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EAP is available anytime, day or night. You can log on to the website for information, webinars, tools and resources to help overcome life’s obstacles. It is that simple and convenient. Call 1-800-272-7252 or view the web site at www.Horizoncarelink.com; ID: UWF; and Password: UWF

On behalf of Human Resources Program Spotlight, Human Resources will be hosting four (4) training webinars. To register for any of these training webinars, sign up on the Training and Development

Reservation desk. These webinars will be offered in Human Resources Training room, Building 20W, room 156A on the following date during the month of August:

Wednesday, August 6, 2014 at 2:00 p.m.

Yes or No? Secrets of Sound Decision Making • Common barriers to making good decisions

• How to strike a balance between over-thinking and impulsive choices

• Tips to make more satisfying decision

Tuesday, August 12, 2014 at 2:00 p.m.

Good Humor = Health and More • How laughter decreases stress

• How humor can help overcome conflict • And why laughter really is the best medicine!

Wednesday, August 20, 2014 at 2:00 p.m.

It’s Not Me, It’s You: Communicating with Difficult People • What is a “difficult” person?

• How to communicate within the difficulty

• Whether it’s better to confront or to ignore their behavior • Why boundaries are important and how to set them

Wednesday, August 27, 2014, at 2:00 p.m.

Stress: Do This, Not That

• Which everyday behaviors can increase stress • Ways to changes those patters to lower your stress • Surprisingly simple solutions to help manage your hectic

lifestyle

For more information contact Sharon Jones at (850) 474-2611 or [email protected] or Human Resources at (850) 474-2694.

Statement on Controlled Substance

Conviction Form Now Required as Part of

Pre-Employment Paperwork for New Hire

Faculty, OPS and Line Staff

Once a finalist has been identified for a new or vacant position, the following pre-employment documents should be sent to Human Resources. No offer of employment should be extended to a candidate until an email has been received from HR stating that the background screening is complete.

• Background Screening Request

• Level 2 Background Screening and Affidavit of Good Moral Character (if required by State and based on position) • Statement on Controlled Substance Conviction

• Florida Retirement System (FRS) Certification Form • Employment Application (signed by employee)

• Staff Certification Form (not required for OPS, faculty or student)

Contact April Sargent at 850-474-2606 with questions.

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Lisa Assante

Chairperson

Hospitality, Rec & Resort Mgmt

Dayna Beddick

Associate Director

Conferences & Continuing Education

Lindsey Byrd

Coordinator

Dept of Applied Sci, Tech & Adm (ASTA)

Mikia Carter

Coordinator

Career Services

Kristen Coffey

Instructor

Clinical Lab Sciences

Franchasca Davis

Environmental Svcs. Technician

Building Services

Danielle Freeman

Producer/Host

WUWF - Mgmt & General

Floripes Jettner

Information Specialist

FWB-Library Center

Andrea Johnson

Information Specialist

Library Administration

Billy Jordan

Coordinator

Computer Science

Nicole McDonald

Coordinator

Environmental Health & Safety

Cassandra Pristas

Instructor

Dept of Applied Sciience Tech & Adm

Therese Ritchie

Registered Nurse

Student Health Center

Kesha Royster

Office Specialist

Student Health & Wellness Education

Phebe Scully

Accountant

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Jing Yu

Instructor

Confucius Institute