Office of Human Resources                                                                              October 2013

 HR REVIEW

Kronos Upgrade News

The Kronos upgrade will go live on Monday, October 21, 2013. The system is expected to be unavailable after 5:00 p.m. on Thursday October 17 until Monday morning October 21 while we process the conversion. The upgraded version of Kronos will improve the Java 7 compatibility issue. An email was distributed on September 25 containing demonstration dates and locations, as well as additional compatibility information. 

New FASIS Self Service Portal

In October, FASIS will launch a Portal to all University Self Service users. The Portal is a web-based tool that will facilitate access for users to personal information, self service functionality and resources.

A pilot group has been beta testing the Portal since August 2012 to complete their training and disclosure of financial interests for research sponsored by federal agencies, sponsors adopting the PHS regulations, and research involving human subjects. As a result of the valuable feedback from this group, the Portal has been redesigned in order to provide an even more contemporary and intuitive user experience.

Some of the exciting new features the FASIS Self Service Portal will provide include:

• Rebranded FASIS pages to a more "Northwestern" color scheme.
• Drop down accordions to organize and access frequently used FASIS pages.
• Modal windows to make updates and elections.
• A news section to keep users informed of upcoming HR deadlines.
• Easy navigation to valuable HR web links.

Northwestern Scholars - new Graduate Programs feature

Northwestern Scholars now includes Graduate Programs!  You can go to one place to see which faculty are members of PhD and MFA graduate programs through the new Northwestern Scholars "Graduate Programs" navigation page, which provides listings of graduate programs and their associated faculty.  You also can check an individual faculty profile to see which graduate program(s) s/he belongs to. Currently, a complete picture of a Northwestern faculty member's association with PhD and MFA graduate programs is not available on any other web site.  Updates to graduate program memberships will occur on a quarterly basis.

This new feature provides current and prospective students, administrative units, and potential faculty and collaborators, an easily discoverable and navigable platform to find graduate programs, faculty, and expertise.  It also offers a regularly updated faculty information source to which graduate programs can link and leverage.  This new functionality was made possible thanks to efforts by the Graduate School, Directors of Graduate Studies, and the FASIS/Northwestern Scholars teams.

Faculty profiles continue to become more robust with the addition of new information like this to the existing appointments, research interests, publications, grants, patents, collaboration, institutional networks, and curriculum vitae information.  Stay tuned for future enhancements.

If you have any questions or suggestions, please let us know at fasis@northwestern.edu.

Fall Hires

Just a reminder as we enter the peak fall hiring season, please keep these important compliance issues in mind.  Hiring paperwork for temporary employees must  be submitted within 5 business days of hire to comply with Illinois labor laws.  Please send hiring paperwork as soon as possible to the Payroll Office.  Please refer to the biweekly cut-off schedule for submission deadlines to ensure paperwork is processed in time for employees to enter their work hours in Kronos:  http://www.northwestern.edu/hr/managers-administrators/payroll-administration/BiweeklyCutoffs_2013.pdf

To comply with I-9 and E-Verify laws, Section 1 of the I-9 must be completed no later than the first day of employment. Section 1 of the I-9 is completed by the employee and can be entered from any computer.  Section 2 of the I-9 must be done no later than the third day of employment.  The employee must show their documents in person to an NU representative.  If an employee cannot complete the I-9 Section 1 or Section 2 by these deadlines, the employee cannot begin working.  Holding paperwork until the I-9 is completed is still a violation of the law and can result in non-compliance penalties.

Annual Merit Planning - Online Notification Closing October 31, 2013

The new fiscal year has begun, merit planning is completed, and ideally, every staff member has had the opportunity to have conversations with immediate supervisors to discuss the outcome of the performance review and merit processes.  Those conversations are important for understanding the connection between performance and pay and for fostering ongoing dialogue about goals and accomplishments.  When applied consistently and diligently, the impact includes greater workplace effectiveness, efficiency and engagement. 

Beginning this year, staff members may view merit increase information via the FASIS self-service portal.  This opportunity will be available until October 31, 2013.  If you have questions regarding the information in the portal, please notify your immediate supervisor.

Compensating Hourly Staff for Travel

As the new school year begins, staff may be scheduled to attend conferences, seminars and events away from their regular places of work.   That attendance may involve travel. Here are a few reminders for how to handle those situations.  For biweekly hourly-paid (non-exempt) staff, travel time may or may not be considered work time and may or may not be compensable.  Understanding when travel time is compensable can be tricky.  Given the complexity of the federal guidelines and varying travel circumstances, a discussion regarding the specific situation with your Human Resources consultant is encouraged, before any action is taken.

There are varying types of travel to consider and the following guidelines will help in determining whether or not travel time is compensable.      

* Home to work travel (ordinary commute)

This type of travel occurs when an employee travels to a regular work site before the regular work day begins and leaves after the regular work day ends. This type of travel is not work time and is not paid.

* Home to work travel on a special one day assignment in another city.  This type of travel occurs when an employee who regularly works at a fixed location in one city is given a special one-day assignment in another city and returns home the same day.  The time spent traveling to and returning from the other city is work time and is paid.  However, the portion of time spent in the "ordinary commute" need not be counted as work time and therefore is not paid.   

* Travel that is all in a day's work.  This type of travel occurs when an employee travels from work site to job site during the workday. This is work time and must be paid.   

* Travel away from the home community.  This type of travel occurs when an employee travels and is away from his/her home overnight.  Travel away from home is work time when it cuts across the employee's regular work day during normal work hours or during corresponding hours on non-work days. This time is paid.

Time spent traveling away from home as a passenger (e.g. riding on a bus, train, plane, etc.) outside of the normal work hours is not considered work time and is not paid (note, some exceptions might apply). Additionally, the hours an employee spends away from home during which he or she is not working or traveling (such as shopping during a conference break, watching a movie in the hotel at night, etc.) are not paid. 

National Disability Employment Awareness Month

In honor of National Disability Employment Awareness Month, Northwestern University is hosting the inaugural Individuals with Disabilities and Disabled Veterans job fair.  The Office of Human Resources-Equal Opportunity & Access, HR Services, the Temp Center, and Services for Students with Disabilities have partnered in an effort to increase diversity within our recruitment applicant pool as well as to increase our commitment to individuals with disabilities and veterans within our Northwestern community. 

The job fair will feature entry level academic administrative roles.  We have invited students and alumni from Northwestern University, University of Chicago, University of Illinois-Chicago, DePaul University, and Northeastern Illinois University.  If you are a hiring manager or an HR Administrator and would like to increase diversity within your  applicant pool, please reach out to your respective recruiters and highlight what you are looking for in a candidate so they can be on the lookout for talented individuals for your jobs.

Event Information:           

October 14, 2013

Norris Center, Louis Room 205

1999 Campus Drive

Evanston, IL 60208

10:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.

If you would like more information on the job fair, please email our office at eeo@northwestern.edu.

LGBT History Month & National Coming Out Day

October is also LGBT History Month which observes lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender history of gay rights and related civil rights movements.   One highly recognized and celebrated day in October is National Coming Out Day, October 11th.  This year, the Northwestern Chicago Out Network is hosting an Out Network Mixer on Friday, October 11th, from 5:00-7:00 p.m. at the 3rd floor Harris Atrium of Prentice Women's Hospital.  The event is generously sponsored by Northwestern Memorial Hospital. 

If you are interested in attending this event or being added to the mailing list, please reach out to Eric Boberg, Executive Director for Research for Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine at e-boberg@northwestern.edu.  The Out Network would appreciate an RSVP (to Eric) for planning purposes, but it is not necessary for attendance to this mixer.  Spouses, partners, boyfriends, girlfriends, etc. are also welcome to attend.  

National Work & Family Month

Join the Office of Work/Life for four informative workshops in celebration of National Work & Family Month.  October has been designated by the U.S. House and Senate Resolution as a month to raise awareness about the progress made toward work/life effectiveness and highlight the value of work/life programs.

ABC's of CPS: Maximize Your Success with Chicago Public Schools Admissions

Chicago: Wednesday, October 9, Noon-1:30 p.m.

Lurie Research Center, Searle Seminar Room

University Children's Center will host an Open House directly after the seminar from 1:30 p.m.-4:30 p.m.

Navigating the Chicago Public School System can be a challenge.

As a parent, you want to make the best choice for your child's academic future. Here in Chicago, we are lucky to have a broad range of choices in education, both public and private. However, navigating the application and selection process for those schools can be confusing, time-consuming, and overwhelming. Join us for the brown bag lunch seminar with Christine Whitley, CPS consultant, to learn about your Chicago public school options. R.S.V.P.

Eldercare Tip of the Month: Do you provide emotional, physical or financial support to an adult or senior in your life? If so you are a caregiver. Many of us don't even realize we fall into this category, and as a working caregiver you face unique challenges. October is National Work and Family Month. It is the perfect time to think about how you are juggling these two important parts of your life. Read more to learn some secrets to the balancing act!

It Costs How Much? Paying for Long Term Care

Most people experience "sticker shock" when they realize how much long term care will cost them. For 

instance, the average annual cost of a nursing home is estimated at $80,000.  In fact, 80% of long term care in this country is provided by unpaid family caregivers who often struggle to sort out the different resources and options, without a clear understanding of quality and cost. Planning ahead for the care of a loved one includes understanding the different sources available such as Medicare, Medicaid, long term care insurance and Veteran's benefits.  This seminar will help clear up common misunderstandings about paying for long term care and provide you with important information to be a more effective caregiver. This seminar addresses the following questions:

• What are the different options for care?
• What are the different payers of long term care?
• What variables impact the cost of care?
• How can I plan ahead and be prepared for the financial realities of long term care?

R.S.V.P

Work/Life Challenges: It's Not Just for Women Anymore

Co-Sponsored by the Women's Center and the Office of Work/Life Resources

Presented by David M. Perry, Ph.D.

David Perry is an academic, author, and a parent. He has written on parenting, disability and gender for CNN, The Atlantic and The Chronicle of Higher Education.

For the last seven years, David Perry has looked for work/life balance. His wife is a corporate scientist and travels for work.  His son Nico, who is six, has Down's syndrome.  His four-year-old daughter is precocious and already running afoul of traditional gender stereotypes. Meanwhile, he has classes to teach, a book to finish, and all the other complexities of academic life to sort out.  Through it all, he's reached an important conclusion: Balance is not only impossible, it's the wrong goal.

David will talk about keeping the big picture in perspective while focusing his attention on doing what's next.  He's learned to be open with his university and his family about his needs, while also recognizing the privileged position from which he operates.  His strategies, despite some stumbles along the way, have helped him get tenure and become a public advocate for causes that he values, all while serving as the primary caregiver for his children and keeping his marriage healthy.

David's presentation will be followed by a panel discussion with Northwestern faculty and staff panelists sharing some of their perspectives on these issues.

R.S.V.P.

Total Package: Balancing Parenting, Relationships, and Self

Evanston: Thursday, October 10, Noon-1:00 p.m.

Bright Horizons, Evanston: 1629 Orrington Avenue

By examining the roles you play in your life, you will develop a comprehensive plan to move forward and find a better balance in the various priorities of life. This workshop will help create strategies to balance parenting, partnerships and self care.

Objectives taught in this workshop:

• Recognizing responsibilities
• Balancing responsibilities
• Dealing with stress
• Time management
• Handling the excesses
• Problem solving
• Developing a plan
• Setting short-term and long-term goals