Office of Human Resources                                                                              November 2013

 HR REVIEW

Reporting Suspected Child Abuse and Neglect

As part of its continuing efforts to protect the safety and well-being of its students, faculty, staff and visitors, particularly those students and visitors who are minors, Northwestern University has adopted new policies regarding reporting suspected child abuse and neglect.

The policies include training for everyone who has regular contact with children. In addition, Illinois law states that all University employees are "mandated reporters" of suspected cases of child abuse and/or neglect.

That means that all faculty, staff and students who are student employees-even those who do not have regular contact with children-must go to a web site and acknowledge their status as a mandated reporter. Read more from Northwestern News and Reporting Suspected Child Abuse and Neglect.

Holidays and Non-exempt Work Hours

As the holiday season approaches, requests for time off and schedule adjustments increase to accommodate staff member's family obligations.

Below are important reminders for properly handling holiday pay for non-exempt staff during this time:  

Holiday Pay

Staff members are paid for University observed holidays.  In certain circumstances, staff members may be scheduled to work on a day that the University observes as a holiday.  In such cases, non-exempt staff members will receive holiday pay at the regular hourly rate or an alternative workday off (as outlined below) plus one and one-half times their regular hourly rate for the hours actually worked on the holiday.

If a holiday falls on a staff member's scheduled day off, the staff member will receive an alternate workday off.  This alternate day off must be scheduled with supervisor's approval within 30 days of the holiday.

Compensatory Time  

While operational efficiency is always a primary concern, Supervisors have the discretion to make adjustments to the weekly work schedules/hours of non-exempt staff to accommodate special situations and requests as appropriate without creating a need for overtime.     

Additional Pay

During the holiday season, staff members are sometimes called upon to use their talents in service to other units within the University community.  Though these events may occur outside of the staff members' normal works, the time must be counted as work time for purposes of overtime calculation for all non-exempt staff if the service is performed on behalf of Northwestern University. The staff member may not enter into a separate agreement with the other unit but must enter all hours worked into the timekeeping system, Kronos. 

Attendance at School Events  

Staff members who participate, subject to the IL School Visitation Rights Act, in their children's school-sponsored holiday activities during work hours are not required to count those hours as work time for purposes of calculating overtime.  For more information and advice on this topic, contact your HR Services Consultant.

Veterans Day

In recognition of Veterans Day November 11, 2013, The Office of Equal Opportunity and Access wishes to honor one of Northwestern University's very own Jonathan Lewis.

Mr. Lewis is a Vietnam Era Army Veteran who served his country between 1968 and 1970.  He was drafted during the summer of '68 while attending graduate school at Syracuse University.  Jonathan, like many other men of the time, answered his call for duty and soon after enlisted.  By the time he left the Army, he was a Specialist Fifth Class.  Jonathan credits his time in the military for "teaching him how to work with people from a different background and to understand others and their differences." 

After his time in the military, Jonathan continued to serve while working with the Veterans Administration.  He was in charge of rolling out a nationwide claims-examination system and workflow process for the Chicago Regional Office.  From there, he went on to the University of Illinois and received his MBA.  While searching for a job, he came across a posting at Northwestern University.  According to Jonathan, the thing that made Northwestern standout was "that it was focused on the use of computer systems in education and it provided a path to further involvement in higher education."  He started his career at Northwestern in 1984 as Manager of Information Systems for the Feinberg School of Medicine.  Today, he is the Assistant Dean of Management Information Systems.  The most enjoyable part of working at Northwestern University is "that so many people are doing interesting and creative things," says Jonathan.  "My team and I have had the good fortune to be doing some interesting projects in supporting the education efforts of others.  We have done really worthwhile things supporting medical school deans and their projects.  I love working with IT and the collegial atmosphere that characterizes our environment at Northwestern.  It is very worthwhile."

The Office of Equal Opportunity and Access thanks Mr. Jonathan Lewis for not only serving his country, but also serving Northwestern University for more than 29 years. 

In honor of Veterans Day, The Office of Equal Opportunity & Access would like to extend our sincere gratitude to all our veteran employees for their hard work, dedication, and contributions to Northwestern University and to the nation.

Invitation to Self-Identify

If you are a Veteran, we would like to hear from you.  The Office of Equal Opportunity and Access (OEOA) asks that Veteran employees self-identify with our office.  Self-identification is strictly voluntary, and all information gathered will be kept as confidential as possible.  Please take the time to email us at eeo@northwestern.edu or call us at (847) 491-7458.  Let us know if you are a Special Disabled Veteran, Veteran of the Vietnam-Era, Recently Separated Veteran, or an Other Protected Veteran.  Review the following definitions from the Department of Labor for a better understanding of the classifications.

Special Disabled Veteran means (i) a veteran of the U.S. military, ground, naval or air service who is entitled to compensation (or who but for the receipt of military retired pay would be entitled to compensation) under laws administered by the Department of Veterans' Affairs for a disability (A) rated at 30 percent or more, or (B) rated at 10 or 20 percent in the case of a veteran who has been determined under Section 38 U.S.C. 3106 to have a serious employment handicap or (ii) a person who was discharged or released from active duty because of a service-connected disability.

Veteran of the Vietnam-era means a person who: (i) served on active duty in the U.S. military, ground, naval or air service for a period of more than 180 days, and who was discharged or released there from with other than a dishonorable discharge, if any part of such active duty was performed: (A) in the Republic of Vietnam between February 28, 1961, and May 7, 1975; or (B) between August 5, 1964, and May 7, 1975, in all other cases; or (ii) was discharged or released from active duty in the U.S. military, ground, naval or air service for a service-connected disability if any part of such active duty was performed (A) in the Republic of Vietnam between February 28, 1961, and May 7, 1975; or (B) between August 5, 1964, and May 7, 1975, in any other location.

Recently Separated Veterans' means any veteran who served on active duty in the U.S. military, ground, naval or air service during the one-year period beginning on the date of such veteran's discharge or release from active duty.

Other Protected Veterans' means veterans who served on active duty in the U.S. military, ground, naval or air service during a war or in a campaign or expedition for which a campaign badge has been authorized. For those with Internet access, the information required to make this determination is available at http://www.opm.gov/staffingportal/vgmedal2.asp. A copy of the list also may be obtained by calling (301) 306-6752 and requesting that a copy of the list be mailed to you.

Native American/Alaskan Native Heritage Month

November was designated as Native American/Alaskan Native Heritage Month to recognize Native American contributions to America.  It is a time where we celebrate those contributions and the cultures and traditions that are still practiced today.  During this month, Native Americans and Alaskan Natives share and educate others on their influence, heritage, history and way of life by engaging the community in native dance, arts, and stories - encouraging widespread community participation in all celebratory activities.

In honor of Native American/Alaskan Native Heritage Month, The Office of Equal Opportunity & Access would like to thank all of our Native American and Alaskan Native employees for their hard work, dedication, and contributions to Northwestern University. 

Pictures from the Individuals with Disabilities and Veterans Job Fair

NU Life Matters

Open Information Sessions, sponsored by NUSAC

Chicago: Tuesday, December 3, noon-1:00 p.m. Lurie Center, Searle Seminar Room

Evanston: Tuesday, December 10, noon-1:00 p.m. Norris University Center, Arch Room

To Register

We are pleased to inform you of a Northwestern University sponsored benefit called NU Life Matters. Through a new agreement with Harris, Rothenberg International (HRI), a firm specializing in the provision of employee assistance programs (EAP) and work/life solutions, the University will offer a wide range of benefits and services designed to meet your unique needs and help you manage a variety of work/life matters. Effective October 1, 2013, Northwestern faculty, staff and their household members have access to a network of services, including short-term counseling that can effectively address many life issues. The program is staffed by trained professionals who can provide expert assistance with stress management; parenting; loss of a loved one; relationship concerns; sleep difficulties; and many other everyday matters. The program is completely confidential, as required by law.

To contact the NU Life Matters program, call 855-547-1851. You can access the program 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and 365 days a year or visit the website anytime. To log on, you will need the username northwestern and password eap.

Eldercare Tip of the Month

National Alzheimer's Disease Awareness Month and National Caregiver Month, both occurring in November, serve as an opportunity for us to reflect on the 65.7 million unpaid family caregivers who are the backbone of long term care in this country. Family caregivers help a parent who can't care for himself, a spouse struggling with a chronic illness, or a wounded warrior who needs both emotional and physical support.  Caregivers of family members with Alzheimer's disease face unique challenges. Many describe watching the person they love slowly slip away, leaving sadness, frustration, anger, fear and helplessness in their wake. While there is not yet a cure for Alzheimer's disease, there are caregiving strategies that help families focus on what is still there rather than what has been lost. Read on to learn what these are.

What happens when outside interests, activities, and/or potential COIs arise for staff during the year between the annual staff COI disclosure process?   The official staff COI disclosure process in FASIS occurs at a specific point in time on an annual basis.  However, there are times when immediate action may be necessary when certain new outside interests or activities arise for staff, rather than waiting until the next annual staff COI disclosure process to have the interests and activity reviewed and approved.

Staff should always proactively seek immediate supervisor approval prior to engaging in outside activities or outside financial interests that could impact University interests. 

In general, per Northwestern's Conflict of Interest and Conflict of Commitment Policy , an immediate supervisor may approve outside interests and activities of their staff providing that the interests and activities do not actually nor have the appearance of:

• Interfering with or detracting from University responsibilities; or
• Using University time or resources; or
• Advancing inappropriate personal interests that bias University academic, research, or business activities or are detrimental to the University's mission. 

Tips for staff and managers:

• Staff should document in writing the parameters of the requested outside interest and/or activity for immediate supervisors.
• Managers should either approve or reject the request to staff in writing, outlining or reinforcing parameters as necessary.

Even with request and approval for such activity happening outside of the annual staff COI disclosure process, staff must still disclose the outside interests or activity in the subsequent annual staff COI disclosure in FASIS.  Discussing and documenting the staff and manager interaction between the annual staff COI disclosure process will allow the proactive identification and mitigation of problematic situations, and will save managers time and effort when it comes time to review and approve staff COI disclosures during the annual process. 

Staff and managers should feel free to contact NUCOI to discuss situations and seek advice as to what types of outside interests and activities are permissible, how potential COIs can be mitigated, and what types of outside interests and activities are prohibited.          

Gifts

Believe it or not, the festive holiday season is right around the corner!  Some departments or employees may begin receiving gifts from University vendors, and it is important to handle such gifts appropriately.  In a business environment, soliciting or accepting gifts from University vendors could appear to potentially influence the objectivity of judgment with respect to both the provider and the recipient of the gift. 

Key Tips        

• Do not solicit gifts from vendors.
• If a general gift is received by a department or team (e.g., a fruit basket or sweets), place such items in a common area (e.g., department kitchen or conference room) to share.
• Do not accept individual gifts from vendors outside of trivial gifts (e.g. pens, notebooks, candy, etc.).  Consult with your immediate supervisor if an individual gift that is not trivial is sent to you by a vendor.

Please refer to Northwestern's Conflict of Interest and Conflict of Commitment Policy or contact NUCOI with questions or concerns. 

nucoi@northwestern.edu

847-467-4515  

Office Party Etiquette

With the holiday season right around the corner, many of us are looking forward to attending office holiday parties. But with these festivities it is important to remember that you are still in the company of coworkers and it's necessary to celebrate appropriately.  Following the common-sense guidance here will help you make the most of these events:

• Demonstrate basic party etiquette, including RSVPing by the deadline, arriving on time, and thanking the party host and coordinator. Be sure that you don't rush in and out, but also don't overstay your welcome past the end of the party.
• Don't assume that spouses or families are invited unless it specifically mentions this on the invitation. If you are unsure about this, ask in advance of the party. If it is acceptable to bring a guest, make sure you bring someone who you know will act responsibly. Remember, their behavior is a reflection upon you, so it's important that you choose wisely.
• When planning what to wear to the event, keep this advice in mind: if you wouldn't wear it to the office, don't wear it to the office party. While it's fine for your clothes to be more festive than what you'd normally wear to work, they shouldn't be revealing.
• While it's appropriate - and frequently encouraged - to get to know your colleagues on a personal level, keep it professional. The office party is never the time to flirt.
• Don't share things at the office party that you don't want your coworkers to know about you in the morning. Remember, you'll all be back together at work the next day, and you don't want to walk in having shared too much.
• Don't use language you wouldn't use in the office.
• Be social and go out of your way to talk with coworkers that you don't have an opportunity to work with routinely at the office. Office parties are an excellent way to expand your network and you never know who might be able to help propel your career.

The simplest rule of thumb is to think of the party as an extension of your work day. While you may be in a different setting, your fellow party-goers are still your coworkers. Following the guidance here will help you maintain your professionalism, all while having some fun with colleagues. 

Review & Update Your Emergency Contact Information

This is a great time to update your emergency contact information in the FASIS Self Service Portal. In the event that something happens to you on campus (for example, an injury or illness) and someone close to you needs to be notified, the information on the Emergency Contact page is used. (Please note, this is not the list of numbers used to notify you personally of an emergency situation on campus). 

Please take an opportunity this month to review the emergency contacts you previously provided and to add any additional contacts. Click here to access the FASIS Self Service Portal.  After signing in, click the purple "My Person Information" accordion menu, and then select "Update My Emergency Contacts."  After adding, removing, or editing your contacts, click the "Save" button; to return to the Portal, simply close the pop-up window.

Phone Number Updates

Have you updated your work phone number recently?  Is your phone number not appearing in the NU online directory?  To add or update your work, home, or mobile phone, simply sign into the FASIS Self Service Portal, select the purple "My Person Information" accordion menu, and then click "Update My Phone Number".  After making any changes, click the "Save" button and close the pop-up window to return to the Portal.

To choose which number appears in the NU Online Directory, select the purple "My Person Information" accordion menu, and then click "Update My Online Directory".  Scroll down to the Phone Number section and check the Phone Indicator box next to any number(s) you would like to display in the Directory.  The number will appear the next day.

Let's keep Weight Watchers meetings here on the Evanston Campus!