Office of Human Resources                                                                                                May 2014

 HR REVIEW

May Elder Care Tip of the Month from NU Senior Care Connections

What's in Your Emergency Kit? Have you ever received a phone call in the middle of the night?  When answering the call, most of us would fear a crisis with our loved ones. When you're a caregiver for an elderly family member, it's likely an emergency. Being prepared for a crisis can make it more manageable. And having important information readily available can lead to a more successful outcome. Consider keeping the following information in a safe, accessible place and make sure to regularly update your Emergency Kit with current information. 

• Contact Names and Numbers: Include close family members, doctors, and any others involved in the decision making and the well-being of your family member.

• List of Allergies and Medical Conditions: This list is imperative in helping doctors and other caregivers to administer quality care. List any food, medication, and seasonal allergies that your loved one may have. Be specific about their medical conditions.

• Medication List: Make sure to list each medication, the dosage, when it's taken, and who prescribed it. Update this list whenever changes are made.

• Legal Documents: Advance directives can include a living will and durable power of attorney. Additional legal paperwork can include a health care proxy, will, testament, and any designation for trusts and estates. Your elder may also have a DNR (Do Not Resuscitate) order, anatomical gift, or organ donation card. These documents will be needed to facilitate the care of your loved one in the manner in which s/he intended.

• Insurance Information: Make sure to have a copy of your elder's insurance cards and any information on additional policies such as long-term care insurance.

• Photos, Videos, and Life-Event Information: A list of major life events, photos, and videos are particularly helpful for elders with dementia or Alzheimer's disease. Photos and videos help them to connect with the ones they love and identify major events from their past.

Care.com's Adult and Senior Care Advisers are experienced, masters-level social workers. Call 855-772-2730 for help with your care-giving journey.

Now Accepting Applications for Childcare Fee Assistance!

Is your child enrolled at the McGaw YMCA, Bright Horizons Evanston, or The University Children's Center?

The Office of Work/Life Resources and center affiliates are now accepting fee assistance applications for the 2014-15 academic year. For More Information.

New Mothers' Room Location

We are very pleased to share that the Technological Institute (Tech) has a new mothers' room located on the ground floor.  The room is accessible through use of a Wildcard reader. 

Techonological Institute (Tech)
Ground Floor, DG60
2145 Sheridan Rd

Directions:
NU mothers needing access to this new room should email Deirdre Dennett to register your Wildcard. Please include your name, University ID and Wildcard number in your email. Upon registration, your Wildcard will allow you to access the room for an initial period of six months. If you require access for a longer period of time, please reapply by emailing Deirdre.

For more information about mothers' rooms on both campuses, visit our website.

@NUWorkLife for the latest in work/life news, workshops and more!

Upcoming Workshops

It's not too late to RSVP! Join members of Northwestern University's Office of Admissions and the HR Benefits Division on the Chicago campus as they discuss:

• Selecting a college
• The application process
• Financial aid
• NU's portable tuition benefits
• NU's reduced tuition plan benefits

Chicago campus:

For more information 

Alzheimers Disease and Dementia: What you need to know

• Review the different forms of dementia, including Alzheimer's and signs your loved one may have the disease
• Discuss the key signs and signals to look for in your loved one who may have the disease
• Learn caregiving strategies that can help and types of care that can improve the quality of life for both you and your loved one.

Please contact Anna Freedman at 7-1460 to register for this workshop and for more information.

NEW FASIS/Cognos Reporting Class

With the release of the new Payroll Expense Distribution (PED) report in the Cognos BI tool, FASIS has redeveloped its reporting class.  HRS111: FASIS/Cognos reporting will be offered as an online demonstration once per month in the regular rotation of FASIS Administration training courses.  HRS111 will provide users with a brief overview of the Employee Search Report and Payroll Expense Distribution by Chartstring, with additional reports added as they are released into the Cognos tool.  Any administration user with current access to FASIS Cognos reports is welcome to attend.

To view the course schedule and register for an online training date, click here and log in with your NetID.  As a reminder, all existing Vista users have been provided with the Cognos PED report by default; access for new users requires a FASIS Admin ID and completion of the Vista/Cognos Security Form. 

Summer Salary Training

Are you responsible for completing faculty summer salary requests for your department?  The Summer Salary Request Form has been slightly updated this year, and one additional online demonstration will be offered at 1:30 p.m. on Wednesday, May 7.  New and past users of the form are encouraged to attend to understand the rules of summer salary and the changes to the request form.  For more information and to register, click here and log in with your NetID.

Update Your Mailing Address

If you will be returning home for the summer, graduating, or otherwise leaving the University, don't forget to update your address in the FASIS Self Service Portal! Any time you switch residences, including student housing, you need to update your home address on file with Human Resources. This is important to ensure future tax documents and other necessary communications reach you. To update your address, log in to https://nupa.northwestern.edu and navigate to: My Personal Information > Update My Home Address. Click the pencil "edit" icon next to an existing address to edit it, and save your changes. NOTE: Address changes on SES do not automatically change your FASIS address.  The FASIS change must be done separately.

You must edit your address before you leave the University.  Once your job ends, you can no longer access the Self Service Portal to make address changes.

Summer Hires

As the summer hiring season approaches, 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.

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 done 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.

Internal Transfer and Promotion Requirements

If you are a staff member of the University and are thinking about transferring to a new position within the University, it is important that you understand the requirements for transfer before applying.  To be eligible for a transfer or promotion to a different department/unit in the University, a staff member must:

• Have been in his or her current position for at least 12 months
• Have received an overall rating of at least effective on the most recent performance review (that is, a rating of 3 or higher)
• Have had no disciplinary action in the prior six months
• Meet the minimum qualifications of the position and apply for the position

On rare occasions, mutual agreement is reached between the current supervisor, new supervisor, and the Office of Human Resources to allow for a transfer or promotion within the first 12 months. Staff members should not apply online for positions prior to being in their current position for 12 months without prior approval from the Office of Human Resources. However, transfers or promotions within a staff member's department/unit may occur at any time subject to supervisory approval.

For more information regarding these requirements, please contact your Human Resources Consultant or Staffing Consultant.

Tips for Recent Graduates and Their Supervisors

With spring well underway, a new group of graduates may be soon embarking on their first adventure in the working world. Starting your first professional job can be daunting and it's not always easy to know how to get started and where pitfalls may be looming. Whether you're the supervisor of someone in their first "real" job, or you're the one who recently got hired, the tips below can help start things off on the right foot:

• New employee: Always arrive at work on time, if not a little early. Be sure to allow plenty of time to get to work. 

Supervisor: Clearly set expectations for when your new employee should arrive at work and the consequences of being late. Provide information on public transportation, the NU Shuttle, and parking requirements.  

• New employee: Dress appropriately given the norms of your workplace and look professional. Take note of how others around you are dressed - particularly those who have succeeded within the organization - and follow their example.

Supervisor: Let your new employee know the expectations for appropriate attire in the office. Communicate things that are off limits and any must-haves. 

• New employee: Dig in and learn. The research you did for your interviews was just the starting point. Take every opportunity to learn about your new department and the University, look back at old projects, and find out what has worked for others in the past. This is your time to ask questions. While you shouldn't be afraid to ask questions, make sure they are meaningful ones when you do.

Supervisor: Help your new employee locate information and resources that may be helpful to review. Be available to answer questions and to provide background and context on the organization and any projects you've asked your new employee to work on.

• New employee: Pay attention and listen. While asking questions is important, so too is listening. Study your new environment and the informal relationships and power structures. Learn the norms and standards in your unit and how things work. For example, how do colleagues communicate (e.g. is email or voice mail preferred)? How are decisions made? Are interactions between colleagues more formal or informal?

Supervisor: Remember to share the less obvious things your new employee may be wondering - how things are done and what the real keys to success are within the unit.