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Office of Human Resources                                                                                                  June  2014

 

 HR REVIEW

 Your Source for University Human Resources News and Information
Announcements
 

You are invited to an open reception in tribute to Senior Vice President Gene Sunshine's retirement from Northwestern after 17 years of service. Please feel free to drop by Hardin Hall on Thursday, June 26 between 3:00 - 5:00 p.m. to say your goodbyes to Gene. Cookies and beverages will be provided.

 

 

Upcoming Events

Northwestern University Employee 

Tuition Benefits Information Session

 

Northwestern University School of Continuing Studies (SCS) and the Northwestern Human Resources Benefits Division will host an Information Session on the Evanston Campus for benefits eligible NU employees on Wednesday, June 11.

 

This session will explain how to take advantage of your employee tuition benefits through the part-time, evening, and weekend undergraduate, graduate, post-baccalaureate and professional development programs available through the School of Continuing Studies.

 

Academic admissions and student services representatives from SCS and the Human Resources Benefits Division will be available to answer your questions.

 

Evanston Campus
Wednesday, June 11, 2014

Noon-1:00 p.m.

Donald P. Jacobs Center, Rm 2245
2001 Sheridan Rd

 

Reservations are required.  Lunch will be provided. Click here to register online.

Inside This Issue
Annoucements
Employee Appreciation
Compensation
Staffing
Payroll
Consulting
Benefits
FASIS
Work/Life Resources
Conflict of Interest
Office of Equal Opportunity and Access
Learning and Organization Development
Quick Links
Employee of the Year

We are proud to announce the 2014 Employee of the Year Winner and Finalists. 

2014 Winner

Congratulations to Donald Hlinsky, Information Technology-Telecommunications & Network Services

2014 Finalists

Karen Allen, Weinberg College of Arts and Sciences -Chicago Field Studies

Joseph Boes, Feinberg School of Medicine-Obstetrics & Gynecology

Barbara Ferry, Feinberg School of Medicine-NUCATS Institute

Kathleen Melody, University Library-Business and Finance

Benjamin Polancich, Weinberg College of Arts and Sciences-Administration

 
Compensation

Job Families, Career and Professional Development

Career and professional development is a high priority for Northwestern.  As stated in the 2011 Northwestern We Will Strategic Plan, the University "encourages and enables staff to contribute to the education and research missions of the University and to learn and advance in their individual careers."    

 

The Northwestern job families can be used as a guide for career and professional development discussions with staff to:

  • Define job hierarchies that reflect a progression of roles and responsibilities throughout the career ladder within a specific function (administrative support, research technology, etc.). 
  • Define associated duties, responsibilities, and education and experience requirements within each level. 
  • Facilitate easier promotion/hiring processes through the use of standard pre-approved job descriptions.

 

The beginning of the review cycle is an opportune time for staff to revisit their career aspirations. Staff members are encouraged to take the time to review the job families, compare the opportunities with their personal career goals and objectives, and in conjunction with their supervisor create a plan for continued professional growth and development.

 

For more information about job families please visit the Compensation website or contact the Compensation Consultant that supports your area or your manager. 

Staffing

Help New Employees "Hit the Ground Running" 

 

At this time of the year, many areas of Northwestern are hiring and on-boarding new staff members, making it a good time to review the comprehensive on-boarding process that has been designed to help new employees feel comfortable and confident during their first days and months on the job. 

 

If you're planning to bring on new team members in the coming months, reference the following resources to strengthen the on-boarding process and help equip new employees with the tools to succeed and be fully engaged in their new position at the University.

 

New Employee Orientation

  • New Employee Orientation Part 1 is the best way for newcomers to get acquainted with the University in a very short amount of time. They receive crucial information about benefits and logistics, as well as an overview of the University's structure and the many resources that are available to employees. New Employee Orientation Part 1 is offered weekly, alternating between the Chicago and Evanston campuses. 
  • New Employee Orientation Part 2 is designed for employees who have been at the University for a few months and are more settled in their positions. Participants have the opportunity to interact with and hear a senior administrative leader speak on the University's mission and vision. There are workshops about Northwestern's "Standards for Business Conduct" (the University's major policies and procedures; including the prevention of discrimination and harassment), and Northwestern's "Performance Excellence" process (for good goal setting and communication). This session is offered quarterly on both campuses.
  • There is an annual new employee reception that provides employees in their first year an opportunity to network and build cross-campus connections.
On-boarding Resources

 

There are also numerous online resources that have been developed to facilitate the on-boarding process for new employees and their managers, including the following:

 

For staff:

For hiring managers:

If you have questions regarding the on-boarding process, please contact Learning & Organization Development at 7-5081 or your Human Resources Consultant.  

Payroll

Terminating Temporary Employees

 

As the academic year draws to a close, please ensure you terminate the temporary employees in your department who will not work at the University during Summer 2014.  The employees' job records can be terminated in FASIS Production by administrative users with access to the Temp Panel, when the Temp Panel is open for editing by navigating to: /Workforce Administration/Job Information/Maintain Job Information-Temps/Temp Panel.

 

Terminating the employees will help prevent unapproved/unauthorized payments to the individual.  If the temporary employees will return to your department for the 2014-2015 academic year, they may be rehired upon their return.  

 

Summer Hires

 

As the summer hiring season approaches, please keep 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 paperwork as soon as possible to the Payroll Office.  Please refer to the biweekly cut-off schedule for submission deadlines to assure employees are entered in time to enter their hours in Kronos.

 

To comply with I-9 and E-Verify requirements, section 1 of the I-9 must be completed no later than the first day of employment (this is done 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 (employee must show their documents in person to a NU representative).  If an employee cannot do section 1 or section 2 by these deadlines, they cannot begin working.  Holding hire paperwork until the I-9 is completed is still a violation of the law and can result in non-compliance penalties. 

Consulting

Employment Verification

 

At times throughout your employment at Northwestern, there may be instances when you are conducting a personal transaction that requires employment verification.  To facilitate this, Northwestern University partners with The Work Number, an automated service that provides these verifications for current and previous University employees.  The Work Number can be accessed 24 hours a day, seven days a week by telephone or Internet, and provides employment and payroll verification in minutes. 

 

If you need employment verification which includes dates of employment and title without salary information, please contact The Work Number directly. There is no need for prior authorization to release this information.

 

If you need your salary verified in addition to your employment, you will need to contact The Work Number first to create a "Salary Key" that grants your verifier one-time access to your income data.  You will need Northwestern University's Employer Code, your social security number, and your PIN to create a "Salary Key."  Your PIN is your date of birth (MMDDYYYY).  Once you have created a "Salary Key," be sure to jot this number down, as you will need to provide this to your verifier, along with your social security number and the Employer Code.

 

Following is contact information for The Work Number:

 

Internet Access:

www.theworknumber.com

 

Telephone Access:

(800) 367-5690 - Telephone number for Employees to provide to Verifiers

(800) 367-2884 - Telephone number for Employees to create a Salary Key

 

If you have questions or need additional assistance, you may contact the Work Number Client Service Center at (800) 996-7566 (Monday to Friday, 7am - 8pm).

 

Additionally, to listen to Northwestern University's pre-recorded message detailing these instructions, you may call (847) 491-7510 or 1-7510.

Benefits

Same-Sex Marriage Legalization: Effective Date Approaching

 

Last November, the state of Illinois legalized same-sex marriage. However, the effective date of the legislation was delayed  until June 1, 2014. This means that as of June 1st, all legal same-sex marriages, regardless of the location where the marriage took place, will be recognized for tax purposes in the state of Illinois.

 

If you have already turned in a copy of your marriage certificate to the Benefits department, the new tax breaks will automatically be applied on June 1st. If you have not previously turned in a copy of your marriage certificate or other documentation and you would like to take advantage of both state and federal pre-tax coverage for your spouse, please submit a copy of your marriage certificate to the Benefits Division as soon as possible.

 

Documentation can be emailed to [email protected], faxed to (847) 467-4284, or dropped off at either the Evanston or Chicago office locations. If you have any questions about these changes, please contact the Benefits department at [email protected] or (847) 491-7513. 

FASIS

Update Your Mailing Address for W-2's

 

If you will be returning home for the summer, graduating, or otherwise leaving the University, don't forget to update your home address in the FASIS Self Service Portal. Any time you switch residences, including student housing, you need to update your address on file with Human Resources. This is important to ensure future tax documents, including your year-end W-2 form, and other necessary communications reach you. To update your address, log in https://nupa.northwestern.edu and navigate to: My Personal Information > Update My Home Address. Click the pencil "edit" icon next to your current 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.

Work/Life Resources

Men's Health Month  June is Men's Health Month. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention offers the following tips in recognition of Men's Health Month. Stay Healthy!  http://www.cdc.gov/Men/nmhw/index.htm

Men can make their health a priority. Take action daily to live a healthier and productive life.

Celebrate National Men's Health Week, June 9-15, 2014.

  • Take a bike ride.
  • Toss a ball.
  • Eat less salt.
  • Try more veggies.

There are many things everyone can do every  day to improve health and stay healthy.

Get Good Sleep
Insufficient sleep is associated with a number of chronic diseases and conditions, such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease, obesity, and depression. Also, insufficient sleep is responsible for motor vehicle and machinery-related accidents, causing substantial injury and disability each year. Sleep guidelines from the National Sleep Foundation have noted that sleep needs change as we age. In general, adults need between 7-9 hours of sleep.

Toss out the Tobacco
It's never too late to quit. Quitting smoking has immediate and long-term benefits. It improves your health and lowers your risk of heart disease, cancer, lung disease, and other smoking-related illnesses. Also avoid being around secondhand smoke. Inhaling other people's smoke causes health problems similar to those that smokers have. Babies and kids are still growing, so the poisons in secondhand smoke hurt them more than adults.

Move More
Adults need at least 2� hours of moderate-intensity aerobic activity (such as brisk walking) every week, and muscle strengthening activities that work all major muscle groups (legs, hips, back, abdomen, chest, shoulders, and arms) on two or more days a week. You don't have to do it all at once. Spread your activity out during the week, and break it into smaller chunks of time during the day.

Eat Healthy
Eat a variety of fruits and vegetables every day. They are sources of many vitamins, minerals, and other natural substances that may help protect you from chronic diseases. Limit foods and drinks high in calories, sugar, salt, fat, and alcohol. Choose healthy snacks.

Tame Stress
Sometimes stress can be good. However, it can be harmful when it is severe enough to make you feel overwhelmed and out of control. Take care of yourself. Avoid drugs and alcohol. Find support. Connect socially. Stay active.

Stay on Top of Your Game
See your doctor or nurse for regular checkups. Certain diseases and conditions may not have symptoms, so checkups help diagnose issues early or before they can become a problem.

Pay Attention to Signs and Symptoms such as chest pain, shortness of breath, excessive thirst, and problems with urination. If you have these or symptoms of any kind, be sure to see your doctor right away. Don't wait!   

Eldercare Tip of the Month

4 Things to Do NOW to Make Caregiving Easier LATER

http://blog.care.com/elder-advice/

 

Have you ever thought you could prevent an emergency if you had just...?  We've all been there. But taking time during our busy days to plan ahead isn't usually a priority. When you have an aging parent, being proactive can help your loved one age with greater dignity. Here are five suggestions to prepare for the caregiving journey and make transitions as smooth as possible.

 

  1. Hold a Family Meeting: Invite everyone who plans to be involved in caring for your loved ones to attend a family meeting. If they can't attend in person, organize a conference call or online meeting to make sure everyone participates. Ask your loved ones what their wishes are as they age. Where would they like to live? What is most important to them? Who would they like to make medical and legal decisions on their behalf? Appoint someone to take notes at this meeting and share them with everyone at the end.
  2. Appoint a Health Care Proxy and Power of Attorney: It is important to have someone appointed to make healthcare and legal decisions for an elder in case they are unable to do so. Is one family member better-suited for a particular role than another? If no family members are available, consider a close family friend who can be trusted to make these decisions. An elder law attorney can assist you in drafting these documents.
  3. Learn about Options for Care: Do you know what types of living arrangements are available to elders and what might best suit your family member? There are a range of care options from living at home with support all the way to skilled, 24-hour nursing care.
  4. Determine and Prepare for the Cost of Care: Once your family member decides what options are acceptable to them, it's best to understand what is financially reasonable. Given your family member's assets, existing health care and insurance policies, will the type of care s/he prefers be possible? Find out if your loved one has long-term care insurance. If so, familiarize yourself with what type of care is covered under the policy guidelines and what conditions need to be met to become benefit eligible.

 

You don't have to figure this out on your own. Care.com's Adult and Senior Care Advisers are experienced, masters-level social workers. Call us today at (855) 772-2730 and we are happy to help you prepare for, and make it through, the caregiving journey.

  

 

Twitter     

Follow the Office of Work/Life Resources on Twitter @NUWorkLife for the latest in work/life news, workshops and more!

 

 

Weight Watchers @ Work

Let Weight Watchers help you get ready for summer!  Our meetings are every Thursday at 12:30 with the weigh-in beginning at noon, in room 3.226 Searle Hall (Health Services Building - 633 Emerson Street, Floor 3, room 226, Evanston Campus).  Come in and CHECK OUT a meeting for free.  What do you have to lose?  For more information, contact Tammy Rosner at [email protected] or 1-2210.

Conflict of Interest

Considering Engaging in Outside Activities?

 

An outside activity is any paid or volunteer activity undertaken by a Staff or Faculty member outside the scope of his or her regular University duties. Outside Professional Activities may include consulting, participation in civic or charitable organizations, working as a technical or professional advisor or practitioner, or holding a part-time job with another employer, whether working in one's University occupation or another. External interests and activities are not prohibited, but must be assessed to ensure that University activities are not negatively impacted in cases where a relationship or financial interest could present a potential or actual conflict of interest.

 

Staff: Things to consider before engaging in outside activities

  1. Discuss potential activity with supervisor: obtain advance supervisor approval before engaging in activity.     
    • This does not apply to outside activities that clearly have no impact to or no relation to your NU job responsibilities (e.g., charitable activities on weekends, church board memberships, etc.) - in these cases, you do not need to seek advance supervisor approval of the activities and no disclosure in the annual staff COI questionnaire is required.
  2. Determine if the activity truly is an outside activity:
    • If the work is being done for and paid through NU, if it is activity expected of you as part of your Northwestern job responsibilities (even if being performed for another unit), it is not outside or extra activity for which you should be paid anything in addition to your NU salary - it is part of your NU job.
    • If the work is being done for and paid through NU and truly is additional activity (not expected of you as part of your NU job responsibilities), ensure you go through the appropriate additional pay process with HR Compensation and/or Payroll - you should not be paid as a consultant/vendor/contractor by NU.
  3. Is the entity in which you would like to engage in outside activities with a University vendor?  If so, be cognizant of (and discuss with your supervisor) any role you have as part of your NU job responsibilities in selecting or approving this vendor for University business and/or handling contractual or financial transactions relative to NU-vendor business.
  4. Assess the appropriate use of University resources:
    • Does the outside activity utilize NU resources, including but not limited to time, space, or equipment?
      • Note: only incidental use of NU resources for outside activity is permitted
  5. If your supervisor approves the outside activity, ensure you disclose the outside activity in the subsequent year's annual staff COI disclosure questionnaire (if required).
     

Supervisors: Things to consider when assessing staff outside activities

  1. Does/will the activity interfere with or detract from the individual's NU responsibilities?  If so, the activity should not be permitted.  You may consider initially allowing the outside activity, and then assess after a period of time whether or not it negatively impacts their work - you may always require the employee to cease the outside activity at that time
  2. Is the work internal to NU?
    • If so, is it work expected of the employee as part of their NU job responsibilities? If yes, it is not additional or outside activity and they should not be paid in addition to their NU salary.
    • If the work is being done for and paid through NU and truly is additional activity (not expected of the employee as part of their NU job responsibilities), ensure the employee goes through the appropriate additional pay process with Payroll - they should not be paid as a consultant/vendor/contractor by NU for additional work done for NU.
  3. For outside activities or financial relationships that involve NU vendors, if the supervisor allows the outside activity, during the time engaged in the outside activity the staff member should not have decision or purchasing authority relative to the use of this vendor, and should not be involved in administering or approving any contractual or financial transactions related to activities between NU and the outside company for which the staff member is engaged.
  4. If/when the activity is disclosed by the employee in the subsequent annual staff COI disclosure process, review the activity/relationship in the context of the above guidance. In your "reviewer comments" in FASIS, include reference to any relevant information discussed with the employee in advance (such as the considerations noted above).

Staff and Supervisors: if the proposed activity appears to represent a potential or actual conflict of interest in any way, or you are unsure of whether or not it may represent a conflict of interest, please contact NUCOI - we are happy to talk through the scenario with you and provide guidance.

Questions? Please contact NUCOI at [email protected]or 847.467.4515.  COI disclosure requirements and the procedures for handling potential conflicts of interest are outlined in the University's Conflict of Interest and Conflict of Commitment policyNUCOI Training and Resources for annual staff COI disclosure process.  

Office of Equal Opportunity and Access

LGBT Pride Month

 

In 2000, President Clinton declared June, "Gay and Lesbian Pride Month." Today we commemorate it as LGBT Pride Month. The B (Bisexual) and the T (Transgender) were more recent additions - as the community looks inward and strives to be more inclusive and affirming. Fourteen years ago, President Clinton called on the Nation to celebrate the progress American society had made toward rejecting bigotry and embracing inclusion. Moreover, the President asked the nation to recognize the joys and the sorrows gay men and lesbians had witnessed throughout history and challenged us to progress even further.

 

The month of June was selected to commemorate the watershed moment in LGBT history when gay men, lesbians, and transgender people fought back against the routine harassment of the New York City Police. The conflict ignited into the Stonewall Riots - widely recognized as the birth of the modern LGBT movement. 

 

Please join the Office of Equal Opportunity and Access (OEOA) as we extend our gratitude to the LGBT community around the world as well as to the LGBT staff, faculty, and students here at Northwestern for their exemplary contributions to our lives. We are profoundly enriched through their example and their presence.
Learning and Organization Development

The Northwestern University Learning & Organization Development (L&OD) team collaborates with faculty and staff who want to develop their talent and advance their workplace outcomes, processes and engagement. L&OD provides consulting, coaching, workshops, retreats and tools for individuals, groups and organizations.

  

Staff Enrichment Calendar Available

 

Did you know there's an online calendar that lists events and workshops for Northwestern staff members? Check out the Staff Enrichment Calendar for these free and low-cost happenings, and consider bookmarking it for convenient access at http://www.northwestern.edu/hr/workplace-learning/staff-enrichment-calendar.html.

 

The calendar is populated from events and workshops hosted by the following University departments and organizations:

  • Association of Higher Education Administrators' Development at Northwestern University (AHEAD@NU)
  • Association of Northwestern University Women (ANUW)
  • HR Learning & Organization Development
  • HR Work/Life Resources
  • LGBT Resource Center
  • Northwestern University Research Administration Professionals (NURAP)
  • Northwestern University Staff Advisory Council (NUSAC)
  • Women's Center

L&OD offers a variety of workshops and additional opportunities to help improve workplace performance. Check them outFollow our Twitter feed to get L&OD's best picks of upcoming events and learning resources. Questions? Comments? Contact the L&OD team at [email protected] or 847-467-5081.