Office of Human Resources                                                         October 2014 

 HR REVIEW

Benefits Fair

Please mark your calendars for the following dates: 

Flu shots are available for all faculty and staff

Click here: Flu Shots

EyeMed's New iPhone/Android App

Eyemed, the University's vision insurance provider, offers top of the line benefits and exciting technology to our faculty and staff.  EyeMed has created the vision insurance industry's first app for the iPhone and Android. You may download the app for free at the App Store and register your account. To register your account enter your first name, last name, date of birth, and member ID (your employee ID number).  Once logged in, you can locate an in-network provider in your area, view your benefits, read FAQs, and view your ID card. You can use the app to show your ID card at an appointment. Shake your phone from any page in the app and your ID card will be displayed.

You can also print your ID card online. Please note that only newly enrolled participants will receive an Eyemed insurance card in the mail. Please use your current ID card if you are remaining in the plan.

For more information on the vision coverage, please visit our website at http://www.northwestern.edu/hr/benefits/health-plans/employee-plans/eyemed-vision.html.

Excellence in Sustainability Awards

As Northwestern University pursues its commitment to leadership in sustainability, the Office of Sustainability is partnering with the Office of Human Resources - Employee Recognition to acknowledge those who go above and beyond in greening our campuses and our curriculum. Students, faculty, and staff members are eligible for the Excellence in Sustainability Awards and will be recognized at the Quarterly Service Excellence Luncheons. Visit the Office of Sustainability website to learn more about the awards and nomination process.

New Personal Data Form

Due to federal disclosure regulations regarding veteran and disability status, and upcoming requirements for the Affordable Care Act, the Office of Human Resources has released a new version of the Personal Data Form.  The new form must be used for any new hire, rehire, name change, or address change request beginning Monday, September 22, 2014.   In conjunction with this revision, an option to email forms for temporary employee hires is now available (see below for details).  The revised Personal Data Form is available on the Payroll Forms webpage or may be downloaded directly by clicking here.

Hiring Process Change for Temporary Employees

The Northwestern University Payroll Office is excited to announce a new process.   Effective September 22, 2014, the hiring paperwork for temporary employees (the Personal Data Form) may be submitted to the university's Payroll Office electronically.  This new approach offers departments a simpler, faster paperwork submission option.    Departments can submit temporary employee hiring paperwork to the following addresses:

Evanston Campus:           EVtemphire@northwestern.edu

Chicago Campus:             CHtemphire@northwestern.edu

The Personal Data Form is available online at http://www.northwestern.edu/hr/policies-forms/forms/personal-information/PersonalDataForm.pdf; please contact the Kronos Help Desk at mytime@northwestern.edu or at 847-467-7606 if you have questions.  (Note that original paperwork still must be sent to Payroll for regular, non-temp employees.)

Paperwork and I-9 Reminders for New Employees

Employee Career Development at NU

The beginning of the school year is a natural time for personal self-reflection and assessment, including a review of your professional life.  You may be asking yourself questions such as: 

• Where is my next move?
• How do I get promoted?
• Am I qualified?
• What are the skills I need to get to the next level?
• What is my performance?
• Do I need more education to move up?
• What if I want to change fields?
• Can I spend my career at NU?
• What level is this job, is this a promotion?
• Should I become a manager?
• What about a career change?
• How much does this job pay?
• Does the job offer tuition benefits?

All of these questions are associated with professional career development and advancement.  As stated in the 2011 Northwestern We Will Strategic Plan, Northwestern "encourages and enables staff to contribute to the education and research missions of the University and to learn and advance in their individual careers."    

Northwestern job families assist employees in answering many types of questions.  Job families create opportunities for career growth by defining a hierarchy (or progression) from one level of job to another within an individual discipline (administration, finance, research, etc) and align jobs across other disciplines.

Each job family is comprised of a series of levels from entry to expert.  Within those levels, the
required duties, responsibilities, knowledge, skills, education and experience are defined.

In the articles to follow in the coming months, we will review existing job families in more detail and provide examples of possible career paths both within an individual family and paths that cross from one family to another.   For more information about job families please visit the compensation website at: http://www.northwestern.edu/hr/compensation/job-families-descriptions/job-families/index.html  or contact the Compensation Consultant that supports your area or your manager.

Voting and Early Voting 

With the upcoming elections this fall, staff members are encouraged to exercise their right to vote by voting either before or after work. Staff who wish to vote and face difficulty in doing so before or after work, are encouraged to take advantage of early voting opportunities that provide extended and weekend hours on multiple days. These early voting opportunities are offered by many municipalities, including Evanston and Chicago, Click on the links above to find more information about dates and times for early voting.

Staff members who are unable to vote early, or are unable to vote before or after regular working hours on election day, may take the time needed to vote, not to exceed two hours, during the work day, without loss of pay. Staff members need to make this request to their managers at least 48 hours before election day. Questions? Please contact your Human Resources Consultant.  

New Multi-Factor Authentication for FASIS Self-Service Coming in November

In November, FASIS and NUIT are planning to extend a working pilot of multi-factor authentication and re-enable electronic W-2s and Direct Deposit to FASIS Self-Service users who participate.

The new multi-factor authentication technology, powered by Duo, will provide an extra layer of password protection to reduce the risk that your personal information can be compromised should someone learn your NetID password. This technology will allow users to integrate a smartphone, cell phone or landline telephone into the login process.  After you register in multi-factor, any attempt to access your FASIS Self-Service account must be confirmed by either: (1) using a simple application on your registered smartphone or (2) answering a phone call to any registered cell or landline phone number.

Additional information, including registration instructions and answers to common questions, will be provided soon.

FASIS Administration: "Reports To Changes"

Effective September 19, 2014, the "Reports To field" on the Position Data and Job Data pages will no longer be used to signify an employee's "supervisor" or a biweekly employee's "timecard approver."  The Kronos approvers for all employees has been moved to the "Reports To" page in FASIS Admin, where any FASIS Lookup user may view and update approvers as appropriate.

This change has a minor impact on users of FASIS Lookup, Temp Panel, Position Data/Appointment Forms, and Query.  For more information regarding this update, please see the full announcement; system users may also refer to the updated system documentation.

Applicants Can Now View the Status of Job Openings

In an effort to provide staff members with better visibility into the status of open positions, the Careers page of e-Recruit now displays the job status of each job opening to which an internal applicant has applied.

To view this information, access the FASIS Portal and select "Apply for Jobs" from the My Other FASIS Functions section. From the Job Search Page, select the "Accepted/Unaccepted Applications" link under My Career Tools. From this page, you will be able to see the "Job Status" for each job opening. The "Job Status" will be listed as one of the following:

• Open - Still Accepting Applicants
• Open - Not Currently Accepting Applicants
• Hold - Not Currently Accepting Applicants
• Filled/closed
• Job cancelled

Additionally, applicants can verify their application was submitted by looking at the "Status" column, which is directly to the left of the "Job Status" field. Applications that have been submitted will be listed as "Applied," while applications that have not been fully submitted will be listed as "Not Applied/Draft." Applications listed as "Not Applied/Draft" cannot be seen by the recruiting team and will need to be submitted if the applicant wishes to be considered for the position.

As always, if you have any questions about a job opening or your application, you may contact Staffing at 847-491-7507 (Evanston) or 312-503-1584 (Chicago).

October Senior Care Tip of the Month from NU Senior Care Connections

Caregiving and Sibling Rivalry 

By Jennifer Gibbons, LCSW, Adult & Senior Care Advisor

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

I'm not sure how my brother and I will work together to care for our aging parents. Like many siblings, we don't always get along and we're more different than alike. Growing up, I was often concerned about our grandmother and her wellbeing, while my brother thought it was best to let our grandmother determine her own care needs. We both live a fair distance from our parents now and are members of the sandwich generation-balancing care for children along with aging parents. But there is that vexing question, how are we going to work together if our parents need help one day?

As a social worker, I've enjoyed working with many families over the years. Each approach care for their aging loved ones differently. Some struggle to determine who is going to do what, while others disagree about the type of care Mom or Dad need. But even the most challenging family dynamics can be helped by employing a few key strategies.

• Meet Together- Have your siblings gather around the same table, hold a conference call or video chat so everyone is involved and hears the same conversation. Determine how to approach your parents and who is best suited to do this. Should one sibling take on the role or should it be done as a team?
• Be Direct- Ask your parents what they want to happen if they are unable to care for themselves later in life. Frame the question in terms of honoring their wishes. Let them have the strongest voice and respect their choices whenever possible. Keep the focus on your parents and not past or present sibling issues. Most important, be compassionate. It isn't easy for most people to think about being less independent down the road.
• Define Roles- Pick caregiving roles suitable for each person. If you have a sibling who works in finance, perhaps she could administer your father's financial accounts. Even those who are geographically distant can help by phone screening caregiver applicants, participating in conference calls with medical staff, handling finances, researching benefits, troubleshooting problems and providing emotional support to your parents.
• Create a List- What needs to be done and how often? Documenting tasks and utilizing online sign-ups such as Lotsahelpinghands.com or SignUpGenius.com can help to organize a team of caregivers. Caregiving tasks will never be divided equally, but everyone can play a role if willing.
• Take Notes- Whenever someone has a conversation with your parents about their wishes, or has medical or other updates, be sure to document these and share with your siblings. Ask your parents to put their wishes in writing and consult with an elder law attorney if necessary.
• Create a Caregiving Team- Seek to involve volunteers from your loved one's church, synagogue, club, or community. Employ a companion to transport or accompany your mother to activities she enjoys. A combination of caregivers can contribute to the overall wellbeing of your loved one, and give you peace of mind.
• Utilize Experts- If your siblings still disagree about who should be Power of Attorney or where Mom and Dad should live, consider a family conference call with a Care.com Care Advisor. We listen to everyone, help determine caregiving roles, and guide you and your family to develop a plan of care. In many cases, resources and provider options can be identified for your loved ones. For example, a geriatric care manager can be employed to provide an on-site, objective assessment of your parents' needs, coordinate ongoing care, and communicate with everyone on the caregiving team.

RSVP now for National Work/Family Month workshops!

Did you know?  In 2003, U.S. Senate Resolution 210 designated October as National Work/Family Month.

Join the Office of Work/Life Resources for special programming for National Work/Family Month. During the rest of the month of October, we will be bringing special workshops and speakers to both the Chicago and Evanston campuses, to engage our community around issues of parenting, elder care, financial well-being, and balancing the competing demands of our professional and personal lives.

Devorah Heitner, PhD

"Smart Kids, Smart Phones"

Evanston- October 7, 12:00 p.m.-1:30 p.m.

Norris Center, Northwestern Room (202 B)

Register

Chicago - October 14, Noon p.m.-1:30 p.m.

With NU Senior Care Connections 

Lurie Center, Searle Seminar Room

Register
Evanston- October 22, 12:00 p.m.-1:00 p.m.

Norris Center, Rock Room (207)

Register

Protecting Your Money, from Cons, Fraud and Identity Fraud Theft, With NU Life Matters

Register

Chicago - October 30, 12:00 p.m.-1:00 p.m.
NEW LOCATION: Rubloff 10th Floor Conference Room

Register

To download a printable schedule of events, visit our National Work & Family Month page! 

To RSVP, contact the Office of Work/Life Resources.

Free Saturday Seminars for Parents

Join the Center for Talent Development (CTD) on Saturdays throughout the fall for free seminars designed to guide parents of gifted children, PreK-Grade 12.  During these hour-long seminars, Northwestern University faculty and specialists in the field of gifted education will share research and insights into the social-emotional and intellectual development of gifted students. 

Center for Talent Development (CTD) honors young scholastic achievers during 2014 NUMATS Award Ceremony on the Evanston campus

For more information, and to stay up to date on CTD's activities, make sure to check out their blog, Talent Talk.

Twitter  

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

Weight Watchers @ Work is Starting Again!

Let Weight Watchers help you achieve your weight loss goals!  Visit the WW table at the upcoming health and benefits fair in Evanston. Join us at the upcoming information session for a no obligation introduction to the Simple Start Plan and Weight Watchers' NU At Work Meeting.  The information session will be held Thursday, October 16^th at 12:00 at Searle Hall, 3.220, 633 Emerson Street, Evanston Campus. 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 t-rosner@northwestern.edu or 1-2210. To find out what a WW meeting is like, click here for a brief video.

Veterans and Individuals with Disabilities Job Fair

Northwestern University is hosting the 2^nd annual Veterans and Individuals with Disabilities Job Fair.  The Office of Equal Opportunity & Access and HR Services are partnering in an effort to increase diversity and honor our commitment to affirmatively seek out and place Veterans and Individuals with Disabilities within our Northwestern University workforce. 

The job fair will feature several types of academic administrative roles including Business and Finance Administration, Health and Research Administration, and Temporary opportunities.  We have invited local, Chicago and Evanston organizations serving veterans and individuals with disabilities, as well as advertised in regional channels to reach large numbers of veterans and individuals with disabilities throughout the Midwest.  

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

If you are a hiring manager or an HR Administrator and would like to increase diversity within your office or department, please consider joining us this year.  Your Staffing Consultant will be in attendance, but we are also reserving tables for departments that have open positions they are trying to fill.  If you are interested, email us at eeo@northwestern.edu to reserve your table.  

Sustained Dialogue Groups
 

At Northwestern we value diversity and inclusion. It is one of the key pillars of the University's strategic plan.  Beginning in January 2015, Northwestern will partner with the Sustained Dialogue Campus Network (SDCN) to pilot two staff Sustained Dialogue groups on each campus.

Sustained Dialogue is a staff-facilitated process that fosters discussions and relationships focusing on issues of diversity (e.g. class, age, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, race, religion, veteran status, and ability). The groups will serve as a catalyst for bringing people together and opening lines of communication.  The process helps people enhance their skills to interact comfortably with others, and builds relationships across community divides. It is a talk with a purpose that may address strained community relationships and build capacity among group members to formulate action and improve those relationships.

Each Sustained Dialogue group will consist of 10 to 12 people and be led by two moderators. The groups will meet at regularly scheduled times each week for an hour. Groups will have the freedom to focus on issues pertinent to the campus community as the conversations are structured by the participants' experiences.

As we engage in talking about differences as strengths through Sustained Dialogue groups, we hope to improve our campus culture and continue to build a more inclusive and engaged diverse environment at Northwestern.

We will follow up with information about registration. If you have any questions please contact Roberto Sanaria (roberto.sanabria@northwestern.edu).