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HR REVIEW November 2015
YOUR SOURCE FOR UNIVERSITY HUMAN RESOURCES NEWS AND INFORMATION
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YOUR W2 INFORMATION
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Please note that due to the Affordable Care Act, an additional form is required when filing your taxes. The form is a 1095-C. The purpose of the form is to report employer-provided health insurance coverage. Think of it as your "proof of insurance" for the IRS. Payroll will be outsourcing the processing of W-2 and 1095-C documents to Equifax this year. In early December, you will receive communication with a link to an Equifax webpage; this page will allow you to consent to receive an electronic copy of your 2015 W-2 and 1095-C for tax reporting. The online consent period will open in the coming weeks, and related communication will link to Equifax, not FASIS Self Service. By outsourcing W-2s to a 3rd party vendor, past employees will have the ability to access their W-2/1095-C online, even after they have separated from Northwestern. Additionally, Equifax has access to tax programs that employees may use to automatically upload their W-2 information when filing. As in the past, any employee who does not consent to an online W-2 will have the W-2 mailed to them by January 31, 2016.
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BENEFITS
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Northwestern's Commitment to Wellness
Introducing YourLife - a wellness program for Northwestern faculty, staff, and eligible family members.
In October, benefits-eligible faculty and staff received a postcard in the mail introducing the wellness program YourLife. "Wellness" is a positive approach to living that recognizes everything you do, think, feel and believe has an impact on your personal well-being. Under the YourLife banner, Northwestern can:
- Demonstrate its renewed commitment to promote and support wellness for our faculty, staff, and eligible family members
- Link wellness-oriented discounts, resources, programs and services - those that currently exist and those that will be added in the future, and
- Help participants make thoughtful, positive choices in support of their personal wellness.
As the Northwestern wellness program, YourLife will create and sustain a culture that educates, motivates, and empowers faculty, staff, retirees, and eligible family members, to adopt and maintain healthy lifestyles. Taking responsibility for one's health and well-being is vital to getting the most out of life and making valuable contributions to the mission of the University. Please visit www.northwestern.edu/yourlife for more information.
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EMPLOYEE RECOGNITION
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2016 Employee of the Year Nominations (Nov. 9th - Feb. 19th)
Each year The Employee of the Year Award celebrates the outstanding contributions of a Northwestern staff member. Nominations for the 2016 "Employee of the Year" will be accepted between Monday, November 9, 2015 and Friday, February 19, 2016. You may nominate a staff member by completing and submitting the form found at this link http://www.northwestern.edu/hr/hr-services/employee-recognition/index.html
To be eligible for the award, staff members must meet the following requirements:
- Must be employed at Northwestern for three or more years
- Must be in good standing
- Must not have been previously named as the "Employee of the Year"
Though only one individual will be selected for this honor, there will be several finalists chosen. The winner and finalists will be recognized at the Annual Staff Service Recognition Luncheon which will be held on, Tuesday, May 10, 2016.
Writing Compelling Employee of the Year Nominations (HRD545)
To ensure that your nominee has the best possible chance of being selected as the winner, we encourage you to attend one of the following workshops that focuses on writing compelling nominations:
Evanston Campus
Thursday, January 21, 2016
11:45 am - 1:15 pm
Norris 103
Chicago Room
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Chicago Campus
Wednesday, February 3, 2016
11:45 am - 1:15 pm
Rubloff 9th Floor
Lakeshore Conference Room
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To register for this workshop, please click here
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WORK/LIFE RESOURCES
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Upcoming Work/Life & Wellness Workshops
Events
Senior Care Webinar - " Passing the Turkey and the Torch: Senior Caregiving and the Holidays" Thursday, November 19, 11am-12pm CST
NEW! Weight Management Support Group
Former Weight Watchers at Work Group is now forming a group through TOPS (Take Off Pounds Sensibly). The group meets on Thursdays from Noon - 1 p.m. in Searle Hall, 633 Emerson Street, Room 3.226 (3rd fl) on the Evanston campus. New participants are welcome! TOPS is a very affordable plan and you don't have to be a member to participate.
For more information, contact Tamara Rosner: t-rosner@northwestern.edu.
Caregiving Corner - resources for parents, caregivers and pet owners
a resource to guide you and your family through the complexities of caring for an aging loved one.
Sittercity from Bright Horizons Care Advantage
NEW!
Now offering a 20% tuition discount for Northwestern faculty and staff.
From Northwestern's Faculty & Staff Assistance Program
Visit the Work/Life Resources Workshop web page
For information, to RSVP to any upcoming Work/Life workshops, or to request a workshop for your school or department, please visit the Workshops web page.
Workshops: We want to hear from you!
What's on your mind? We are always interested to hear what Work/Life workshop topics you'd like to see offered. Please share your ideas for our upcoming calendar of workshops by email or by phone at (847) 467-1460.
Twitter
Follow the Office of Work/Life Resources on Twitter @NUWorkLife
for the latest in work/life news, workshops and more!
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CONSULTING
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Courageous Conversations When Managing Performance
Managers often find themselves in situations where they need to be candid and carry out constructive performance conversations with others. Confronting conflict constructively and maintaining open dialogue when emotions run high can be challenging and uncomfortable for many managers. As a result, these critical conversations are often mishandled, or they may be avoided altogether. Knowing how to courageously and effectively engage in these conversations is an important skill for managers and leads to improved performance and results.
There are several factors to consider before, during, and after engaging in a performance conversation that will help facilitate a productive discussion:
- Before having the conversation, gather and confirm your data. Having accurate feedback is critical to a successful discussion and will help you and the employee understand the issues in a fact-based manner.
- Consider the timing of the conversation. Squeezing it in between two other meetings, or scheduling it just as the employee is returning back from vacation, leaves everyone feeling harried and doesn't set the conversation up for success.
- Plan for the discussion and anticipate what responses you expect to receive from the employee. It may be helpful to create a bulleted list of points that you need to cover with the employee. That said, while having a general framework for the discussion can be helpful, be careful not to script the conversation. It can lead to an exchange that feels prescribed and one-sided to the employee.
During the conversation, there are some general ideas to keep in mind:
- Deliver the feedback candidly and directly, while maintaining respect throughout the conversation. Hedging around the issues benefits no one and is counterproductive.
- Listen to what the employee is saying. In dialogue, whatever anyone says is to be listened to and allowed to stand just as it is. Remember, although there may be contradictory or different ideas, there is no such thing as a "wrong idea".
- Allow for some emotion in the discussion. Take the time to acknowledge the employee's perspective and to understand how he or she feels. At the same time, don't emote or say things like "I feel so badly for saying this," or "This is really hard for me to do."
- Avoid blaming or accusing in the conversation. Listen and look for what is not being shared with words, such as tone of voice and body language.
- Slow down the pace of the conversation and pause before responding. This can give you time to find the right words and signal to the employee that you are listening.
After the conversation, it's important to reflect on what went well and what you could have said differently. Taking this time to reflect will help you the next time you engage in a difficult conversation.
Summarize the plan for moving forward in writing so that you and the employee have a reference point for what was laid out in the conversation and you can follow up appropriately as things progress. Using your list of discussion points to develop your written summary of the conversation ensures both you and the employee have heard and read the areas of concern and the plan that was agreed upon for resolving them. While engaging in these difficult conversations takes courage, learning to actively bring these issues to the surface can significantly improve individual and team success.
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LEARNING AND ORGANIZATION DEVELOPMENT
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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.
Coming Soon: Preventing Sexual Misconduct and Sex Discrimination Online Education
As part of ongoing efforts to keep students, faculty and staff safe from sexual violence and sex discrimination, Northwestern University has recently announced a new website and a newly-revised policy. In December, we will also be launching Preventing Sexual Misconduct and Sex Discrimination, an online education course that will include important information about sex discrimination and sexual misconduct; the options available to those who may experience it; recent changes in the law and how it applies on campus; how to respond if you learn of an incident, and how to report. The course will also provide staff, faculty and graduate students with University resources and guidance for effective bystander intervention.
Later this quarter, watch for additional announcements in your email inbox with instructions for accessing the online educational course. It is expected and essential that all of us complete this course so we can understand how we can help create a safe environment at Northwestern for all of us.
Registration is open for Northwestern's winter workplace learning offerings, which will help individuals and groups develop their talent and their performance. Opportunities through February include workshops, tools, consulting and coaching in the areas of: Online Learning (through Lynda.com), University Business Processes, Regulatory Compliance, Organizational Development, Workplace Skills, Career Development, and Computer Applications.
Click here for the new Winter Catalog:
In an effort to increase efficiency and awareness, our Winter 2015 catalog will be available online-only as an interactive PDF for easy and quick desktop and mobile access. To view, register, download, or print the most up-to-date catalog at any given time, please visit the Workplace Learning website.
Remember lynda.com
Thousands of Northwestern faculty, staff and students have used lynda.com. Check out the almost 4,000 on-demand video tutorials with unlimited access through the University's lynda.com web page.
L&OD offers a variety of workshops and additional opportunities to help improve workplace performance. Check them out!
feed to get L&OD's best picks of upcoming events and learning resources.
or 847-467-5081.
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COMPENSATION
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Proposed Changes to Minimum Salary Threshold under the FLSA
The legislative initiative, spearheaded by President Obama, seeks to modernize the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) to ensure that overtime rules are simplified, making it easier for employers and workers to understand. To be considered exempt from overtime and minimum wage, the employee must be paid on a salary basis, meet a specific salary minimum, and satisfy certain "duties" tests. The proposed change refers to the salary minimum.
The current rule requires that an employee earns at least $455 per week ($23,660 annually), exclusive of board, lodging, or other facilities (last updated in 2004.)
The proposed rule will set the salary minimum at the 40th percentile of national weekly earnings of full-time, salaried, exempt workers. In early 2016, when the regulations are expected to become final, the 40th percentile is predicted to be approximately $970 a week ($50,440 per year). This is more than double the current minimum.
What does this mean for Northwestern?
It is likely that the increase in the exempt salary minimum will be effective at some point in 2016. Compensation is working with senior management to define a strategy to address the new requirement. Please stay tuned for more information. Feel free to contact your Compensation Consultant with questions and concerns.
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