HOME | ARCHIVES | CONTACT | HRS HOME | PRINT THIS ISSUE

Annual Benefits Open Enrollment ends Oct. 9

Open Enrollment ends October 9 at 5:30 p.m. EST.  People First (PF) will begin mailing confirmation statements starting October 12 for those who made changes during the Open Enrollment period.

To help ensure you receive a timely confirmation statement, you must complete elections with PF online, by phone, or by paper forms as soon as possible. Forms received by PF the week of October 5-9 will be processed as quickly as possible; however, employees submitting paperwork during the last week of Open Enrollment may receive their confirmation statements late—and possibly after the correction period has ended.

The correction period will begin on October 12 and end on October 30 at 5:30 p.m. EST.  Carefully review your confirmation statement to ensure it reflects the changes made during Open Enrollment and to see if PF has requested any additional information or documentation. If you find an error, please contact the People First Service Center at (866) 663-4735 by October 30 at 5:30 p.m. EST.

Please keep in mind some plans—such as Domestic Partner, long-term disability, term life, long term care plans, etc.—are UF-sponsored plans and, therefore, will not be reflected on your People First confirmation statement.

[back]

Advanced Leadership for Academics and Professionals: Now accepting applications

Because leadership development is essential to the effective management of a university, we are pleased to announce the Advanced Leadership for Academics and Professionals program.  Designed in cooperation with the UF Provost’s Office, Faculty Senate, Human Resource Services, and the Sr. Vice President for Administration, this leadership program is for academics and professionals who are interested in focusing on more formal ways to contribute in leadership positions at UF as well as those who wish to further explore and develop their leadership skills.    

Offering two tracks—one for academic leaders and one for professional staff—the Advanced Leadership for Academics and Professionals program is based on leadership competencies that have been specifically identified as being important for success at UF.  

Applications to participate will be accepted October 1-30.  Participants will be selected via a competitive application process and will be announced in mid-November.  The program begins in January 2010 and will meet six times over the course of 2010—typically 1.5 days each time.

This year, we are pleased to be able to reduce the fee to participate in this program from an expected $1000 per participant to $750.   All materials (including a 360-degree evaluation pre- and post-program), facilitation fees, and meals are included with no travel needed for those who work in Gainesville.

Given the array of challenges the university currently faces, this leadership development program represents an invaluable opportunity to equip our current and future leaders to support the institution. 

We encourage all eligible leaders to submit an application.  For more information, including eligibility requirements and program dates and times, please contact UF Training and Org. Development at training@ufl.edu or visit http://www.hr.ufl.edu/training/leadership/alap.asp.

[back]

University-wide resurvey is under way for federal changes in reporting race and ethnicity

On October 1, the University of Florida began a process of resurveying individual faculty, staff, and students to give them the opportunity to identify their race and ethnicities using new federal guidelines.

On October 19, 2007, the federal government issued guidelines for changes in the reporting of race and ethnicity status of individuals. The goal of the federal reporting changes is to capture a more accurate picture of the diversity of the U.S. population. The 2000 U.S. Census was the first experiment with the new coding structure. Educational institutions and other recipients of DOE contracts and grants are required to utilize the new standards and aggregation categories for collection and reporting of racial and ethnic data.

Beginning in 2010, federal and state data reporting will include new choices to describe race and ethnicity. The new reporting structure separates race and ethnicity data into two sections. The first section allows individuals to reclassify their ethnicity from two choices; “No, not Hispanic or Latino” or “Yes, Hispanic or Latino.” The second section allows individuals to choose one or more race descriptors. In the past, only one race descriptor could be selected.

Faculty and staff will have the opportunity to reclassify their race or ethnicity by choosing from one of two options.  The first option is for individuals to log on to my.ufl.edu and navigate to My Self Service > UF Ethnicity and Race Survey. The second option allows individuals to update this information when prompted to re-set their GatorLink password.
 
The student resurvey will begin October 15, and students who wish to reclassify their race or ethnicity may do so through ISIS.

Additional information may be found online at: http://www.ir.ufl.edu/OIRApps/ethnic_code_changes/info.html

[back]

Retirement Enhancement Program Policy introduced

Over the summer, several university-wide initiatives which could be used to cover the budget reductions were reviewed. A voluntary retirement program emerged as a potential initiative for consideration.  As a result, the University launched a Retirement Enhancement Program for eligible faculty and staff available this fall.

The program allows eligible employees to consider an additional option for separating from the University. Enrollment in the program is voluntary and is available to employees who meet the specific eligibility requirements outlined in the policy.

[back]

New in 2009: Sign up now to receive electronic IRS W-2/ W-2c forms

UF employees will soon be able to access their IRS W-2 forms electronically through the myUFL system.  In order to obtain on-line access, employees must first consent to receive the electronic version of the form. Sign up now by logging in to the myUFL system and navigating to >My Self Service>W-2/W-2c Consent. 

Electronic W-2 forms are expected to be available earlier than printed forms and will provide unlimited access to prior years’ documents dating back to 2005. Once an employee has signed up consent is valid for all subsequent years unless the employee chooses to withdraw consent, or upon termination of employment.

Employees who do not consent to the electronic W-2 form will continue to receive a paper form through the U.S. Postal Service. Printed forms will be mailed by January 31, 2010, to the address listed in the UF directory.  Employees are responsible for updating their contact information in the myUFL system. 

[back]

Sick Leave Pool Open Enrollment
will run October 1- 31

Qualifying University of Florida employees may sign up for the Sick Leave Pool during its Open Enrollment period from October 1 to 31. During the Sick Leave Pool Open Enrollment, all applications must be received by the Sick Leave Pool administrator by 5 p.m. on October 31. Open Enrollment for Sick Leave Pool is a separate process from Benefits’ Open Enrollment and has its own deadlines.

The University of Florida’s Sick Leave Pool enables participating employees to combine a portion of their individually-accrued sick leave for collective use. As a member of the Sick Leave Pool, you may draw upon the pool—with approval from the Sick Leave Pool Committee—in instances in which you have used all of your leave hours because of personal, not family, catastrophic injury or illness.

All Academic Personnel, TEAMS, or USPS employees are eligible to participate in the Sick Leave Pool. Employees must have a minimum balance of 64 hours of sick leave. If the employee is a part-time employee, the minimum sick leave balance requirement is pro-rated.

Once the application is approved, employees will contribute eight hours of sick leave to the Sick Leave Pool that will be deducted from their account automatically. This is a one-time contribution of eight hours, unless the total available hours in the pool drops to an unacceptable level.

Current members of the Sick Leave Pool do not need to rejoin. Employees can verify membership status in the pool by going to My Self Service>Payroll and Compensation>View Paycheck>Leave Balances>Descriptions. If “UF SLP” is listed, the employee is a member. Department administrators can verify enrollment on behalf of  employees by going to the employee’s leave plan enrollments and searching for Sick Leave Pool enrollment under “Enroll in Benefits>Leave Plans,” or by going to the “Review Accrual Balances” screen and entering “SLP” in the “Find” box. If employees are enrolled, Sick Leave Pool rows should appear.

[back]

Deadline for Higher Education Opportunity (HEO) scholarship applications is November 1

The University of Florida’s Higher Education Opportunity (HEO) provides children of full-time TEAMS employees with the opportunity of tuition assistance for an undergraduate education at the University of Florida. In March 2010, Human Resource Services will select, at random from a pool of eligible HEO applicants, 50 TEAMS employees to participate in this program. Each eligible employee may submit one child’s name into the drawing. To be considered for this benefit, the TEAMS employee must apply for the HEO by November 1, 2009.

For the child of each selected employee, the university will pay the in-state matriculation fees (the actual tuition minus any additional fees for building, capital improvement, financial aid, technology, activities, athletics, health, transportation, etc.) for up to 12 credit hours during the fall and spring semesters and six credit hours during the summer semesters. Please note that any Bright Futures scholarship award will be subtracted from the amount the student can receive from the HEO. As long as the student remains eligible for the program, the Higher Education Opportunity will assist with the student’s tuition until he or she has accumulated a maximum of 132 credit hours or has been enrolled in college for six years (whichever comes first). Please visit the HEO website to read about additional eligibility requirements.

To be entered into the HEO drawing, the full-time TEAMS employee must:

1. Submit a completed HEO application form to UF Training and Organizational Development no later than November 1, 2009.

The child of the full-time TEAMS employee must:

1. Have applied for admission to the University of Florida no later than November 1, 2009.
2. Graduate from high school no later than July 31, 2010.

It is important to note that the University of Florida admissions process and the HEO selection process are separate. Selection for the HEO benefit does not indicate admission into the University of Florida. Application for admission to UF also does not automatically enter a child’s name into the HEO drawing. In the event that a child is not accepted to UF, the benefit may be used at a public community college in the state of Florida.

[back]

Free Smoking Cessation Program for Employees: UF is going Tobacco-Free in 2010 

In a joint effort, the Student Health Care Center, UF’s Employee Assistance Program, and the UF Area Health Education Centers are offering UF employees a FREE smoking cessation program.  All employees, including OPS, who are interested in quitting smoking, are encouraged to learn more about this program.

Enrollments are currently being accepted for participants in a group to begin on Oct. 8. The group will meet during the noon hour for seven consecutive Thursdays. The groups will include education, group support, and medical oversight with pharmaceutical smoking cessation medications.  Medications will be available under the prescription and management of a skilled medical provider and offered to participants at a significant discount.  Because success at quitting is more likely when partners quit together, spouses and partners are invited to participate at no cost as well. 

Enrollment is limited and a brief medical screening is required, so please call early to enroll.   For more information or to enroll, please contact the EAP at (352) 392-5787, or go to: http://shcc.ufl.edu/occmed/esc.shtml.

[back]

Employee EducationProgram accepting applications for spring semester

The Employee Education Program (EEP) is a popular benefit available to eligible UF faculty and staff. The program provides tuition assistance for up to six credit hours of eligible college-level courses per semester.

Employees interested in participating in the EEP during the spring semester should register and complete their applications by the following deadlines:

UF students must register between December 24, 2009 and January 11, 2010 for the spring semester. All completed applications must be turned in to the University Registrar’s office located at 222 Criser Hall or by fax to (352) 846-1126 by 5 p.m. on January 13, 2009. No late applications will be accepted.

Santa Fe students should register during regular registration, which ends December 10, 2009. All completed applications should be turned in to the Santa Fe cashier’s office by this date. Registration after December 10, 2009 is permitted, but those applications must be turned in to the cashier’s office by 4 p.m. the next business day after registration.

Students attending other institutions should register before the registration deadlines at their approved institutions. Completed applications for the spring 2010 semester must be turned in by December 4, 2009 to Kenya Williams, Education Coordinator, by fax at (352) 392-1055 or via email to kenya-williams@ufl.edu.

[back]

UF Faculty and Staff Discount: Gator Growl 2009

Faculty and staff may purchase up to four Gator Growl tickets for $15 each this year, and a block featuring the best seats on the alumni side of the stadium will be made available especially for faculty and staff. Former Saturday Night Live comedian Dana Carvey will headline the event, which will also honor “Legends of the Swamp”—those members of the senior class that have brought UF national fame, recognition, and championship titles—including Tim Tebow and Danny Wuerrfel.

Now in its 86th year, Gator Growl is hosted by Florida Blue Key and produced by more than 500 student volunteers, making it the largest student-run pep rally in the world. Visit gatorgrowl.org and follow the ticketing links to purchase tickets.

[back] 

©2009 University of Florida Office of Human Resource Services
The InfoGator is a monthly e-publication produced by the University of Florida’s Office of Human Resource Services. It is distributed electronically to UF faculty and staff and is available online. Please direct questions or comments to its editor, Angela Gould; Human Resource Services; P.O. Box 115006; (352) 392-4626; TDD 800-955-8771. The InfoGator is available in an alternative format upon request.