Starting February 21, all University of Florida employees can have fast access to outstanding care from medical providers at the University of Florida and Shands HealthCare thanks to the University of Florida Physicians’ new GatorAdvantage initiative.

GatorAdvantage gives UF employees and their family members who are covered by any health insurance plan accepted by UF Physicians expedited access—including next-day appointments—to medical providers at UF Physicians and Shands at UF outpatient facilities. Accepted plans include all state of Florida-sponsored plans, as well as Shands Basic, Shands Limited and Shands Preferred Blue Cross Blue Shield. In addition, GatorAdvantage members do not have to pay parking fees when they visit one of the practices on campus.

Experts in various specialties and subspecialties are available at 40 group practices throughout Gainesville, providing pediatric and adult care to meet the basic and more complex healthcare needs of the UF community.

To use GatorAdvantage:

1. Check the University of Florida Physicians directory to find a physician who offers the kind of care you need.
2. Say “I am a GatorAdvantage member” when you call to make an appointment.
3. Indicate the time frame in which you would like to see a provider.
4. Repeat “I am a GatorAdvantage member” when you check out from your appointment if you need a parking voucher. This is the only way you can get a voucher.
5. If you get a parking ticket in the patient garage during your appointment, give your parking voucher and the ticket to the parking attendant as you leave.

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Annual performance appraisals for TEAMS and USPS employees due March 31
This month, departments throughout campus begin to prepare for the annual performance appraisal period.  The standard evaluation period for all USPS and TEAMS employees for this period is from March 1, 2010, through February 28, 2011, with appraisals completed and signed by March 31, 2011. 

Annual performance appraisals are designed to document and summarize feedback that employees have received throughout the year.  Feedback through formal performance appraisals is important to employees and can affect various personnel-related actions; thus, supervisors should give priority to completing performance appraisals.

When completing a performance appraisal, a supervisor should focus on the job performance (an employee’s competence or ability to perform the job) and work-related behavior (the way in which the employee performs the job), using specific language and examples of work performance or behavior observed throughout the evaluative period.  Performance and development goals should also be identified for the future.

As of last year, a performance appraisal form must be completed for all TEAMS exempt employees.  An overall rating must be assigned using the categories provided on the form and the rating should be consistent with the evaluative comments in the narrative.  The form is available on the Forms section of the HRS web site.

Appraisal forms also include an outside activities disclosure section.  Employees must check the applicable section and submit appropriate documentation if they engage in any outside activities and financial interests.

A few important reminders:

• Supervisors must ensure they use the appropriate HRS forms for their employees (TEAMS non-exempt and USPS form or TEAMS exempt employees form).

• Employee UFID numbers and complete, correct full names (proper first and last name, not nicknames) should be included so it is clear who is being evaluated.

• Employees must date documents when signing or indicate that they do not wish to sign.

• If an appraisal will result in an overall rating of “minimally achieves” or “below performance standards,” supervisors should contact their Employee Relations office before the evaluation is issued to receive assistance with the appropriate documentation.

• The completed appraisal must be issued to the employee, signed, and dated by March 31, 2011.

• Employees who have been employed for fewer than 60 days, are in the probationary period of employment, or whose probationary evaluation was completed after January 1, 2011, do not need to be evaluated at this time. 

Performance appraisal forms are available on the Employee Relations section of HRS’s web site. Completed appraisals should be mailed to Human Resource Services, Employee Relations, Attn: Paulene Shindelbower, PO Box 100346, Campus. Questions should be directed to Paulene at (352) 392-3786.  Forms that are not completed fully or accurately will be returned to the department for corrections, which could result in delayed processing. 

Other Employee Relations assistance is available at (352) 392-4777 for IFAS, (352) 392-3786 for the Health Science Center, (352) 392-2333 for the Physical Plant, or (352) 392-6615 for E&G and Auxiliaries.

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EAP now offers 24-hour support services
through ProtoCall
University of Florida Employee Assistance Program now offers 24/7
access to services

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Double-deductions begin for nine- and
ten-month employees
To ensure coverage for health, state life, optional, and supplemental insurance continues during the summer, nine- and ten-month employees will have double-deductions taken from their paychecks beginning with the February 11 paycheck and continuing through May 6. Normal payroll deductions will resume in September.

Nine- and ten-month employees whose pay will be interrupted during this period or who will terminate employment at the end of the spring semester should contact University Benefits and Retirement at (352) 392-2477 or benefits@ufl.edu.

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• Faculty and Staff
• Employees with Financial Transaction Responsibilities
• Department Security Administrators
• Students

To learn more click on the link above that best suits your needs and visit the Upgrade web site to learn more about the project as it unfolds.

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Flex spending account grace period runs
through March 15
If you have not used all the money in your 2010 Flexible Spending Account (FSA), you still have time.  The state’s grace period enables participants to continue to use medical and dependent care accounts for eligible expenses from January 1 through March 15 each calendar year. This annual grace period gives you more time to use your 2010 FSA pre-tax funds for qualified expenses.

Be aware that 2010 expenses must be incurred by the end of the grace period—March 15—or the IRS "use-it-or-lose-it" rule will apply. Additionally, all 2010 FSA claims (medical, dependent, or medical limited purpose) must be filed by no later than April 15 of each calendar year—no exceptions! 

Reimbursement forms should be submitted to the People First Service Center by the filing deadline.  Employees who have used the new myMRA cards issued in December are already able to access their 2010 funds immediately by paying for qualified expenses with their new debit card; however, documentation and receipts may still be required from People First by the April 15 deadline.  Anytime you use the new myMRA card, be sure to watch for e-mails requesting documentation or regularly check your myMRA online account to determine if any additional documentation is required.

Questions?  Please contact University Benefits and Retirement at (352) 392-2477 or benefits@ufl.edu.

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Tenure, permanent status, and promotion workshops available for faculty and staff
Workshops to discuss the preparation of tenure and promotion packets and the university evaluation process for 2011-2012 have been scheduled. Faculty who will be submitting packets next fall, members of this year's college/unit review boards, new hires, and other interested faculty who may be going through the process in the near future are encouraged to attend one of these sessions:

Wednesday, March 23
9:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.
Smathers Library Room 1A (Library East)

Wednesday, March 30
2 to 4 p.m.
Health Science Center/Shands, Room 6120 (Atrium elevators to 6th floor)
This workshop will be available to Jacksonville employees via videoconference in the Deal Board Room.

To sign up for either of these workshops, please RSVP Ileana McCray at mccrayi@ufl.edu.

A workshop on tenure and promotion designed specifically for staff that assist faculty in the process will be held on February 24 from 9 a.m. to 12 noon in Room 120 of the HR Building as part of the PRO3 Series (PRO324). To register, please log on to myUFL and navigate to Request Training Enrollment via My Self Service, Training and Development.

If you have questions on the faculty or staff workshops, please contact Janet Malphurs at jmmalph@ufl.edu.

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Are you an active employee who is also eligible
for Medicare?
Active employees in benefits-eligible positions who are also eligible for Medicare have state group insurance as their primary health insurance coverage.  Medicare will pay as secondary coverage.  Most individuals are eligible for Medicare Part A (hospital coverage) at age 65 at no cost.  There is a premium, however, for Medicare Part B (medical).

Three months prior to turning 65, active benefits-eligible employees should contact the Social Security Administration (SSA) to discuss Medicare enrollment and inform the SSA of active working status and coverage under a group health plan.

If you are a benefits-eligible employee, you may choose to delay enrolling in Medicare Part B.  When you separate employment, a special enrollment period is available that allows you to enroll in Medicare Part B without being subject to a late-enrollment penalty.  Please note that in some situations, such as a diagnosis of renal failure, enrolling in Medicare Part B may be a better option.

This information also applies to spouses who become eligible for Medicare while covered under an active employee group health plan.

It is important to discuss individual circumstances with a Medicare specialist at (800) 633-4227.  Comprehensive information regarding Medicare enrollment and the program in general is available at www.ssa.gov and www.medicare.gov.

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Sustainable Solutions Award nominations now
being accepted
The Office of Sustainability will host the 3rd annual Sustainable Solutions Awards on April 1 at the Campus Earth Month Kickoff following President J. Bernard Machen’s annual State of Sustainability address. The nomination period opened February 1 and runs through March 15.

The awards recognize individuals or teams that have made significant contributions toward advancing sustainability at UF. Qualifying projects will have helped to realize UF’s sustainability vision in the categories of Waste Reduction, Water Conservation, Energy Conservation, or Social Equity.

Nominations are judged based upon their positive impact, the extent to which they have engaged others, and their ability to be expanded or replicated among departments, units, or groups on campus.

Awards also will be presented to the most active Green Team and student organization, and a “Bright Idea” award will be presented to students and/or staff who submit sustainable ideas for the university.  Ideas are judged based upon their integration of the “triple bottom line” analysis (environmental health, human wellbeing, and financial performance) as well as their feasibility.

For more information, please contact the Office of Sustainability at info@sustainability.ufl.edu.  

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Gator Perks offers discounts on tax preparation
and more!
With the Gator Perks Program, the employee discount program from the University of Florida, faculty and staff can save on hundreds of products and services through valuable everyday discounts. This program is offered at no cost, and employees can stay informed of exclusive sales, promotions, and local discounts.  Take advantage of this year’s tax season discounts offered through local vendors and save money on your tax preparation services!  Visit the Benefits section of the HRS web site to learn more. 

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Experiencing a work or life-event change?
UF employees experiencing a “qualifying status change” should contact University Benefits and Retirement as soon as possible to ensure their benefits are properly adjusted for the remainder of the plan year. Employees have only 31 days to make coverage changes after a qualifying event occurs.

Events that qualify an employee for a benefits status change are:

• Start or return from leave
• Marriage
• Termination
• Birth or adoption of a child
• Death or ineligibility of a dependent
• Court order pertaining to children (i.e. legal guardianship or a divorce decree)
• Change in FTE
• Gain or loss of other coverage
• Eligibility for Medicare or Medicaid
• Change in spouse's employment

If you need additional information or have any questions, please contact University Benefits and Retirement at (352) 392-2HRS (2477) or benefits@ufl.edu.

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©2011 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, Angie Brown; Human Resource Services; P.O. Box 115006; (352) 392-4626; TDD 800-955-8771. The InfoGator is available in an alternative format upon request.