News from human resources

Personnel Actions

New Hires

Audra Cornelius
Benefits Administrator/HR Assistant
Human Resources
November 12, 2013

Shelby Sweet
Business Advisor
Small Business Development Center
November 7, 2013

Promotion

Jennifer Klimek-Yingling
Assistant Professor
Nursing & Health Professions
September 1, 2013

Retirement

Patricia Dorazio
Instructor
Communication and Humanities
July 1, 2013

2014 Health Insurance Choices

“Health Insurance Choices for 2014” will soon be available in the Human Resources Office. It explains the Health Insurance Option Transfer period and the benefit plans available in 2014.

As soon as the health insurance rates are set for 2014 by the Department of Civil Service, employees will receive the new rate sheet at home. This brochure will outline the rates as well as the Option Change period.

This information is also available by going to www.cs.ny.gov. Click on “Employee Benefits,” then on “Choosing a Health Plan?”

 Holiday Reminders

Friday after Thanksgiving

Most buildings will be closed on the Friday after Thanksgiving (November 29). It is anticipated that most employees, both classified and M/C, will elect to take this day using their vacation, personal or holiday leave accruals. Professionals represented by UUP will use this day as their designated floating holiday for Election Day. Only a University Police force will be required to report to work on this day. If you intend to work on the Friday after Thanksgiving (November 29), notify your supervisor no later than Friday, November 22.

Winter Break

SUNYIT will exercise a liberal leave policy and curtail operations and services for winter break from close of business on Friday, December 20, 2013, through Friday, January 3, 2014. Regular operations and services will resume on Monday, January 6, 2014.

This curtailment provides employees with the opportunity to utilize their accrued leave and will help SUNYIT realize significant cost savings in energy usage. We encourage all employees to plan for the use of their leave credits in such a way as to provide adequate credits for use during the winter break. Employees who prefer to work or who would be presented with an undue hardship due to a lack of leave accruals will have the opportunity to work. More detailed information will follow as we approach the winter break.

Official State Holidays for 2014

New Year’s Day  Wednesday, January 1
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day Monday, January 20
Lincoln’s Birthday (Observed) 1 Wednesday, February 12
Washington’s Birthday (Observed) Monday, February 17
Memorial Day Monday, May 26
Independence Day Friday, July 4
Labor Day Monday, September 1
Columbus Day Monday, October 13
Election Day 2 Tuesday, November 4
Veterans Day Tuesday, November 11
Thanksgiving Thursday, November 27
Christmas  Thursday, December 25

Boldface signifies SUNYIT will be officially closed.
Holidays that fall on a Sunday are observed on the following Monday.

1 The State has designated Lincoln’s Birthday as a “floating holiday” for M/C employees and employees represented by CSEA, PEF and UUP. Employees represented by PBA of New York State will observe Lincoln’s Birthday as a regular holiday on February 12, 2014.

2 Election Day is a “floating holiday” for M/C, CSEA & PEF employees. UUP employees will observe this floating holiday on Friday, November 28, 2014.

BJ’s Membership
Applications are available in the Office of Human Resources for NEW and RENEWING BJ’s Wholesale Club Memberships. This Inner Circle Corporate Membership is available to our employees and includes a $10 savings off the $50 annual membership, a free second card for a household member and three free months. The cost of the 15-month membership, for two-household cards, is $43.50. BJ’s sends out renewal notices approximately 1 month before expiration date.

To apply for membership (both new and renewing), you must complete the application and mail the application and payment to our BJ’s representative (HR will provide pre-addressed envelope). Please DO NOT bring application/payment to club location, it must be mailed.

New Members  It may take up to four weeks to receive your membership letter in the mail. Once you have this number, you will need to stop by any BJ’s Wholesale Club for your card. A temporary membership card is on the back page of the application but this temporary membership card does not work at the gas pump.

Renewing Members  You will not receive a new membership card. Your membership will be extended with the new expiration date. If your membership expires before the extension is applied, just use the temporary pass on the back of the application until your card has been updated (please be aware that this temporary membership card will not work at the gas pump).

Smart Shopper Books

2014 Smart Shopper books are available for $16 in the Office of Human Resources. Buy a 2013-2014 Book and receive a free 2012-2013 book while supplies last. Please make checks payable to “The Smart Shoppers Club.”

New dental option for UUP-represented employees:                 DeltaCare USA DHMO

The UUP Benefit Trust Fund is rolling out a second option to our active dental plan. For more information, visit http://uupinfo.org/benefits/pages/BTFNewDelta.php. Open enrollment is November 1 – December 1, 2013.

Please note that this is an HMO-type dental plan. You will need to designate a dentist that is participating to enroll in this plan. The only dentist that participates in the Utica area is Aspen Dental. A full list of the participating providers in other areas can be found by using Delta Dental’s “Find a Delta Dentist” online directory link at deltadentalins.com/uup.

Any questions regarding enrollment should be directed to the UUP Benefit Trust Fund at 1-800-887-3863.

PEP Enrollment until November 29, 2013

The Productivity Enhancement Program (PEP) allows eligible employees in the Executive branch to exchange previously accrued annual leave (vacation) and/or personal leave (CSEA employees) in return for a credit to be applied toward their employee share of NYSHIP premiums on a biweekly basis.
PEP information and an enrollment form were recently sent to all employees eligible for PEP via campus mail. (Faculty are not eligible for PEP.) Additional eligibility criteria may apply. If you have any questions regarding this program or your eligibility, please contact Nancy Wallace, ext. 7191.

All interested employees are required to submit the enrollment form to Human Resources before Friday, November 29, 2013.