Benefits VRS For information concerning the 2015 legislation summary for VRS, please visit the following link:

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1 Benefits VRS For information concerning the 2015 legislation summary for VRS, please visit the following link: VRS has education and counseling services available for those employees thinking about retirement. Some information is training session, but they do have several tracks of recorded information. Please visit their web site to see this information. Health Insurance Remember that both Anthem and Aetna have on online doctor appoints available that starts July 1,2015. For more information, please review the Spotlight on Benefits that you received during open enrollment. Anthem Launches Free Pedal to Health Interactive Guide to Bicycling Excitement is building in Richmond for the UCI Road World Championships (Worlds) cycling event, which begins September 19. In anticipation of the event, Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield has developed a new Pedal To Health interactive, online guide to bicycling. The guide at anthem.com/pedaltohealth is available to COVA Care and COVA HDHP members as part of their health benefits. So ride a bike for exercise and help the environment at the same time! Attached is a flyer with more information for employees. Social Security Social Security will have their 80 th anniversary on August 14. They have released a web sit to announce the launch of the agency s event-filled celebration, with many activities leading up to August 14. Please visit their web site for a list of all activities. Payroll Payroll dates for May Full time 06/10 06/24/15 Paid 07/01/15 06/25 07/09/15 Paid 07/16/15 07/10 07/24/15 Paid 07/31/15 Part time 06/05 06/18/15 Paid 07/06/15 06/19 07/02/15 Paid 07/20/15

2 Adjunct 06/16 07/15/15 Paid 07/16/15 The Department of Accounts is authorized to charge employees a mandatory administrative fee of up to fifteen cents ($0.15) for each payroll deduction administered under the Supplemental Insurance and Annuities program. Effective July 1, 2015 (check date July 16, 2015), this fee will be applied to each employee with an active supplemental insurance deduction (check stub description - POST TAX). Employees who don t wish to be charged the mandatory administrative fee must contact the insurance vendor directly to make alternative arrangements for payments of premiums. Leave Holiday July 3 rd will be entered in HRMS as a 8.0 hour holiday for all full- time employees to be reflected on their timesheet. As our flex summer schedule indicated, July 3 rd is on a Friday, which is a four (4) hour workday. Therefore, your holiday will be reflected as 4 hours holiday and 4 hours of comp earned. You will have one year to use these 4 hours of leave. If you have any questions, please contact us. Those employees who are not on the summer flex schedule will receive the 8 hours of holiday pay. We are in the process of working on our leave liability report. It is extremely important that all leave ben entered in HRMS and approved by your supervisor through June 24, Please make sure to complete your leave request in a timely manner. Recruit Management System (RMS) The state on April 21, 2015, launched a new upgraded RMS system. This system replaced the current RMS and will be used to post all jobs moving forward. The web site is: Knowledge Center The following courses have been added to the Knowledge Center: KC Administrators Trainings VDEM AUXCOMM: Auxiliary Communications Workshop DOA Comptroller s Directive Training DOA Higher Education Directive Training VRS Membership

3 VDOT Get Domain Users with Login Data Training The BAM sessions for July will be an open question and answer session with payroll, leave and Human Resources. This will give you an opportunity to ask very specific questions concerning your benefits. If you have a question concerning one of these topics, please attend this session. If you don t have a question, you are still welcome to come and learn from the questions that others ask. Examples might include, what are the abbreviations on the paycheck stubs? Why do we no longer use Payline for leave balances? When does the accrual change for leave processing when I have been here 5 years? How do I request a new health insurance card? This session will be held in the Human Resources Training Room (T201) on July 16 at1:00. Feel free to bring lunch and join this session. In addition, you might win a prize! All employees are required to take the Terrorism Security Awareness Orientation training in the Knowledge Center. If you have not completed this training, please do so ASAP. Supervisors, please make sure all employees in your area are compliant with this requirement. DHRM-WC - Accident Investigation for Supervisors Online This course, presented in two modules, is designed to help agency managers and supervisors understand the importance of conducting workers compensation claim accident investigations following an incident in the workplace. The course provides helpful tips for the accident investigation process and discusses ways you can help speed the claims process. This is a free webinar. You must register through the Knowledge Center. DHRM-WC - Driver Safety: A Crash Course In Accident Prevention This program is designed to provide a refresher on safe driving techniques and crash prevention strategies. The goal is to reduce the frequency of vehicle crashes and worker injuries. This is a free webinar. You must register through the Knowledge Center. DHRM-WC - Fall Protection Falls continue to be a leading cause of employee injuries for the Commonwealth. A significant category of these claims involves falls from ladders, platforms and scaffolds. This four part course covers the requirements of the OSHA/VOSH Fall Protection Standard, including employer responsibilities, fall protection for employees working at heights on ladders, scaffolds, man lifts and roofs, inspection procedures and training requirements. This is a free webinar. You must register through the Knowledge Center. DHRM-WC - Identifying and Correcting Workplace Hazards

4 This course is part of the Virginia Loss Control Academy curriculum and is designed to help participants identify hazards in the workplace and take necessary steps to correct the hazards through the use of tools such as Job Safety Analysis and accident investigation. Participants will learn how to conduct a facility inspection and develop corrective actions. This is a free webinar. You must register through the Knowledge Center. HR Fun Fact During the calendar year of 2014, SWCC employees used a total of hours for school assistance and volunteer service. This policy will grant full- time employees up to 16 hours of paid leave to provide volunteer services through eligible non- profit organizations within or outside their communities. Such service may be provided as a member of a service organization or through authorized school assistance. If you have not used this benefit, please think about volunteering to an eligible organization. If you have questions concerning this policy, please contact Human Resources. State Employee Discounts Employee Discounts Update Back by popular demand, Commonwealth of Virginia employees can receive a $10 single day discount (Saturday and Sunday general admission) to the Richmond Jazz Festival in August. Don t delay - the discount ends on July 3! During July and August, you can also check out the Cirque du Soleil performances in Virginia Beach, Commonwealth of Virginia nights at the Richmond Flying Squirrels, and the Richmond Kickers game on July 19. These discounts and more can be found at Policy Reminders Any and all technology purchased and used by SWCC is considered to be property of SWCC and the Commonwealth of Virginia. The use of technology on campus is a privilege given to users to complete work pertaining to the mission of the college. The VCCS and SWCC have drafted standards and an Acceptable Use Policy to define how technology is to be used and what actions should be avoided. The Acceptable Use Policy is included in the annual MOAT training that is completed by all personnel who have access to any computing services and reminds the user of their responsibilities for proper use of technology. Below are some key points that all users should keep in mind as they complete their daily tasks: The definition of VCCS information technology resources include mainframe computers, desktop computers, notebook computers, handheld devices, networks, software, data files, facilities, and the related supplies.

5 Users must use only those computer resources they have the authority to use. The Systems Office and college reserve the right (with or without cause) to monitor, access and disclose all data created, sent, received, processed, or stored on VCCS to ensure compliance with VCCS policies and federal, state, or local regulations. College or Systems Office officials will have the right to review and/or confiscate (as needed) any equipment (COV owned or personal) connected to a COV device or network. Users must not authorize anyone to use their computer accounts for any reason; each user is responsible for their own accounts and must take reasonable precautions to protect their login credentials. You must use your computer resources only for authorized purposes. Use of user accounts for resources for private consulting or to support a personal business venture is prohibited. Users must not download or install fraudulently or illegally obtained software or media. Users should report any violation of the VCCS IT regulations by another individual and any information relating to a flaw or bypass of computing facility security to the Information Security Officer or Chief Information Officer. It is the responsibility of all SWCC technology users to protect and secure the data and technology that is required to carry out the mission of the college. It is also the responsibility of each user to properly and responsibly use technology in such a sway as to promote SWCC and educate students. All supporting documentation and standards used here can be requested from the Information Security Officer, Paula Owens. HR Policies IMPORTANT: The Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) establishes minimum wage, overtime pay, recordkeeping, and youth employment standards affecting employees in the private sector and in Federal, State, and local governments. Covered nonexempt workers are entitled to a minimum wage of not less than $7.25 per hour effective July 24, Overtime pay at a rate not less than one and one- half times the regular rate of pay is required after 40 hours of work in a workweek. At SWCC, our workweek is from Friday Thursday. It is very important that supervisors review timesheets for accurate information. Remember, as a nonexempt employee you are required to submit all hours that you have worked. As the supervisor, you are required to make sure the policies are being followed. This is a FEDERAL law. IF you have any questions concerning this, please contact Human Resources. HR Resource Sharing Clear communication Plan, choose, and check for understanding Communication is key to a smooth-running workplace. Follow these three practices in your communications at work. 1. Plan your communications:

6 Know what you want any communication to achieve. Outline your points and words in a clear, orderly manner. Keep your communications brief, clear, and simple. Limit your topics to avoid information overload. Don t make assumptions about audience knowledge. Consider how your audience will receive your communication and how to offset any negative reactions. 2. Choose your words carefully: Use conversational language in speech and in writing. Phrase things positively ( Do ) rather than negatively ( Don t ). Present instructions in a step-by-step format. Explain the why, not just the what, when possible. Restate your key points for emphasis. Minimize use of jargon. 3. Check for understanding: Encourage questions and feedback. Follow up to test understanding.