Frequently Asked Questions

Frequently Asked Questions I. ABOUT EMPLOYEE SELF SERVICE 1. What is Employee Self Service? Employee Self Service is North Shore-LIJ s secure and user-friendly tool that gives employees online access to their personal information and email. From any computer with Internet access, employees may login to Employee Self Service at their convenience to view current or archived pay statements, personal information and benefits choices, and use their North Shore-LIJ work email account. 2. Why does North Shore-LIJ offer Employee Self Service? North Shore-LIJ is going green to better serve employees and to eliminate paper waste. By offering new technology like Employee Self Service, employees can view and update their information without having to depend on paper, as well as communicate electronically through email. 3. What are the advantages of Employee Self Service? Employee Self Service: Saves you time. Employee Self Service eliminates the need to fill out forms or make calls for personal requests such as pay or benefits statements. Is secure and easy to use. It allows you to access personal information when you need it, anytime, anywhere through the Internet. Helps the organization go green by eliminating paper waste and manual data processing. Keeps employees connected through electronic mail (email). 1

4. What can be done through Employee Self Service today? Today with Employee Self Service you can: Review personal demographics information (name, address, marital status, etc.) View/print your current pay statement (virtual paycheck) View/print pay statements from the current and prior calendar year Review a summary of your benefits choices Update your personal contact information, including personal phone and email Access your North Shore-LIJ work email account 5. What can be done through Employee Self Service in the future? Update all personal information View/print your W-2 statement Update your direct deposit information Update tax withholding information Review a Total Rewards statement showing the value of your benefits and compensation Access HealthPort, the employee Intranet 6. Who can use Employee Self Service? Full-time, part-time and per diem employees paid by the North Shore-LIJ Health System. For the Personal Information section of Employee Self Service, only employees whose information is stored in PeopleSoft may access. New employees may access Employee Self Service once they receive a North Shore-LIJ Universal ID and Password, shortly after beginning employment. (Note: this currently does not include employees of Huntington, Lenox Hill and Staten Island University Hospitals) 7. Is Employee Self Service secure? Yes, Employee Self Service is a secure online tool. The Personal Information application is powered by PeopleSoft, which is a secure database that North Shore-LIJ uses to store employee data. Email is provided through Outlook and is a user-friendly and secure application. 8. How do you protect employees privacy? Many security steps have been taken to ensure employee data and personal information is kept confidential. Similar to online banking and credit card security, employees have to register to use Employee Self Service, and are prompted to reset and remember a new password. This is in addition to using an existing secure Universal ID and Password, which is further explained on the next page. For security purposes, the employee s social security number is masked in Employee Self Service only the last four digits show on screen. Finally, you may read North Shore-LIJ s Privacy Statement: The North Shore-LIJ Health System is committed to protecting the personal information of our employees. Should we ask any employee to provide personal 2

information, please be assured that it will only be used in the context of employment for legitimate human resources, business and safety/security purposes in accordance with applicable law. 9. Will I need training to use Employee Self Service? You should be able to use Employee Self Service after you review the educational guide (located in Training Materials). Step-by-step instructions for each area of Employee Self Service are also available to help navigate you through the tool. A video tutorial is coming soon. 10. What are the browser and software requirements to access Employee Self Service? You will need access to the Internet (e.g. Internet Explorer, Netscape or Firefox) to access Employee Self Service. In addition, some training materials are PDF documents; therefore, you will need Adobe Acrobat reader software to view. Adobe software is free and is available for you to download on the Employee Self Service portal homepage. II. ACCESSING THE EMPLOYEE SELF SERVICE PORTAL 11. When can I access Employee Self Service? Employee Self Service is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year. 12. How do I access the Employee Self Service Portal? You may access the Employee Self Service Portal from any computer with the Internet by typing the following link into your web browser: http://ess.nslijweb.com. 13. How do I find Employee Self Service on a computer at work? You may access Employee Self Service from HealthPort, the employee Intranet. To access HealthPort, go to any network-connected computer (such as a computer at your desk, a shared workstation, Human Resources office or the campus kiosk) and click on Employee Self Service located at the top left-hand section of the page. Follow the step-by-step instructions provided in the Training Materials. 14. How do I find Employee Self Service from a home or public computer? You may access the Employee Self Service Portal by typing the following link into your web browser: http://ess.nslijweb.com. Or, you may access Employee Self Service from the North Shore-LIJ public website. Type the following link into your browser: www.northshorelij.com. At the right-hand top of the page, select HealthPort. Then, select Access Self Service at the top left-hand side of the page. Follow the step-by-step instructions provided in the Training Materials. 3

15. What if I do not have access to a computer at home? Computers kiosks are available at each facility for employees to use. The kiosks provide easy and secure access to Employee Self Service. In addition, you can use a public library computer. Follow the step-by-step instructions provided in the Training Materials. III. REGISTERING FOR EMPLOYEE SELF SERVICE AS A FIRST-TIME USER 16. What is the first step to access Employee Self Service? Do I have to register? Yes, all employees must register on the Employee Self Service website as a first-time user, similar to online banking and credit card security. After you register once, you do not need to complete this step again. To register as a first-time user, you need three pieces of secure information: 1) North Shore-LIJ Universal ID 2) Password 3) ESS Key Please refer to the next few questions about how to obtain this information. 17. How do I find my North Shore-LIJ Universal ID, Password and ESS Key? Your North Shore-LIJ Universal ID and Password is the same login information you enter when signing on to your computer, email or clinical applications for work. Note: If you do not know your Universal ID or Password, please refer to the question below How do I lookup my Universal ID and Password? Note for newly hired employees: Ask your supervisor for your Universal ID and Password, or contact the Help Desk at: 516-470-7272. Your ESS Key ( Employee Self Service Key) is a piece of information that is initially set to: ns plus the last four digits of your social security number (SSN). An example is: ns1234. Note: If you do not know your SSN, you may find it on a pay statement printed at the top left section. 18. How do I register as a first-time user for Employee Self Service? Once you have your North Shore-LIJ Universal ID, Password and ESS Key, go to the Employee Self Service portal (http://ess.nslijweb.com) and enter this information when prompted. Then follow the instructions to continue registering as a first-time user. 19. How do I reset my ESS Key as part of first-time user registration? Follow the instructions on the page. You will be asked to reset your ESS Key using a required combination of letters and numbers. Once you enter an ESS Key that meets the requirements, 4

this will be your new ESS Key to access Employee Self Service going forward. Note: Please remember your new ESS Key for future reference. 20. Why am I prompted to answer three questions after I enter my initial ESS Key? This feature adds security to ensure your information is kept confidential. When prompted, please select and answer three security questions and reset your ESS Key. Please refer to the Training Materials for step-by-step instructions. Note: Please remember your answers to these questions for future reference. 21. How do I look-up my Universal ID and Password? There are two ways to look-up this information: 1) Look-Up in PeopleFinder on HealthPort, the employee Intranet or 2) Contact the IS Help Desk at: 516-470-7272 To look-up your Universal ID and Password in PeopleFinder, go to HealthPort from any network-connected computer (e.g. shared workstation, library or Human Resources office) and go to PeopleFinder located at the top of the page. Once in PeopleFinder, enter your first and last name, then click Search and you will see your Universal ID at the top of the page. Please refer to the Training Materials for more detailed instructions. Note: If you cannot access HealthPort/PeopleFinder to look-up your North Shore-LIJ Universal ID or Password, you must call the IS Help Desk to obtain this information: 516-470-7272. 22. Can I reset my North Shore-LIJ Password? Yes, you may reset your Password two ways: 1) Look-Up in PeopleFinder on HealthPort, the employee Intranet, click on Password help in your profile next to your Universal ID and choose I forgot my password/i want to reset my password or 2) Contact the IS Help Desk at: 516-470-7272. Please refer to the Training Materials for more detailed instructions. 23. Can I change my North Shore-LIJ Universal ID? No, this is a secure individual ID that is assigned to North Shore-LIJ employees. 24. Can I share my North Shore-LIJ Universal ID and Password with anyone? No, never share your North Shore-LIJ Universal ID and Password with anyone. 25. What if I forget my ESS Key? You may reset your ESS Key anytime after your first-time user registration by clicking on Forgot ESS key on the Employee Self Service login page. After you answer the security questions you will be able to reset your ESS key. 5

IV. EMPLOYEE SELF SERVICE FEATURES: PERSONAL INFORMATION 26. After I login to Employee Self Service, how do I access my personal information? Click on the Personal Information tab. Then you will be redirected to PeopleSoft, the secure database. Refer to the Training Materials. 27. Can I change/update my personal information in Employee Self Service? Yes. You may update some of your personal information in Self Service, including your personal phone numbers and email addresses. To change other personal information, please contact the Human Resources Service Center at: 516-734-7000. 28. How do I update my personal phone numbers in Employee Self Service? After you login to the Employee Self Service Portal, select Self Service and select Personal Information. Click on Phone Numbers and follow the instructions to change or add your phone number (such as a cell phone). 29. How do I update my personal email address in Employee Self Service? After you login to the Employee Self Service Portal, select Self Service and select Personal Information. Click on Email Addresses and follow the instructions to change or add your personal email. Please note: You will continue to receive business email through your North Shore- LIJ email account. 30. What if I see errors in my personal information? Please contact the Human Resources Service Center at: 516-734-7000. V. EMPLOYEE SELF SERVICE FEATURES: PAYCHECK / PAY STATEMENT 31. After I login to Employee Self Service, how do I access my pay statement? Select Payroll & Compensation from the Self Service menu in PeopleSoft. Then click on View Paycheck. Your current pay statement will automatically be displayed. Note: This feature shows your pay statement; it is not an actual paycheck. 32. Will I receive a printed copy of my paycheck? 6

No. North Shore-LIJ does not print paystubs/pay statements, since all employees have the ability to view and print this information online through Employee Self Service. 33. When can I access my pay statement? Your current pay statement is available for viewing as of Wednesday at 6:00 pm in the week that the check is issued. You may view/print a pay statement from the current and prior year anytime through Employee Self Service. 34. How do I view an old pay statement? While in the View Paycheck option described above, select View a Different Paycheck at the top left-hand corner of the page. From there, you will be taken to a page showing a list of all past pay statements from the current calendar year and the prior calendar year. Click on any pay statement on the left-hand column, sorted by date. 35. How do I print a pay statement? Note: This feature is not encouraged as we are moving towards a paperless environment. However, if you need to print a copy of your pay statement, Employee Self Service allows you to easily do so. While in the View Paycheck option described above, simply click on View Printable Version and then click on Print. Please remember to pick-up your pay statement if you choose to print from a public printer. 36. I am having issues printing my pay statement. What should I do? If you are experiencing difficulty printing your pay statement (a portion of your statement does not print correctly or appears to be off the page), you likely need to change the print settings. To change your print settings, select "Page Setup" on your Internet Browser. The Page Setup window will pop up review your settings to ensure that your margins are set at ".4" for top, bottom, left and right, and that your page orientation is designated for "portrait." Please see the graphic below. 7

VI. EMPLOYEE SELF SERVICE FEATURES: BENEFITS SUMMARY 37. How do I access my benefits summary? Select Benefits from the Self Service menu in PeopleSoft. Then select Benefits Summary. You will be taken to a page showing your current benefits elections stored in PeopleSoft, such as health and welfare plans and retirement benefit contributions. 38. Can I change/update my benefits in Employee Self Service? Health and Welfare benefits may only be changed online during annual Open Enrollment which typically runs in November. If you need to change your benefits due to a Qualifying Life Event, such as a marriage or birth, please contact the HR Service Center within 31 days of the event, at: 516-734-7000. Note: Retirement contributions may only be changed through MetLife at www.mlr.metlife.com or by phone: 800-543-2520. 39. What if I see errors in my benefits summary? Please contact the Human Resources Service Center: 516-734-7000. 40. I am represented by a union. Will my healthcare benefits be displayed? Not at this time. Only North Shore-LIJ sponsored healthcare plans are displayed. However, for all employees contributing to the 403(b) / 401(k) Plan, contribution amounts are displayed. 41. How can I view my designated dependent beneficiaries? 8

From the Benefits menu, click on Dependent/Beneficiary Info. 42. Can I update my dependent beneficiaries in Employee Self Service? No, not yet, but you will be able to do so in the future. Please contact the Human Resources Service Center to update this information: 516-734-7000. In the meantime, you can see your listed beneficiaries by clicking on the life insurance link found on the Benefits Summary page. 43. My benefits summary shows I am enrolled in the 403(b) ER Basic Contribution. What does this mean? This means that you are currently receiving an employer contribution in the 403(b) Plan. North Shore-LIJ automatically contributes 3% of your salary to the 403(b) plan if you are a benefitseligible employee (non-union, full-time, part-time or per diem working at least 975 hours per year after completing one year of service). For more details, please refer to the Training Materials. VII. GENERAL QUESTIONS 44. How do I access my North Shore-LIJ email account? Once logged in to the Employee Self Service Portal, click on the Email tab. You will then be taken to Outlook email which is your health system email account. 45. I am not familiar with email is help available? Yes, visit the email tutorial located on HealthPort. Note: Additional training materials will be available soon on the Employee Self Service Portal. 46. Do I need to Sign Out of Employee Self Service when my session is complete? Yes, always Sign Out of Employee Self Service when your session is complete and make sure the screen actually closes before leaving a computer. This will ensure your information is kept confidential. Please refer to the Training Materials for detailed instructions. 47. Where can I review my leave accruals balance (PTO/holiday time)? This information is located on your current and past pay statements. Go to "View Paycheck" to see your leave accruals balance. If you are a union member covered by a collective bargaining agreement, you will also be able to view your sick, vacation and personal time. 48. Where can I find a computer kiosk? 9

Computer kiosks are located throughout the health system. Click for a list of kiosk locations. 49. Can I print out my personal information from a kiosk? Yes. Select computer kiosks will be connected to a printer inside the Human Resources office. Click for a list of kiosk locations with printer locations. Note: Please consider not printing unless it is critical, since part of the reason why we are using Employee Self Service is to eliminate paper waste and go green. 50. I use a Macintosh (MAC) computer. Can I access Employee Self Service? Yes. Employee Self Service is accessible on a MAC through Firefox. Most MAC computers have Safari installed, however, Self Service/PeopleSoft is not compatible with this program. This issue can simply be resolved by downloading a free version of Firefox and Self Service will be accessible. Go to: http://www.mozilla.com/en-us/firefox/new/ and download the current version of Firefox. Note: The health system does not support MAC computers. If you are a MAC user and cannot install Firefox, you should access Employee Self Service at work using a shared work station computer, or a kiosk located throughout the system. Or, you may visit your local Human Resources office. 51. How do I enlarge the font on my browser? If you re using Windows and Internet Explorer, go to the toolbar and click on the View tab. Move your mouse over Text Size and select an option. If you re using Firefox for Windows, go to the Tools drop-down menu and select Options. Click the Content button and see Fonts & Colors below. 52. What if my computer is having issues displaying Employee Self Service? Some web browsers may display pages differently than others in PeopleSoft. Some of these differences are very subtle and have no impact on the performance of the application, while others may alter the look and function of PeopleSoft pages. Please contact the IS Help Desk if you are having trouble viewing Employee Self Service at: 516-470-7272. 53. Can I access to Employee Self Service if I go out on an approved Leave of Absence? Yes, you can securely access Employee Self Service from any computer with the Internet, even while on LOA. 54. Can I access Employee Self Service if I leave the health system? No, only active employees have access to Employee Self Service. 55. Is there an automatic time out or warning if I forget to Sign Out of Employee Self Service? Yes. After three minutes of inactivity, a warning message will be displayed on the screen. After five minutes of inactivity, Employee Self Service will automatically close to ensure that if an 10

employee is no longer using the application, privacy is maintained. If this happens, the main Employee Self Service login page will appear and the employee will need to login again. 56. I am not comfortable using a computer. Is help available? Yes, you may always contact your Human Resources office for assistance using Employee Self Service. Or, you may enroll in a computer course (at no cost!) given at the Center for Learning and Innovation (CLI) which is a benefit for all employees. Please check HealthPort for an updated list of computer classes. Please speak with your supervisor before registering for any CLI courses. 57. Where else can I get help with Employee Self Service? If you need help using Employee Self Service, go to Training Materials for step-by-step instructions. A video tutorial is coming soon. Technical Support: For technical support, please contact the IS Help Desk at: 516-470-7272. The IS Help Desk is available to assist 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. Personal Information/Paycheck/Benefits Summary: For Assistance with your personal information, please contact the Human Resources Service Center at: 516-734-7000. The Human Resources Service Center hours of operation are Monday - Friday, from 8:00 am to 6:00 pm. 11