T E X A S A & M ... January 5, 2015

TEXAS A&M UNIVERSITY HUMAN RESOURCES
Please make the following information available to employees in your department as appropriate.
January 5, 2015
HUMAN RESOURCES
REMINDER: Non-Faculty Hiring Authorization Process Replaces Hiring Freeze
Exception Request
Registration for the HR Liaison Network Spring Meeting Opens Soon
Showcase Your Department at the HR Liaison Network Meeting
Years of Service Pin Distribution
Postdoctoral or Graduate Student Fellows Benefit Process
Early Release for December 23
HR/Payroll Software Demonstration – Registration Opens Soon
January’s HR Poster – “TRAINING”
Brown Bag Lunch & Learn Series
Wellness Works Fitness Sessions
Request for Dependent Social Security Numbers
EMPLOYEE & ORGANIZATIONAL DEVELOPMENT
Training Compliance Reports for January – As of January 1, 2015
PAYROLL REMINDERS
January 5:
EPAs due at noon
January 6:
PPRs print
January 7:
PPRs available online
January 9:
Supplements due at noon
Uploads due at 1pm
TimeTraq due at 4pm
Processing Schedules
Payroll Reports
TIP OF THE WEEK
The Taxman Cometh! Update Payroll Information
HUMAN RESOURCES
REMINDER: Non-Faculty Hiring Authorization Process Replaces Hiring Freeze Exception Request
As announced in September, the previously implemented hiring freeze was replaced by a modified process of
requiring justification and approval for all non-faculty positions that are neither paid from restricted funds nor
budgeted in academic departments. A new Authorization to Fill form and related guidelines and FAQs are now
posted at http://employees.tamu.edu/managers/nonfaculty-hires/ on the HR website. This link has also been added
to the Hiring section on the Typical HR Liaison Duties webpage and to the first section of the Manager Resources
page. If you have any questions about hiring processes, contact HR at [email protected] or (979) 845-5154. If you
have any questions about EPA processing, contact Payroll Services at [email protected] or (979) 8452711.
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Registration for the HR Liaison Network Spring Meeting Opens Soon
Please make plans to join us on Thursday, February 5 for the spring network meeting in the General Services
Complex. Topics will include social media in recruitment, death in the workplace, payroll corrections, and several
key HR-related updates. Watch for the registration announcement coming soon and register for the session of your
choice.
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Showcase Your Department at the HR Liaison Network Meeting
Last fall the HR Liaison Advisory Resource Group suggested a great way to highlight campus departments while
rewarding members of the HR Liaison Network – issue a call for donations. If your department would like to
contribute to the HR Liaison recognition efforts and has items that could be used as door prizes or speaker gifts at
our network meetings, we’d love to hear from you! Contact Laura Dohnalik at [email protected] to make a
donation on your department’s behalf. Human Resources will recognize sponsoring departments in the meeting
program, ad marquee slides and on the HR website.
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Years of Service Pin Distribution
Did you miss the Years of Service Pin Pick Up & Reception and still need to get your department’s YOS pins? If so,
please contact Benefit Services at [email protected] or (979) 862-1718 to make arrangements to have your packet
available for pick-up in Human Resources (GSC 1201) during normal business hours.
Interesting fact: The 2014 Years of Service program recognized 8,275 total years of service to Texas A&M
University.
HR would like to congratulate the following door prize winners from the YOS Pin Pick Up & Reception: Mary Ann
Wiederhold (University Police), Bridgett Chargois (FMO Accounting Services), Teresa Wyatt (Academic Affairs
Business Services), Patty Vychopen (Vet Med Pathobiology), Shauna Ramos (College of Architecture) and Carol
Holmes (College of Education).
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Postdoctoral or Graduate Student Fellows Benefit Process
Section 1601.1021 of the Texas Insurance Code provides certain postdoctoral fellows or graduate student fellows
eligibility to participate in the group insurance program under the Texas A&M University System policies. These
individuals may enroll in the health, dental or vision group insurance plans, but do not qualify for the employer
contribution for premiums. It is important that these individuals receive benefit enrollment information; therefore,
please complete the certification form for any newly awarded fellows meeting the below criteria:
Eligible individuals include:
Graduate Student Fellows - To qualify for Texas A&M University group insurance, you must hold one
or more graduate student fellowships, awarded on a competitive basis that either singly or in
combination provide a stipend valued at $10,000 or more per year. Your eligibility will continue as
long as you hold the fellowship(s) and remain in good standing with a degree granting program.
Postdoctoral Fellows - To qualify for Texas A&M University group insurance, you must hold a
postdoctoral fellowship(s) and currently receive a stipend from an applicable fellowship. Your
eligibility will continue as long as you hold the fellowship(s).
Departments with qualifying individuals are encouraged to review the Postdoctoral and Graduate Student Fellow
Benefit Eligibility & Enrollment Process information on the Human Resources website and should complete the
applicable certification form to be sent to Benefit Services.
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Early Release for December 23
Interim President Dr. Hussey authorized an early release for Tuesday, December 23 starting at noon. Department
Leave Administrators should work with employees of their departments to update leave records as applicable. (For
assistance, HR Liaisons can review slides 32-37 of the How to Use LeaveTraq presentation available at
http://eodinfo.tamu.edu/other/university/leavetraq-program/ online.) For more information, please visit
http://employees.tamu.edu/benefits/leave/holidays/special/ on the Human Resources website or contact Benefit
Services at [email protected] or (979) 862-1718.
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HR/Payroll Software Demonstration – Registration Opens Soon
The demonstrations for a new HR/Payroll software system from our two vendor finalists – Oracle (PeopleSoft) and
Workday – are coming up soon. Visit the project’s newly launched website for the demonstration schedules and
more information.
These demonstrations will be convenient for employees of A&M College Station and Galveston, the Health Science
Center and BCS TAMUS agencies to attend and provide feedback. We anticipate wide interest from executives,
managers, faculty, staff, departmental administrators and central human resources, payroll and IT employees;
therefore, space will be limited for onsite attendance and the simultaneous web streaming.
We encourage departments with multiple HR Liaisons to select a representative to attend onsite at the sessions
most pertinent to your work. Additionally, departments may want to consider broadcasting all or some of the online
web sessions to a group of employees, e.g., an entire payroll office or a committee of principle investigators, in order
to simultaneously maximize participation while keeping an eye on space availability. One person could register on
behalf of the group and schedule a larger meeting room for attendees to come and go as needed.
The HR Payroll Software Selection website will be updated regularly as we move through various phases towards
implementation. Contact DeAnna White, [email protected], if you have questions or would like to provide feedback
at any time.
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January’s HR Poster – “TRAINING”
This month’s HR marketing campaign poster highlights “TRAINING”! January is National
Professional Development Month and HR reminds you that job-relevant training can enhance your
skills and support your professional growth. Our Employee & Organizational Development staff
offers A&M-specific courses and certificate programs to help you learn, grow and succeed —
without having to leave campus! HR Liaison’s, please print this poster and post it in your
department’s break room or common work space during January as a reminder to enhance your
skills through professional development!
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Please share the below three articles with employees in your department.
Brown Bag Lunch & Learn Series
Join us for our first Brown Bag Lunch & Learn series event of 2015:
JANUARY 13 - Healthy Eating Tips for the New Year
12:00 - 1:00 p.m. | General Service Complex (GSC)
Room 101 | 750 Agronomy Road
Getting fit and staying healthy is often the #1 new year’s resolutions for Americans. Dietitian
Meghan Windham can help you ring in the new year by learning about new tips for eating healthy
and delicious meals. This Lunch & Learn series is part of the HR Wellness Works program,
designed to encourage employees to live healthier lifestyles, to support a healthy workplace and to
create a culture of wellness. No registration needed. Bring your lunch and learn with us! View this
and other Wellness Works events at employees.tamu.edu/benefits/wellness.
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Wellness Works Fitness Sessions
Join us for our free fitness sessions led by certified instructors on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 5:15 - 6:15 p.m. at
the General Services Complex. No costs! See the Wellness Works website for more details
JANUARY 6, 2015 through May 31, 2015
5:15-6:15 p.m. | General Service Complex (GSC)
Room 100 (lunchroom) | 750 Agronomy Road
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Request for Dependent Social Security Numbers
As communicated by System Benefits Administration on December 22, employees of the A&M System with covered
dependents will be required to update their dependent’s social security number for compliance with the Affordable
Care Act (ACA). Below is the original message.
Request for Dependent Social Security Numbers
The A&M System Benefits Office is now required by the IRS to request Social Security Numbers
(SSNs) for covered dependents. Because you have a dependent(s) covered through your
System health plan for whom we do not have a SSN, you have received this email requesting that
you provide this information online through HRConnect.
As part of compliance with the Affordable Care Act (ACA), employers must report to the IRS about
enrollment in employee health coverage. This report includes information on the employee’s
enrollment status, as well as the status of dependents covered under the employee’s policy. The
IRS has established a process whereby the primary identifier for all individuals is their Social
Security Number. While we have SSNs for employees, employers must now request SSNs for
covered dependents. The IRS uses this information to identify compliance with the requirement
that all individuals have health coverage and to help your family to avoid being charged a tax
penalty for dependents who have coverage through your policy.
Instructions for adding Social Security Numbers:
 Log into HRConnect from Single Sign On (SSO).
 Select “My Benefits” from the top row.
 On the right, look for the box labeled “My Dependents.”
 If you have covered dependents, they should appear in this box under the label “SSN on
File?”
 If an SSN is required for any of your dependents, there will be a link that says “Action
Required: Supply SSN” – Click it to go to the “My Dependents” page.
 Click the “Supply SSN” button next to each applicable dependent and follow the prompts to
supply the SSN.
 If you are a new employee with an active iBenefits document, you will see links from
HRConnect to prompt you to update that information in iBenefits.
We will keep this information confidential just as we do with all SSNs. As required by the IRS, we
will continue to contact you if you do not supply your dependent SSNs. Thank you in advance for
your help with this request.
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EMPLOYEE & ORGANIZATIONAL DEVELOPMENT
Training Compliance Reports for January – As of January 1, 2015
Attached are the monthly compliance reports for System-required employee training: 1) Required Employee Training
Assignments Report, and 2) Required Employee Training Departmental Progress Report. The latter report lists, by
ADLOC/Departments (M Workstation), the completion and past due percentages on all five required courses.
Summary
 84 (50%) of the 168 M Workstation ADLOCs have 100% of employees up-to-date or current on training
assignments.
 The total number of past due assignments decreased 7.2% from 1418 to 1316.
 The total number of past due employees decreased 9.4% from 809 to 733.
 The total number of past due Faculty employees decreased 12.5% from 272 to 238.
 The total number of past due Budgeted Staff employees increased 4.7% from 127 to 133.
 The total number of past due Wage Staff employees increased 4.6% from 130 to 136.
 The total number of past due Graduate Assistant employees decreased 49.1% from 112 to 57.
 The total number of past due Student Worker employees increased 0.6% from 168 to 169.
Required Employee Training Compliance Key Performance Measure
 Percentage of employees in M Workstation ADLOCs up-to-date or current on five required courses:
Creating a Discrimination-Free Workplace, EEO – 98.3%
Ethics – 98.3%
Information Security Awareness – 97.0%
Orientation to the A&M System – 99.3%
Reporting Fraud, Waste and Abuse – 99.2%
Required Training for Athletics Task Workers – 94.3%
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TIP OF THE WEEK
The Taxman Cometh! Update Payroll Information
With tax season upon us, now is a prime time to remind employees to check and update their personal data and
payroll records. Encourage employees to visit HRConnect through the Single Sign-On (https://sso.tamus.edu) logon
page. Employees can update their mail and email addresses on “My Contact Info” within the “My Personal Data” tab.
Pay stubs, previous year IRS forms and total compensation information is on the “My Payroll” tab. A little effort now
th
will help ensure important documents are available long before April 15 rolls around.
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HR Liaison Network News (LNN) is distributed weekly to departmental HR Liaisons at
Texas A&M University. If you have questions about LNN contact:
Laura Dohnalik, Liaison Administrator
[email protected] | 979.862.3854
Human Resources Main Contact Information:
PHONE: 979.845.4141
MAIL STOP: 1255 TAMU
MAIN OFFICE LOCATION:
750 Agronomy Road, General Services Complex, Suite 1201
College Station, TX 77845-1255
MAP
Next Network Meeting:
February 5, 2015