VP for Human Resources search narrows to three candidates
Three finalists have been selected in the search for UF’s newly created position of vice president for human resources. The finalists are Paul Michaud, director of human resources at Florida International University; Kyle Cavanaugh, human resources director at the University of Texas-Austin; and Loretta Harper, vice president of human resources at the University of Utah.

The VP for human resources will carry out UF President Bernie Machen’s vision for reorganizing and streamlining the human resources functions at the university. Final interviews are currently underway, and President Machen is expected to announce the new vice president finalist later this month.

The Small Business Conference and Trade Fair scheduled for March
The 14th annual Small Business Conference and Trade Fair is scheduled for March 24 from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at the Hilton Conference Center.

Participants may register on line for conference workshops and trade fair or registration forms may be obtained by contacting the Division of Small Business and Vendor Diversity Relations at (352) 392-1331, ext. 308 or via e-mail at bmills@ufl.edu.

Vendor spaces are still available and can be purchased for $125 for small/minority businesses, $150 for government agencies, and $300 for corporations.

Group Benefits Enrollment now available on a biweekly basis
In an effort to help new employees sign up for their benefits packages, University Benefits and Retirement is now offering Group Benefits Enrollment on a bi-weekly basis. New employees may enroll in the various insurance options provided by the university—including health, life, and supplemental insurance plans; flexible spending accounts; and a variety of other options. Employees scheduled to attend are encouraged to review the Benefits Tutorial and to utilize the Benefits Worksheet prior to their session.

Employees who are registered for New Employee Orientation (NEO) through the Health Science Center will be scheduled automatically in a Group Benefits Enrollment. All other employees may register on the NEO registration page for “Stadium/Central Campus” at www.hr.ufl.edu/training/springregistration/neo/default.htm. While newly-hired Academic Personnel are not required to attend NEO, they are encouraged to attend Group Benefits Enrollment. In all cases, the Benefits Tutorial should be reviewed before attending the Group Benefits Enrollment.

New employees must sign up for benefits during the first 60 calendar days of employment at UF. Health insurance will take effect no sooner than the first day of the month following payment and submission of appropriate paperwork. Although employees are not required to attend Group Benefits Enrollment to sign up for their benefits, it is highly recommended. For questions regarding benefits enrollment, call University Benefits at 392-2477 (SC 622-1225) or the appropriate satellite office—Education and General/Auxiliaries at 392-6615 (SC 622-6615), Health Science Center at 392-3786 (SC 622-3786), IFAS at 392-4777 (SC 622-4777), or PPD at 392-2333 (SC 622-2333).

Experiencing a work or life-event status change?
UF employees experiencing or expecting to experience a “qualifying status change” should contact University Benefits and Retirement as soon as possible to ensure they receive the appropriate benefits. Employees have only 31 days after a qualifying event occurs to make coverage changes. A status change includes any of the following:

• 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 392-2477 (SC 622-1225) or benefits@ufl.edu, or call your human resources satellite office: Education and General/Auxiliaries at 392-6615 (SC 622-6615), Health Science Center at 392-3786 (SC 622-3786), IFAS at 392-4777 (SC 622-4777), or PPD at 392-2333 (SC 622-2333)

Announcing open enrollment for term life insurance
The annual open enrollment for term life insurance will be held from March 1 to 31 for all eligible employees with an FTE of .50 or greater. Current participants will have an opportunity to increase or decrease coverage levels, and non-participants will have an opportunity to enroll. Although premiums have been constant for some time,they will increase overall by 5 percent this year. This term life plan is underwritten by Jefferson Pilot Financial Insurance Company and is administered by Hilb, Rogal & Hobbs.

In February, all Academic Personnel, TEAMS, and USPS employees with an FTE of .50 or greater will receive correspondence including a plan brochure and an enrollment form at their home addresses. In addition, letters to current plan participants will highlight existing coverage, beneficiaries, and the level of benefit participants may add.

During open enrollment, a new enrollee may apply for coverage of $10,000 for himself or herself and $5,000 for his or her spouse and children. At this time, a current participant may increase his or her coverage by $10,000 and coverage for his or her spouse and children by $5,000. Greater amounts of coverage may also be added for both current and new participants, subject to medical approval by the company via a medical application. Although this coverage may be increased only during open enrollment or via medical application, it may be decreased or cancelled at any time.

Please contact University Benefits at 392-2477 (SC 622-1225) or benefits@ufl.edu with questions.

Added dependents to any plans lately?
If you added dependents to any of your state-sponsored benefits plans during last fall’s benefits open enrollment period as a new hire or due to a qualifying status event, the People First Service Center—UF’s new state-sponsored benefits administrator—is requiring dependent documentation. Please submit appropriate documentation (e.g., marriage certificate, birth certificate, Social Security number) to the People First Service Center along with your social security number on all documents. Coverage will be cancelled unless you provide documentation within 60 days of the qualifying event.

According to the current plan administrator, the following are considered eligible dependents:

• An employee's legal spouse
• An employee's natural children, legally adopted children, and children placed in the home for the purpose of adoption in accordance with Chapter 65, Florida Statutes
• Stepchildren
• Foster children
• Children for whom an employee has established legal guardianship pursuant to Chapter 744, Florida Statutes, or court-ordered temporary custody
• All children must be unmarried, under the age of 19, and dependent upon the employee for support. For coverage to continue from age 19 through the end of the calendar year in which a child turns 25 years of age, children must be dependent upon the employee for support and either live with the employee or be a full- or part-time student.

Children who are mentally or physically disabled are eligible to continue coverage (if already enrolled) after they reach 25 while the subscriber's family coverage is in effect, provided they are incapable of self-sustaining employment and are chiefly dependent upon the subscriber for support and maintenance.

If you have questions about documentation or dependent eligibility, please contact University Benefits at 392-2477 (SC 622-1225) or benefits@ufl.edu or your HR satellite office.

Double deductions begin for 9- and 10-month Academic Personnel
To ensure continued coverage for health, state life, optional and supplemental insurances during the summer, 9- and 10-month academic personnel will have double deductions taken from their paychecks beginning with the February 4 paycheck and continuing through May 13. Normal payroll deductions will resume on September 2.

Academic Personnel whose pay will be interrupted during this period or who will terminate employment at the end of the spring semester should contact University Benefits at 392-2477 (SC 622-1225) or benefits@ufl.edu.

Don’t allow others to create an online resume using your sign-on
As a UF employee, you should use the portal to apply for other TEAMS/USPS positions. To view current job postings go to My Self Service > Jobs at UF > View Job Postings. Select the appropriate job category or categories and click on the “Search” button. You may sort the job listings by posting title. Click on the link of the posting title to review a complete announcement about the position, including the location of the position, responsibilities, minimum qualifications, salary, and application deadline date.

To apply for a position, click on the “Add Job to Basket” button. You then can return to job postings to review and apply for additional positions. Once you are done reviewing job vacancies, click on the “Job Basket” link and apply for all the jobs in your basket. You will be brought directly to the online resume. Go through all delivered pages then click the “Submit” button. If you are applying for non-exempt positions, you must provide a complete detail of your work history in the “Current and Prior Employment” section being sure to provide detailed job duties and use official job titles for each position held. If you are applying of exempt positions, you must attach a resume. Many departments also prefer to receive a cover letter. Since the job vacancy listings drop-off of the web upon reaching the application deadline date, we strongly recommend printing copies of the announcement for each position for which you apply. Should you be called for an interview, it will be handy for you to have a copy of this information available.

After you have applied for positions, you may return to the portal to check on the position’s recruitment status through My Self Service > Application Status. A list that defines each application status is available in the Frequently Asked Questions page.

Note: Please do not allow others to apply for positions using your sign-on (via the navigation listed above). Doing so will cause your online resume to be combined with that of the other person and incorrectly assign your UFID to the other individual.

Applicants who are not current employees should apply for positions via http://jobs.ufl.edu/ after they have read the application instructions.

Employment and Classification staff is available during normal business hours to assist any applicant with the application process—including creating an online resume. For help, visit the Employment lobby located on the fourth floor of Stadium West. No appointment is necessary. Questions? Call Employment and Classification at (352) 392-4621 (SC 622-4621).

Develop your project management or communications skills
Training and Development will present several week-long series of programs designed to improve the performance of UF faculty and staff. All Training and Development sessions are provided as a benefit of employment and are, therefore, free to UF employees.

Now What? A Series on Project Management includes courses on project management principles, teamwork, priorities and delegation, problem solving, and relationship strategies. Sessions in this series will be held February 8 to 10.

According to Ruth Hernandez, a project management instructor, “employees can have a more positive work experience by understanding project functions and understanding how relationships, decision making, and priorities play a vital role in project management.”

Can We Talk? Improving Workplace Relationships Through Effective Communications is scheduled for February 22 to 24. Attendees can expect to learn about many facets of communication from communicating more confidently and assertively to managing conflict and relationships.

Just as the name suggests, Be Your Best Week gives employees the foundation to “be their best.” By transforming attitudes and understanding how to overcome change, employees are better equipped to handle life and work struggles. This series includes the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) course that identifies preferences for taking in information, making decisions, and communicating with others.

“A positive experience in the workplace is an essential part of being productive and successful in life,” said Jodi Gentry, associate director for the Division of Human Resources.

Employees may attend part or all of any series offered by Training and Development while space is available. To register, visit www.hr.ufl.edu/training.

Training Interest Group (TIG) will meet February 11
Kim Raymond, assistant director for the Career Resource Center, will discuss the Society of Human Resource Management (SHRM) and the American Society for Training and Development (ASTD) and discuss how both organizations can provide a resource for networking and professional development.

The presentation, which will be held on Friday, February 11, from 9:00 to 10:30 a.m. in 316 Stadium West, will be followed by a discussion of current training initiatives across campus. All UF training professionals are encouraged to attend. Refreshments will be served.

The Training Interest Group's mission is to foster a training culture at the University of Florida, encourage personal and professional development, and establish a valuable UF training network.

For more information about the TIG, visit http://www.doce.ufl.edu/tig or call Bryan Garey, Training and Development manager, at 392-4626 (SC 622-4626).