The Employee Education Program (EEP) is a popular benefit made available to eligible UF faculty and staff. The program covers the matriculation fees of up to six credit hours of covered college-level courses for eligible employees. To better inform employees of the procedures and paperwork associated with participating in the EEP, the Office of Human Resource Services, in collaboration with the Registrar’s Office, will provide two short information sessions on Thursday, July 27, from 10:00 to 11:30 a.m. in Room 316 Stadium West and on July 31, from 10:00 to 11:30 a.m. in Room 316 Stadium West.

The sessions will cover the following topics:

• Purpose of the EEP
• How many classes employees may take
• Approval for participation
• Scheduling
• Procedures to follow
• Identifying approved courses
• Deadlines for submitting paperwork
• Requirements for attending other academic institutions
• Financial obligations
• Participants' responsibilities
• Helpful contact information

To register now for an information session, log-in to myUFL and navigate to My Self Service > Training and Development. The course code for the information session is GET012 (Employee Education Prog. Info). Registration instructions may be found on our web site. For questions about this program, please contact Jennifer Blades from Training and Organizational Development in the Office of Human Resource Services at 392-4626 (SC 622-4626) or jennifer-blades@ufl.edu.

Spaces available for Fall GED classes

If you’ve ever considered completing your high school education, UF’s GED program can help you! The program has enabled more than 20 UF employees to graduate over the past three years.

The fall schedule of classes for the University of Florida’s GED program begins in mid-August. The GED classes are taught by a licensed instructor and meet two mornings a week for a total of four hours per week. GED participants work at their own pace to best meet their learning needs in the areas of math, science, reading, writing, and social studies. There is no cost to attend GED classes, and the time spent in class is considered time worked.

In addition to becoming more effective communicators and efficient employees, graduates of the GED program gain confidence and improve their interpersonal skills. Perhaps the greatest benefit of the program is that graduates can become eligible for promotional opportunities within their department and across campus. GED completion serves as a financial incentive for prospective students and provides departments with qualified candidates for higher positions. This in turn can help keep morale high while limiting the cost associated with training external candidates.

Employees who wish to participate should complete a GED Program Registration form and submit it to: Training and Organizational Development at P.O. Box 115006, or by fax at 392-1055 (SC 622-1055).

For more information, please visit www.hr.ufl.edu/ged or contact Jennifer Blades in Training and Organizational Development at 392-4626 or jennifer-blades@ufl.edu.

Retirement Special Pay Plan educational sessions - enroll today!

As mentioned in the June InfoGator, the University of Florida will be implementing a Retirement Special Pay Plan administered by BENCOR. The plan will be implemented in November.

Educational Sessions
A schedule of educational sessions will be offered this fall:
August 29, 10:00 to 11:30 a.m., Reitz Union 282
September 20, 10:00 to 11:30 a.m., 2nd floor auditorium
October 11, 10:00 to 11:30 a.m., Reitz Union 282

To register now for an information session, log-in to myUFL and navigate to My Self Service > Training and Development. The course code for the information session is GET601 (Retirement Special Pay Plan). Registration instructions may be found on our web site. For questions about this program, please contact the Retirement Office at 392-4941 (SC 622-4941).

What is the Special Pay Plan?
The Special Pay Plan is a mandatory retirement plan available to salaried (non-OPS) employees for sick and vacation payments at the time of separation.

Who is eligible?
Faculty, TEAMS, and USPS employees participating in a university retirement plan will be included in the Special Pay Plan, with payments of $2,000 or more from sick or vacation leave. Employees entering DROP after implementation will also be eligible.

How does it work?
The payments of annual and sick leave to employees separating from the University will be invested in a 401(a) plan – either fixed or mutual fund investment option. As a result of implementing this plan, the employee and the University will save the 6.2% of social security tax and the 1.45% of Medicare Tax. The 7.65% that the employee saves will also be invested in the 401(a) plan. A sample spreadsheet can be found here.

Advantages of the plan include:

• This plan provides the maximum tax advantages on sick and annual leave payments for both the employee and the University.
• Participating employees do not pay Social Security taxes for the funds invested in this plan and Social Security taxes are never due on these funds .
• Contributions to this plan are pre-tax. Therefore, the total amount of taxes paid will be reduced. No taxes are paid on the contributions until they are withdrawn.
• The account balance is portable, and there are no administrative fees.

Impact on Leave Hours
The implementation of this plan will not impact the number of hours that may be cashed out at the time of separation.

DROP Participants
Payments of leave for employees entering DROP after the implementation date will be included in the Retirement Special Pay Plan. The eligibility to participate in DROP and the DROP program will not change. Employees will continue to be able to receive a lump-sum distribution for annual leave at the time of enrollment in DROP that will be included in the employee’s compensation for FRS retirement benefits calculation purposes or receive payment at the end of DROP. Eligible sick leave hours will continue to be paid at the end of the DROP period.

GatorGradCare health insurance coming soon

GatorGradCare will be offered beginning January 2007 to University of Florida Graduate Assistants (GA, TA, or RA) on an appointment, who are registered for nine credit hours, and have a FTE of .25. University of Florida Graduate Assistants on a Fellowship will also be eligible to enroll in GatorGradCare beginning in January 2007. GatorGradCare will extend free benefits to eligible Graduate Assistants. This new plan will take the place of the existing $500 subsidy plan. However, eligible Graduate Assistants will still receive the fall portion of the University subsidy to assist in current plans for fall 2006 through Scarborough and PSI. Additional information will be forthcoming.

If you have questions about this program, contact Julie Neubig at 392-0003 or at jneubig@ufl.edu.

Register today for free summer seminar: Managing from the Inside Out

Research indicates that the number one reason why employees leave their jobs is because of their managers. Don’t let that happen to you!

Do you want to sharpen your managerial skills?  Want to gain new tools to help move your team forward?  Are you ready to find new ways to hire the best people, retain them, and motivate them to move UF into the “top 10?”

If so, take advantage of this free summer seminar!

Training & Organizational Development, part of the Office of Human Resource Services, is holding its third annual Boot Camp for UF Supervisors on Tuesday, August 1, from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., in the Rion Ballroom of the J. Wayne Reitz Union on the UF Campus. 

Keynote sessions include:

• Behavioral-Based Interviewing - Learn how to maximize one of the manager’s most important job:  Hiring the right person 
• Assessing Your Leadership Skills - Focus on your strengths and identify ways to develop your skills in new areas

Breakout sessions include:

• Debunking UF’s Ten Most Common Employment Myths 
• Providing Feedback to Improve Performance
• Motivating Employees
• Building Trust

Fee:  None!  (This event is funded by the Office of the Vice President for Human Resource Services)

You don’t need to leave Gainesville to attend an interactive and engaging conference!   Seats are limited—fewer than 20 spaces are available!  To register, visit myUFL and navigate to My Self Service > Training and Development >  Request Training Enrollment.  Boot Camp is course number SCS705. 

Questions? Contact Training & Organizational Development at training@ufl.edu or 392-4626.

Achieve… skills, knowledge, leadership: Registration for fall training opens August 7

Registration for the fall training schedule opens August 7 at www.hr.ufl.edu/training. Look for workshops on a variety of topics, such supervisory skills, project management, business communication, and “7 Habits of Highly Effective People.” Computer software training and myUFL courses—plus several new initiatives—also will be available, including:

The popular UF “ManagerSpeak” Series returns
Spend some time cultivating specific management competencies to ensure that you are as effective as you can be. In these small group sessions, we’ll discuss topics of concern for UF managers. These small group discussions are designed to provide more in-depth discussion of supervisory scenarios. Limited to current supervisors and managers only, registration is required, and space is limited. Topics for fall include…

MGR 040 - Building Team Trust

MGR 050 - So, How Am I Doing? Assessing Personal Manager Development

MGR 060 - So, How's My Team Doing? Assessing Team Development

NEW! Rape Aggression Defense Course for Women
Taught by the University of Florida Police Department, RAD is a program of realistic self-defense tactics and techniques for women. The RAD System is a comprehensive, women-only course that begins with awareness, prevention, risk reduction, and risk avoidance, while progressing on to the basics of hands-on defense training.

How to Register
Visit www.hr.ufl.edu/training, and click on “Register Now.” You’ll be asked to sign in using your Gatorlink ID and password, or visit my.ufl.edu directly, signon, and then click on “Training and Development” under your “My Self Service” selections.

• At the Training and Development home page in the myUFL system, click “Request Training Enrollment.” Search by course number GET200.
• You also may click “Training Summary” for a list of workshops you have already attended or “Certificates” to see whether you have completed any of the Training and Organizational Development certification programs (such as the UF Supervisory Challenge).
• After clicking "Request Training Enrollment,” search by course name, course number, location, or date.
• Enter your search criteria, or to browse all available courses, select search without entering any criteria in the search field.
• Once your search results are displayed, click the blue “i” for course information or “View Available Sessions” to begin the registration process for that course.
• Click the appropriate session number.
• If the course is full, check the box if you would like to be put on a waiting list. Click “Continue.” Next, on the “Submit Request” page, verify the information and click “Submit.”
• After enrolling, your new sessions will appear in your “Training Summary.” You also will receive an e-mail message indicating your enrollment status for each session you choose, so long as your email address is accurate. In myUFL, go to My Account > Update my UF Business Email to verify your e-mail address.

Questions or need additional information? Please contact Training and Organizational Development at training@ufl.edu, 392-4626 (SC 622-4626). Remember: Registration opens August 7.

A workers’ compensation alert: Hot weather can cause health emergencies

Even short periods of exposure to high temperatures can cause serious health problems. Doing too much on a hot day, spending too much time in the sun, or staying too long in an overheated place can cause heat-related illnesses. The UF Workers’ Compensation Office wants you to know the symptoms of heat disorders and overexposure to the sun and be prepared to give first aid treatment.

Heat Stroke
Heat stroke occurs when the body is unable to regulate its temperature. The body's temperature rises rapidly, the sweating mechanism fails, and the body is unable to cool down. Body temperature may rise to 106°F or higher within 10 to 15 minutes.Heat stroke can cause death or permanent disability if emergency treatment is not provided.

Signs of heat stroke vary, but may include the following:

• An extremely high body temperature (above 103°F, orally)
• Red, hot, and dry skin (no sweating)
• Rapid, strong pulse
• Throbbing headache
• Dizziness
• Nausea
• Confusion
• Unconsciousness

If you see any of these signs, you may be dealing with a life-threatening emergency. Have someone call for immediate medical assistance while you begin cooling the victim. Do the following:

• Get the victim to a shady area
• Cool the victim rapidly using whatever methods you can. For example, immerse the victim in a tub of cool water, place the person in a cool shower, spray the victim with cool water from a garden hose, sponge the person with cool water, or if the humidity is low, wrap the victim in a cool, wet sheet and fan him or her vigorously.
• Monitor body temperature, and continue cooling efforts until body temperature drops to 101-102°F
• If emergency medical personnel are delayed, call the hospital emergency room for further instructions
• Do not give the victim fluids to drink
• Get medical assistance as soon as possible

Sometimes a victim's muscles will begin to twitch uncontrollably as a result of heat stroke. If this happens, keep the victim from injuring him/herself, but do not place any object in the mouth and do not give fluids. If there is vomiting, make sure the airway remains open by turning the victim on his or her side.

Heat Exhaustion
Heat exhaustion is a milder heat-related illness that can develop after several days of exposure to high temperatures and inadequate or unbalanced replacement of fluids. It is the body's response to an excessive loss of the water and salt contained in sweat. Those most prone to heat exhaustion are elderly people, people with high blood pressure, and people working or exercising in a hot environment.

Signs of heat exhaustion include the following:

• Heavy sweating
• Paleness
• Muscle cramps
• Tiredness
• Weakness
• Dizziness
• Headache
• Nausea or vomiting
• Fainting
• Skin may be cool and moist.
• Pulse rate will be fast and weak
• Breathing will be fast and shallow.
• If heat exhaustion is untreated, it may progress to heat stroke

Seek medical attention immediately if symptoms are severe and/or the victim has heart problems or high blood pressure. Otherwise, help the victim to cool off, and seek medical attention if symptoms worsen or last longer than one hour.

Cooling measures that may be effective include the following:

• Cool, nonalcoholic beverages, as directed by your physician
• Rest
• Cool shower, bath, or sponge bath
• An air-conditioned environment
• Lightweight clothing

Heat Cramps
Heat cramps usually affect people who sweat a lot during strenuous activity. This sweating depletes the body's salt and moisture. The low salt level in the muscles causes painful cramps. Heat cramps may also be a symptom of heat exhaustion.

Recognizing Heat Cramps
Heat cramps are muscle pains or spasms — usually in the abdomen, arms, or legs — that may occur in association with strenuous activity. If you have heart problems or are on a low-sodium diet, get medical attention for heat cramps.

If medical attention is not necessary, take these steps:

• Stop all activity, and sit quietly in a cool place
• Drink clear juice or a sports beverage
• Do not return to strenuous activity for a few hours after the cramps subside because further exertion may lead to heat exhaustion or heat stroke
• Seek medical attention for heat cramps if they do not subside in one hour

Sunburn
Sunburn should be avoided because it damages the skin. Although the discomfort is usually minor and healing often occurs in about a week, a severe sunburn may require medical attention.

Remember these tips when treating sunburn:

• Avoid repeated sun exposure
• Apply cold compresses or immerse the sunburned area in cool water
• Apply moisturizing lotion to affected areas
• Do not use salve, butter, or ointment
• Do not break blisters

This information is courtesy of the Center for Disease Control (CDC). Please visit their web site for additional information.

The university’s policy for heat stress can be found on Environmental Health & Safety’s web site.

Payroll deadline schedule for Fellowships

Fellowship appointments are processed by the HR Academic Personnel Office.  In an effort to ensure that all Fellowships are paid on a timely basis, a payroll deadline schedule has been established to indicate the dates the Fellowship appointments are due to the Academic Personnel Office. This payroll deadline schedule is located at: www.aa.ufl.edu/aa/aapers/2006-2007/fellowship_payroll_schedule2006-2007.pdf

Questions?  Please contact Janet Malphurs, Academic Personnel Office, at 392-1251 or e-mail at jmmalph@ufl.edu