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October 17: Social Security and Medicare Seminar (GET598) October 24: Fundamentals of Retirement Income Planning (GET136) Employees may go to the HRS web site for a complete list of LifePlans programs and to register.
InsideUF is your campus news source where you can keep your finger on the pulse of The Gator Nation. Now it's just one click away. Look for InsideUF online daily or weekly in the Independent Florida Alligator. Send submissions for publication consideration in InsideUF to insideuf@ufl.edu.
Information Technology Orientation for new University of Florida employees is designed to give those attending an overview of services available to UF IT employees. The sessions often become a place for lively discussion among both new and not-so-new employees who come to see what’s new in the IT world. What: UF IT Orientation Where: CITT, 2215 Turlington Hall When: Thursday, October 19, 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. How: Register online today!
The University of Florida IT Security Team wants to raise your awareness about copyright violations. Sharing copyrighted material, including music, movies, software and some intellectual property, without authorization is illegal. It is a violation of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) of 1998 and other state and federal laws. UF policies support legislation by prohibiting copyright violations. In addition to legal penalties, faculty, staff, and students who violate copyright law may face UF disciplinary action up to and including dismissal. With your help, we hope to prevent copyright violations at UF. For a comprehensive document on copyright, visit the University’s General Counsel FAQs page about copyright. For information about UF’s piracy campaign, visit this web site. For more information on safe computing, please go to this web site. Be prepared: Register your emergency contact information with the DMV The Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles now offers online registration of emergency contact information. If you are ever injured in an accident and unable to speak, an officer can input your driver's license number into a computer and, if you have registered, your emergency contact information, will be able to access your information Accessing this information at an accident site will help save time if you are seriously injured by being able to contact someone who can make decisions about your care. If you live by yourself, have teenagers that drive, or have elderly parents or relatives who are still driving, this could be a life-saving program. The process is quick and easy. Registrants are allowed to enter two emergency contacts. Only those with a Florida driver's license or a Florida I.D. card can register.
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Open Enrollment ends October 18 - expect confirmation statements soon Open Enrollment ends October 18 at 5:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time (EST). As in years’ past, Benefit Confirmation Statements will be mailed only to employees who made election changes during the Open Enrollment period. Individuals will have until 5:30 p.m. EST, Thursday, November 2, 2006, to make corrections to those confirmation statements. |
| Did you add dependents to any plans during Open Enrollment? If you added dependents to any of your plans during Open Enrollment, the People First Service Center will require dependent documentation. Please submit copies of appropriate documentation (e.g., marriage certificate, birth certificate) to the People First Service Center along with your People First user ID or Social Security Number on all documents. Coverage will be cancelled unless you provide such documentation within 60 days.
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| Remember to complete company applications for some supplemental plans Some supplemental plans offered during Open Enrollment require medical underwriting, and enrollment is subject to approval by the insurance carrier. Please review the article in the September 2006 Issue of the InfoGator for plans that require an additional application and instructions. |
Information Sessions for the Long Term Disability Plan are availableStill undecided about enrolling in the Long Term Disability Plan and want information to help with your Open Enrollment decision? Information sessions will be held in the Reitz Union, Room B-74, on October 12. Sessions will begin at 9:00 a.m. and will continue every hour on the hour, with the last session starting at 2:00 p.m. Registration is not required. This year’s Open Enrollment is a guarantee issue, which means there is no medical application process. A guarantee issue is generally not made available on an annual basis; therefore, employees should give consideration to adding the plan before open enrollment ends. Questions? Contact University Benefits and Retirement at (352) 392-1225 (SC 622-1225) or visit your nearest satellite office.
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This year, while Dental Plan designs will remain the same, some dental plans will reflect minor rate increases. Please review plan brochures on the HRS web site for 2007 rates.As a reminder, the Direct Assignment/Reimbursement plan with Eagles is a UF-sponsored plan and will not be found on the State’s People First web site or on its enrollment forms. Enrollment forms for the UF plan may be found on the HRS web site and should be returned prior to the October 18 deadline to University Benefits and Retirement, P.O. Box 115007; your nearest HRS satellite office; or Eagles Benefits. |
| Reminder for Health Investor and Health Savings Account (HSA) enrollments Employees enrolling in either the Health Investor PPO or HMO may also enroll in a Health Savings Account (HSA). The state will make a monthly contribution of $41.66 (Individual) or $83.33 (Family) into the HSA, up to an annual contribution of $500 or $1,000 respectively for 2007. Contributions for part-time employees will vary based on FTE. No matching contribution is required of the employee; however, you do have the option to contribute an additional amount to your HSA on a pre-tax basis. Funds deposited into the account earn interest and are not forfeited at the end of the plan year. The funds can be used to pay medical expenses as a result of the increased financial responsibilities assumed by the employee under these plans. In addition, the account is portable, which means that remaining funds stay with the account holder even after employment ends.
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TEAMS employees are eligible to cash out up to 16 hours of vacation leave — regardless of FTE — during the pay period of November 17 to November 30, provided 40 hours of vacation leave remain on balance after the end of that pay period. If you are eligible, you will receive the cash-out payment in your December 8 paycheck. |
Higher Education Opportunity information session offered The University of Florida’s Higher Education Opportunity (HEO) provides children of full-time TEAMS employees with the opportunity of tuition assistance for an undergraduate education at the University of Florida. Each year, Human Resource Services will choose at random from a pool of eligible applicants 50 children of TEAMS employees to participate in this program. For each child selected, the university will pay the in-state matriculation fees, less any Bright Futures scholarship award, for a maximum of 132 credit hours toward an undergraduate degree at the University of Florida or a public community college in the state over a six-year period for each selected child. |
| Employee Education Program information sessions offered this fall: Courses no longer must be “work-related”
Courses taken under the university’s Employee Education Program, or EEP, no longer need to be work-related. Learn about this new provision as well as other details associated with this popular benefit for eligible UF faculty and staff by attending an upcoming information session. 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 Monday, October 23, 2006, from 8:30 to 10:00 a.m. in Room 316 Stadium West and on Friday, November 3, 2006, from 9:00 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. in Room 316 Stadium West. |
Reminder: Nomination deadline for Superior Accomplishment Awards is October 31The University of Florida’s 2007 Superior Accomplishment Awards nomination period will end October 31, 2006. Eligible for nomination are Academic Personnel, TEAMS employees, and USPS employees. This awards program honors faculty and staff members who contribute outstanding and meritorious service in their fields or to the university. It also seeks to recognize those employees who have made exceptional contributions to UF’s efficiency and economy or to the quality of life provided to students and employees. |
Sick Leave Pool Open Enrollment open until October 31 Qualifying University of Florida employees may sign up for the Sick Leave Pool during its Open Enrollment period from October 1 to 31 or during the 30 calendar days following the first year of employment. During the Sick Leave Pool Open Enrollment, all applications must be received by the Sick Leave Pool administrator by 5 p.m. on October 31. Open Enrollment for Sick Leave Pool is a separate process from Benefits’ Open Enrollment and has its own deadlines. The University of Florida’s Sick Leave Pool enables participating employees to combine a portion of their individually accrued sick leave for collective use. As a member of the Sick Leave Pool, you may draw upon the pool—with approval from the Sick Leave Pool Committee—in instances in which you have used all of your leave hours because of personal, not family, catastrophic injury or illness.
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Retirement Special Pay Plan coming soon – educational session being held As discussed in previous InfoGator articles, the University of Florida will be implementing a Special Pay Plan administered by BENCOR on November 29, 2006. This is a program that will benefit employees separating from the university and receiving sick or vacation leave payments. Attend the following session to learn more about this important program: October 25, 2006: 10:00 a.m. – 11:30 a.m., DeWeese Auditorium, Brain Institute Register today in myUFL. Once logged in, go to My Self Service > Training and Development > Request Training Enrollment. Then search and register for course name Retirement Special Pay Plan or course number GET601. Additional information about the program is available here. |
October 23-27 is Ergonomics Week at Living WellMore and more our jobs require a substantial portion of the day working with a computer. Many people in office environments find they go home with aches and pains in their necks and shoulders, hands or wrists, or with back pain. UF is no exception, and these common complaints are heard every week. All faculty and staff are encouraged to come by Living Well to learn more about modifying their work area and work practices to reduce pain and improve productivity. Environmental Health and Safety staff will be onsite to provide consultation, demonstrate ergonomic equipment, and answer questions during the following times: Monday, October 23 – Wednesday, October 25: 11:30 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. Monday, October 23 – Tuesday, October 24: 5:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m. For more information, please contact Todd Morrone at 392-1591 or at Tmorrone@ehs.ufl.edu. |
What to do if a non-life threatening injury happens on-the-job UF Workers’ Compensation reminds employees to follow proper procedures in the event of an injury on the job. Foremost, for medical emergencies, call 911 for help or transport the employee to the nearest medical facility. After emergency medical care is secured, contact UF Workers’ Compensation at (352) 392-4940 (SC 622-4940) to report the incident. If a non-life threatening on-the-job injury occurs: 1. The employee should notify a supervisor immediately and then contact the UF Workers' Compensation Office (UFWC) at (352) 392-4940 (SC 622-4940). UFWC will complete a First Report of Injury form for the employee. Injured employees who do not think they require medical care should still contact UFWC to discuss the circumstances of their accident. 2. If you require medical attention, contact UFWC prior to going for care. UFWC staff will direct you to an authorized medical care provider to treat your injury, thereby ensuring that you do not incur any expenses. Remember: You must seek treatment only from an authorized medical provider in all cases except an emergency. Please contact UFWC for guidance with this process. 3. When you arrive at the authorized medical provider's facility, be prepared to show proof of identification in the form of a UF ID, driver’s license, or other acceptable picture ID. Remember: After every medical appointment, you must provide your supervisor and UFWC with medical documentation of your work status. Injury-related absence from work may only be provided by your authorized medical care, and it cannot be provided after the fact. 4. Contact your supervisor daily or as directed by your supervisor in order to keep him/her informed about your medical progress, on-going treatment, and prognosis for recovery. Remember: You must attend all of your scheduled medical appointments. Failure to do so may result in disciplinary action up to and including termination. 5. Read UF’s modified duty statement. When your medical provider releases you to work, regardless of the limitations/restrictions you may have, you must be willing and available to return to the workplace. Remember: Absence from work due to a work-related injury or illness will count toward your Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) entitlement as set forth in the Act. Contact UFWC:
Questions? Contact UFWC at (352) 392-4940 (SC 622-4940), or by e-mail at workcomp@ufl.edu. You may also contact UFWC by dialing 1-800-955-8771 (TDD), 1-800-955-8773 (Spanish). |
