Salary increase plan for faculty and staff goes into effect September 19

Beginning September 19, eligible faculty will participate in a 3 percent merit pool and eligible staff will receive a 2 percent across-the-board raise.

Salary increase for faculty

Merit raises for eligible faculty will be awarded based on criteria established by the dean of each college. The merit increases will be added to the base salary and will be effective September 19, 2008.

To be eligible for the 3 percent merit increase, 12-month faculty must have a hire date of June 30, 2008, or earlier; 9-month faculty must have a hire date of May 14, 2008, or earlier; and 10-month faculty must have a hire date of June 10, 2008, or earlier. Faculty must also have a current satisfactory performance evaluation.

Salary increase for staff

Effective September 19, 2008, all eligible staff will receive a 2 percent base increase or $600, whichever is greater. It will be applied on their September 18, 2008, salary.

To be eligible for the 2 percent base increase, staff must have a hire date of June 30, 2008, or earlier. Staff must also have a current performance rating of minimally achieves or better to be eligible for the 2 percent increase. In the absence of a current performance evaluation, employees will be considered to be at the satisfactory or achieves performance level.

Part-time employees who were hired on or before the eligibility dates in the above paragraphs and meet performance criteria are eligible for the 2 percent increase on a pro-rated basis.

Faculty and staff in collective bargaining units will be governed by the terms of the agreements with the respective unions. Negotiations are currently underway with the unions related to 2008-2009 salary increases. Additional communication will be sent once agreement has been reached.

Please see the DDD memo that was sent July 25 for additional information.

Save the dates: Open Enrollment and Benefits Fair slated for fall

This year’s Open Enrollment is scheduled to run September 22 through October 17, 2008. The annual Benefits Fair, which provides more information about available programs and options, will be held in the Reitz Union on October 2 in the Grand Ballroom and on October 3 in the Rion Ballroom.

Look for additional information in next month's InfoGator for updates on Open Enrollment.

Questions? Please contact University Benefits and Retirement at (352) 392-2HRS (392-2477) or at benefits@ufl.edu.

Important: Update your address for Open Enrollment

In preparation for this fall’s Benefits Open Enrollment period, it’s important to make sure your address is current so that you do not miss any important mailings. To ensure you receive important benefit and human resource-related communications — particularly relating to Open Enrollment — make sure your home and work addresses are up-to-date by August 20 in the myUFL system by completing the following steps:

Log on to the myUFL portal with your GatorLink username and password. (Call 392-HELP if you don’t know your GatorLink username or password).

Click “My Account” in the myUFL systems menu.
Select “Update My Directory Profile.” Once you are on the Gatordex Self Service page, you may modify the appropriate address information by clicking on the orange hyperlinked text that reads “Addresses and Phone Numbers.”
To modify an address, select the radio button then hit submit. Make the necessary change, and hit submit again. To ensure you receive benefits mailings you must have a “Permanent Home,” “Local Home,” and “UF Business” Mailing Address listed.

IMPORTANT NOTE: Foreign nationals are required to maintain a foreign address for tax purposes and therefore should not modify the Permanent Home Mailing Address which is reserved for the foreign address. Instead, the Local Home Mailing Address field should be used for the local address. Questions regarding foreign addresses or tax implications should be directed to the Tax Services Office at 392-1324.

If the “Permanent Home,” “Local Home,” or “UF Business” Mailing Address is not displayed on your address summary, you must add the address field by clicking on “Add New Address and Related Phone Numbers” found in the menu options located at the top left of the page.
Fill in your updated address information and click “submit” at the bottom of the page to complete the address change.

It is also important that you update your address, e-mail, and telephone number with any changes as they arise throughout the year.

Contact your directory coordinator or the UF Help Desk at (352) 392-HELP or helpdesk@ufl.edu with questions pertaining to the UF Directory. Need additional help? Visit http://www.bridges.ufl.edu/training/docs/AddANewAddress.pdf for an instruction guide.

Open enrollment for adoption benefits currently underway

The Department of Children and Families (DCF) is proud to announce that Florida's Adoption Benefits Enrollment period is currently underway. Academic Personnel, TEAMS, and USPS employees who have adopted a child on or after October 1, 2000, can apply if permanent custody of the child has been awarded by the Department of Children and Family Services or a Florida-licensed child placement agency.

This benefit is designed to assist employees who have adopted children from the state of Florida’s system and made them a permanent part of their family. State employees who have adopted children from DCF may be eligible for a one-time stipend of $5,000 or $10,000 depending on the special needs of the child adopted. Part-time employees will receive a prorated benefit based on their FTE status at the time of application. All employees must also hold a benefits-eligible position both at the time of application and time of award.

The enrollment period for the Adoption Benefits Program runs August 1 through September 30, 2008. For more details and information on how to apply, visit the Adoption Benefits Program section of the DCF web site.

The application must first be certified by the University of Florida Benefits Office before you mail it to the Department of Children and Families. A certified copy of the final adoption order must also accompany your application. DCF must receive all required documents by close of business on September 30, 2008.

Employees who were not awarded a benefit in previous years must reapply in order to be considered. Please note that the amount available to fund this program is contingent upon legislative appropriation each year.

Questions? Contact your nearest HRS satellite office or University Benefits and Retirement at (352) 392-2477 or benefits@ufl.edu.

Discover your leadership potential: Apply for Leadership Development at UF for 2008-09 by August 29

Because leadership development is essential to the effective management of a university, Human Resource Services at the University of Florida is once again offering its two dynamic leadership programs, The UF Academy and Next Level Leadership. Specifically tailored to the needs of UF faculty and exempt staff, these programs are designed to help develop and retain both existing and future leaders for the university.

“A large and complex organization like the University of Florida requires strong leadership,” said Kyle Cavanaugh, senior vice president for administration. “ With this in mind, we are pleased to offer a two-tiered approach to leadership development. Each of these programs represents an invaluable opportunity for professional development, including exposure to UF’s highest levels of administration, at minimal cost and without any travel required for participants who work in Gainesville.”

Developed and coordinated by Training & Organizational Development, Leadership Development at the University of Florida provides a UF-specific approach each year to recognize “star” achievers, including both faculty and staff. The programs focus on content based on the specific strategy and direction of the university with access to key UF leaders, making this a unique, customized offering that also is cost effective when compared to other leadership development opportunities.

Next Level Leadership—designed for UF assistant directors and above, as well as faculty members in leadership positions—explores and develops skills to enable leaders to contribute at high levels in the organization for many years to come. This unique program sends 15 to 20 members through four quarterly events, each two to three days in length, and includes seminars, assessments, and access to the key leaders in the organization. Although there is a charge for this program to cover such costs as materials and assessments, it is a fraction of what comparable programs typically cost.

The UF Academy is a program created for emerging leaders at the University of Florida. Designed for exempt employees up to and including the assistant director level as well as interested faculty, the UF Academy prepares employees for higher-level responsibilities at the University of Florida. To participate, an employee must be an exempt employee with at least two years of supervisory or decision-making experience up to and including assistant director level. Employees already at the assistant director level may apply to participate with fewer than two years at UF. There is no fee for this program.

Further details as well as the application form and process, may be found online at www.hr.ufl.edu/training/leadership/. Applications are being accepted now through August 29.

2009 Prudential Financial Davis Productivity Award nominations due September 30

Nomination forms for the 2009 Davis Productivity Awards program, which annually honors state government employees throughout Florida, are now available. In addition to honoring “innovation, creativity, and smart work,” the awards program recognizes individuals and work units that have adapted or implemented previous years’ award-winning achievements to create added value. Eligible for nomination are individuals, teams, and work units as well as entire state agencies or their divisions, regions, districts, and institutions. Nominations are accepted each year in the fall with award winners announced in March.

The Davis Productivity Awards nomination forms must be completed and submitted online. From the HRS web site, you can link to the Davis Productivity Awards site and begin the nomination process. Instructions are available to walk you through the online process.

Nominations for the 2009 Davis Awards must be submitted online to the Agency Awards Coordinator, Ruth Hernandez, by Tuesday, September 30, 2008. If you have questions, please contact Training and Organizational Development at (352) 392-4626 or training@ufl.edu.

Employee Education Program accepting applications for fall semester

The Employee Education Program (EEP) is a popular benefit available to eligible UF faculty and staff. The program covers the matriculation fees of up to six credit hours of eligible college-level courses per semester.

Employees interested in participating in the EEP during the fall semester should register and complete their application forms by the following deadlines:

UF students must register between August 14-29, 2008, for fall semester. All completed applications should be turned in to the University Registrar’s office located at 222 Criser Hall or by fax to (352) 846-1126 by September 2, 2008. No late forms will be accepted.

SFCC students should register during regular registration, which ends July 30, 2008. All completed applications should be turned in to the SFCC Cashier’s Office by this date. Registration after July 30, 2008, is permitted, but those applications must be turned in to the SFCC cashier’s office by the next business day after registration.

For program participation requirements, eligibility, and application deadlines, please visit www.hr.ufl.edu/education/eep. For questions about this program, please contact HRS’ Education Coordinator, Training and Organizational Development, at 273-1761 or eep@admin.ufl.edu .

Deadline for Higher Education Opportunity (HEO) scholarship applications is November 1

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. In March 2009, Human Resource Services will select, at random from a pool of eligible HEO applicants, 50 TEAMS employees to participate in this program. Each eligible employee may submit one child’s name into the drawing. To be considered for this benefit, the TEAMS employee must apply for the HEO by November 1, 2008.

For the child of each selected employee, the university will pay the in-state matriculation fees (the actual tuition minus any additional fees for activities, transportation, health, services, athletics, late registration, late payment, materials, supplies, labs, etc.) for up to 12 credit hours during the fall and spring semesters and 6 credit hours during the summer semester. Please note that any Bright Futures Scholarship award will be subtracted from the amount the student can receive through the HEO. As long as the student remains eligible for the HEO, the Higher Education Opportunity will assist with the student’s tuition until he or she has accumulated a maximum of 132 credit hours or has been enrolled in college for six years. Please visit http://www.hr.ufl.edu/education/heo to read about additional HEO eligibility requirements.

To be entered into the HEO drawing, the full-time TEAMS employee must:

Submit a completed HEO application form to Training and Organizational Development no later than November 1, 2008.

The child of the full-time UF TEAMS employee must:

Have applied for admission to the University of Florida no later than November 1, 2008.
Graduate from high school no later than July 31, 2009.

It is important to note that the University of Florida admissions process and the HEO selection process are separate. Selection for the HEO benefit does not indicate admission into the University of Florida. Application to UF also does not automatically enter a child's name into the HEO drawing. In the event that a child is not accepted to UF, the benefit may be used at a public community college in Florida.

For more information about the Higher Education Opportunity, please visit our web site or contact Jamie Cooke, Training and Organizational Development, Jamie-cooke@ufl.edu or (352) 273-1761.

Salary increase plan for faculty and staff goes into effect September 19 Beginning September 19, eligible faculty will participate in a 3 percent merit pool and eligible staff will receive a 2 percent across-the-board raise.

Save the dates: Open Enrollment and Benefits Fair slated for fall

Open enrollment for adoption benefits currently underway

Discover your leadership potential: Apply for Leadership Development at UF for 2008-09 by August 29

2009 Prudential Financial Davis Productivity Award nominations due September 30

Salary increase plan for faculty and staff goes into effect September 19

Beginning September 19, eligible faculty will participate in a 3 percent merit pool and eligible staff will receive a 2 percent across-the-board raise.