August 2015 HR Update

August 2015

On Tuesday, August 18, 2015, take a moment out of your day to visit the Aflac Heisman Trophy Trailer which will be on campus from 12:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. in C12 Lot across from the Festival Conference and Student Center. Have your picture taken with the Heisman Trophy, while being surrounded by college football history. Employees and family members are welcome to tour the trailer during the specified times. 

The benefits of our modern and efficient world do not come without a cost. For many of us, that cost is an excessively sedentary lifestyle. With long hours at our desks, commutes and relaxing at home in front of TVs, computers, tablets and smartphones, many of us spend 8 hours or more sitting each day – that’s more time than most of us spend sleeping! And, it may be surprising that the latest research shows that even a dedicated exerciser cannot make up for the negative effects of sitting all day with a daily workout.  Prolonged periods of inactivity—best described as sitting a lot—is unhealthy. Deadly, even. CommonHealth’s campaign, Move It Virginia, is designed to give you new ways to incorporate activity into your workday and home life to balance out the effects of our sedentary habits.  Click here to download additional tips and resources on becoming more active.

It’s the time of year for supervisors to complete annual performance evaluations for non-probationary classified employees.  If you’re a supervisor of a classified non-probationary employee, please send the completed Annual Performance Evaluation Form and the employee’s Individual Professional Development Plan (IPDP) to Human Resources, MSC 7009, no later than Wednesday, September 30, 2015. 

As previously announced and outlined in the revised Salary Administration Plan and Policy 1305 – Performance Evaluation for Classified Employees, there are now five performance rating levels to choose from: Below Contributor, Moderate Contributor, Contributor, High Contributor and Extraordinary Contributor. 

*Please note: If rating an employee as an overall Extraordinary Contributor or Below Contributor, the Acknowledgement of Extraordinary Contribution or Notice of Improvement Needed (unless a Written Notice is on file) must be attached to the completed performance evaluation to support these overall ratings.  For overall ratings of “Below Contributor”, please contact your HR Consultant prior to the performance meeting for further guidance.

Please refer to the Performance Evaluation Process on HR’s website for links to applicable forms, policies and process details.  Additionally, Human Resources will provide the remaining training opportunities:

Please contact your HR Consultant with questions you may have regarding performance management and JMU’s evaluation process.

As previously announced, the General Assembly and Governor’s Office approved merit-based increases for state employees who were active on or before May 10, 2015 and remained active on August 10, 2015 with no break in service. Eligible 12-month full-time classified staff, A&P faculty, and instructional faculty received a 2% increase effective August 10, 2015. Eligible full-time employees who have less than 12-month contracts will receive the 2% increase upon return to active working status. Eligible wage employees will also receive a 2% increase effective August 16, 2015.

In addition, the General Assembly has also approved a merit-based compression adjustment for full-time classified employees of $65 per year of service (up to a maximum of 30 years). Classified employees must have completed at least five years of continuous full-time service as of August 10, 2015 (those with state begin dates of August 10, 2010 or before).

For more information on these increases, please refer to the FAQs on the Human Resources website.

Dukes at Work involves maximizing the time for collection of relevant new hire forms and dissemination of benefits information; building more personalized connections with the Human Resources team; providing guidance to departments to accelerate the time to full productivity; and creating enhanced, meaningful opportunities for new employees to connect to the JMU culture and community.

Significant features of this program are:

• Human Resources has created a new web presence that showcases the Dukes at Work onboard program. The content and materials are broken down into six categories, each with specific steps that need to be taken for successful onboarding.
  • New Hire Paperwork
  • Benefits
  • Policy, Practices and Compliance
  • New Employee Events
  • Communication
  • Resources
• When Human Resources receives the approved hiring PAR, the employee receives an email from both the Onboard Specialist and the Benefits Assistant with instructions and a link for online scheduling to complete their new hire paperwork and benefits enrollment with the Human Resources team. 
• The presentation of benefits information is now delivered via online video modules which all new full-time employees must view before their one-on-one enrollment session with a Benefits Specialist. Employees will review benefits materials in their office or department versus traveling to our office for a group or individual presentation. 
• Employee awareness of JMU policies, practices and compliance information continues to be an integral part of the onboarding process.  All new employees will be asked to complete the Policy Summary Acknowledgement and to view the required compliance online videos in their office or departent.

FAQs for the Dukes at Work onboard program have been compiled for employees and their supervisors.

In the coming months, additional components of the Dukes at Work program designed to engage and connect new employees will be rolled out. If you have any questions, please free to contact Human Resources office at 540-568-6165 or humanresources@jmu.edu. 

Friday, August 21at 9 a.m. in Wilson Hall Auditorium

Join Your Colleagues at JMU's Annual Faculty-Staff Picnic on Friday, August 21

Enjoy a delicious picnic meal, music by The Jangling Reinharts, Larkin Art’s Kid Zone, JMU Athletics and the Duke Dog! More details may be found at http://www.jmu.edu/fspicnic/. 

To attend, sign up (by August 18 please) through the email invitation you recently received or contact University Events, universityevents@jmu.edu, 540-568-7787.

JMU’s Office of Risk Management Monthly Safety Tips

Check Out State Employee Discounts!

The University Policy Committee Website is a resource to research policies that have a broad impact on the university's people and processes.

Join the conversation on Facebook, Twitter @JMUJobs and HR’s LinkedIn Group