RCUH is accepting nominations for its annual Outstanding Employee of the Year Awards Program from now through October 31, 2013.

 

This awards program is to encourage, recognize, and reward RCUH employees who have made demonstrable, significant and outstanding contributions to their project during the previous year.

Any Regular RCUH employee or groups of RCUH employees are eligible for the program.  Principal Investigators may nominate up to two employees from their respective project per category.  No more than one Group or Team nomination will be accepted from a Program, Project, School or Institute. Group or Team nominations are limited to no more than 5 individuals.  If a Principal Investigator has more than two nominations, he/she will need to determine which two are the best nominations to be submitted to the RCUH Human Resources Department.  

 

2 NOMINATION CATEGORIES (Maximum of 2 nominees per category):

 

1.  Outstanding Researcher/Project Manager/Professional (Exempt status position)

2.  Outstanding Project Support Staff (Non-Exempt status position)

 

Click here for the nomination form

 

For more information on the program, please refer to policy 3.450 Outstanding Employee of the Year Award.

 

 

DEADLINE to submit nomination(s):  October 31, 2013

 

The 2013 Outstanding Employee of the Year Awards Luncheon will be held on Friday, February 7, 2014.

 

RCUH will be conducting a Workplace Violence Prevention Training session on Maui, Hilo, and Oahu.  It is mandatory that all employees and supervisors of RCUH attend.  This is a 4-hour session.

Everyone (including non-RCUH employees) is welcome to attend.  Seating is limited.  Priority for seating will be given to RCUH employees and supervisors of RCUH employees.

 

TRAINING SCHEDULE

 

HILO

Tuesday, October 15, 2013

8:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.

UH-Hilo Campus Center, Room 301

200 W Kawili Street

 

MAUI

Tuesday, October 29, 2013

8:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.

UH-Maui College, Ka’aike 105CD

310 Ka’ahumanu Avenue

 

OAHU

Monday, December 2, 2013 (NEW DATE)

8:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.

UH Manoa Campus, Kuykendall Auditorium Room 101

1733 Donagho Road

 

Seating is limited.  To sign up for training, click on RCUH Training Enrollment located on the RCUH home web page.  Training materials will be emailed to attendees prior to the session.

 

Meetings are accessible for individuals with disabilities.  For more information or to request an accommodation due to your disability, contact (808) 956-6965 or email [email protected] at least one week prior to the meeting.

 

RCUH will be conducting a Question and Answer session on the following topics:

 

·         NEW Health Insurance Marketplace Coverage Options and Your Health Coverage

 

·         Same Sex Marriage Benefit Changes (IRS Revenue Ruling 2013-17)

 

 

 

Informational Sessions Dates/Times:

 

Island	Date	Time	Location
Kauai	Tuesday, October 1, 2013	10:00 – 11:30 am   and   1:00 – 2:30 pm	Kauai Community College   OCET 103   3-1901 Kaumualii Hwy.
Oahu	Thursday, October 3, 2013	10:00 – 11:30 am   and   1:00 – 2:30 pm	JABSOM (Kakaako)   MEB 315 Auditorium   651 Ilalo Street
Maui	Friday, October 4, 2013	10:00 – 11:30 am   and   1:00 – 2:30 pm	Maui College   Kalama 109   310 Kaahumanu Avenue
Hilo	Monday, October 7, 2013	10:00 – 11:30 am   and   1:00 – 2:30 pm	Institute for Astronomy (IFA) Auditorium   640 N A’ohoku Place
Oahu	Tuesday, October 15, 2013	10:00 – 11:30 am   and   1:00 – 2:30 pm	UH Manoa   Burns Hall Room 4005   1601 East West Road

 

 

 

For all those who attend a session in Hilo, please find street parking.  Parking in the IFA parking lot is reserved for IFA employees.

 

 

 

To sign up for training, click on the RCUH Training Enrollment link located on the RCUH home web page. If you are a current employee, log on to the Employee Self Service system to enroll in this training.

 

 

 

Meetings are accessible for individuals with disabilities.  For more information or to request an accommodation due to your disability, contact (808) 956-6965 or email [email protected] at least one week prior to the session.

 

ATTENTION:  Regular status employees 50-100% FTE

 

If you are currently participating in RCUH’s Group Retirement Annuity (GRA) and/or Supplemental Retirement Annuity (SRA) plans administered through TIAA-CREF OR if you are interested in enrolling into a TIAA-CREF SRA plan, the RCUH Human Resources Department is now coordinating one-hour Individual/Employee Retirement Counseling Sessions with TIAA-CREF.  During these meetings, you will be able to discuss your personal financial/retirement goals with a TIAA-CREF Financial Consultant, on a free and confidential basis.

 

A TIAA-CREF representative will be able to assist you with planning for your retirement goals, including:

• Setting realistic goals for key life events and retirement
• Reviewing your investment mix and strategy
• Selecting your TIAA-CREF options
• Learning about TIAA-CREF retirement income flexibility

 

For employees unfamiliar with the SRA plan, it is considered a 403(b) tax-deferred annuity plan which allows an employee to make contributions via payroll deduction from his/her pre-tax earnings towards an individual retirement plan (i.e., SRA) through our third party administrator, TIAA-CREF.  Enrolling or making changes to your SRA election may be done at any time during the year. For more information about the GRA and SRA plans, please go to our website, www.rcuh.com and review the RCUH Retirement Plans Policy (3.560).

 

We have reserved the following dates and times for Individual Sessions:

Dates	Location	Times
October 2-4, 2013	Institute for Astronomy Room 131- Hilo	8:00am – 3:00pm
October 22-24, 2013	Burns Hall Room 3028- Honolulu	9:00am – 4:00pm
December 4-6, 2013	Burns Hall Room 3028- Honolulu	9:00am – 4:00pm

**Maui/Kauai sessions to be announced at a later date

 

To schedule an appointment, please use our secure Web site at:

 

http://www.tiaa-cref.org/schedulenow

 

If you have questions or are unable to schedule an appointment online, please call our Service and Scheduling Group at 800-732-8353 Mon-Fri 6am – 2pm Hawaii time.

 

 

Volume 16, Issue 8

 

September 24, 2013

 

 

 

NEW HEALTH INSURANCE MARKETPLACE COVERAGE OPTIONS AND YOUR HEALTH COVERAGE

 

Significant parts of the federal health care reform law known as the Affordable Care Act (ACA) take effect on January 1, 2014.  The ACA creates a new way for individuals to buy health insurance via the Health Insurance marketplace, referred to in Hawaii as the “Hawaii Health Connector”.

 

 

 

This new option of purchasing health insurance does not change RCUH’s policy of providing health insurance to Regular status employees who are 50% FTE or greater (and their eligible dependents). 

 

 

 

The Hawaii Health Connector gives individuals the option to enroll in health insurance through its website, as opposed to obtaining coverage through an employer or purchasing insurance directly through a health insurer. 

 

 

 

For RCUH employees who are not currently eligible to enroll in RCUH’s health plans –because they are not Regular status employees or because they are Regular status employees who missed open enrollment – may choose to enroll for health insurance directly through the Hawaii Health Connector.

 

 

 

All RCUH employees will be receiving a notice entitled, “New Health Insurance Marketplace Coverage Options and Your Health Coverage” very shortly.  This notice will provide you with the following information:

 

 

 

·         Information and Additional Resources on the Health Insurance Marketplace (Hawaii Health Connector)

 

Open Enrollment for health insurance coverage through the Marketplace begins in October 2013 for coverage starting as early as January 1, 2014.

 

 

 

·         Information about health coverage currently offered by RCUH

 

 Please review Policy 3.520 RCUH Health Plans for detailed information on eligibility and coverage.

 

DEADLINE – SEPTEMBER 30, 2013 for FLEXIBLE SPENDING PLAN REIMBURSEMENTS

 

You have until September 30, 2013 to submit reimbursement forms for your Flexible Spending Plans for services or expenses incurred during the JULY 1, 2012 – JUNE 30, 2013 plan year.  NO exceptions will be made if National Benefit Services, Inc. (NBS) does not receive ALL required documents by September 30, 2013. 

 

 

 

Reimbursement forms and receipts should be submitted directly to NBS (contact information is listed at the bottom of the reimbursement form).  Additional reimbursement forms can be downloaded from the RCUH website at www.rcuh.com by clicking on Human Resources. If you have questions or need your account balance, please call NBS at (800) 274-0503.

 

 

 

VACATION: USE IT … DON’T LOSE IT!
There is a limit to the amount of vacation that may be carried forward each calendar year (Dec. 31st to Jan. 1st). The amount of vacation you are allowed to carry forward is dependent upon the specific Vacation Plan authorized by your project. Your online Pay Statement (via Employee Self-Service System) indicates whether you are in Vacation Plan A or B.  It also lists your current vacation hours balances at the bottom left of the statement. RCUH will also send email notices if we feel you may be at risk of forfeiting your vacation. Please plan your vacation accordingly for the remainder of the year to ensure that you do NOT lose any well-deserved vacation leave.

Summary: Regular employees 50-100% are eligible for vacation under RCUH Policy 3.620 Vacation Leave. Vacation is calculated and accrued on a semi-monthly basis. There are two vacation plans administered by the RCUH:

 

 

 

1) Vacation Plan A (RCUH Standard Vacation Policy): Under Plan A, employees may not carry forward more than 10 workdays* of vacation in a calendar year. The maximum accumulation/carryover shall not exceed 10 workdays*.

2) Vacation Plan B (Non-Standard Vacation Policy): Under Plan B, employees may carry forward 15 workdays* of current year accruals, and total accumulation (current year accruals and previous year carry over) shall not exceed 45 workdays*.

 

*1 workday equals 8 hours multiplied by your FTE (i.e., 1 workday equals 4 hours for a 50% FTE employee).

 

 

 

IMPORTANT DATES TO REMEMBER (OCTOBER 2013)

 

 

10/1/13	Payroll Deadline Noon
10/7/13	Pay Day
10/7/13 – 10/9/13	HR AMP Web Time Preview #1
10/9/13	PAF Deadline
10/10/13	HR AMP Deadline
10/10/13 – 10/13/13	HR AMP Web Time Preview #2
10/11/13 – 10/18/13	ESS Blackout Period
10/14/13 – 10/16/13	HR AMP Web Time Reporting Period
10/16/13	Payroll Deadline Noon
10/22/13	Pay Day
10/23/13 – 10/27/13	HR AMP Web Time Preview #1
10/25/13	PAF Deadline
10/28/13	HR AMP Deadline
10/28/13 – 10/29/13	HR AMP Web Time Preview #2
10/29/13 – 11/5/13	ESS Blackout Period
10/30/13 – 11/1/13	HR AMP Web Time Reporting Period
10/1/13	Payroll Deadline Noon

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

IMPORTANT DATES TO REMEMBER (NOVEMBER 2013)

 

 

11/1/13	Payroll Deadline Noon
11/6/13 – 11/11/13	HR AMP Web Time Preview #1
11/7/13	Pay Day
11/8/13	PAF Deadline
11/11/13	Holiday – Veteran’s Day
11/12/13	HR AMP Deadline
11/12/13 – 11/13/13	HR AMP Web Time Preview #2
11/13/13 – 11/20/13	ESS Black-Out Period
11/14/13 – 11/18/13	HR AMP Web Time Reporting Period
11/18/13	Payroll Deadline Noon
11/20/13 – 11/24/13	HR AMP Web Time Preview #1
11/22/13	Pay Day
11/22/13	PAF Deadline
11/25/13	HR AMP Deadline
11/25/13 – 11/26/13	HR AMP Web Time Preview #2
11/26/13 – 12/4/14	ESS Black-Out Period
11/27/13 – 12/2/13	HR AMP Web Time Reporting Period
11/28/13	Holiday – Thanksgiving

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

TIMESHEETS FOR THE MONTH OF AUGUST-SEPTEMBER

 

October 1-15, 2013

 

October 16-31, 2013

 

November 1-15, 2013

 

November 16-30, 2013

 

 

 

PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR’S CORNER:

 

 

 

2012-2013 RCUH ANNUAL PERFORMANCE EVALUATIONS

 

Principal Investigators who have submitted annual evaluations, but have not submitted pay increases for their employees for the 2012-2013 pay adjustments, may do so at this time. Principal Investigators may initiate/submit the pay adjustments online via the Pay Award/Personnel Action Forms (PA/PAFs), which will be available on the HRAMP PI portal for a final time from September 20, 2013 to October 9, 2013. 

 

 

 

Pay awards may be submitted with an effective date of October 1, 2013; however, Principal Investigators may request for retroactive lump sum payments (for the period from July 1, 2013 – September 30, 2013).

 

 

 

IMPORTANT: October 9, 2013 is the deadline for PA/PAF online submissions for an effective date 10/1/13.  If we do not receive the online PA/PAFs by October 9, 2013, your employees will not be getting 2012-2013 pay awards.

 

 

 

 

 

EEO/AA POLICY

 

RCUH IS AN EQUAL EMPLOYMENT opportunity/affirmative action employer.  It is the policy of RCUH to afford equal employment opportunity to all individuals without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, arrest and court record, handicap, marital status, or status as a disabled veteran or veteran of the Vietnam era.  RCUH’s Affirmation Action Plan describes the programs/procedures developed to ensure employment opportunities for women, minorities, handicapped, disabled, and Vietnam era veterans.  The Plan is available for inspection at the RCUH Human Resources Department.

 

 

 

 

 

September 23, 2013

 

MEMORANDUM

 

TO:tttPrincipal Investigators and Program/Project Managers

 

FROM:ttNelson Sakamoto

tttDirector of Human Resources                                                                                                                                                           

 

Pursuant to the September 16, 2013 announcement by the University of Hawaii, the RCUH will also be implementing new Student Assistant pay rates and pay schedule effective October 1, 2013. 

 

All Student Assistants’ employed on October 1, 2013 will have their respective pay rates increased by 3%.  You do not need to submit any online or manual personnel action forms.  My office will initiate these pay rate changes for all Student Assistants.  However, after October 1, 2013, your project’s office must initiate any subsequent pay rates associated with Step Pay Rate changes (e.g., Step A3-1 to Step A3-2).

 

The new pay schedule is now posted on the RCUH website.  Go to www.RCUH.com > Policies & Procedures > Human Resources > 3.211 RCUH Student Employment.

 

Please plan accordingly as there will be another increase in the Student Assistant pay rates effective July 1, 2014. 

 

TO:                 Principal Investigators of RCUH Regular Status Employees

 

 

FROM:           Nelson Sakamoto

                        Director of Human Resources

  

 

To view how to initiate the PA/PAF via HR AMP, click here.

 

For instructions on how to complete and submit the PA/PAF, click here.

  

PA/PAF Deadline for Pay Awards Submission for October 1, 2013 Effective Date: Principal Investigators and Fiscal Authorities must submit their online PA/PAF no later than October 9, 2013.  Your employees will receive either their Pay Adjustment or Lump Sum by the October 22, 2013 payday.

 

 

There is still time to register for the Hawaii State Ethics Commission’s ethics training class on September 27, 2013 at the Hawaii Convention Center.  The class will provide an overview of the state ethics laws that apply to all state employees.   Topics will include the following: 

• What is a “conflict of interest” and what does the law require a state employee to do if he or she has a conflict of interest?
• Can a state employee take state action affecting a relative?
• What restrictions apply to state employees who have outside jobs with private companies?
• What kinds of gifts to state employees are prohibited? 
• When must a state employee report his or her acceptance of a gift to the State Ethics Commission?
• What restrictions apply to the use of state resources for non-state purposes, such as private business activities or private fundraising?
• Can state supervisors engage in financial transactions with their subordinates?
• Do the ethics laws apply to state employees after they leave state employment?

You are encouraged to  register for this class if you have not previously attended an ethics training class or would like a refresher class on ethics.  For more information or to register for this class, visit our website at http://hawaii.gov/ethics/2013workshop/2013-09-27-EthicsTraining.pdf.

In order to minimize searching for the RCUH timesheets each pay period, we will have the current RCUH timesheet available in the Current News section of the RCUH website on the first working day of each pay period.

                                                

Click here for the September 16-30, 2013 Timesheet

PAYROLL Deadline is October 1, 2013, noon

Payday for this timesheet is October 7, 2013

 

Next Announcement: October 1 (October 1-15)