Category: HR

COMING SOON! Updated RCUH Human Resources/Employee Self-Service Portal (Launch Date: December 9, 2024)

The RCUH Human Resources Portal and Employee Self-Service will be going through a system upgrade. As part of this upgrade, the systems will move to a fluid version with an updated layout on Monday, December 9, 2024. The new layout provides users with better functionality when using the portals via mobile phone or tablet. For the HR Portal, we have rearranged some of the tiles and options within the tile to assist new users with processing personnel actions with RCUH.

We are offering 30-minute virtual sessions for Employee Self-Service and Human Resources Portal users on Friday, December 6, 2024 to preview the system interface before the systems upgrade goes live:

  • Employee Self-Service userscan register for the 10:00 AM to 10:30 AM session here.
  • Human Resources Portal users can register for the 2:00 PM to 2:30 PM session here.

Please note, registration will close at 8:00 AM on Wednesday, December 4, 2024.

Additionally, in preparation for going live with our updated portals, the RCUH Human Resources online systems will be down from Friday, December 6, 2024 at 6:00 PM to Sunday, December 8, 2024 at 12:00 PM noon (HST).  This will include:

  • Human Resources Portal
  • Employee-Self Service (ESS)
  • Careers/Recruiting
  • New Hire Documents (EHS)

We recognize the impact that this upgrade has on our operations and your work, and we are committed to making this transition as seamless as possible. We believe that the upgraded system will enhance your productivity and overall user experience.

Your feedback is valuable to us. As you start using the new RCUH Human Resources Portal/Employee Self-Service system, please don’t hesitate to share your thoughts and insights with us. We are here to provide any support you may need during this transition. We will continue to explore ways to improve our system and the user experience.

If you have any questions or feedback, please contact RCUH HR Information Systems via phone (808-956-8900) or email ([email protected]).

Federal Judge Rules to Strike Down the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) Overtime Final Rule (Applicable to Exempt Employees)

TO:                 Principal Investigators, Supervisors, and Project Administrators

On November 15, a federal judge in the U.S. District for the Eastern District of Texas ruled to strike down the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) overtime final rule. The decision rules against all components of the rule, meaning both the July 1, 2024 and January 1, 2025 salary thresholds are no longer in effect nationwide. The salary threshold for Exempt (not eligible for overtime) employees under the FLSA Salary Level Test will revert to the 2019 regulations ($35,568/year or $2,964/month).

Previously, RCUH Human Resources updated the Exempt Pay Schedule in response to the July 1, 2024 increase. We have decided that the current Exempt Pay Schedule (effective July  1, 2024) will remain as is to ensure competitive pay in today’s job market. Principal Investigators with concerns and/or questions may reach out to RCUH Human Resources ([email protected]) for assistance.

Relevant Links:

RCUH Vacation Forfeiture – Coming Soon – December 31, 2024

Applicability: All regular-status RCUH employees with a vacation leave balance and Principal Investigators

During payroll processing for the pay period ending December 31, 2024 (including the hours accrued during the pay period), any hours exceeding the total maximum carry-over hours will be forfeited.  

Maximum Carry-Over Hours Depends on the Employee’s Vacation Plan. *Accrued and carry-over vacation hours are prorated by an employee’s FTE (full time equivalency) status.

Vacation Plan A: Up to a total maximum carry-over of 10 workdays (*80 hours based on 100% FTE)

Vacation Plan B: Each plan year you may carry-over not more 15 workdays (*120 hours based on 100% FTE), but may carry-over a total maximum accumulated total or 45 workdays (*360 hours based on 100% FTE)

Considerations:
2024 Holiday Season: Administrative Leave Announcement

For Employees:

To avoid forfeiture, please work with your Principal Investigator/Supervisor to coordinate your vacation time for the remainder of the calendar year (through December 31, 2024).

To calculate your potential vacation forfeiture amount, please reference your last pay statement (RCUH Employee Self-Service > Payroll and Compensation > View Pay Statement) and use the RCUH Vacation Forfeiture Calculator.

For Principal Investigators/Supervisors and Project Administrative Staff:

It is recommended that Principal Investigators meet with employees who may be forfeiting vacation hours to plan ahead and map out the work load and expectations for the end of the year. 

Forfeiture Reports were provided to all Principal Investigators (and individuals with HR Portal Supervisory Access) for the pay period ending 09/30/2024 and will be provided another report in November. Additional reports may be furnished upon request. Please note regular-status employees who reduced their FTE below 50% will not show up on the Forfeiture Report, so an email will be sent directly to the Principal Investigator/Supervisor with forfeiture information.

Vacation Plan A is the default plan for all new projects and its employees. Vacation Plan B is a legacy project setup. No new projects can be transitioned to Vacation Plan B.

Vacation payouts (while actively employed) in lieu of forfeitures are not allowed.

All employees with a vacation leave balance are subject to the maximum carryover limits at close of business on December 31, 2024. Principal Investigators may contact the RCUH Employee Benefits Section ([email protected]) if an employee has extenuating circumstances no later than December 2, 2024.

Applicable Links:
RCUH Policy 3.620 Vacation Leave
Benefits Spotlight: Vacation Leave – Use it or Lose it (including Vacation Forfeiture Calculator)

Questions? Contact RCUH Employee Benefits Section at [email protected] or (808) 956-7055 or (808) 956-2326

2024 Year End Important Dates (for PIs/Project Staff)

In our ongoing efforts to provide our project staff with early communication, please note the following 2024 Year-End Important Dates:

DatesDetails
ePAF Deadline: December 11, 2024 (Wednesday)Deadline for all retroactive payroll correction and adjustment requests for 2024. Pay period ending 12/15/2024 is the last payroll for the tax year 2024 and the last chance for retroactive payroll adjustments to be processed in the current payroll year. Any adjustments posted after pay period ending 12/15/2024 will be considered 2025 earnings/adjustments and will NOT be included in the employee’s W-2 form for 2024.
December 8, 2024 to December 31, 2024 – Taxable Travel Payments via the Financial Portal (FOR FAs ONLY)  Please hold on submitting or approving Taxable Travel Payments for RCUH Employees from December 8, 2024 to December 31, 2024. Travel Per Diems must be posted as taxable when they are received and due to timing the last payroll of the 2024 tax year is December 15, 2024, please hold off on processing during the requested times. Travel payments may resume on January 1, 2025.
FINAL PAYROLL DEADLINE FOR THE 2024 TAX YEAR:  December 16, 2024 (Monday) at NoonPayroll deadline for the 12/01 – 15/2024 pay period.  Please ensure that ALL eTimesheets are submitted and approved by the RCUH HR payroll deadline. Any late timesheets processed after pay period ending 12/15/2024 will be considered 2025 earnings/adjustments and will NOT be included in the employee’s W-2 form for 2024.
December 25, 2025 (Wednesday)Christmas Holiday
December 27, 2024 (Friday)Deadline to consent for electronic W-2 form and mailing/email address changes.  We ask that Projects encourage all of their employees to consent to receive their W-2 electronically through the secure Employee Self-Service site.
January 1, 2025 (Wednesday)New Year’s Day Holiday
First Payroll Deadline for the 2025 Tax Year: January 2, 2025 (Thursday) at NoonPayroll deadline for the 12/16 – 31/2024 pay period    

 If you have any questions, please contact RCUH Payroll at [email protected].

2024 Year End Checklist (for Employees)

In our ongoing efforts to provide our project staff with early communication, please consider these Year End preparations as we near the end of 2024.

IMPORTANT DATES:

  • December 16, 2024 at Noon: Final RCUH Payroll Deadline for Calendar Year 2024 (check with your project for internal deadline). Submit your eTimesheets early!
  • December 20, 2024: Deadline to consent for Electronic W-2 and update mailing/email address.
Checklist ItemsDetailsPath or Resource
W-2 Electronic ConsentPlease reference the Memorandum from Kira Higa, RCUH Director of Human Resources (RE: IRS From W-2 – Go Electronic: Safer and Faster Access to W-2s).Employee Self-Service> Payroll and Compensation > W-2/W-2c Consent
Review Form W-4Make any change if necessary (review personal withholding situation).You may use the IRS Tax Withholding Estimator for assistance with completing your Form W-4
Review Mailing/Email AddressesUpdates to your personal information can only be submitted via ESS during non-blackout dates (please refer to the 2024 Personnel Action and Payroll Calendar for blackout dates).Employee Self-Service> Personal Information > Home and Mailing Address
Employees with Tuition Reimbursement for Fall 2024 – Submit Grades!Submit Grades for the Fall 2024 Semester no later than December 13, 2024 to ensure that payment is processed in calendar/tax year 2024.Employee Self-Service>eUpload or email [email protected]

RCUH HR Important  Administrative Leave for RCUH Regular Salaried Employees During the 2024 Holiday Season

TO:         All Principal Investigators Employing RCUH Regular Full-Time Salaried Employees

FROM:  Kira Higa, Director of Human Resources

Governor Josh Green has issued an Executive Memorandum authorizing sixteen (16) hours of administrative leave for Regular Salaried employees on Friday, November 29, 2024 and either Tuesday, December 24, 2024, or Tuesday, December 31, 2024. Pursuant to the Governor’s and UH President’s memo, RCUH Executive Director Leonard Gouveia has authorized the following:

  1. Regular, Full-Time, salaried employees, who can be spared, will be given administrative leave with pay on Friday, November 29, 2024 and either Tuesday, December 24, 2024, or Tuesday, December 31, 2024 (a total of 16 hours). 
  2. This leave must be taken as a single, full, eight (8) hour day and may not be split into partial days.
  3. Part-Time, salaried employees shall be granted a proportionate amount, based off their Full-Time Equivalency (FTE), of administrative leave from their scheduled working time. For example, a Part-Time salaried employee at 50% FTE is entitled to four (4) hours of administrative leave.
  4. Employees paid on an hourly basis (not on a monthly salary) and employees on suspension or leave without pay status on the designated dates are not entitled to administrative leave.
  5. It is the responsibility of the Principal Investigator to ensure that arrangements for administrative leave are fairly applied to all eligible employees.
  6. Eligible employees required to work during these designated dates due to operational needs shall be given equivalent administrative time off at some other date determined by the Principal Investigator. This leave must be used on any two working days between Wednesday, November 27, 2024, and Friday, January 10, 2025.
  7. Eligible employees on vacation or sick leave on these dates should charge only the hours in excess of their applicable administrative leave. However, if adjustment to vacation credits would result in forfeiture, the employees should be allowed equivalent administrative leave off on other dates as determined by the Principal Investigator, not to be applied afterJanuary 10, 2025.

Despite the granting of administrative leave, the Governor reminded all Department Heads that the offices should be adequately staffed on December 24 and December 31 to provide necessary service to the public. Principal Investigators should take appropriate steps to ensure compliance with this requirement.

Time Reporting: On the RCUH eTimesheet, please report Administrative Leave hours using the Holiday Administrative Leave with Pay Code  “ADM” available as a drop-down option on the “Leave/Other Codes” row.

This allowance for Administrative Leave is solely to address Governor Green’s Executive Memorandum. This does not create a practice, nor expectation of future Administrative Leaves.

RCUH Core Offices will be closed all day on the following dates: Thursday, November 28, 2024; Friday, November 29, 2024; Wednesday, December 25, 2024; and January 1, 2025..

Any questions regarding this memo may be addressed to Director of Human Resources Kira Higa at [email protected].

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Prescription Drug Creditable Coverage Disclosure Available

To: Employees and Dependents enrolled in RCUH Group Medical Plans

Please see the attached notice about the prescription drug coverage provided to you under the Research Corporation of the University of Hawaii group health insurance coverage. This also applies to any dependents who are 65 and older.

Why am I receiving this notice?

The Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement, and Modernization Act (also called the Medicare Modernization Act or MMA) is a federal law enacted in 2003. The MMA requires entities whose health policies include prescription drug coverage to notify Medical eligible policyholders whether their prescription drug coverage is creditable coverage. The MMA defined credible coverage as coverage that is expected to pay on average as much as the standard Medicare prescription drug coverage.

Please contact us at [email protected] if you have any questions.

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Want more information about Medicare? Click here to register for a Medicare Workshop provided by Kaiser Permanente and HMSA.

October & November Workshops: Invest in Yourself: Improving your Financial Wellness

Creating a secure future is important to all of us. The RCUH Employee Benefits section encourages individuals to take advantage of the available resources to better yourself and improve the quality of life for you and your family.

RCUH is coordinating workshops in October and November focusing on improving your financial wellness. Please consider adding one (or more) of the workshops to your schedule! We encourage employees to coordinate attendance with your supervisor/Principal Investigator.

Kaiser Permanente

Whether you’re about to retire or already enrolled in a Medicare health plan, knowing more about your Medicare benefits can give you an advantage. See Kaiser Medicare 101 Flyer.

Kaiser Medicare 101 Register here.

  • Monday, October 21 (9:00-10:00 a.m. HST)
  • Thursday, October 24 (9:00-10:00 a.m. HST)
  • Friday, November 15 (9:00-10:00 a.m. HST)
  • Wednesday, November 20 (1:00-2:00 p.m. HST)

HMSA

Attend a Medicare Workshop online or in person. Learn the basics of Medicare and ask questions and get answers in real time. Find a workshop here.

MetLife

  • October 25 (12 noon HST) Preparing to Care for an Aging Parent: Current and future caregivers should understand their roles and responsibilities, from starting a conversation and assessing needs to creating a plan and finding support. Register here.
  • November 1 (12 noon HST) Smart Money Moves: Take away key tips to set yourself up for long-term financial success―from having a tax strategy to allocating assets, there is something for everyone to learn. Register here.
  • November 8 (12 noon HST) Tax Strategies: The Basics and Beyond: Back by popular demand! This workshop reviews tax basics, diversification, how to lower tax bills, record keeping, trusts, and when to call a professional. Register here.

TIAA Register here.

  • October 9 (6:00 a.m. HST) Quarterly economic and market update: Hear from the experts in TIAA’s Wealth Chief Investment Office about key drivers of the markets and economy that are impacting investors.
  • October 23 (9:00 a.m. HST) Myth-busting: Planning and managing healthcare expenses: Learn more about your Medicare and long-term care benefits for today and tomorrow.
    Please note that RCUH has Flexible Spending Accounts (FSAs), and not Health Savings Accounts (HSAs).

If you need assistance or have any questions, please contact the RCUH Employee Benefits section at [email protected] or call (808) 956-2326 or (808) 956-7055.

Now Available via HR Portal: Pay Award/Personnel Action Form (PA/PAF): Deadline to submit is October 10, 2024

TO:                 Principal Investigators, Supervisors, and Project Administrators

This announcement is applicable for Principal Investigators/projects that follow the Federal fiscal year or for PIs who have missed the first round (July) of the annual performance evaluation period and have submitted performance evaluations by the deadline for their eligible employees.

The online Pay Award/Personnel Action Form (PA/PAF) is now available via the Human Resources Portal.  This is the second step in the October annual performance evaluation period process to elect to provide eligible employees with the pay adjustment (increase to base salary) and/or award (one-time payment) effective October 1, 2024. There will be an option to provide eligible employees with a retroactive lumpsum payment covering July 1, 2024 to September 30, 2024.

Principal Investigators must complete and submit the PA/PAF no later than 4:30 P.M. on Thursday, October 10th. Employees will see the pay award or pay adjustment reflected on their pay statement on October 22 (pay day for the pay period October 1-15, 2024).

To access the online PA/PAF:

  1. Log in to the Human Resources Portal
  2. Click on “Manage Employees” Tab
  3. Click on “Annual Pay Awards (PA/PAF)”
  4. A copy of the October 2024 RCUH Pay Guidelines will be available for reference. You will only be able to initiate the PA/PAF for employees who meet the eligibility requirements.

If you have any questions or have difficulty accessing the PA/PAF, please contact RCUH Human Resources at (808) 956-7106 or [email protected].