I-9 Form Compliance Training

Human Resources recently held three training sessions related to the updated I-9 form. There have been several changes, including new requirements on how to complete various parts of the form.  In order to remain in compliance with USCIS guidelines, most incorrect/incomplete I-9s must be returned to the department for editing and then returned to Human Resources before a new hire can be processed.

If you were unable to attend one of those sessions but would like to receive training, including how to access and complete the new “smart” I-9 form, please contact Jenny Charapata in Human Resources at charapaj@uwgb.edu  or 920-465-2326.

 

University Staff Performance Evaluations

The new year is upon us and with it begins the University Staff performance evaluation process for 2016. Supervisors should initiate the annual review process with University Staff within the next couple of weeks.

Annual performance evaluations are a key component to employee performance and development and provide employees and their supervisors an opportunity to discuss job performance, set goals for professional development, establish objectives for contributing to the department’s mission and discuss expectations and accomplishments.

Please review the presentation on Managing and Evaluating Employee Performance to familiarize yourself with this process and your responsibilities. If you would prefer an in-person training session on this topic, please contact hr@uwgb.edu.

Resources:

Per Operational Policy TC4, and any all compensation adjustments must be based upon merit and employee performance.  Any future pay adjustments will be based upon satisfactory performance.

In an effort to facilitate timely completion, evaluations are due by Friday, March 24, 2017.

Please note that annual performance evaluations are not required for individuals who have had a probationary review on or after July 1, 2016 or for new employees that have been hired since this date. Contact Human Resources if you have any questions about the University Staff performance evaluation process.

Student Employee of the Year Nominations

seoty2017Now’s a great time to nominate for Student Employee of the Year (SEOTY)!

The Student Employment Office is seeking nominations for the 2017 SEOTY competition.  Take advantage of the break between semesters to write a nomination for an outstanding student employee.  Applications are evaluated based on reliability, professionalism, quality of work, initiative, and uniqueness of contribution.  A special ceremony to recognize nominees and award winners will be held April 10, 2017.  Learn more about the program at http://www.uwgb.edu/student-employment/seoty/overview.asp.  All nominations (forms available at http://www.uwgb.edu/student-employment/seoty/nominate.asp) are due to the Student Employment Office (SS1100) by February 17, 2017.  Please contact Allen Voelker (voelkera@uwgb.edu or 920/465-2556) with any questions.

 

Employee Spotlight: Gail Trimberger

gail-trimberger-jan-2017Position at UWGB: Associate Professor of Social Work and MSW Program Chair

Summary of what you do: Teach courses in the Social Work Program and provide administrative oversight of the MSW Program

How long have you been employed: since 2008

Brief history of employment with UWGB: Started as a visiting lecturer with the Social Work (SW) program in 2008. Started my doctorate in 2009. That led to a tenure-track, assistant professor position with the SW Program. I received tenure and promoted to Associate Professor in 2015. I was interim chair of the SW program from 2014-2015 and became MSW Program Chair in 2015.

Three words that describe you: My family offered these three words to describe me: Compassionate, Hard-working, Humble

Personal interests: Fitness, family, gardening, snowmobiling, water skiing

Any favorite line from a movie? “In case I forget to tell you later, I had a great time tonight.” (Spoken by Julia Roberts to Richard Gere in Pretty Woman)

Are you messy or organized? Very organized on the outside. Somewhat messy on the inside (including my desk drawers.)

If you could interview one person (dead or alive) who would it be?  My Great-great Aunt Myrtle Brooke (1872-1948) who is nationally recognized as a pioneer for the Social Work Profession.

If you had to eat one meal, every day for the rest of your life, what would it be? Breakfast Skillet and black Coffee!

If you were an animal what would you be? A giraffe…strong, flexible, creative, tenacious

Motto or personal mantra? I am what I am (said Popeye the Sailor man)

Top 3 life highlights? Finding and marrying my husband, having 2 children and raising them to be beautiful adults, achieving my doctorate in the middle of my life

What do you like most about your job? My colleagues and our students

What tv show/movie are you ashamed to admit you love? Sappy Christmas movies

What’s the one thing, you can’t (don’t want to ever) live without? My family

I-9 Training Session

Our office will be holding three (3) training sessions on the updated I-9 form during January. We strongly encourage everyone who works with I-9’s to attend one of these sessions. We will be going through the I-9 form box by box online letting you know exactly what to fill in and how to utilize the tools that the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has built into the form for accuracy.

All training sessions will be held in the 1965 Room in the University Union. The dates and times are as follows:

  • Thursday, January 5, 2017 from 10 am to 11 am
  • Monday, January 9, 02017 from 2 pm to 3 pm
  • Wednesday, January 11, 2017 from 10 am to 11 am

Please sign up for the session that works best for you using this link to our Qualtrics survey: http://uwgreenbay.qualtrics.com/SE/?SID=SV_cPkbnwvsgekl5LT. We will send an outlook calendar reminder two days prior to each session but please make sure to note which time you sign up for.

If you have questions, feel free to reach out to me or our office. As you all know we do have to send I-9’s back if they are filled out incorrectly or are missing information before entering new appointments. The deadline to begin using the new I-9 form is 1/21/17, but we would like everyone to start using the new version of the form as soon as possible. The I-9 Form on our HR Website has been updated for a few weeks now as well, so please begin using that version if you have not already.

Deadlines for Employee Reimbursement Account and Health Savings Account

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If you have a Flexible Spending Account (FSA) or Health Savings Account (HSA), please read the following information.

  • Expense Deadline –  For the 2016 benefit period, you must incur all eligible expenses by December 31, 2016.
    • Health Care FSA allows for up to $500 to carry over to the following plan year
    • Dependent Day Care FSA does not allow any carry over, funds must be used within plan year
  • Reimbursement Request Deadline – Reimbursement requests for the 2016 benefit period must be submitted to TASC no later than March 31, 2017.
  • Substantiation Deadline – All TASC Card transactions must be substantiated by December 31, 2016. Examples of acceptable documentation include an itemized statement, detailed receipt, or an Explanation of Benefits (EOB). Expenses not substantiated by the deadline will be ineligible and repayment will be required. Wages may be garnished for repayment.

To access your TASC Online account, visit the TASC Landing Page. For assistance, please call TASC Customer Care at 1-844-768-3947. 

TASC Card & New Participant Materials

If you are a current TASC participant, you can continue to use your unexpired TASC Card for the 2017 benefit period. If you newly enrolled during the recent It’s Your Choice open enrollment period, your card and new participant materials should arrive by the end of December.

TASC Benefits Mobile App

Save time and paperwork with the TASC Benefits Mobile App.

  • Access account(s) 24/7
  • Available balances always up to date
  • Submit reimbursement requests or substantiate your claim(s)
  • View charts summarizing account(s) and elections

To download the TASC Benefits Mobile App, visit the iOS App Store or the Google Play (for Android users) and search for “eflex Benefits”.

Please contact us at payrollandbenefits@uwgb.edu or (920) 465-2390 if you have any questions.

Reminder: Update Your Address by January 6, 2017, for W-2 Tax Form Distribution

Make sure your current address is up-to-date for the 2016 W-2 Tax Form distribution. In late January 2017 your W-2 Form will be sent via U.S. mail to your home address in the MyUW portal.

To ensure your W-2 Form is sent to your preferred address, follow these steps:

  1. Log in to the MyUW portal.
  2. Review your current home address in the ‘Personal Information’ module.  If this is not your preferred address for W-2 Form distribution, update your mailing and/or home address.
  3. To update your address, click on the ‘Update my Personal Information’ link in the ‘Personal Information’ module. For additional instructions on updating your address, visit: https://uwservice.wisconsin.edu/help/personal-information.php
  4. Update your address by the January 6, 2017 deadline.

In addition to the hard copy W-2 Form that you will receive, an online copy of your W-2 Form will be available in the MyUW portal in the ‘Payroll Information’ module, ‘Tax Statements’ tab in late January.

Changing your address in the portal for W-2 distribution may not change your address for all of the benefit plans in which you are currently enrolled. For instructions on how to change your address for all of your benefits, visit: Change Your Name or Address.

If you have questions, contact Human Resources at (920) 465-2390 or hr@uwgb.edu.

Faculty and Staff Giving Drive!

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The Faculty and Staff Giving Drive is underway!

You can get involved by making a contribution to support students and programs at UW-Green Bay. To make your donation, visit the online giving site  or submit the pledge form provided in the Faculty and Staff Giving packet received through interoffice mail.

Support of the Brown County United Way is also encouraged through the Faculty and Staff Giving Drive. A personalized email has been sent with more information about how to contribute to the important causes the United Way supports. If you have questions about United Way giving, contact Rick Warpinski, warpinsr@uwgb.edu or ext. 2090. We hope you will get involved!

StayWell New Administrator for Well Wisconsin Program

Starting in January 2017, the State of Wisconsin Group Health Insurance Program will be contracting with StayWell to bring us the Well Wisconsin Program.  The steps to earn the $150 incentive will be the same, but it’ll be easier to earn the incentive, and the deadline for submitting a request for the incentive will be moved up.  More details will be mailed out in early 2017, including how to access the StayWell web-portal.  The StayWell web-portal will contain the Well Wisconsin health survey, provider forms for health screenings, and resources and tools for getting and staying healthy.

Employee Spotlight: Lynn Rotter

lynn-rotter-dec-2016Name: Lynn Rotter

Position at UWGB: Ticketing & Information Services Manager, University Union

Summary of what you do: Manage operations at the University Ticketing & Information Center, box office manager for University Ticketing Services, and assist with daily operations for University ID Services.

How long have you been employed: Since September of 1995 (I began as a student employee)

Brief history of employment with UWGB: I began employment at the Cofrin Library my first week of my freshman year in 1995, switched to the Weidner Center my second week of my freshman year (sorry Cofrin Library friends!) and worked as a Guest Services Associate and then Box Office Supervisor, I graduated and began employment as the Assistant Box Office Manager and later Box Office Manager until 2005. Then I moved over to the University Union and help incorporate campus ticketing into the University Information Desk operations. I also worked for a year and half overseeing the Union Promotions and Graphics, but moved back to the UTIC. And I’ve been there ever since.

Three words that describe you: Talkative, detailed, friendly.

Personal interests: Home renovation, gourmet food, interior design (especially midcentury modern and Scandinavian design), hiking.

Random facts/interests: I didn’t fly until I was 23 years old because my dad was in a plane crash in Vietnam, so we drove to FL and back 8 times when I was a kid.

(Answer any of the following):

Are you messy or organized? Mostly organized at work. Somewhat disorganized at home.

Best vacation you’ve been to? San Francisco & Napa Valley

Describe what you were like at age 10. An awkward skinny kid with glasses and a retainer. Not very good at sports, but I did well in school.

Do you have a favorite newspaper, blog? Apartment Therapy blog

Do you have a favorite quote? Pivot, piviot, pivot.

Do you recall any embarrassing moment at work? Too many to count! I incorrectly said “Scarlet Pimpernel” to an elderly patron at the Weidner Center once… you can guess how I said it.

If Hollywood made a movie about your life, who would you like to see cast as you? Amy Adams

If you could be anyone from any time period who would it be and why? 1960’s because I love the fashion, music, architecture and design.

If you could interview one person (dead or alive) who would it be? David Bowie

If you could witness any historical event, what would you want to see? The first moonwalk

If you had to eat one meal, every day for the rest of your life, what would it be? Pizza because there is so much variety

If your house was burning down, what’s the one non-living thing you would save? Family photos

Least favorite Food? Miracle Whip

Motto or personal mantra? Go with the flow.

People would be surprised if they knew: that I was a dog sitter for Gregory Peck once.

Tell us a little bit about your family. I’ve been married for 14 years and have two children, ages 7 and 2. My husband works in health insurance and was formerly a chef.  I grew up in Green Bay and lived here for most of my life. I lived in 13 different residences on the East Side (if you count apartments during college) but bought a house on the West Side.

Tell us something about yourself that would surprise us? I recently found out I’m descended from General William Tecumseh Sherman.

Tell us three things most people don’t know about you. I will eat almost anything (except baluts and insects), I exclusively drove stick shift for 20 years, and I can sail.

Top 3 life highlights? My wedding, birth of my daughter, birth of my son.

What are three career lessons you’ve learned thus far? 1. Don’t be afraid to try. 2. You probably know more than you think you do… don’t doubt yourself. 3. Change is not always bad. Sometimes change is a really good thing!

What are your hopes for our industry/school? I hope enrollment continues to grow, and we continue to see exciting things happen here at UWGB.

What aspect of your role do you enjoy the most? I enjoy seeing my student employees achieve success after they graduate.

What book did you read last? ‘Arrows’ by my friend Melissa Gorzelanczyk

What books are at your bedside? Just magazines, even though I have several friends that are librarians.

What celebrity do people think you look like? Pamela Druckerman (author and writer for the NY Times)

What did you want to be when growing up? A veterinarian, an architect, and then an interior designer.

What do you always want to try and never did? I wish I had traveled abroad when I was a student.

What do you like most about your job? I still really enjoy ticketing, and the excitement that comes with big shows or busy nights.

What do you like to do in your spare time? Sleep, if I can.

What do you like to do on your days off? Get caught up around the house.

What else do you do for fun? Home renovation. So far, my husband and I have gutted and remodeled our 2nd floor and a lower level bar and bathroom.

What is the first concert you attended? Live (Throwing Copper Tour)

What is the first thing you would buy if you won the lottery? A bigger house.

What is the most important thing you have learned in the last five years? That two kids are a lot harder than one.

What is your biggest pet peeve? Lying

What is your family like? My immediate family is small but loud. My husband’s family is large but quiet. I have 15 nieces and nephews, and 7 great nieces and nephews… all on my husband’s side of the family.

What is your favorite meal? Sushi

What is your favorite sport? Bowling

Hidden talent? Flipping my tongue in half and holding it. Or maybe wiggling my ears.

What one food do you wish had zero calories? Cheese

What phobias do you have? I really freak out when my children get a tummy bug.

What places have you lived in? Green Bay my entire life, except for when we moved to Florida for 7 months when I was in 8th grade.

What tv show/movie are you ashamed to admit you love? I still love Sex and the City

What was your favorite book, toy, or outfit as a child? I had a rag doll that my dad bought me from the Bellin gift shop on the day I was born. Her name was Doll Doll. I took her everywhere. My mom had to re-embroider her face at least 5 times over the years.

What’s on your bucket list? Travel to Europe and maybe Northern Africa.

What’s the one thing, you can’t live without? My phone

What’s the weirdest thing you’ve ever eaten? A rabbit’s kidney

Where is your favorite place to eat? Brickhouse Burgers or Hinterland

Where is your home town? Green Bay

Where would you like to go on a dream vacation? Tour Europe for a month