HR Newsletter, April 2018

April 2018

YOUR DNR HR Newsletter

News and Updates from the HR World

Bi-Weekly Pay

Why Switch to Bi-Weekly Pay?

• Best practice is to pay employees after work performed

• CPPS (current system of record) is down 10% of the time

• Improves accuracy and timeliness of employee pay

• Allows the State to file more timely financial statements

• Employees will receive overtime and shift differential compensation in the same period worked after the transition

Why is the State Switching Now?

• Coincide with implementation of State’s HRWorks system

• Ensures State payroll functions compliant with Federal regulations

How Does This Impact Me?

• Shifting from monthly current to biweekly lag pay will result in smaller paychecks in July and a gap in cash flow

• State will pay employee contribution toward health and dental insurance for July 2018

• Employees paid every 2 weeks - 26 pay periods instead of 12

• Employees will receive overtime pay sooner and checks will require fewer adjustments

• Leave and sick accruals will be biweekly after transition

What Do I Need to Do Now?

July 20, 2018: Benefits Holiday! No medical or dental premium deductions taken

Interest Free bridge loans available in July to help with August transition: Details coming soon

• Look at your monthly budget

• Review

  • Monthly bills and expenses and when they are due

  • Call lenders or providers and possibly switch payment due dates

  • Update Automatic bill payments

  • Understand your Payroll deductions- you might have to adjust your PERA contributions or other deductions to represent 2 pay periods a month.

• Read all communications

• Visit the website colorado.gov/dpa/biweekly-lag-pay-implementation

Performance Evaluations

We are at the End of the 2017/2018 PMP Cycle and we are Starting Planning for 2018/2019 with a NEW Form.

What is PMP?

• Annual assessment of job performance and productivity

• Opportunity to discuss expectations, provide feedback, and identify areas of growth and development

• Rated on core competencies

• Review period: April 1-March 31

• Must create plan within 30 days of hire

Key Elements of Performance Management Process

• Collaborative and ongoing

• Setting expectations

• Identify strengths and development areas

• Outline goals, objectives and growth/development opportunities

• Improve performance in targeted areas

• Understand how to prioritize and capitalize on strengths

Effective Coaching and Feedback

• Candid

• Specific

• Positive & Developmental

• Timely

• Frequent

• Action Focused

• Job Related

• Documented

What Do I Need To Do?

• Get to know the new form and the new 4 point rating scale

• Participate in the process – have meetings with your supervisor to understand the scope of your job and how you can add value to the team

• Know the expectations

• Ask questions, own your own employability

• Schedule meetings with your supervisor to get feedback

Whats Up With Safety

Everyone goes home safe

Championing Safety Habits

by Brian Brickey

To continue our discussion and breakdown of the 10 Good Safety Habits, we are discussing pre-planning and leading by example. Both of these habits, when conducted properly, can uplift teams and build a strong, proactive safety culture. When they are not being performed properly or ignored all together, injuries will become more frequent and more severe.

Pre-Planning

Pre-planning our work is the number one step we can take to build and support a safety culture. While this is one of the best ways to prevent incidents and injuries, it is also overlooked the most. Workers that have routine tasks can become complacent regarding the hazards associated with their tasks. Pre-planning is overlooked because it takes time and effort from managers, supervisors and employees. When feeling the pressure of a deadline it may seem the best strategy is to dive into the project and plan along the way. This leaves the door open for mistakes. If we spend the time to plan uncommon tasks or develop standard operating procedures for more routine tasks it allows us to take a job, break it down, review the steps with our coworkers and determine solutions that will reduce or eliminate hazards associated with the task at hand.

Pre-planning allows us to communicate our safety expectations, have a consistent safety message, establish safe work practices and reduce surprises and injuries. When we run into surprises in the field it can lead to poor safety decisions. Poor safety decisions will never be able to coexist with a positive and proactive safety culture. All levels of employees should engage in the pre-planning process. This creates buy-in and makes sure everyone is engaged in the culture. Solve the problems together!

Lead By Example

Now that we have pre-planned our tasks, the solutions in the plan must be supported by everyone. Your actions can either support or unravel the culture we are trying to build. We can all lead by example. One minor lapse regarding safety observed by a coworker or supervisor can lead to a belief that the culture isn't important or that safety is optional. We need to reinforce that safe work is essential in the workplace. Lead by example and never let a coworker perform a task in an unsafe manner, never request an employee work unsafely and never allow yourself to skip safety in the tasks you complete. We must show each other that safety is not optional and we support the safety culture every day. A proactive safety culture takes time to build and if we choose not to lead by example or enforce safety practices, it can quickly erode everything we have built over time.

Stay tuned next month for two more helpful tips! The 10 Habits of a Safety Culture is available as a training to all state employees. Contact Safety Services at dpa_safety@state.co.us for more information on training your team!

Passive Benefits Open Enrollment 2018-2019

Know your benefits

Get Started

Visit www.benefitsolver.com and log in by entering your username and password. If you forgot your username or password, you can reset them. The company key is soc.

Begin enrollment April 24, 2018

Follow the instructions to enroll in your benefits or waive coverage. Use the Reference Center to help you make your selections. You must enroll by May 14, 2018. If you miss the deadline, your FY 2017-18 benefits plans will roll over to FY 2018-19 - except for your Flexible Spending Account (FSA) You must enroll in a FSA before open enrollment closes on Monday, May 14, 2018.

Choose your plan(s)

Review your options as you walk through the enrollment process. Track your choices along the enrollment bar which updates with your total cost. Use MyChoice, a benefits enrollment tool in www.benefitsolver.com, to help you project and calculate your healthcare expenses, and identify the benefits plans that make the most sense for you and your family. If you have any questions as you go through enrollment call the DHR Employee Benefits Unit at 303-866-2667. Benefit enrollment help is set up by Division. All HR Staff can help with Open Enrollment questions,

Review and approve your plan(s)

Review and edit your personal information, plan options, dependents and total cost. Once you have reviewed your selections and they are accurate, approve your choices.

Confirm your choices

Your enrollment isn't complete until you confirm your benefit elections. Print yourelection information and confirmation number for future reference.

Don't forget to check your beneficiaries!!

Service Awards April & May

CONGRATULATIONS TO THE FOLLOWING

(Information is as close as we can get with the current system, if we missed your milestone service award please let us know)

I started with the Division October 1, 1985 but PERA has me officially starting in March of 1986. I was hired as a temporary employee at the front desk and it took me a few tries to pass a typing test that was required to fill the position. Had to type 35 words a minute.

I started at the front desk answering the phones, taking hand written messages, working with the public pulling files and other duties. Next came being the Board secretary, then moved to the Minerals program then Inactive Mine program as Administrative Assistant. Then in 2001 I was offered the Coal Mine Certification duties and continued to do the Inactive Mine program duties. In 2005 I was asked if I wanted to continue this way or did I want to move to the Mine Safety and Training Program and be the Program Assistant. I decided at that time to move to MSTP.

I think this job has been the highlight of my career. We primarily do training for the mining community and I am glad to be a part of this and helping to keep the miners and mining community safe.

The State of Colorado, DNR and this Division is a great place to work and I have enjoyed my career here.

I learned about water on the job, moved to Colorado 2 years later, and worked briefly as Water Commissioner on the Grand Mesa, before coming to Boulder and taking the District 6 Water Commissioner job which I have had for 30 years.

My job is to quantify the water resource as to time, place and amount, and to administer the water resource based on the prior appropriation doctrine. The job is 7-days-a-week during irrigation season, and involves checking stream gauges and inflow to reservoirs, calculating who is in and out of priority, turning ditches on and off, and tweaking headgates to get the right amount of water to the right people. My schedule becomes the river's schedule. If it rains, you can't take the weekend off, because the river is changing and you have to make changes to your entire system.