Embedded Files
(7/1/2024)
Labor Represented Annual Increases
Effective date for increases:
Teamster: 6/17/2024
AFSCME—Clerical, Health Care, and Technical: 6/17/2024
OHR implemented the increases in the following steps:
Salary Admin Plan/Grade and Job Code tables in PeopleSoft were updated with the new hourly rates of pay.
6/17/2024 Increases: The increase programs ran on June 14 for the Health Care, Technical, and Teamster bargaining units. The increase program ran on June 17 for the clerical bargaining unit. The program inserted a Pay Rate Change/Annual Increase row and updated the hourly rate on that row and any rows after 6/17/24.
Reports are available for review and located in the Reporting Center/My Reports/PeopleSoft Pushed Reports/HRMS Reports:
UMHRAE002 - AFSCME HEALTH CARE INCREASE ERROR.PDF (06/14/2024)
UMHRAE002 - AFSCME TECHNICAL INCREASE ERROR.PDF (06/14/2024)
Reminder: One-Day Payroll Close on Wednesday, July 3
Reminder: One-Day Payroll Close on Wednesday, July 3
Wednesday, July 3, is a one-day payroll close due to the Independence Day holiday on Thursday, July 4. Changes to the payroll close schedule for that pay period ending 06/30/24 are as follows:
UMP Payroll will be processed one day earlier on Tuesday, July 2. Payroll updates are due by 10:30 a.m. on that day.
Merit increases must be entered by 10 a.m. on Tuesday, July 2, in order to be reflected on the pay we’ll be calculating and processing on next week’s close for the July 10 pay date.
UMN Time, Absence, and Job Data deadline will be moved to Tuesday, July 2.
Time & Absence: noon
Job Data & Additional Pay (non-pay rate change-related): 4:30 p.m.
One day payroll close will be on Wednesday, July 3. Deadline for submitting payroll updates will be 1 p.m.
(6/17/24)
FY2025 Payroll Accounting Distributions
On Sunday, June 16, Accounting Services completed the payroll accounting distribution roll for fiscal year 2025.
All current and future-dated payroll accounting distributions were automatically copied forward into the new 2025 entry and are available for review on Monday, June 17.
Reminder: If distribution changes are needed for the 26th pay period of fiscal year 2024 but also apply to the 1st pay period of 2025, the distribution change must be made in both fiscal years.
New Job Aid Available
A new job aid has been created: Requesting Time Off - Employees with No Schedule
These instructions help employees with no schedule, including student employees, to request time off via MyU. It outlines steps to select the right job title and absence name, fill out the form (noting the default duration of 0), and submit accurately. Its goal is to streamline time-off requests, ensuring clarity and efficiency.
New Dashboard Available
The OHR Operations HR Analytics team has released a new dashboard: Cumulative Headcount for Date Range. This dashboard enables units to report the running count of faculty and staff employees, temporary/casual, or undergraduate student workers for a user-specified date range.
This dashboard is available via MyU Reporting Center > Human Resources > Workforce Analysis > Employee > Cumulative Headcount for Date Range.
Reminder: One Day Payroll Close on Friday, June 21
Friday, June 21, is a one-day payroll close due to the Juneteenth holiday on Wednesday, June 19. Changes to the payroll close schedule for that pay period ending 06/16/24 are as follows:
UMP Payroll will be processed one day earlier on Tuesday, June 18. Payroll updates are due by 10:30 a.m. on that day.
UMN Time and Absence deadline will be moved to Thursday, June 20 (Time & Absence – noon and Job Data & Additional Pay – 4:30 p.m.).
One day payroll close will be on Friday, June 21. Deadline for submitting payroll updates will be 1 p.m.
Reminder: Payroll Google Calendar
The Office of Human Resources has launched a Payroll Google Calendar to centralize payroll dates and deadlines. This Google Calendar contains pay days, pay period start and end dates, and other helpful payroll information. Employees can integrate it into their personal Google Calendars for real-time payroll information.
Employees can access the Payroll Google Calendar by going to the OHR website and following Employees > Current Employees > Pay and Taxes > Pay Calendars.
View the Payroll Google Calendar.
Note: The payroll calendar is also available as a spreadsheet.
Reminder: One Day Payroll Close on Wednesday, July 3
Wednesday, July 3, is a one-day payroll close due to the Independence Day holiday on Thursday, July 4. Changes to the payroll close schedule for that pay period ending 06/30/24 are as follows:
UMP Payroll will be processed one day earlier on Tuesday, July 2. Payroll updates are due by 10:30 a.m. on that day.
UMN Time and Absence deadline will be moved to Tuesday, July 2 (Time & Absence – noon and Job Data & Additional Pay – 4:30 p.m.).
One day payroll close will be on Wednesday, July 3. Deadline for submitting payroll updates will be 1 p.m.
Upcoming Events
Navigating FMLA for Supervisors - Thursday, June 27, at noon
(6/3/24)
Health Programs Team Now Hiring
The Office of Human Resources is hiring for three new positions on the Health Programs team:
Please share these job postings with anyone who may be interested.
Launch of Payroll Google Calendar
The Office of Human Resources has launched a Payroll Google Calendar to centralize payroll dates and deadlines. This Google Calendar contains pay days, pay period start and end dates, and other helpful payroll information. Employees can integrate it into their personal Google Calendars for real-time payroll information.
Employees can access the Payroll Google Calendar by going to the OHR website and following Employees > Current Employees > Pay and Taxes > Pay Calendars.
View the Payroll Google Calendar.
One Day Payroll Close on Friday, June 21
Friday, June 21, is a one-day payroll close due to the Juneteenth holiday on Wednesday, June 19. Changes to the payroll close schedule for that pay period ending 06/16/24 are as follows:
UMP Payroll will be processed one day earlier on Tuesday, June 18. Payroll updates are due by 10:30 a.m. on that day.
UMN Time and Absence deadline will be moved to Thursday, June 20 (Time & Absence – noon and Job Data & Additional Pay – 4:30 p.m.).
One-day payroll close will be on Friday, June 21. Deadline for submitting payroll updates will be 1 p.m.
Reminder: PeopleSoft Upgrade Set for Weekend of June 8
On Saturday, June 8, and Sunday, June 9, University IT plans to update the PeopleSoft development platform, PeopleTools, to version 8.60.
MyU and PeopleSoft applications, and some applications that depend on them, will be unavailable while the update is in progress.
This upgrade helps our PeopleSoft systems remain stable and secure, and ensures we retain Oracle support.
Please make note of this outage and plan accordingly.
(5/21/24)
Appointment Entry Updates
Work-study terminations for fall and spring have been entered for Duluth. Work-study placements for summer work-study can be entered with an effective date on or after May 13, 2024, for Duluth.
Terminations for Crookston, Morris, and Twin Cities take place on May 28, 2024.
Placements for summer work-study can be entered with an effective date on or after May 20, 2024.
Update to HR/LOA Open Forums
The HR/LOA forums exist to help OHR staff connect with the Leave Administration team. Based on attendance, the forums will now be every six weeks.
The next forum is Friday, May 31, at 9:30 a.m.
(5/13/24)
Changes to Operations Update
To better serve readers and to align with newsletter best practices, Operations Update is undergoing some changes, including:
This newsletter’s cadence is shifting to biweekly, effective immediately, with the understanding that the Office of Human Resources will occasionally share urgent updates via an online bulletin;
The next edition of Operations Update will come out on Tuesday, May 21;
Beginning with the May 21 edition, this newsletter will transition away from Amy Kucera. Instead, this newsletter will come from OHR Operations.
Delegation Self-Service Life Events Now in MyU
As of Monday, May 13, all benefits-eligible employees can now adjust their benefits in MyU within 30 days of a qualifying life event—like marriage, divorce, birth or adoption of a child, a change in eligibility, or another life event. This means benefits-eligible employees can make important benefit changes when it’s convenient for them. MyU also provides better data security and quicker service times, so employees will see their changes sooner.
One Day Payroll Close on Thursday, May 23
Thursday, May 23, is a one day payroll close due to the Memorial Day holiday the following Monday.
Payroll updates are due by 1 pm on Thursday, May 23.
This allows for printed checks to be mailed on Friday, May 24.
Pay Calendar Updated for CY24
The pay calendar has been updated with information through the end of CY24.
(4/22/24)
Audit of Virtual I-9 Documentation
The Payroll Services team will be coordinating an audit of I-9s using the virtual verification option that became available last August.
In the next week, Payroll Services will contact units using this option to review your compliance - particularly related to supporting documentation stored in Box.
Payroll Services will provide a list of employees whose I-9s were completed or reverified using the virtual options, along with guidance on reviewing the documentation.
Delegation for Absence Requests
If you are a supervisor or manager going on a leave, you can delegate someone to approve absence requests while you’re away.
Learn more about delegation requests on the HRMS Instruction website.
(4/15/24)
Language Assistance Available for Employees
The OHR Contact Center and Leave of Absence Administration teams offer language assistance for employees who don’t speak English as their primary language.
A team member can connect them with a translator to help with benefit and payroll questions.
The language services vendor offers translation for more than 300 languages. Please inform your employees that this service is available to them.
Minnesota Earned Sick and Safe Time (ESST) Balances for Employees Outside of Minnesota
Employees working outside of Minnesota now have access to view ESST balances in MyU.
This change was implemented on Friday, April 12.
The calculation to accrue these leave hours goes back to January 1, 2024.
If employees in your area have questions about using ESST, please refer them to the OHR website.
Monthly LOA/HR Forum on Friday, April 19
The LOA/HR forum will be held on Friday, April 19, from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m.
Any OHR staff member can join via Zoom.
This is an open forum for you to pop in and ask the team any questions - or just say hey!
Meeting ID: 98657578809
Password: rk73L5
(4/8/24)
New Process for Off-cycle Check Pick-Up
The Office of Human Resources closed the reception desk on Monday, April 1. As a result, employees can no longer pick up payroll checks at the Donhowe Building.
Despite having “pickup” as a delivery option for the Off-cycle Request form and the Stop Payment Request form, Payroll Services strongly encourages units to choose “direct deposit” or “mail” when submitting Off-cycle or lost replacement check requests.
Going forward, a printed check can be picked up only in an emergency or if an employee is involuntarily terminated and, citing MN statute 181.13, submits a written demand for final wages.
If a unit requires a printed paycheck in such a situation, please complete the following steps:
Select “pickup” on the off-cycle request form
Note in the comments that the request is urgent
Payroll Services will contact the unit to arrange a check pickup. The unit is then responsible for getting the check to the employee within the required timeline.
ESST Drop-In Session on Tuesday, April 16
The HRMS team invites you to join their Minnesota Earned Sick and Safe Time (ESST) drop-in session on Tuesday, April 16, from 10 to 11 a.m.
This session will address data entry processes, any changes that have occurred since the system go-live, and other common issues you may be experiencing.
Attendees can submit questions ahead of time.
Learn more about the ESST drop-in session on the OHR Operations website.
Leave of Absence Reports
In Reporting Center, departments can run the reports listed below to determine who is currently out on a leave of absence:
FMLA Leaves of Absence
Leaves of Absence Last 2 yrs - download the Excel doc and sort by date
(4/1/24)
Navigating FMLA for Supervisors: Webinar on Thursday, April 4
Supervisors are invited to join the OHR Leave Administration team for their Navigating FMLA for Supervisors webinar, to be held on Thursday, April 4, from noon to 1 p.m.
FMLA is a federal law that provides eligible employees with unpaid, job-protected leave for specified family and medical reasons.
This presentation provides information on the process and will help you as a supervisor make sure that your employees receive the full and correct benefit of the law.
(3/25/24)
PeopleSoft Upgrade Set for Weekend of June 8
On Saturday, June 8, and Sunday, June 9, University IT plans to update the PeopleSoft development platform, PeopleTools, to version 8.60.
MyU and PeopleSoft applications, and some applications that depend on them, will be unavailable while the update is in progress.
This upgrade helps our PeopleSoft systems remain stable and secure, and ensures we retain Oracle support.
Please make note of this outage and plan accordingly.
(3/18/24)
HRMS Advisory Group Meeting Today at 3 p.m.
The next HRMS Advisory Group meeting will be held today (Tuesday, March 19) from 3:00 to 4:00 p.m. Members of the HRMS Advisory Group can join the meeting via Zoom:
Zoom link
Meeting ID: 976 1549 9504
Passcode: 68Hrkx
Sick and Safe Leave Updates to Reports
These two reports in MyU>Reporting Center have been updated to include data concerning Earned Sick and Safe Time (ESST).
Report Name: Vacation, Sick and Comp Balances
Change: This report now shows balances and details for ESST and comp time.
About this Report: This report shows the current balance of hours per employee for vacation, sick, personal holiday, and compensatory time.
When viewing the report results, clicking the Details link in an employee row reveals all history from Spring 2015 through current, organized by pay period.
In MyU>Reporting Center, all supervisors, staff, and faculty can see the report in the Report Catalog>Human Resources>HR Operational>Time and Absence folder.
Report Name: Variations from Standard Hours and Multi-Appointment Overtime
Change: ESST will now be included in the alert calculation for "Over or Under Standard Hours" alerts.
About this Report: This report alerts to possible incorrect payable hours or incorrect associated job data for the pay period to be processed at the end of a payroll on-week.
This report is only available for biweekly use within three days after a pay period’s end date.
In MyU>Reporting Center, those with time and absence data security access will see the report in the My Reports>Peoplesoft Pushed Reports tab.
The report shows payable time alerts for departmental resolution or awareness before upcoming pay processing for a pay period.
The alerts allow for verification and correction of both job data and punch/absence data as needed. Two alerts are possible:
Over Standard Hours or Under Standard Hours
For hourly and exception hourly appointments: alert appears when the hours reported in timecards and absence are not the same as the job data standard hours.
For salaried appointments: alert appears when unpaid absence hours are submitted.
Multi Appt OT Warning: alert appears if more than 40 hours a week were reported over multiple appointments.
Warning: Position Refresh and Out-of-State Employees
Please pay special attention to employees working outside of Minnesota when processing a Position Refresh.
The PeopleSoft system will revert these employees' Tax State to Minnesota in error.
If you encounter this situation, change the Tax Location back before saving the record.
If the record has been saved and the Tax Location is incorrect, submit a HRMS correction.
Note: PEAK Phase 1 units, submit a Modify Appointment form.
(3/11/24)
Now Hiring: Classification Analyst
The Office of Human Resources is hiring a classification analyst (job code: 8182HR).
Successful candidates have a combined total of at least six years of education and experience, enjoy working at the University, and are interested in job classification.
Experience with job classification is a plus but not required.
Please share the job posting (job ID: 359894) with anyone who may be interested.
(3/4/24)
Parental Leave Webinars on Thursday, March 7
The Leave Administration team invites eligible employee groups to learn more about parental leave during webinars to be held on Thursday, March 7. They will provide insights and answer any questions you may have about taking a parental leave.
The webinars are available to the following employee groups:
Civil Service and Labor Represented employees
Faculty and P&A employees
During these webinars, you will learn about:
The parental leave policy at the University
How to take a parental leave
What benefits are covered during a parental leave
Resources during and after parental leave
Please register in advance by navigating to this OHR blog post and clicking on the link for your employee group.
LOA/HR Forum on Friday, March 8
The LOA/HR Forum will be held on Friday, March 8, from 9:30-10:30 a.m. Any OHR staff member can join via Zoom.
Meeting ID: 98657578809
Password: rk73L5
(2/26/24)
Absence Eligibility Group Updates for MN Earned Sick and Safe Time (ESST)
Absence eligibility group codes for MN ESST were added to all secondary records via a system upload, fixing ESST accruals that hadn't accrued accurately.
Units are responsible for updating the absence eligibility code on any newly created or reactivated secondary records as of February 8, 2024, and onward.
Please use Eligibility Group "UMSICKSAFE" for all records created from February 8, 2024, and onward for employees eligible for this type of absence alone.
The HRMS Instruction page on Job Data Entry gives more detail on what to keep in mind regarding ESST when maintaining job data appointments.
(2/19/24)
Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA): Webinar for Supervisors on Thursday, February 22
Supervisors can join the OHR Leave of Absence team for their first FMLA 101 for Supervisors webinar, to be held on Thursday, February 22, from noon to 1 p.m.
FMLA is a federal law that provides eligible employees with unpaid, job-protected leave for specified family and medical reasons.
This presentation provides information on the process and will help you as a supervisor make sure that your employees receive the full and correct benefit of the law.
(2/12/24)
Update on Earned Sick and Safe Time (ESST)
As explained in a previous operations update, the Payroll and HRMS teams have been working to update the ESST accrual process for employees with multiple appointments who previously haven’t been absent-eligible.
Initially, applying the absence eligibility code to the primary record was believed to result in all records accruing. We realized in January that this was not the case.
Eligibility codes have now been added to any additional records for employees. With the absence accrual on Friday, February 9, balances will be corrected and accrued hours retroactively updated to the January 1, 2024, launch date.
(2/4/24)
Year-End Payroll Adjustments are Completed
As part of the normal year-end process, Payroll Services runs an abbreviated year-end, off-cycle payroll to make year-end adjustments and check adjustments or reversals that affect employees’ 2023 year-to-date amounts. This payroll was processed on Monday, February 5.
As a result, you may see an additional UM Payroll Verification Report for your department in the Reporting Center with a pay end date of 12/16/23. These payroll entries will be posted to the General Ledger on the evening of Wednesday, February 7, with an accounting date of 02/07/24.
Note: If there were no employees who had year-end adjustments, there will be no payroll verification report available for your area.
Changes to Twin Cities On-Campus Federal Work-Study Reimbursement
For student employees with federal work-study awards working on campus: The Office of Student Finance is updating the employer reimbursement rate from 70% to 100% for pay periods 15 through 24.
Federal on-campus work-study awards: use the item type 914000000002.
If you have further questions, contact stdtempl@umn.edu.
(1/29/24)
Follow-up: Earned Sick and Safe Time (ESST)
The Payroll and HRMS teams are reevaluating the ESST accrual process for employees with multiple appointments who previously haven’t been absence-eligible. Corrections to some accruals are possible.
Important: For now, please don’t make updates to absence eligibility codes for this population. The Payroll and HRMS teams aim to make corrections and provide simplified guidelines for maintaining the absence eligibility on these records issued before the end of February.
Please message ohr@umn.edu if you have an employee in this group who is eligible to use ESST (having worked more than 80 hours since January 1, 2024) and wants to use it before the end of February. The team will review the employee’s balances to ensure they have access to this benefit.
Please watch for an update on this topic later in February.
(1/22/24)
HRMS Advisory Group Meeting Today at 3:00 p.m.
The next HRMS Advisory Group meeting will be held today (Tuesday, January 23) from 3:00 to 4:00 p.m. Members of the HRMS Advisory Group can join the meeting via Zoom:
https://umn.zoom.us/j/97615499504?pwd=Nm1YVktON1BKWDY2NXpaMWMxSWF1dz09
Meeting ID: 976 1549 9504
Passcode: 68Hrkx
First Accrual of Minnesota Earned Sick and Safe Time (ESST)
Employees will see their first accrual of Earned Sick and Safe Time (ESST) displayed in MyU following last week’s payroll processing.
Employees who have worked 80 hours in 2024 will be eligible to use this leave.
Please review the information on the OHR website if you have further questions.
W-2 Forms Now Available in MyU
All employees have access to their W-2 forms online in MyU.
Employees who still also have W-2 forms mailed to them will begin seeing their forms arrive in the mail this week.
Company UNS foreign nationals who will receive a 1042S will receive those forms in March.
HR Inclusion in Practice: Culturally Competent Leadership
Join the OHR Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) team for their fourth HR Inclusion in Practice meeting, to be held today, January 23, from 2:30 to 4:00 p.m. on Zoom. Partners from the College for Continuing and Professional Studies—Shari L. Robinson (Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion) and Lynda Flores (Director of Human Resources)—will share their experiences and insights. Please register in advance.
(1/15/24)
Row Inserted for UMSICKSAFE Absence Eligibility Group
A 1/1/2024 Data Change/Special Circumstances row was inserted into the primary job data record for eligible employees to set up the UMSICKSAFE absence eligibility group.
Notes:
Accruals only happen when payroll processes.
Departments need to set up UMSICKSAFE absence eligibility group for new hires and rehires.
Employees paid with a lump sum through Additional Pay (e.g., Academic Temp/Casual) or salary through job data must have standard hours greater than 0.25.
Employees who perform work over multiple pay periods cannot be paid one lump sum payment. In this scenario, the lump sum must be spread over the period of employment with a portion paid in each payroll cycle.
Payroll Close and the New Semester
Friends and colleagues, please remember the new semester brings a higher volume of work during payroll close, including:
Increased I-9 issues from new and returning employees
More employees listed on the Stop Report
The Payroll Services team does its best to review and resolve issues as quickly as possible.
You can monitor the team’s progress—and notes on how to resolve outstanding compliance issues—on the Online Stop Report shared every Thursday morning of payroll close.
Please trust the Payroll Services team is doing its best to support you during these high-volume service times.
HR Inclusion in Practice: Culturally Competent Leadership
Join the OHR Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) team for their fourth HR Inclusion in Practice meeting, to be held on Tuesday, January 23, 2:30–4:00 p.m. on Zoom. Partners from the College for Continuing and Professional Studies—Shari L. Robinson (director of diversity, equity, and inclusion) and Lynda Flores (director of human resources)—will share their experiences and insights. Please register in advance.
(1/1/24)
HR Inclusion in Practice: Culturally Competent Leadership
Join the OHR Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) team for their fourth HR Inclusion in Practice meeting, to be held on Tuesday, January 23, 2:30–4:00 p.m. on Zoom. Partners from the College for Continuing and Professional Studies—Shari L. Robinson (director of diversity, equity, and inclusion) and Lynda Flores (director of human resources)—will share their experiences and insights. Please register in advance.
(12/18/23)
Upcoming One-Day Payroll Close on Wednesday, December 20
Due to upcoming holidays, Payroll close for the pay period ending Sunday, December 17, was a one-day close. The time and absence validation (noon) and job data and additional pay deadline (4:30 p.m.) move back to Tuesday, December 19. The payroll update deadline will be 3:00 p.m. on Wednesday, December 20.
FY 2024 Payroll Calendar Now Posted
The payroll calendar for fiscal year 2024 is now available on the OHR website.
Updated CY2024 Salary Ranges In Effect
On December 18, the CY2024 salary ranges for all market-refined job codes went into effect.
Salary grade changes:
The job code table was updated for job codes with a salary grade change.
Active and vacant positions with salary grade changes were updated with a 12/18/2023 UPD row.
Job data records were updated with a 12/18/2023 Position Change/Position Update row.
Salary changes:
Job data records with a compensation rate below the new minimum range were updated with a 12/18/2023 Data Change/Special Circumstances row.
Row Inserted for Earned Sick and Safe Time (ESST)
Starting December 27, a new 1/1/2024 Data Change/Special Circumstances row will be inserted for eligible employees so they will accrue ESST.
Records with expected job end dates before 1/1/2024 will not have this row inserted. The appointment should be terminated or extended by entering a Data Change/Appointment Extension row with a new expected job end date.
Enter updates by December 21, otherwise ESST eligibility will have to be updated manually.
The 1/1/2024 Data Change/Special Circumstances row should not be deleted unless the employee terminates before that date.
(12/11)
Upcoming One-Day Payroll Close on Wednesday, December 20
Due to upcoming holidays, Payroll close for the pay period ending Sunday, December 17, will be a one-day close. The time and absence validation (noon) and job data and additional pay deadline (4:30 p.m.) move back to Tuesday, December 19. The payroll update deadline will be 3:00 p.m. on Wednesday, December 20.
(12/4)
End to COVID Leave
As shared in October, the COVID emergency paid leave ends on December 31, 2023. Communications shared with all employees will direct them to work with their supervisors and local HR representatives to use other existing benefits related to sick leave if they need time off for a COVID-related illness after the emergency paid leave ends. Employees will have up to 30 days to retroactively request COVID leave in MyU, for dates before the December 31 end date.
Compa Ratio Dashboard Update
The Employee Compa Ratio dashboard was recently enhanced to highlight compa ratios below 0.80 for market-refined job families. Updated help documentation can be found in the Help Resources tab of the dashboard.
Report Adjustments to Taxable Earnings for 2023 by Tuesday, December 5
As we approach the end of the tax year, Payroll would like to see all adjustments to taxable earnings for 2023 made on the pay period ending on December 3 (payroll close December 7–8). If you have not yet reported any taxable benefits (ex: gift cards, season tickets) provided to your employees in 2023, please send them by the end of the day Tuesday, December 5.
Missing Social Security Numbers
Getting missing Social Security numbers (SSNs) from your employees is particularly important as we approach the end of the tax year and tax reporting season. Please help Payroll Services when we contact you about employees in your area who have missing SSNs. When you receive an employee’s SSN, please remember to add it to both PeopleSoft and I-9 Express. Also, please remind employees to never email their SSNs. Employees should provide their SSNs via a phone call or in person.
Upcoming One-Day Payroll Close on Wednesday, December 20
Due to upcoming holidays, Payroll close for the pay period ending Sunday, December 17, will be a one-day close. The time and absence validation (noon) and job data and additional pay deadline (4:30 p.m.) move back to Tuesday, December 19. The payroll update deadline will be 3:00 p.m. on Wednesday, December 20.
(11/20)
PEAK FMLA (Family and Medical Leave) Update
Employees in a PEAK Phase 1 college or unit that have been on an intermittent FMLA prior to December 1, 2022, will be transitioned to the Leave Administration team on December 4, 2023. The Leave Administration team will work with the employee and the HR contact on the transition. The remaining employees in PEAK Phases 2–4 colleges or units that started an intermittent leave prior to December 1, 2022, will continue to work with their unit or college HR departments.
For example, if a Duluth employee started their intermittent FMLA on August 12, 2022, the processing of their intermittent FMLA will transition to a leave specialist on December 4, 2023. An employee in the Medical School that started their intermittent FMLA on August 12, 2022, will be transitioned to a Leave Specialist in fiscal year 2024-25 and in the meantime will continue to work with their HR department.
Leave Processing for Graduate Assistants, Residents, and Fellows
Starting January 1, 2024, the Leave Administration team will begin processing leave of absence requests for graduate assistants, residents, and fellows in PEAK Phase 1 colleges or units. Starting January 1, these individuals will request their leave of absence through MyU > My Time > Request a Leave of Absence. Visit the OHR website for a complete how-to guide.
Graduate assistants, residents, and fellows in PEAK Phases 2–4 colleges or units will continue to have their leaves of absence processed through their HR department.
Questions can be sent to tderby@umn.edu.
New OHR Front Office Hours
As of December 1, 2023, the OHR front office will be closed on Fridays. This is both due to low foot traffic and to allow administrative staff flexibility to work from home per Work. With Flexibility. guidance. The new hours are 8:00 a.m.-4:30 p.m., Monday through Thursday.
Please note that the Contact Center remains available on Fridays to answer employee questions, and direct Twin Cities employees to pick up their final paychecks on Mondays through Thursdays during office hours.
(11/13)
New I-9 Virtual Checkbox and eVerify Webinars
I-9 Express made a correction to our I-9 Express online I-9 form to include the virtual I-9 check box for both section 2 and Supplement B for all locations. When I-9 Express released the new form in late October, some users were not seeing this check box.
Also, eVerify is offering webinars and on-demand videos that provide an overview of the new I-9 form. View the calendar of webinars.
November 22: One-Day Payroll Close
Due to the Thanksgiving holiday, the payroll close for the pay period ending November 19 will take place on Wednesday, November 22. The usual Wednesday payroll deadlines for that week will move to Tuesday, November 21. The payroll update deadline is 1 p.m. on Wednesday.
Reminder: HR Inclusion in Practice: Diverse Talent Pipeline
Join the OHR Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) team for their third HR Inclusion in Practice meeting, to be held Thursday, November 16, 9:30–11:00 a.m. on Zoom. OHR Talent Acquisition’s Andrea Yanego and Jen Erickson will present on recruiting practices. Email ediohr319@umn.edu to be added to the invite list.
(10/30)
New Staffing Operations and Employee Information Management Teams
Please join me in celebrating the formation of two new teams within OHR's Operations department. Made up entirely of internal transitions, these groups were officially formed last week to prepare for the PEAK Phase I services go-live of December 4, 2023. The Staffing Operations team is led by Dianna Orth, while Hilary Denn heads up the Employee Information Management team within the Workforce Data Management team. (Please visit the OHR directory to view the full list of team members.)
Congratulations to the PEAK Initiative team for this milestone achievement.
(10/23)
Future-Dated Benefits Row Added to Some Employee Records
This week, a “12/18/2023 Data Change/Benefits Use Only” row will be inserted into some employee records for Open Enrollment processing. Please do not delete this row unless the employee is terminating before December 18, 2023.
You’re Invited! HR Inclusion in Practice: Diverse Talent Pipeline
Join the OHR Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) team for their third HR Inclusion in Practice meeting, to be held Thursday, November 16, 9:30–11:00 a.m. on Zoom. OHR Talent Acquisition’s Andrea Yanego and Jen Erickson will present on recruiting practices. Email ediohr319@umn.edu to be added to the invite list.
(10/15)
HR Teams Unavailable Tuesday, October 17
The Contact Center, Benefit Administration, Leave of Absence, and Talent Acquisition (including Student Employment Office) teams are attending an offsite training on Tuesday, October 17. The phone lines will not be managed for the day. Employees can email their questions to ohr@umn.edu or leaveadmin@umn.edu. The teams will be back to answer questions on Wednesday, October 18.
Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) Reports Reminder
The following FMLA reports can be pulled through the MyU Reporting Center:
FMLA leaves of absences
FMLA leaves of absences by employee
FMLA military leaves of absence
Leave of absences last two years
Leave of absences last two years by employee
These self-service reports include start and end dates for easy departmental reporting.
Rehiring Employees Originally Hired During Pandemic
If you rehire a former employee whose I-9 was completed during the Covid-related relaxed provision period, please carefully review their original I-9 to ensure that it is compliant. If the I-9 was completed using the relaxed provision and the employee was terminated before their I-9 could be updated to the post-relaxed provision standard, it is not a compliant I-9. The original I-9 documents must be reviewed in person or using the permanent virtual verification, and the original I-9 should be updated in I-9 Express.
If the employee was originally hired in a different department, your department is responsible for checking their documents. If the location code of the I-9 needs to be changed, please request this change with the OHR Contact Center.
How to Update in I-9 Express
Click on the Covid-19 Update button. The page will list the document(s) you need to physically review. Once the physical review is complete, click “Continue” to complete the process.
New Talent Acquisition Glossary in Idera
In anticipation of the November 2023 release of the new Talent Acquisition business data area in UM Analytics, we have published the Talent Acquisition glossary in Idera (requires VPN and internet ID and password to access). The glossary also leverages related business terminology from the existing Position, Job, & Compensation business data area. Relevant business terms and defined metrics will be included in help documentation to accompany new dashboards and ad hoc reporting currently under development.
In the meantime, we will be performing user experience testing as we roll out content to support the Talent Acquisition process for prospective or current employees across the University system.
(9/25)
Be Sure to Get Social Security Numbers From Foreign National Employees
Please remember to contact your new foreign national employees to request their Social Security numbers. They should be receiving their numbers by this time. Be sure to enter the SSN in both I-9 Express and PeopleSoft.
(9/18)
HRMS Advisory Group Will Meet Today at 3:00 p.m.
The next HRMS Advisory Group meeting will be held today (Tuesday, September 19) from 3:00 to 4:00 p.m. Members of the HRMS Advisory Group can join the meeting via Zoom:
https://umn.zoom.us/j/97615499504?pwd=Nm1YVktON1BKWDY2NXpaMWMxSWF1dz09
Meeting ID: 976 1549 9504
Passcode: 68Hrkx
MyU and PeopleSoft Unavailable Noon Saturday to Noon Sunday
Due to planned system maintenance on the PeopleSoft EFS/Finance application, MyU and PeopleSoft will not be available from noon Saturday, September 23, to noon Sunday, September 24. These occasional updates add new features, fix bugs, and ensure continued vendor support. While the work is underway, MyU, Campus Solutions, EFS/Finance, and Human Resources applications will be out of service. Apart from the downtime, the update will not significantly affect end users of EFS/Finance.
(9/11)
HRMS Advisory Group Will Meet Tuesday, September 19
The next HRMS Advisory Group meeting will be held Tuesday, September 19, from 3:00 to 4:00 p.m. Members of the HRMS Advisory Group can join the meeting via Zoom:
https://umn.zoom.us/j/97615499504?pwd=Nm1YVktON1BKWDY2NXpaMWMxSWF1dz09
Meeting ID: 976 1549 9504
Passcode: 68Hrkx
HRMS Drop-in Session on Additional Pay Set for September 19
The next drop-in session for HRMS users, on the topic of Additional Pay, will be held Tuesday, September 19, from 10:00 to 11:00 a.m. At this virtual open house, HRMS experts will be on hand to answer your questions and troubleshoot complex situations. Join the Google Meet session at any time using this link and stay as long as you like.
Open houses start with a brief demonstration and basic guidelines for those who just want to listen and learn, followed by an open Q&A to answer specific questions. Submit questions in advance using this Google form.
The sessions are hosted by OHR's Training Services, in collaboration with the HRMS HelpDesk and Workforce Data Management.
(9/4)
HRMS Drop-in Session on Additional Pay Set for September 19
The next drop-in session for HRMS users, on the topic of Additional Pay, will be held Tuesday, September 19, from 10:00 to 11:00 a.m. At this virtual open house, HRMS experts will be on hand to answer your questions and troubleshoot complex situations. Join the Google Meet session at any time using this link and stay as long as you like.
Open houses start with a brief demonstration and basic guidelines for those who just want to listen and learn, followed by an open Q&A to answer specific questions. Submit questions in advance using this Google form.
The sessions are hosted by OHR's Training Services, in collaboration with the HRMS HelpDesk and Workforce Data Management.
(8/28)
One-Day Payroll Close This Week
This week's payroll close will be a one-day close on Thursday due to the Labor Day holiday on Monday.
9-Month Twin Cities and Rochester Contract Renewals Have Been Updated
Contract renewals for 9-month appointments have been entered for U of M Twin Cities and Rochester campuses. Contracts, job data, and notices of appointment have been updated. One contract renewal report dated 8/23/2023 is now available in the Reporting Center via My Reports > PeopleSoft Pushed Reports > HR CONTRACT RENEW
Remember the Rules of Prorating Additional Pay
This is a good time of the year for a reminder that certain job data actions will automatically prorate Additional Pay—many of which are commonly used at the beginning of the term. These job data actions include:
Additional Job (ADL)
Retirement (RET)
Hire (HIR)
Return From Disability (RFD)
Unpaid Leave of Absence (LOA)
Return From Leave of Absence (if employee was on an unpaid leave) (RFL)
Layoff (LOF)
Return From Short Work Break (RWB)
Long-Term Disability Without Pay (LTO)
Suspension (SUS)
Add a Person of Interest (POI)
Short Work Break (SWB)
Recall (REC)
Termination (TER)
Rehire (REH)
Additional Pay prorating is explained more in this very good job aid.
New Standard Hours Requirement for Graduate Assistant Appointments
As announced in the last HRMS Advisory Group meeting, all Graduate Assistant appointments must now be set up with standard hours of greater than .25. If actual hours can't be predicted exactly, use a best estimate. Units have the option of setting up the Employee Type in Job Data as "E - Exception Hourly" or "H - Hourly." Generally, E is appropriate if the schedule is predictable, and H is appropriate if the schedule will vary each week and the employee needs to enter hours worked. These pages on the HRMS Instruction website have been updated with this change:
Create Position (item 16)
Position Pages and Fields (under Description Tab: Salary Plan Information Section > Standard Hours)
Sign Up for Twin Cities Undergrad Student Job Fair by Wednesday
Talent Acquisition will be hosting an undergrad student job fair on the Twin Cities campus:
Tuesday, September 12
10:00 a.m.–3:00 p.m.
Coffman Memorial Union, Great Hall
If you're interested in speaking to undergrads looking to work on campus, sign up here for a booth by Wednesday, August 30. The last student job fair in 2019 brought in more than 600 students, and we're working with Career Services and Student Finance to ensure great attendance this year. Contact stdtempl@umn.edu with questions.
(8/21)
HRMS Advisory Group Will Meet Today at 3:00 p.m.
The next HRMS Advisory Group meeting will be held today (Tuesday, August 22) from 3:00 to 4:00 p.m. Members of the HRMS Advisory Group can join the meeting via Zoom:
https://umn.zoom.us/j/97615499504?pwd=Nm1YVktON1BKWDY2NXpaMWMxSWF1dz09
Meeting ID: 976 1549 9504
Passcode: 68Hrkx
One-Day Payroll Close Next Week
Next week's payroll close will be a one-day close on Thursday, August 31, due to the Labor Day holiday on Monday.
Summer Work-Study Appointments Terminated
Summer work-study terminations for the Duluth, Morris, and Twin Cities campuses were run yesterday. Crookston did not have any summer placements to be terminated. Placements for fall work-study can be entered with an effective date on or after 8/14/2023 for all campuses.
Twin Cities Undergrad Student Job Fair Sign-up Extended
Talent Acquisition will be hosting an undergrad student job fair on the Twin Cities campus:
Tuesday, September 12
10:00 a.m.–3:00 p.m.
Coffman Memorial Union, Great Hall
If you're interested in speaking to undergrads looking to work on campus, sign up here for a booth by Wednesday, August 30. The last student job fair in 2019 brought in more than 600 students, and Talent Acquisition is working with Career Services and Student Finance to ensure great attendance this year. Contact stdtempl@umn.edu with questions.
Use Job Posting Destination 'Student Jobs' for Student Worker Positions
OHR has seen an increase in student job postings appearing on the faculty and staff job board. Instead, please list job postings for undergraduate and graduate students using the job posting destination "Student Jobs" to ensure that students can find those jobs on the appropriate job board. These openings still need to be posted both internally and externally to be visible for all students to apply. Contact stdtempl@umn.edu with any questions.
Remember to Use 'Search Person' Before Entering New Hires
With new employees being hired for fall, Operations is seeing an increase in duplicate records. It is very important to conduct a thorough search before creating new IDs. The HRMS Instruction web page Search for a Person is a great resource on how to complete a search in PeopleSoft. If you believe you have found or created a duplicate ID, contact ohr@umn.edu for assistance.
(8/14)
Contract Renewals Updated
9-Month UMM/UMC/Law School Contracts: Renewals for 9-month appointments at U of M Morris, Crookston, and the Law School have been entered. Contracts, job data, and notices of appointment have been updated. One contract renewal report dated 8/9/2023 is now available in the Reporting Center under My Reports > HR Contract Renew: UM CONTRACT RENEWALS (08/09/2023).
10-Month Contracts: Renewals for 10-month appointments have been entered. Contracts, job data, and notices of appointment have been updated. One contract renewal report dated 8/9/2023 is now available in the Reporting Center under My Reports > HR Contract Renew: UM CONTRACT RENEWALS (08/09/2023).
Preparing for 9-Month Twin Cities and Rochester Contract Renewals: The 9-month contract renewals for the Twin Cities and Rochester campuses will be run the week of August 21. Please enter the Return from Work Break rows by August 20.
I-9 Compliance Forum Follow-Up Meeting August 21
To continue our discussion from the recent I-9 Compliance Forum, a follow-up meeting will be held Monday, August 21, from 11:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. The content will include more Q&A and best practices concerning the recent I-9 compliance changes. To attend, follow this Zoom link: https://umn.zoom.us/j/93413694624.
HRMS Advisory Group Will Meet August 22 at 3:00 p.m.
The next HRMS Advisory Group meeting will be held Tuesday, August 22, from 3:00 to 4:00 p.m. Members of the HRMS Advisory Group can join the meeting via Zoom:
https://umn.zoom.us/j/97615499504?pwd=Nm1YVktON1BKWDY2NXpaMWMxSWF1dz09
Meeting ID: 976 1549 9504
Passcode: 68Hrkx
Improvements Coming to Approval Process
Beginning Monday, August 21, managers and others who approve absences, job offers, and other tasks in MyU will be able to approve them on mobile devices such as smartphones and tablets. The updated, "fluid" technology gracefully scales web pages from large devices such as laptops and desktops to smaller, mobile screens.
Here are some additional highlights and changes you will see for various HR roles starting Monday:
MANAGERS can now:
Approve different types of tasks from one central screen, including:
Absence requests and canceling absence requests
Job offers
Delegation requests
(Time reporting approvals are not affected but are expected to be converted in the future.)
Approve several requests at once by checking a box next to each item
Add optional comments when approving or denying. (Instead of the previous "Pushback" button, you can deny a request and add an explanation or instructions for resubmitting.)
Navigate to pending approvals in the usual way: MyU > Manager Info > Approve Absences. The approvals page will open on a new, fluid tab showing absences and other tasks awaiting action. (You can also still access absence requests directly from email links.) Clicking a category in the left column will allow you to make mass approvals.
UNIT HR STAFF will see a new "Approvals" tile on their HR home page in MyU, which can be used for absences requests, job offers, and delegations.
UNIT RECRUITERS can use the new Approvals tile for faster access to pending job offer approvals compared to either the Recruiting Home or Job Opening (however, they can still approve offers through those pages as well).
For more information or help with approvals, email or call the Office of Human Resources Contact Center at ohr@umn.edu, 612-624-8647, or 800-756-2363.
Employees Can Now Change Their Legal Name Using MyU
Also beginning Monday, August 21, employees who have changed their legal name will be able to register their new name with the University using the My Info tab in MyU. Previously, employees have had to work with their unit's HR representative to initiate a name change.
An email to all employees from Amy Kucera on August 21 will explain the process in more detail. For employees who do not have access to a computer or smartphone, HR units will still need to work with them as they have been currently to initiate a legal name change.
Appointment Entry Process for Emeritus Faculty Updated
Recently, the University policy for emeritus faculty was updated, which will require some changes in how they are entered into PeopleSoft. Here is the revised process:
When a faculty member is retiring and is awarded emeritus status, their tenure status should be updated in PeopleSoft using the TEE/TTE tenure status codes (see this job aid for more information). This will grant the retired faculty member certain emeritus privileges and services, such as:
A University email account
Library privileges
Parking privileges
And more
However, collegiate or administrative units may grant some retired faculty additional privileges, such as:
Use of University computers
Access to the UMN Virtual Private Network (VPN)
Active Directory
Unit administrators will decide when an emeritus faculty member should be included in this category. If so, the faculty member will instead need to be assigned as a person-of-interest (POI) account. See these instructions on how to create a POI account.
For questions, email or call the Office of Human Resources Contact Center at ohr@umn.edu, 612-624-8647, or 800-756-2363.
(8/7)
I-9 Compliance Forum Today at 2:00 p.m.
Payroll Services will hold an I-9 Compliance Forum via Zoom today (August 8) at 2:00 p.m. to discuss the employment verification process. Among the topics will be the newly approved virtual verification procedure (see above). To join the meeting:
https://umn.zoom.us/j/94768971772?pwd=bEFkczl1cVJKWVFMZ2hKQVB3cUdUUT09
Meeting ID: 947 6897 1772
Passcode: Vm93mL
Complete These 3 Steps Before Implementing I-9 Virtual Verification in Your Unit
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) and eVerify have given eVerify employers (of which the University is one) a new option for verifying employment eligibility. As of August 1, employers can use an alternative procedure called "permanent virtual verification." The University will begin allowing this option as early as Wednesday, August 9.
Before beginning to use this new option in your collegiate or administrative unit, you must complete the following three internal requirements:
All I-9 administrators must read and understand these USCIS requirements for using virtual verification:
Examine remotely the front and back of their employees' identity and employment authorization documentation, or an acceptable receipt, to determine that the documentation reasonably appears genuine
Conduct a live interaction with the employee presenting the same documentation to ensure that it reasonably appears genuine and relates to the employee
Indicate on Form I-9, by completing the corresponding box, that an alternative procedure was used to examine documentation to complete Section 2 or for reverification
Retain clear and legible copies (front and back) of all documents presented by employees
Make available legible copies of an employee's documentation in the event of an Immigration and Customs Enforcement I-9 audit or federal government agency investigation
Before beginning to use the new virtual procedure, email i9ohr@umn.edu with the names and email addresses of up to three employees who will manage your unit's I-9 documentation folder in Box Secure Storage.
The University will use Box Secure Storage to store this documentation centrally. We will provide more details on using Box for this requirement in today's I-9 Compliance Forum. These managers will be able to give access to additional users in your unit.
All I-9 administrators must attend (or watch the recording of) the 2023 I-9 Compliance Forum today (August 8) at 2:00 p.m.
We are working on additional instructions and training resources that will be shared in the I-9 Compliance Forum.
(7/31)
University to Implement Virtual I-9 Verification Starting August 9
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has given eVerify employers (of which the University is one) a new option for verifying employment eligibility. As of August 1, employers can use an alternative procedure called "permanent virtual verification." The University will begin allowing this option Wednesday, August 9.
At the recent HRMS Advisory Group meeting, a possible transition date of August 1 was discussed to align with the new federal rule start date. Further analysis has shown that more time is needed to plan for complying with the requirements that come along with this new flexibility. Since this year's I-9 Compliance Forum was scheduled for Tuesday, August 8, we'll use that time to train on the new requirements and to set up a University-wide standard for the required process changes.
Keep in mind that with this new flexibility, employers will be required to:
Examine remotely the front and back of their employees' identity and employment authorization documentation, or an acceptable receipt, to determine that the documentation reasonably appears genuine
Conduct a live interaction with the employee presenting the same documentation to ensure that it reasonably appears genuine and relates to the employee
Indicate on Form I-9, by completing the corresponding box, that an alternative procedure was used to examine documentation to complete Section 2 or for reverification
Retain clear and legible copies (front and back) of all documents presented by employees
Make available legible copies of an employee's documentation in the event of an Immigration and Customs Enforcement I-9 audit or federal government agency investigation
I-9 Compliance Forum Will Be Held Tuesday, August 8
Payroll Services will hold an I-9 Compliance Forum via Zoom on Tuesday, August 8, at 2:00 p.m. to discuss the employment eligibility verification process. Among the topics will be the newly approved virtual verification procedure (see above). To join the meeting:
https://umn.zoom.us/j/94768971772?pwd=bEFkczl1cVJKWVFMZ2hKQVB3cUdUUT09
Meeting ID: 947 6897 1772
Passcode: Vm93mL
Twin Cities Undergrad Student Job Fair Coming September 12
Talent Acquisition will be hosting an undergrad student job fair on the Twin Cities campus:
Tuesday, September 12
10:00 a.m.–3:00 p.m.
Coffman Memorial Union, Great Hall
If you're interested in speaking to undergrads looking to work on campus, sign up here for a booth by Wednesday, August 23. The last student job fair in 2019 brought in more than 600 students, and Talent Acquisition is working with Career Services and Student Finance to ensure great attendance this year. Contact stdtempl@umn.edu with any questions.
Remember to Update the 'Unit HR Contacts' Worksheet
The Unit HR Contacts worksheet is a wonderful resource that lists the point person in each administrative role across the five campuses. If there are changes in your unit, or if you notice incorrect information on the sheet, please email ohr@umn.edu with the update request. You can find the worksheet on the OHR Operations website under Resources.
(7/24)
HRMS Advisory Group Will Meet Today at 3:00 p.m.
The next HRMS Advisory Group meeting will be held today (Tuesday, July 25), from 3:00 to 4:00 p.m. Members of the HRMS Advisory Group can join the meeting via Zoom:
https://umn.zoom.us/j/93733491249?pwd=d1p0dWUrVGtWejBleDhWWkdrTDlkZz09
Meeting ID: 937 3349 1249
Passcode: GPLnf8
Drop-in Session for HRMS Users Today 10:00 a.m.–Noon
The July drop-in session for HRMS users, on the topic of fall hiring and appointments, will be held today from 10:00 a.m. to noon. At this virtual open house, HRMS experts will be on hand to answer your questions and troubleshoot complex situations. Join the Google Meet session at any time using this link and stay as long as you like.
In response to feedback from the first session in June, open houses will start with a brief demonstration and basic guidelines for those who just want to listen and learn, followed by an open Q&A to answer specific questions. You can also now submit questions in advance using this Google form.
The sessions are hosted by OHR's Training Services, in collaboration with the HRMS HelpDesk and Workforce Data Management.
Keep Track of Your Unit's Leaves of Absence With These Reports
As a reminder, the Reporting Center in MyU has several reports units can use to track leaves of absence for their areas. In the Reporting Center, go to Human Resources > HR Operational > HR/Benefits, and choose one of these queries:
FMLA Leaves of Absence
FMLA Leaves of Absence by Employees
FMLA Military Leaves of Absence
Leaves of Absence Last 2 Yrs
Leaves of Absence Last 2 Yrs by Employee
New OHR Webpage on How Reclassification Affects Benefits
A new OHR web page, "Reclassification and Your Benefits," guides employees through benefits changes that come with common reclassification situations. Feel free to share with employees who are being reclassified or considering requesting a reclassification. Employees with further questions can schedule an appointment with benefits consultants via the link at the bottom of the web page.
(7/17)
HRMS Advisory Group Will Meet July 25 at 3:00 p.m.
The next HRMS Advisory Group meeting will be held Tuesday, July 25, from 3:00 to 4:00 p.m. Members of the HRMS Advisory Group can join the meeting via Zoom:
https://umn.zoom.us/j/93733491249?pwd=d1p0dWUrVGtWejBleDhWWkdrTDlkZz09
Meeting ID: 937 3349 1249
Passcode: GPLnf8
Preparing for Contract Renewals
Contract renewals for 10-month appointments and for 9-month appointments at U of M Crookston, Morris, and the Law School will be run the week of August 7. Please enter Return from Work Break rows into job data before August 7.
Contract renewals for 9-month appointments for Twin Cities and Rochester employees will be run the week of August 21. Please enter Return from Work Break rows into job data before August 21.
Drop-in Session for HRMS Users Changed to July 25
The July drop-in session for HRMS users, on the topic of fall hiring and appointments, has been rescheduled to Tuesday, July 25, from 10 a.m. to noon. At this virtual open house, HRMS experts will be on hand to answer your questions and troubleshoot complex situations. Join the Google Meet session at any time using this link and stay as long as you like.
In response to feedback from the first session in June, open houses will start with a brief demonstration and basic guidelines for those who just want to listen and learn, followed by an open Q&A to answer specific questions. You can also now submit questions in advance using this Google form.
The sessions are hosted by OHR's Training Services, in collaboration with the HRMS HelpDesk and Workforce Data Management.
Minnesota State Retirement System Contributions Update
As a reminder, beginning with the July 26 paycheck, employees enrolled in the Minnesota State Retirement System (MSRS) will be paying a little less into their pension plan without reducing their retirement benefits, thanks to a recent $34 million appropriation from the Minnesota Legislature. The contribution from the state means MSRS employee contributions will be reduced from 6% to 5.5% for two years (July 1, 2023–June 30, 2025). Employer contributions will remain at 6.25%. PeopleSoft will be updated to reflect this reduction, so employees do not need to take any action. Learn more on the MSRS website (under "General Plan/Unclassified Plan").
(7/10)
Drop-in Session for HRMS Users Changed to July 25
The July drop-in session for HRMS users, on the topic of fall hiring and appointments, has been rescheduled to Tuesday, July 25, from 10 a.m. to noon. At this virtual open house, HRMS experts will be on hand to answer your questions and troubleshoot complex situations. Join the Google Meet session at any time using this link and stay as long as you like.
In response to feedback from the first session in June, open houses will start with a brief demonstration and basic guidelines for those who just want to listen and learn, followed by an open Q&A to answer specific questions. You can also now submit questions in advance using this Google form.
The sessions are hosted by OHR's Training Services, in collaboration with the HRMS HelpDesk and Workforce Data Management.
Appropriate Use of Student Data in Hiring or Employment Decisions
Using the Reporting Center, PeopleSoft, or APLUS access to view student information, such as enrollment or expected graduation, to make hiring or employment-related decisions is not permitted and is a violation of the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA). To confirm eligibility for the position, communicate directly with the student through the interview or application process (for example, asking them to attach their class schedule or confirming a work-study award with an application question). HR professionals can still use existing reports in the Reporting Center to monitor employed students, such as Employed Students with Unused Work Study Awards or Eligibility for Lower Tuition Fringe Rate Assistantship. For questions about FERPA, contact ferpa@umn.edu. For questions about undergraduate student employment, email OHR at stdtempl@umn.edu; for graduate student employment, email gaesinfo@umn.edu.
Use 'LeaveAdmin' Email to Contact Leave Specialists
As a reminder, to contact a leave specialist on OHR's Leave Administration team, please use the department's leaveadmin@umn.edu address rather than a specialist's personal work email. This is so the Leave Admin team can track all of its correspondence in the Salesforce customer service system.
(7/3)
FAQ Created for Recent Reason Code Changes
Last week's Operations update mentioned that two action reason codes for data and pay rate changes have been added, while two others for pay rate changes have been deactivated. In response to questions at last week's HRMS Advisory Group meeting, Operations has added a page to the HRMS Instruction website to explain the changes in more detail: Action/Reason Codes Changes & FAQ.
(6/26)
HRMS Advisory Group Will Meet Today at 3:00 p.m.
The next HRMS Advisory Group meeting will be held today (Tuesday, June 27) from 3:00 to 4:00 p.m. Members of the HRMS Advisory Group can join the meeting via Zoom:
https://umn.zoom.us/j/93733491249?pwd=d1p0dWUrVGtWejBleDhWWkdrTDlkZz09
Meeting ID: 937 3349 1249
Passcode: GPLnf8
Board of Regents Approves FY24 Merit Raises
Yesterday the Board of Regents approved the proposed 3.75% merit increase fund for fiscal year 2024 as outlined in the annual salary planning memo for FY24. See yesterday afternoon's email from Mary Rohman Kuhl for information on FY24 salary ranges and floors, instructions on how to enter merit increases, effective dates for entry, and how to provide increases to employees below their salary range minimum or above their range maximum.
Payroll Timelines for the Week of July 4
The Independence Day holiday falls on a Tuesday of the payroll close week. Our usual Wednesday and Friday payroll close deadlines will remain the same.
The off-cycle direct deposit timeline will change, however, due to the bank holiday on July 4. Off-cycle requests for direct deposit will be accepted through noon on Wednesday, July 5. The off-cycle direct deposit will move from Wednesday to Thursday, July 6.
University's Vaccine Mandate Ends July 1
The University policy requiring employees to provide proof of COVID-19 vaccination or submit a medical or religious exemption will expire on July 1. Here are some HR-related changes that will take place by that date:
The Vaccination section on the My Info tab of MyU will be removed. Employees will no longer be able to submit or access previously submitted vaccinations or exemptions.
The "Employment Requirements" job posting template and the Terms and Conditions section of the job application will be updated to remove details on the University's vaccination policy.
All current job postings will be updated centrally to display the updated "Employment Requirements" details.
The COVID-19 Employee Vaccination and Safety Policy Compliance Dashboard for HR Leads will no longer be available.
2 New Reason Codes Added; 2 Deactivated
Beginning July 1, HRMS users will have two new reason code options when entering job data on appointments and pay rates. Two other reason codes are being deactivated. The changes add clarity and create more detailed reporting.
Added Reason Codes
Action code: Data Change
New reason code: AEX
Description: Appointment extension
Action/reason code combination: Data Change/Appointment Extension (DTA/AEX)
Definition: Use to extend a temporary, temporary posted, or temporary no-post appointment. (This replaces Data Change/Special Circumstances when extending an appointment.)
Action code: Pay Rate Change
New reason code: ICR
Description: Increment
Action/reason combination: Pay Rate Change/Increment (PAY/ICR)
Definition: Use for changes to the Increment component of Institutional Base Salary.
Deactivated Reason Codes
Action code: Pay Rate Change
Deactivated reason code: INR
Description: In-range
Action/reason combination: PAY/INR
Action code: Pay Rate Change
Deactivated reason code: RET
Description: Retention increase
Action/reason combination: PAY/RET
MAR (Market) is the replacement for this code.
In addition, several reason code definitions have been updated:
Action: Data Change / Reason: Special Circumstances
Action: Pay Rate Change / Reason: All definitions (Academic Promotional Increase, Annual Increase, Incentive, Market Adjustment, Merit, and Step/Progression)
See the Action/Reason Codes resource for the complete list of codes.
Minnesota State Retirement System Contributions Update
Due to recent Minnesota state legislation, a $34 million appropriation to the Minnesota State Retirement System (MSRS) pension plan will reduce employee contributions from 6% to 5.5% for two years (July 1, 2023–June 30, 2025). Employer contributions will remain 6.25%. PeopleSoft will be updated to reflect this reduction, so no action is required on your part. The first paycheck that will be affected by this change will be July 26, 2023. Learn more on the MSRS website (under "General Plan/Unclassified Plan").
(6/19)
Payroll Accounting Distributions Completed for FY 2024
On Sunday, Accounting Services completed the payroll accounting distribution roll for fiscal year 2024. All current and future-dated payroll accounting distributions were automatically copied forward into the new 2024 entry and are now available for review.
Reminder: If distribution changes for the 26th pay period of fiscal year 2023 also apply to the first pay period of 2024, the distribution change must be made in both fiscal years.
No Changes to Payroll Close Schedule for Juneteenth and July 4 Holidays
There will be no change to the usual payroll close deadlines this week for the Juneteenth holiday on Monday, or the week of the July 4 holiday. Payroll deadlines for all pay periods are posted on the OHR website's Payroll and HRMS Calendars page under Payroll Cutoff Calendars.
Contract Renewals for 9- and 10-Over-12 Appointments Have Been Entered
Contract renewals for 9- and 10-month appointments paid over 12 months have been entered. Contracts, job data, and notices of appointment have been updated. Four contract renewal reports dated 6/15/2023 are available in the Reporting Center. Go to My Reports > PeopleSoft Pushed Reports > HR CONTRACT RENEW:
Clarifications on Leave of Absence Process
Unpaid 9-Over-12 Appointments
The Leave Administration team will be returning employees from leave when they are released to return and not based on appointment dates. The employee's department will need to determine if there is an overpayment or underpayment and handle as they usually would.
Intermittent Leaves
The Leave Administration team will continue to take intermittent FMLA leaves with a begin date of December 1, 2022, or after. If an employee was on an intermittent leave before December 1 and needs recertification for the new fiscal year, the Leave team is not taking those over from the department. The department will send the paperwork and continue to manage the FMLA leave for the employee.
(6/12)
Merit Pay Increases Require Wage Change Notices
In preparation for the Board of Regents' potential approval of the FY24 operating budget, including the recommended merit increase budget, units should plan to provide employees who receive pay increases with a wage change notice. Minnesota law requires employers to provide written notice to employees when their salary or pay rate changes. These instructions provide options for units on how to do this.
Wage change notices should not be sent to employees until the Board of Regents approves the fiscal year 2024 operating budget and pay increase decisions are final.
(6/5)
Labor-Represented Annual Increases Entered
Annual increases for Labor-Represented employees have been entered, with these effective dates:
Teamsters: 6/19/2023
AFSCME Clerical, Health Care, and Technical: 6/19/2023
OHR implemented the increases in these steps:
Salary admin plan/grade and job code tables in PeopleSoft were updated with the new hourly rates of pay.
Step realignments were manually entered with a 6/19/2023 Data Change/Special Circumstances row inserted into job data to realign the step numbers. Hourly rates were not updated.
6/19/2023 increases ran on June 2 for each bargaining unit. The program inserted a Pay Rate Change/Annual Increase row and updated the hourly rate on that row and any rows after 6/19/23.
Reports are available in the Reporting Center. Go to My Reports > PeopleSoft Pushed Reports > HRMS Reports:
UMHRAE002 - AFSCME CLERICAL INCREASE.PDF (06/02/2023)
UMHRAE002 - AFSCME CLERICAL INCREASE ERROR.PDF (06/02/2023)
UMHRAE002 - AFSCME HEALTH CARE INCREASE.PDF (06/02/2023)
UMHRAE002 - AFSCME HEALTH CARE INCREASE ERROR.PDF (06/02/2023)
UMHRAE002 - AFSCME TECHNICAL INCREASE.PDF (06/02/2023)
UMHRAE002 - AFSCME TECHNICAL INCREASE ERROR.PDF (06/02/2023)
UMHRAE002 - TEAMSTERS INCREASE.PDF (06/02/2023)
UMHRAE002 - TEAMSTERS INCREASE ERROR.PDF (06/02/2023)
Reminder: Contact Center, Leave Administration Not Available for Walk-ins
As a reminder, the OHR Contact Center and Leave Administration staff work remotely. Please do not send employees to the Donhowe Building for walk-in assistance; instead, ask them to email or call with questions:
Contact Center: ohr@umn.edu, 612-624-8647 or 800-756-2363
Leave Administration: leaveadmin@umn.edu, 612-624-8647 or 800-756-2363 (choose option No. 2)
(5/29)
Appointment Entry Updates
Work-study terminations for fall and spring have been entered for all campuses. Work-study placements for summer work-study can be entered with an effective date on or after 5/8/2023 for Duluth and 5/22/2023 for Morris and Twin Cities campuses.
New Drop-in Sessions for HRMS Users Begin June 1
Whether you're a new PeopleSoft user who needs guidance on entering job data or an HRMS veteran looking to expand or refresh your knowledge, you'll want to take advantage of a new series of HRMS drop-in sessions beginning June 1. At each Zoom open house, HRMS experts will be on hand during a two-hour window to answer your questions on an announced topic, point you to resources on the HRMS Instruction website, or troubleshoot complex situations.
Sessions will take place during payroll off weeks and will often be geared to timely subjects. You can join the sessions at any time and stay as long as you like. The new series is hosted by HRMS Training Services, in collaboration with the HRMS HelpDesk and Workforce Data Management.
The first session dates, times, and topics will be:
June 1, 10:00 a.m.–noon: Faculty contracts and promotions
July 27, 10:00 a.m.–noon: Fall hiring and appointments
Links to the Zoom sessions, along with future topics, will be announced in the weekly Operations update, on the OHR Operations website, and on the HRMS Instruction website.
PeopleSoft Recruiting Features Improved for Faculty Hires
To streamline the applicant process for faculty hires, two new features have been added to PeopleSoft Recruiting. These changes will improve our ability to attract candidates for faculty positions, while improving the job search process for all applicants.
New Search Filter on Careers Sites:
A new Job Type search filter will help applicants find job postings in a specific employee group. For example, candidates had no way to find all Faculty positions in the past.
Applicants can also search other job types, such as P&A, Labor Represented, and Civil Service.
Streamlined Application for Faculty Job Openings:
Faculty jobs require several detailed attachments beyond a simple résumé and cover letter, so the Attachments prompt will now appear immediately after the Résumé section for new faculty job openings.
The Work Experience, Job Training, and Language Skills sections are also time-consuming to enter and redundant with other attachments. New faculty job openings will stop prompting applicants to enter those three sections.
(5/22)
One-Day Payroll Close on Thursday
Payroll close for the pay period ending Sunday, May 21, will be a one-day close this Thursday. This is due to the lack of mail service on the Memorial Day holiday on Monday, May 29. Wednesday's payroll-related deadlines will not change. The payroll update deadline will be 1:00 p.m. Thursday.
New Drop-in Sessions for HRMS Users Begin June 1
Whether you're a new PeopleSoft user who needs guidance on entering job data or an HRMS veteran looking to expand or refresh your knowledge, you'll want to take advantage of a new series of HRMS drop-in sessions beginning June 1. At each Zoom open house, HRMS experts will be on hand during a two-hour window to answer your questions on an announced topic, point you to resources on the HRMS Instruction website, or troubleshoot complex situations.
Sessions will take place during payroll off weeks and will often be geared to timely subjects. You can join the sessions at any time and stay as long as you like. The new series is hosted by HRMS Training Services, in collaboration with the HRMS HelpDesk and Workforce Data Management.
The first session dates, times, and topics will be:
June 1, 10:00 a.m.–noon: Faculty contracts and promotions
July 27, 10:00 a.m.–noon: Fall hiring and appointments
Links to the Zoom sessions, along with future topics, will be announced in the weekly Operations update, on the OHR Operations website, and on the HRMS Instruction website.
Update of Payment Process to Resident Assistants and Community Advisors
Starting summer term, all supplemental payments to student housing resident advisors and community advisors must be paid through payroll using the new STB earnings code, entered into Additional Pay. The change is the result of a work group led by the Tax Management Office (TMO), which brought together all campuses to define a common, tax-compliant process for these payments. The payments are taxable income and are reported to the IRS, with federal and state income taxes withheld. A new TMO guideline, TMOG #20: University Provided Housing, and companion job aid, Campus Housing Positions Process Guidelines, explain the process in detail and are posted on the TMO website.
Overtime Wage Detail Added to Pay Statement
OHR recently implemented a pay statement change for the FLSA overtime rate. For employees working overtime in Minnesota, their pay statement will now show the rate of pay used to calculate the overtime amount. An additional line appears just below the Overtime line, labeled "[MN 181.32 O/T derived rate]." This rate multiplied by the overtime hours will equal the overtime amount.
(5/15)
Contact Renewals Completed for 12-Month Appointments
Contract renewals for 12-month appointments have been entered. Contracts, job data, and notices of appointment have been updated. The contract renewal report dated 5/13/2023 is available in the Reporting Center under My Reports > PeopleSoft Pushed Reports > HR CONTRACT RENEW > UM CONTRACT RENEWALS (05/13/2023).
Payroll One-Day Close on Thursday, May 25
Payroll close for the pay period ending Sunday, May 21, will be a one-day close on Thursday, May 25. This is due to the lack of mail service on the Memorial Day holiday on Monday, May 29. Wednesday's payroll-related deadlines will not change. The payroll update deadline will be 1:00 p.m. on Thursday, May 25.
Juneteenth University Holiday Celebrated Monday, June 19
Juneteenth will be celebrated as an official University holiday on Monday, June 19. All contract and employment agreement provisions regarding University holidays apply to the Juneteenth holiday.
U.S. Clarifies Deadline for Physical Inspections of I-9 Documents
The U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement has formally announced that the COVID-19 temporary flexibilities for Form I-9 will end on July 31. The announcement states employers must complete in-person, physical document inspections of I-9 documents by August 30 for employees whose documents were inspected remotely during the temporary flexibilities. Given this new federal deadline, the University deadline (previously set at May 31) will also change to August 30.
FY 2024 Payroll Calendar Now Posted
The payroll calendar for fiscal year 2024 is now available on the OHR website.
(5/8)
Transition of Some Leave of Absence Management Postponed
OHR’s new Leave Administration team was originally set to assume responsibility from units for two additional types of leave by the start of fiscal year 2024:
Intermittent FMLA leaves
Worker’s compensation cases tied to FMLA
However, due to unforeseen staffing issues, Leave Administration is not able to transition these leaves at this time. OHR is now hiring additional leave staff, and once they are fully trained the transition timing will be reassessed, most likely after July 1. While OHR will be ready to manage these leaves in the near future, in the short-term units should continue to handle them internally. For questions, contact Tina Derby (tderby@umn.edu) in Leave Administration.
New Charts Explain Leave of Absence Responsibilities
The creation of a new Leave Administration team last December transferred many—but not all—leave of absence responsibilities from units to central OHR. To clarify which responsibilities are handled by the new leave specialists, by units, or by employees, Leave Administration has created two charts, one for the MyU leave system and another for Kronos users. You can bookmark these Google documents or find them on the Resources page of the OHR Operations website
(5/1)
CORRECTION: Last Day of Employment for Graduating Undergrads
Last week's Operations update confirmed that May 21 is the correct last day of employment for graduating undergrads, which is true for the Twin Cities, Rochester, and Crookston campuses. Other system campuses have different end dates to best align with the academic calendar for that campus. Here are end dates for all campuses:
Crookston: May 21
Duluth: May 7
Morris: May 12
Twin Cities/Rochester: May 21
Resources for New HRMS Users Available on HRMS Instruction Website
As a reminder, the HRMS Instruction website has a wealth of resources for employees who are new to HRMS and the supervisors who are onboarding them. On the main navigation bar, click on New to HRMS to find materials that can help new HRMS users become familiar with their HRMS resources, including:
Welcome to HRMS: An introduction to key resources
New HRMS User Checklist: Steps to understand and gain access to HRMS
Supervisor Checklist: Steps for supervisors to guide new HRMS users
New HRMS User Training Requirements for Access: A table that outlines what courses are required for each security role and function in HRMS
How to Complete the Access Request Form: Steps to correctly request access to the PeopleSoft system
(4/24)
Last Day of Employment for Graduating Undergrads Is May 21
In response to some questions, the Student Employment Office has confirmed that May 21 is the correct last day of employment for graduating undergrads. The period was extended to avoid issues with graduating students. The end date needs to align with a pay period end date because of work-study.
OHR Web Pages Updated on How to Request a Leave of Absence
OHR has updated its web pages to clarify how employees should request an extended leave of absence. Employees should use the My Time tab in MyU to request parental, medical, personal, or military leaves. (See this OHR web page for instructions.) In emergencies only, if employees can't use MyU, they, their supervisor, or a family member can initiate a request via email at leaveadmin@umn.edu or by calling OHR's Leave Administration team at 612-624-8647 or 800-756-2363 and choosing option No. 2.
Enhanced HR Analytics Dashboard: Employee Hires and Transfers In
The OHR Operations HR Analytics team has enhanced the Employee Hires and Transfers In dashboard to include the data fields Most Recent Background Check Date and Safety of Minors Indicator. Help documents with new definitions are linked on the dashboard's Help Resources page.
The enhanced dashboard is now available in the MyU Reporting Center. Navigate to MyU > Key Links > Reporting Center > Human Resources > Workforce Analysis > Retention and Attrition > Employee Hires and Transfers In. These two new fields are also now available to UM Analytics HR Authors for ad hoc reporting.
If you can't view the dashboard and believe you should have access, submit a MyU Reporting Center access request form to get access to HR—Public Sensitive data.
(4/17)
HRMS Advisory Group Will Meet Tomorrow at 3:00 p.m.
The next HRMS Advisory Group meeting will be held tomorrow (Tuesday, April 18) from 3:00 to 4:00 p.m. Members of the HRMS Advisory Group can join the meeting via Zoom:
https://umn.zoom.us/j/93733491249?pwd=d1p0dWUrVGtWejBleDhWWkdrTDlkZz09
Meeting ID: 937 3349 1249
Passcode: GPLnf8
Q&A Zoom Session on I-9 Document Inspection Set for Friday
Payroll Services is contacting departments who have I-9 supporting documents from employees that still need to be physically inspected. These are documents that were completed under the COVID-19 Relaxed Provisions, which allowed for virtual inspection. Those provisions have ended, and documents previously reviewed virtually must now be physically inspected. No unit should still be reviewing documents virtually. We have established a deadline of May 5 for these physical reviews to be completed.
Ahead of that deadline, Payroll Services has scheduled a Zoom open lab on Friday, April 21, at 10:00 a.m. to answer questions about physically reviewing documents. The lab will be hosted by Alba Vogelgesang and Hannah Mein. Use this link to join the session:
https://umn.zoom.us/j/95077535260?pwd=RUFTNkN6MFdPN2FxcUNacVdvaFhBdz09
Submit Leaves of Absence Through MyU
To clarify the procedure for OHR's new leave of absence process, please make sure employees request an extended absence (such as a parental, medical, or personal leave) using the My Time tab in MyU. (See this OHR web page for instructions.) If employees are not able to request a leave themselves due to an emergent issue, their supervisor or a family member can submit a request via email at leaveadmin@umn.edu or by calling OHR's Leave Administration team at 612-624-8647 or 800-756-2363 and choosing option No. 2.
(4/10)
HRMS Advisory Group Will Meet Tuesday, April 18, at 3:00 p.m.
The next HRMS Advisory Group meeting will be held Tuesday, April 18, from 3:00 to 4:00 p.m. Members of the HRMS Advisory Group can join the meeting via Zoom:
https://umn.zoom.us/j/93733491249?pwd=d1p0dWUrVGtWejBleDhWWkdrTDlkZz09
Meeting ID: 937 3349 1249
Passcode: GPLnf8
I-9 Relaxed Provisions for COVID End. Q&A Session on Document Inspection Set for April 21.
Payroll Services is contacting departments who have I-9 supporting documents from employees that still need to be physically inspected. These are documents that were completed under the COVID-19 Relaxed Provisions, which allowed for virtual inspection. As we have communicated before, those provisions have ended, and documents previously reviewed virtually must now be physically inspected. No unit should still be reviewing documents virtually. We have established a deadline of May 5 for these physical reviews to be completed.
Ahead of that deadline, Payroll Services has scheduled a Zoom open lab on Friday, April 21, at 10:00 a.m. to answer questions about physically reviewing documents. The lab will be hosted by Alba Vogelgesang and Hannah Mein. Use this link to join the session:
https://umn.zoom.us/j/95077535260?pwd=RUFTNkN6MFdPN2FxcUNacVdvaFhBdz09
Unemployment Fraud on the Rise
The University has seen an increase in unemployment insurance fraud attempts recently, in which scammers file false unemployment claims in other people's names. If you receive an unemployment claim and believe it to be fraudulent:
Verify with the employee whether they filed for unemployment insurance benefits.
Report back to CCC/Experian with the information that this is fraudulent.
Let the employee know the next steps to report the fraud and to secure their identity.
As a reminder, benefits-eligible employees can also access identity theft support through Lyra at umn.lyrahealth.com or by contacting Lyra at 877-295-8939.
Employee Benefits Resources for New Employees
In the most recent HRMS Advisory Group meeting, a question came up about providing PDF documents to new or prospective employees about the University's employee benefits. Employee Benefits recommends that the University's existing benefits web page may be more beneficial to them.
The advantage of the web page is that new or prospective employees can explore the different plans, and they have a quick link to the benefits providers if they have a specific question about any of the plans. This would be especially helpful for midyear hires wanting to merge HSA or retirement investments or who have a medical condition and are looking for in-network providers.
(3/30)
PeopleSoft HRMS Outage and Upgrade Saturday and Sunday
The HR PeopleSoft system will be unavailable this weekend from noon Saturday, April 1, through noon Sunday, April 2, due to scheduled software updates. Several times a year, Oracle releases updated versions of its PeopleSoft software that fix bugs and improve how programs function. The scheduled outage affects all four PeopleSoft applications: Human Resources (HRMS), MyU (including self-service and the Reporting Center), Campus Solutions, and EFS/Finance.
PeopleSoft users will see only minor changes with this update, but here are four things you should know:
Please clear browser cache and cookies on your computer before signing into PeopleSoft HRMS on Monday.
Some PeopleSoft screens have been renamed in the tile and navigation menus.
Screens still work the same, but Oracle renamed some to improve search results when users search for a screen on the UM homepage.
See these Google slides for more information and a list of the specific tile and menu titles that were renamed.
Your PeopleSoft “Favorites” will still work but will show the old name if Oracle renamed a screen.
If you want to rename your Favorites to avoid confusion, see slides 7–13 of this presentation for instructions. Click here for additional screenshots of the upcoming changes to Favorites.
Some icons on the HR homepage tiles have been changed, though the tiles work the same. Examples:
If you encounter any issues, email or call the OHR Contact Center at OHR@umn.edu, 612-624-8647, or 800-756-2363.
Reminder: Contact Center Not Available for Walk-ins
As a reminder, the OHR Contact Center staff works remotely. Please do not advise employees to come to the Donhowe Building for walk-in assistance; instead, ask them to email ohr@umn.edu or call 612-624-8647 or 800-756-2363.
(3/20)
HRMS Advisory Group Will Meet Tomorrow at 3:00 p.m.
The next HRMS Advisory Group meeting will be held tomorrow (Tuesday, March 21) from 3:00 to 4:00 p.m. Members of the HRMS Advisory Group can join the meeting via Zoom:
https://umn.zoom.us/j/93733491249?pwd=d1p0dWUrVGtWejBleDhWWkdrTDlkZz09
Meeting ID: 937 3349 1249
Passcode: GPLnf8
Update on Enrollments for 'Preventing Sexual Misconduct' Course
As noted in a previous Operations update, OHR in January paused enrollment of new employees in the "Preventing Sexual Misconduct, Discrimination, and Retaliation" course because our vendor was switching to a new learning management system and had not yet provided an updated course that would work on the new system. We later determined that the new course did not meet our accessibility standards. As a result, we are continuing to pause enrollment until we can deliver another course that meets our needs.
The previous vendor has removed our content from their platform. If employees try to access the old course they will receive the message "The content cannot be displayed." Employees who had been in the process of taking the course will be assigned to the new course when it's ready.
For employees who have finished the training but have not yet recorded it as complete, an audit is now verifying the completion. Those employees will not need to take additional action.
We will share another update when we have more details about when enrollments will resume. Please distribute this information to your team. Contact Tina Marisam (marisam@umn.edu) or Chris Boldon (cboldon@umn.edu) with questions.
(3/6)
Please Add Missing Degrees for Faculty and Instructional Staff
Last week the Provost's Office sent an email to Twin Cities deans requesting their assistance in routinizing the recording of terminal degrees held by our faculty and instructional staff. The provost has asked collegiate and administrative units to update missing degree information by Tuesday, April 4. Here is a timely reminder on best practices for tracking terminal degrees. Find more information on the HRMS Instruction website.
Units must enter terminal degree data on the HRMS Person Profiles page for academic employees. Although this data can be found on the Modify Person page, it should be entered in Person Profiles.
Verify and Enter Terminal Degree
Enter an academic employee's degree data and identify a terminal degree for the relevant discipline in the HRMS Person Profiles page:
Navigate to Workforce Development > Profile Management > Profiles > Person Profiles.
Click the Education tab.
Enter Year Acquired (required field).
Click the Terminal Degree for Discipline checkbox.
The Date Acquired field is not required. If you enter a date, it must be in the MM/DD/YYYY format.
Click <OK>.
Click <Save>.
Remember:
Degree data will transfer from Recruiting Solutions into the employee's Workforce Administration Profile page only if the hire is processed through Manage Hires.
If the job data is future-dated (which is often the case), the Profile is created with an "Inactive" status. Units must manually update the Profile status to "Active" to activate the employee's Person Profile data.
(2/27)
Job Openings in OHR Operations
The OHR Operations team recently posted several job openings. Please pass these along to anyone who may be interested:
Leave of absence specialists: Three positions are open in Leave Administration. Leave of absence specialists work with employees to administer extended leaves, including sick leave, Family and Medical Leave (FMLA), parental leave, short- and long-term disability, long-term military leave, and personal leave of absences. (Job ID 354278)
HR professional 1, Benefits Administration: The position coordinates retirement benefits between employees, the retirement vendor, and Total Rewards, including researching and resolving complex retirement inquiries. (Job ID 354279)
For details, qualifications, and salaries for each position, search by the job ID number on the job search site in MyU. If you have other questions, contact Operations Director Tina Derby (tderby@umn.edu).
(2/20)
HRMS Advisory Group Will Meet Tomorrow at 3:00 p.m.
The next HRMS Advisory Group meeting will be held tomorrow (Tuesday, February 21) from 3:00 to 4:00 p.m. Members of the HRMS Advisory Group can join the meeting via Zoom:
Meeting ID: 937 3349 1249
Passcode: GPLnf8
New Staffing Operations Manager Hired
Dianna Orth has joined OHR Operations as the new staffing operations manager, starting today. In this new role, she will lead the staffing support team, which will work closely with Talent Acquisition to ensure that all incoming hiring requests—such as posting positions, corresponding with applicants, creating offer letters, and initiating background checks—are fulfilled promptly and accurately. She will report to Senior Operations Director Amy Kucera and will serve as a member of the HR Operations leadership team. Dianna has worked in OHR for 17 years, including 10 years in various roles on the Benefits team and most recently on the Compensation and Classification team as a senior compensation analyst.
(2/13)
F-1 Student Job Verification Form Has Been Updated
International Student and Scholar Services (ISSS) has updated its Verification of F-1 Student's On-Campus Job form. You can find a link to this and other F-1 student forms on this ISSS web page. Be sure to use the most recent versions when submitting to ISSS.
In addition, please refer international students and employees to the ISSS website for up-to-date office hours if they are visiting ISSS in person.
Units Should Enter AFSCME Retro Pay by Wednesday
OHR Operations has entered employee pay increases from recent AFSCME contract negotiations into PeopleSoft. Individual units should enter all associated retro pay processing into Additional Pay by 4:30 p.m. on Wednesday, February 15, for the 1/30/23–2/12/23 pay period. For details on processing retro pay, see the February 1 email from Amy Kucera.
Departments will need to submit a Payroll Update Request form for AFSCME employees who ended their employment on or after December 15, 2022, and have requested their retro pay.
(2/6)
Year-End Payroll Adjustments Are Completed
As part of the normal year-end process, Payroll Services runs an abbreviated year-end, off-cycle payroll to make year-end adjustments and check adjustments or reversals that affect employees' 2022 year-to-date amounts. This payroll was processed on Monday, February 6. As a result, you may see an additional UM Payroll Verification Report for your department in the Reporting Center with a pay end date of 12/17/22. These payroll entries will be posted to the general ledger on Wednesday evening with an accounting date of 02/08/23.
Note: If no employees in your area had year-end adjustments, you will not see a payroll verification report.
Units Should Enter AFSCME Retro Pay by February 15
OHR Operations has entered employee pay increases from recent AFSCME contract negotiations into PeopleSoft. Individual units should enter all associated retro pay processing into Additional Pay by 4:30 p.m. on February 15 for the 1/30/23–2/12/23 pay period. For details on processing retro pay, see the February 1 email from Amy Kucera.
Retro Pay for AFSCME Employees Terminated Since December 15
Regarding the February 1 email instructions for entering AFSCME pay increases, units should add one note to the three sections titled "Employees who terminated or left the bargaining unit": For AFSCME employees who ended their employment on or after December 15, 2022, and request their retro pay, departments will need to submit a Payroll Update Request form.
(1/30)
New I-9 Stop Pay Report Q&A Zoom Sessions During Payroll Close
Starting this week on February 2, on Thursdays of payroll close weeks from 1:00 to 2:00 p.m., Alba Vogelgesang and Hannah Mein will be hosting Q&A sessions for questions and issues related to the I-9 Stop Pay Report only. Use this Zoom link:
I-9 Stop Pay Report Q&A Zoom Link
(1/24)
Job Opening: Staffing Operations Manager in OHR
OHR Operations has an immediate opening for a staffing operations manager. The position was posted previously as a staffing operations and classification manager, but after reviewing the requirements of reclassification analysis, classification will remain with the Total Rewards Department.
Among the revised position's responsibilities will be:
Developing a team of staffing support specialists to deliver excellent customer service
Ensuring that the applicant process—including job postings, updating the progress of applications, offer letters, and background checks—is fulfilled promptly
To apply, or for a more detailed description and requirements, see the job posting. The position is being posted internally only for a limited time, so please apply promptly. Feel free to forward this message to others. For questions about the position, email Amy Kucera (kuce0011@umn.edu).
Job Opening: Talent Acquisition Specialists in OHR
OHR's Talent Acquisition team has two openings for a Talent Acquisition specialist. The positions are being posted internally for one week and then will be open to external applicants. Please feel free to share this information.
Among the positions' responsibilities will be:
Providing recruiting and employment consulting to designated University units
Providing expertise on unit hiring data, such as the volume of activity, status of positions, and applicant pools
Screening applications and interpreting candidate qualifications
Recruitment activities and planning
To apply, or for a more detailed description and requirements, see the job posting.
Update on Enrollments for 'Preventing Sexual Misconduct' Course
Recently, OHR had to pause enrollment of new employees in the "Preventing Sexual Misconduct, Discrimination, and Retaliation" course for January because our vendor is switching to a new learning management system and has not yet provided an updated course that will work on the new system. We anticipate enrolling all new employees from December and January in the course on February 1, with a February 28 completion due date. Enrollments will then continue as usual at the beginning of each month. The updated course from our vendor has the same content but a different look and some different navigation features. Feel free to contact Tina Marisam (marisam@umn.edu) or Chris Boldon (cboldon@umn.edu) with questions.
Units Should Enter Teamsters Retro Pay by February 1
OHR Operations has entered employee pay increases from recent Teamsters contract negotiations into PeopleSoft. Individual units should enter all associated retro pay processing into Additional Pay by 4:30 p.m. on February 1 for the 1/16/2023–1/29/2023 pay period. For details on processing retro pay, see the January 18 email from Amy Kucera.
(1/2)
Changes to Twin Cities On-Campus Federal Work-Study Reimbursement
For student employees with federal work-study awards working on campus, the Office of Student Finance is updating the employer reimbursement rate from 70% to 100% for pay periods 15 through 24. You can verify what type of award your current student employees are using through the Employed Students with Unused Work-Study Awards report in the Reporting Center. Federal on-campus work-study awards use the item type 914000000002. If you have further questions, contact stdtempl@umn.edu.
Absence Event Page Users: Please Read
With the implementation of the new leave of absence tracking in PeopleSoft that is used by the central Leave Administration team, seven new absence types can now be seen in the drop-down list on that page. Please do not use them. They are for central use only and are not meant to replace the long-established absence types we've been using for a number of years. The absence types you should not use are:
UM EA BENEFITS USE Benefits Use Only
UM EA INTERMITTENT Leave of Absence Intermittent
UM EA PERSONAL LV Personal
UM EA MED SELF Medical Self
UM EA PARENTAL Parental
UM EA MIL SELF Military Self
UM EA MIL FAMILY Military Family
Submit Leaves of Absence Through MyU When Possible
To clarify the procedure for OHR's new leave of absence process, employees should request an extended absence (such as a parental, medical, or personal leave) using the My Time tab in MyU. (See this OHR web page for instructions.) If employees are not able to request a leave via MyU, they, their supervisor, or a family member can submit a request via email at leaveadmin@umn.edu or by calling OHR's Leave Administration team at 612-624-8647 or 800-756-2363 and choosing option No. 2.
(12/28)
Submit Leaves of Absence Through MyU When Possible
To clarify the procedure for OHR's new leave of absence process, employees should request an extended absence (such as a parental, medical, or personal leave) using the My Time tab in MyU. (See this OHR web page for instructions.) If employees are not able to request a leave via MyU, they, their supervisor, or a family member can submit a request via email at leaveadmin@umn.edu or by calling OHR's Leave Administration team at 612-624-8647 or 800-756-2363 and choosing option No. 2.
(12/20)
One-Day Payroll Close Wednesday
Due to University holidays, the pay period ending December 18 will have a one-day close on Wednesday. The payroll time, absence, and job data deadlines that would normally fall on Wednesday will move to Tuesday at the same times. That includes the UMP payroll, which will be processed and closed on Tuesday morning. The payroll update submission deadline will be 3:00 p.m. on Wednesday.
Timeline for Labor-Represented Increases
Teamsters
Annual increase effective date: 6/20/2022
New hourly rate will be paid on 1/25/2023 payday (1/2–1/15/2023 pay period).
Retro pay will be paid on 2/8/2023 payday (1/16–1/29/2023 pay period).
AFSCME Clerical, Health Care, and Technical
Annual increase effective date: 6/20/2022
New hourly rate will be paid on 2/8/2023 payday (1/16–1/29/2023 pay period).
Retro pay will be paid on 2/22/2023 payday (1/30–2/12/2023 pay period).
Detailed instructions will be forthcoming.
Annual Salary Structure Changes Take Effect Today
The updated calendar year 2023 salary ranges for all market-refined job codes go into effect on December 19.
Salary grade changes
The job code table was updated for job codes with a salary grade change.
Active and vacant positions with salary grade changes were updated with a 12/19/2022 UPD row.
Job data records were updated with a 12/19/2022 Position Change/Position Update row.
Salary changes
Job data records with a compensation rate below the new minimum range were updated with a 12/19/2022 Data Change/Special Circumstances row.
(12/13)
One-Day Close Wednesday, December 21
Due to University holidays, the pay period ending December 18 will have a one-day close on Wednesday, December 21. The payroll time, absence, and job data deadlines that would normally fall on Wednesday will move to Tuesday at the same times. That includes the UMP payroll, which will be processed and closed on Tuesday morning. The payroll update submission deadline will be 3:00 p.m. on Wednesday.
(12/6)
OHR Launches New Process for Extended Leaves of Absence
As of December 1, the University transitioned to a new, employee-centered process for tracking and managing certain workplace leaves of absence. The project is part of the PEAK Initiative, which aims to provide improved, consistent, equitable, and cost-effective administrative services across the University.
The leave of absence process is now managed by a dedicated staff in the Office of Human Resources, rather than by local units. The Leave Administration team handles parental, medical, military, or other extended leaves. The team is not involved in shorter absences such as regular vacation or sick leave, which can be requested as usual via MyU self-service. Leave Administration also does not handle leaves of absence for graduate assistants, student workers, residents, fellows, or professionals-in-training.
Requesting an Extended Leave
Employees will have three options to submit their leave request: self-service using the My Time tab in MyU, or by emailing or calling the Leave Administration team at leaveadmin@umn.edu or 612-624-8647.
An OHR leave specialist will then contact the employee to walk them through the process and support them until their return to work. The specialist will also coordinate with the employee's supervisor and unit HR staff throughout the leave.
For general information about the new procedure, visit the OHR web page Leave of Absence Assistance. For specific instructions on requesting a leave, see How to Request a Leave of Absence Using MyU.
One-Day Close Wednesday, December 21
Due to University holidays, the pay period ending December 18 will have a one-day close on Wednesday, December 21. The payroll time, absence, and job data deadlines that would normally fall on Wednesday will move to Tuesday at the same times. That includes the UMP payroll, which will be processed and closed on Tuesday morning. The payroll update submission deadline will be 3:00 p.m. on Wednesday.
Help Needed for Missing Social Security Numbers
Payroll Services needs your help to get missing Social Security numbers. Payroll has been communicating with units who have employees with no Social Security number in the system. This week, we sent a communication directly to employees for whom we have no Social Security number, directing them to contact their unit HR or payroll department to provide their number. The numbers are needed for tax reporting at the end of the year. Please help us by getting those numbers from your employees and entering them in both I-9 Express and PeopleSoft when you do.
Submit Taxable Adjustments to Earnings Before the Last Payroll
There are two more payrolls in 2022. With the first payroll close being a one-day close, please report adjustments to taxable earnings for 2022 by Tuesday, December 6.
Entering a New Record in PeopleSoft? Use 'Search for a Person' First
A new resource on the Search for a Person function in PeopleSoft is now available on the HRMS Instruction website. Conducting a thorough person search before entering a record into the system is critical in preventing duplicate records and employee ID numbers. The new resource from Training Services, in partnership with Workforce Data Management, features step-by-step instructions, as well as tips on how to optimize your search.
(11/21)
One-Day Payroll Close on Wednesday
Due to the Thanksgiving holiday, the payroll close schedule will change this week. The payroll time, absence, and job data deadlines that would normally fall on Wednesday will move to Tuesday at the same times. That includes the UMP payroll, which will be processed and closed on Tuesday morning. The payroll update submission deadline will be 1:00 p.m. on Wednesday.
Correction to a previous communication: In December, due to University holidays, the pay period ending December 18 will have a one-day close on Wednesday, December 21. (A previous communication erroneously stated Thursday, December 22.)
This calendar shows payroll deadlines for fiscal year 2023. You can also find it at the top of the Payroll and HRMS Calendars page on the OHR website.
New Process for Entering Background Check Dates
Beginning December 1, units no longer need to manually enter the dates of successful background checks from HireRight, the University's vendor for conducting background checks. Previously, these dates were entered in Peoplesoft on the Modify a Person > Regional tab. Beginning in December, central OHR will automatically add the dates to PeopleSoft every month.
This new process will improve the University's compliance and recordkeeping while also improving efficiency, since collegiate and administrative units will no longer have to enter the data manually. (However, units will continue to track the required Safety of Minors checkbox in PeopleSoft to note if an employee falls under the policy.) Units will also have more complete data on background checks and can see if another one needs to be ordered for a transfer or rehire employee.
The first HireRight background check dates will be loaded into PeopleSoft in mid-December and then between the 15th and 20th of each month thereafter. For questions about the new process, email or call the OHR Contact Center at ohr@umn.edu, 612-624-8647, or 800-756-2363.
Reminder: Be Sure to Update Your Job Applicants' Status in PeopleSoft
PeopleSoft Recruiting Solutions is our system of record; therefore, it is very important that as you review job applicants and decide on actions, such as interviewing or rejecting, that you move those applicants to the correct status. If you have questions, please contact your unit's Talent Acquisition specialist.
HRMS Advisory Group Meeting Tuesday, November 29
The next HRMS Advisory Group meeting will be held Tuesday, November 29, from 3:00 to 4:00 p.m. Members of the HRMS Advisory Group can join the meeting via Zoom:
Meeting ID: 937 3349 1249
Passcode: GPLnf8
(11/15)
One-Day Payroll Close Wednesday, November 23
Due to the Thanksgiving holiday, the payroll close schedule will change for the pay period ending November 20. The payroll time, absence, and job data deadlines that would have normally fallen on Wednesday of next week will move to Tuesday at the same times. That includes the UMP payroll, which will be processed and closed on Tuesday morning. The payroll update submission deadline will be 1:00 p.m. on Wednesday, November 23.
Note that a one-day payroll close will also take place on Thursday, December 22.
This calendar shows payroll deadlines for fiscal year 2023. You can also find it at the top of the Payroll and HRMS Calendars page on the OHR website.
(11/7)
One-Day Payroll Close Wednesday, November 23
Due to the Thanksgiving holiday, the payroll close schedule will change for the pay period ending November 20. The payroll time, absence, and job data deadlines that would have normally fallen on Wednesday of that week will move to Tuesday at the same times. That includes the UMP payroll, which will be processed and closed on Tuesday morning. The payroll update submission deadline will be 1:00 p.m. on Wednesday, November 23.
Note that a one-day payroll close will also take place on Thursday, December 22.
This calendar shows payroll deadlines for fiscal year 2023. You can also find it at the top of the Payroll and HRMS Calendars page on the OHR website.
Overpayment Process Change and Reminder Approaching Year-End
We want to alert you to a change in the overpayment process due to tax changes.
Key Changes
Currently, Due to Change: If an overpayment is repaid in a following tax year, and the gross amount of the overpayment is less than $3,000, the employee will repay the net amount. Due to tax law changes with the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2018, an employee who was overpaid less than $3,000 is no longer able to recoup the additional taxes that were withheld as a part of their overpayment. When repaid, the department will receive back the net amount and will be financially responsible for the difference between the gross and net pay.
Previously: For all overpayments repaid in a following tax year, the employee was required to repay the gross amount. Now this will be the case only when the employee was overpaid $3,000 or more. In these cases, as before, when the repayment is complete, the University will provide an IRS letter the employee can use when filing their taxes for the year in which the repayment occurred. This will allow them to recoup the extra taxes withheld when they were overpaid. The department will receive back the gross amount.
These changes have been updated in the Overpayment Collection business process document.
End-of-Year Considerations
(Note: This is a longstanding practice and not a change to the process.)
It remains very important to make every effort for overpayments to be repaid in the same tax year, regardless of the amount. All overpayments reported to Payroll Services in 2022 that have not been repaid by December 31 will be sent to the University's Accounts Receivable office for collection unless the employee is in the midst of a repayment plan through payroll deduction. Inactive or terminated employees must repay the overpayment by personal check, cashier's check, bill pay, or money order. The payments must be received by Thursday, December 29, 2022, the last business day of the tax year.
If after one year with University Accounts Receivable the amount is not repaid, they will send it to the State of Minnesota's Department of Revenue for collections. Extra charges will be added by Minnesota Revenue.
(11/1)
Future-Dated Benefits Row Added to Some Employee Records
Last week a 12/19/2022 Data Change/Benefits Use Only row was inserted into some employee records for Open Enrollment processing. Please do not delete this row unless the employee is terminating before December 19, 2022.
(10/18)
HRMS Advisory Group Will Meet Today at 3:00 p.m.
The next HRMS Advisory Group meeting will be held today (Tuesday) from 3:00 to 4:00 p.m. Members of the HRMS Advisory Group can join the meeting via Zoom:
https://umn.zoom.us/j/93733491249?pwd=d1p0dWUrVGtWejBleDhWWkdrTDlkZz09
Meeting ID: 937 3349 1249
Passcode: GPLnf8
OHR Accepting Applications for Several Job Openings
The Office of Human Resources continues to seek applications for several key job openings:
Workforce data manager: The position will lead a team that will provide the PEAK Initiative with data problem-solving, collection, analysis, and auditing. The position will be responsible for identifying and leading HR data and process integrity initiatives, collaborating on an HR systems security strategy, and improving transactional processing. (Job posting 351225; for questions, contact Chris Boldon at cboldon@umn.edu)
Leave specialists (several): As part of the process improvement plans of the PEAK Initiative, these positions will make certain types of leave procedures more personalized and employee-focused as well as reduce the current leave workload for supervisors and unit HR staff. Leave specialists will provide case management support to employees and supervisors for certain types of leaves such as Family and Medical Leave and parental leave. (Job posting 350729; for questions, contact Tina Derby at tderby@umn.edu)
Staffing operations and classification manager: Among the position's responsibilities will be developing a dedicated team of classification and staffing support specialists; ensuring that the hiring process—including job postings, updating the progress of applications, corresponding with applicants, offer letters, and background checks—is fulfilled promptly; and overseeing the University's job classification program. (Job posting 352127; for questions, contact Amy Kucera at kuce0011@umn.edu)
To apply for any of these positions, or for more detailed descriptions and requirements, visit the University job search site via MyU and search by the job posting numbers above.
New Student $15 Wage Floor Will Be Shown on This Week's Paychecks
Paychecks on Wednesday will be the first to reflect the University's move to a minimum wage of $15 an hour for student workers systemwide. The new student wage floor, announced in early August, began with the September 26 pay period, which will be distributed on the October 19 pay date. The wage floor increase will allow the University to be more competitive in recruiting and retaining student workers, as employers surrounding University campuses statewide have raised their wages in response to a tight labor market. It is also another way to support our student workers and acknowledge the contributions they make to our campuses in a wide variety of jobs.
(10/11)
HRMS Advisory Group Will Meet October 18
The next HRMS Advisory Group meeting will be held Tuesday, October 18, from 3:00 to 4:00 p.m. Members of the HRMS Advisory Group can join the meeting via Zoom:
https://umn.zoom.us/j/93733491249?pwd=d1p0dWUrVGtWejBleDhWWkdrTDlkZz09
Meeting ID: 937 3349 1249
Passcode: GPLnf8
Job Seekers Now Have More Information on Their Application Status
To provide job applicants greater visibility on the status of their applications, the career site's My Job Applications page has been updated to display more statuses beyond the current ones (Not Submitted, Submitted, and Withdrawn). The new statuses will be based on the applicant dispositions used internally. For more details on the new statuses and how they relate to the internal dispositions, see the Applicant Disposition Status training resource. This new feature means it will be more important than ever for units and central OHR to enter updates promptly when the disposition of an application changes.
(9/27)
AFSCME Technical Step Increases Have Been Entered
The step increase program for the AFSCME Technical bargaining unit ran on September 23 to update eligible employees with an October progression/anniversary date. A Pay Rate Change / Step/Progression row was inserted in job data to update the step number and hourly rate. These reports are available in the Reporting Center under My Reports:
(9/20)
HRMS Advisory Group Will Meet Today at 3:00 p.m.
The next HRMS Advisory Group meeting will be held today (Tuesday, September 20) from 3:00 to 4:00 p.m. Members of the HRMS Advisory Group can join the meeting via Zoom:
https://umn.zoom.us/j/93733491249?pwd=d1p0dWUrVGtWejBleDhWWkdrTDlkZz09
Meeting ID: 937 3349 1249
Passcode: GPLnf8
Job Openings for Leave Management Specialists
The Office of Human Resources continues to seek applications for seven newly created leave management positions. Part of the process improvement plans of the PEAK Initiative, these positions will make certain types of leave procedures more personalized and employee focused as well as reduce the current leave workload for supervisors and unit HR staff. The openings are for:
A leave manager, who will oversee the University's leave administration processes (job posting 350728)
Five leave specialists, who will administer certain types of leaves such as Family and Medical Leave (FMLA) and parental leave (job posting 350729)
A leave coordinator, who will be responsible for leave-related administrative and support tasks, including customer service to employees and vendors (job posting 350731)
If you are interested, or know of someone who might be, visit the University job search site via MyU and search for the job posting numbers above. For questions, contact Tina Derby at tderby@umn.edu.
(9/13)
HRMS Advisory Group Will Meet Tuesday, September 20
The next HRMS Advisory Group meeting will be held Tuesday, September 20, from 3:00 to 4:00 p.m. Members of the HRMS Advisory Group can join the meeting via Zoom:
https://umn.zoom.us/j/93733491249?pwd=d1p0dWUrVGtWejBleDhWWkdrTDlkZz09
Meeting ID: 937 3349 1249
Passcode: GPLnf8
Policy on Background Checks and Verifications Has Been Updated
Talent Acquisition recently completed the comprehensive policy review on the administrative policy Background Checks and Verifications. Key changes include:
New guidance on when social media checks are allowed or required
Allowing exceptions to people starting employment before their background check has been completed only under extenuating circumstances
Requiring international criminal checks only when a foreign national employee does not have a current visa or authorization to work in the United States, or when U.S. nationals have lived outside the U.S. for more than 12 months
Clarifying when background checks are required for current or recent employees for transfers or seasonal rehires
Clarifying and updating language according to current business practices
For questions on the policy changes, contact jobcentr@umn.edu.
Resources for New HRMS Users Available on HRMS Instruction Website
As a reminder, the HRMS Instruction website has a wealth of resources for employees who are new to HRMS and the supervisors who are onboarding them. On the main navigation bar, click on New to HRMS to find materials that can help new HRMS users become familiar with their HRMS resources, the required training they need to gain access to PeopleSoft, and guidance on completing the Access Request Form correctly to ensure speedy access to the PeopleSoft system.
The resources include:
Welcome to HRMS: An introduction to key resources
New HRMS User Checklist: Steps to understand and gain access to HRMS
Supervisor Checklist: Steps for supervisors to guide new HRMS users
New HRMS User Training Requirements for Access: A table that outlines what courses are required for each security role and function in HRMS
How to Complete the Access Request Form: Steps to correctly request access to the PeopleSoft system
(9/7)
Updated Pay Statement Format
Payroll has released a pay statement with an updated format. The information on the statement hasn't changed. If you get questions from your employees about the statement, please refer them to the Pay Statement Summary link on the bottom of the My Pay tab in MyU. If their questions are not answered there, please have them email or call the OHR Contact Center.
(8/30)
One-Day Payroll Close This Week
Because of the Labor Day holiday, the pay period ending Sunday, August 28, will be processed as a one-day close on Thursday, September 1. Wednesday's deadlines will not change. On Thursday, Payroll Updates must be received by 1:00 p.m. to be processed.
9-Month Rochester and Twin Cities Contract Renewals Have Been Updated
Contract renewals for nine-month appointments have been entered for U of M Rochester and Twin Cities campuses. Contracts, job data, and notices of appointment have been updated. One contract renewal report dated 8/23/2022 is now available in the Reporting Center via My Reports > PeopleSoft Pushed Reports > HR CONTRACT RENEW > UM CONTRACT RENEWALS (08/23/2022).
A Reminder About New Foreign National Employees and UNS Payees
Two emails must be sent to OHR to notify us of a new foreign national employee. Just one must be sent for a UNS Payee. If these emails are not sent to OHR, pay may be delayed.
Email 1: I-9 email (for employees only)
When a new I-9 and documents have been uploaded, send an email (one email per employee) to I9OHR@umn.edu
with the following information:
Employee name
Employee ID
Also, email OHR when there is a reverification or rehire (section 3).
Email 2: Tax data email ( for employees and UNS payees)
Send an email as soon as possible, but no later than the first day of the employee/UNS payee's appointment,
to FNPayroll@umn.edu with the following information:
Subject line: New foreign national setup
Employee/UNS payee name
Employee/UNS payee ID number
Employee/UNS payee email
Unit HR contact
Job Opening for PEAK Workforce Data Manager
The Office of Human Resources has an opening for a workforce data manager, a position created as a result of the PEAK Initiative, who will lead a team that will provide the University with data problem-solving, collection, analysis, and auditing. The position will be responsible for:
Identifying and leading HR data and process integrity initiatives
Collaborating on an HR systems security strategy
Improving transactional processing
To apply, or for a more detailed description, requirements, and salary range, visit the University job search site via MyU and search job posting 351225.
This position is being posted internally only for a limited time, to give University employees first consideration, so please apply promptly. For questions about this position, email Chris Boldon at cboldon@umn.edu.
(8/23)
HRMS Advisory Group Will Meet Today at 3:00 p.m.
The next HRMS Advisory Group meeting will be held today (Tuesday, August 23) from 3:00 to 4:00 p.m. Members of the HRMS Advisory Group can join the meeting via Zoom:
https://umn.zoom.us/j/93733491249?pwd=d1p0dWUrVGtWejBleDhWWkdrTDlkZz09
Meeting ID: 937 3349 1249
Passcode: GPLnf8
Fall 2022 Graduate Assistant Appointment Dates
When setting up graduate assistants for the coming semester, use the appropriate appointment start and end dates to ensure that students will receive the appropriate tuition benefits. Any start dates later than these or expected end dates earlier than these will cause tuition benefits to prorate. Appointments can be set up for the full academic year, which follow the 9-month appointment dates for that campus.
Twin Cities
Start date: 8/29/2022
End date (if ending in fall): 1/11/2023
Duluth
Start date: 8/22/2022
End date (if ending in fall): 1/4/2023
Morris/Law School
Start date: 8/15/2022
End date (if ending in fall): 12/28/2022
Most appointments should be set up as exception hourly. If you are using an hourly appointment, please contact gaesinfo@umn.edu with the student's ID number, appointment dates, and total estimated hours the student is expected to work for this current semester.
Work-Study Dates
Summer work-study terminations for Morris and Twin Cities campuses were successfully run Monday. Placements for fall work-study can be entered with an effective date on or after 8/1/2022 for Duluth and 8/15/2022 for Crookston, Morris, and Twin Cities.
Offer Letters Now Include Language on Preferred Name
In partnership with the Trans Advisory and Action Team and the Office of the General Council, offer letters should be addressed to the new employee's preferred name with this added paragraph:
"The University recognizes that your preferred name is [preferred name]; however, for the purpose of taxes and other legal documents outlined at https://z.umn.edu/LegalName we are required to include your legal name, [legal name], in this document."
OHR has updated the offer letter templates to include this language.
Payroll Accounting, Retros: New Attachment Function, New Perceptive Content Drawer
HRMS now allows attachments for retro distributions, simplifying the process for providing supporting documentation. You can attach PDFs, Word documents, and Excel files to each retro (other file types are not viewable from within PeopleSoft). The attachment feature for retro distributions works similarly to the other transactions in PeopleSoft that accept attachments.
Preparers navigation: UM Payroll Accounting > UM Direct Retro Distribution
Approvers navigation: UM Payroll Accounting > UM Retro Dist Review/Approval
Perceptive Content/Perceptive Experience Has New Email Address, Drawer Name
The old imaging email address for retro distribution activity, hsaimg@umn.edu, is going away and will be replaced by a new address that reflects the current transaction name: retroimg@umn.edu.
A new drawer has been created in Perceptive Content labeled F PA Retro. This replaces the old HSA-related drawer for storing supporting documentation for retro distributions. All previous HSA/retro attachment information will still be available for reference in the old F GL HSA drawer. Only new information will be stored in the new F PA Retro drawer.
Expectations for Imaging Supporting Documentation
According to policy, supporting documentation is required to justify the need for retro distributions and should include details about the purpose of the transaction (who, what, where, when, and why) that is not already available in the retro distribution itself. This new attachment feature in HRMS will simplify the process for providing this required support. Please send questions to controller@umn.edu.
(8/16)
Contract Renewals
9-Month UMM/UMC/Law School Contract Renewals Have Been Updated: Contract renewals for 9-month appointments at U of M Morris, Crookston, and the Law School have been entered. Contracts, job data, and notices of appointment have been updated. One contract renewal report dated 8/9/2022 is now available in the Reporting Center under My Reports > HR Contract Renew > UM CONTRACT RENEWALS (08/09/2022).
10-Month Contract Renewals Have Been Updated: Contract renewals for 10-month appointments have been entered. Contracts, job data, and notices of appointment have been updated. One contract renewal report dated 8/8/2022 is now available in the Reporting Center under My Reports > HR Contract Renew > UM CONTRACT RENEWALS (08/08/2022).
9-Month Contract Renewals for U of M Twin Cities and Rochester Set for Week of August 22: The 9-month contract renewals for these two campuses will be run the week of August 22. Please enter the Return From Work Break rows by August 21.
HRMS Instruction Website Adds Resources for New HRMS Users
The HRMS Instruction website has added a wealth of resources for employees who are new to HRMS and the supervisors who are onboarding them. On the main navigation bar, click on New to HRMS to find materials that can help new HRMS users become familiar with their HRMS resources, the required training they need to gain access to PeopleSoft, and guidance on completing the Access Request Form correctly to ensure speedy access to the PeopleSoft system.
The new resources include:
Welcome to HRMS: An introduction to key resources
New HRMS User Checklist: Steps to understand and gain access to HRMS
Supervisor Checklist: Steps for supervisors to guide new HRMS users
New HRMS User Training Requirements for Access: A table that outlines what courses are required for each security role and function in HRMS
How to Complete the Access Request Form: Steps to correctly request access to the PeopleSoft system
$15 Student Wage Floor
It is important to remember the $15 student wage floor does not go into effect until September 26. As a result, all student salary offers should be for rates that would have customarily been provided. Offer letters should reference the starting rate of pay but can then indicate that the student floor will be moving to $15 an hour on September 26. Units who have had salary progression scales for students based on years of service may choose to keep, revise, or discontinue those progressions based on budgetary considerations.
Wage data on the new student wage floor will be visible in the system on October 10.
I-9 Compliance Forum Recording Now Online
The I-9 Compliance Forum recording has been posted on the OHR Operations internal website. Click on the link or visit the site and go to the I-9 page.
(8/8)
I-9 Compliance Forum Tomorrow at 2:00 p.m.
Please join us for the online I-9 Compliance Forum tomorrow, Tuesday, August 9, at 2:00 p.m.
The agenda will include:
Review of the I-9 process
I-9 Express tips and resources
A discussion of the unique elements of foreign national employee employment verification
Updates on recent compliance updates and best practices
Ample time for questions
Join the meeting via Zoom:
https://umn.zoom.us/j/95784167742?pwd=Z2xjUlBpNmR4b0w5bzVCUDB5MzNlQT09
Meeting ID: 957 8416 7742
Passcode: 36fydx
Job Openings for Leave Management Specialists
One of the early recommendations of the University's PEAK Initiative is to centralize our procedures for requesting and approving certain types of leave, which will make the leave management process more consistent and reduce duplication of effort. As a result, the Office of Human Resources has created seven new leave management positions that we are looking to fill immediately. The openings are for:
A leave manager, who will oversee the University's leave administration processes (job posting 350728)
Five leave specialists, who will administer certain types of leaves such as Family and Medical Leave (FMLA) and parental leave (job posting 350729)
A leave coordinator, who will be responsible for leave-related administrative and support tasks, including customer service to employees and vendors (job posting 350731)
To apply, or for detailed requirements and salaries of each position, visit the University job search site via MyU and search for the job posting numbers above. Because these positions are being posted internally only for a limited time, please apply promptly. For questions about these job openings, contact Tina Derby at tderby@umn.edu.
(8/3)
Employees Affected by Evacuation?
If employees in your unit were affected by the gas leak–related evacuation on Tuesday, August 2, please follow the guidelines in the policy appendix "Pay Provisions During Emergency Closings or Reduced Operations" to answer any time- or absence-related questions.
Where to Find Popular Pages on New OHR Website
OHR is continuing to refine its new website and fix the search function. In the meantime, you can search the website by typing hr.ohr.umn/search in your browser's address bar. Or use this master spreadsheet with the old page names and links mapped to the corresponding new links. Use the Ctrl or Command+F function to search the spreadsheet.
Here are some common links you may want to bookmark:
Employee Relations (information available to all employees)
Layoff/Non-renewal template letters (accessible only to HR community)
Enter Data Rows for Upcoming Contract Renewals
Contract renewals for 10-month appointments and UMC/UMM/Law School 9-month appointments will be run the week of August 8. Please enter Return From Work Break rows into job data by August 7.
Contract renewals for UMR/UMTC 9-month appointments will be run the week of August 22. Please enter Return From Work Break rows into job data by August 21.
(7/26)
HRMS Advisory Group Meets Today at 3:00 p.m.
The next HRMS Advisory Group meeting will be held today (Tuesday, July 26) from 3:00 to 4:00 p.m. Members of the HRMS Advisory Group can join the meeting via Zoom:
https://umn.zoom.us/j/93733491249?pwd=d1p0dWUrVGtWejBleDhWWkdrTDlkZz09
Meeting ID: 937 3349 1249
Passcode: GPLnf8
Topics on the agenda include:
PEAK update
Overview of vacation and comp-time payouts
New out-of-state matrix
Updates from Workforce Data Management and Payroll
(6/21)
Contracts Renewed for 9- and 10-Over-12 Employees
Contract renewals for 9- or 10-month appointments paid over 12 months have been entered. Contracts, job data, and notices of appointment have been updated. Four contract renewal reports dated 6/16/2022 are available in the Reporting Center under My Reports > PeopleSoft Pushed Reports > HR CONTRACT RENEW:
Payroll Accounting Distributions Updated for FY 2023
On Sunday, Accounting Services completed the payroll accounting distribution roll for fiscal year 2023. All current and future-dated payroll accounting distributions were automatically copied forward into the new 2023 entry and are now available for review.
Reminder: If distribution changes needed for the 26th pay period of fiscal year 2022 also apply to the first pay period of 2023, the distribution change must be made in both fiscal years.
Bereavement Leave Reason Now Active in Absence Management
As of the pay period starting June 20, the absence reason of "Bereavement" has been added as an option employees can select, along with the appropriate absence type. As a reminder, the Absence Reason can be monitored using the Absence Events (UM_AB_ABSEVENT - Absence Events for a Dept ID) query in the Reporting Center.
MyU Access Limited to 6 Weeks for Terminated Employees
As of June 16, extended access to MyU will be reduced to six weeks after the last day of employment for faculty and staff who leave the University. Previously, employees who left the University had access for up to two years, which presented a significant security risk to the University.
The change primarily affects access to W-2 tax forms. When someone leaves the University, the Office of Human Resources automatically mails them their W-2 before the next tax season, so extended access to MyU for tax purposes is no longer necessary.
The change relates to termination of employment status. Some users may hold multiple affiliations that allow them to retain access to MyU. Staff leaving due to retirement or other account types that have access to LDAP will not see any changes to the current policy.
If you have questions about this change, please contact Identity and Access Management at iam@umn.edu.
(6/14)
HRMS Advisory Group Will Meet Today at 3:00 p.m.
The next HRMS Advisory Group meeting will be held today (Tuesday, June 14) from 3:00 to 4:00 p.m. Members of the HRMS Advisory Group can join the meeting via Zoom:
https://umn.zoom.us/j/93733491249?pwd=d1p0dWUrVGtWejBleDhWWkdrTDlkZz09
Meeting ID: 937 3349 1249
Passcode: GPLnf8
Units Can Begin Entering Merit Increases
The Board of Regents has approved the proposed 3.85% merit increase fund for fiscal year 2023 as outlined in the annual salary planning memo for FY23. Units can begin entering merit increases using these instructions, which include effective dates for entry and how to provide increases to employees who are below their salary range minimum or above their range maximum. (These are the same instructions that were emailed last week in anticipation of Board approval.)
Merit Increases Require Wage Change Notices
Now that the Board of Regents has approved merit increases, units will also have to supply employees who receive pay increases with a wage change notice. Minnesota's Wage Theft Act requires employers to provide written notice to employees when their salary or pay rate changes. These instructions provide options for units on how to do this.
(6/7)
Reporting and Analytics Section of HRMS Instruction Website Has Been Updated
The Training Services team has significantly revised the Queries, Reports, and Analytics section of the HRMS Instruction website. This new section (entitled Reporting and Analytics on the header of the site's main page) has several new features, including:
A newly organized Queries and Reports section, which follows the life cycle of an employee's career at the University for easier and more intuitive navigation
New resources for commonly used analytics dashboards. Examples, called Use Cases and Case Studies, provide direction on how the data can be used in various situations. HR professionals in different colleges and units offered their own experiences to ensure these resources are as helpful as possible.
A glossary with a description of every report in the Human Resources section of the Reporting Center, along with a direct link to each report
For more information, contact Kris Block (ksblock@umn.edu) or Emily Jenkins (duff0142@umn.edu).
Take Advantage of Recruiting and Hiring Resources at HERC
As a reminder, the University has a systemwide account with the Higher Education Recruitment Consortium (HERC), which has a wide array of information and resources on employee recruiting, hiring, and retention. To sign up, visit the HERC home page and registration page.
New HR Analytics Dashboard: Employee Retention Demographics
OHR Operations' HR Analytics team has released the 51st in a continuing series of data dashboards—Employee Retention Demographics. This new dashboard tracks faculty and staff retention year over year (for example, from fall 2020 to fall 2021) for diverse populations by HR department hierarchy. The information can be used to support the MPact 2025 Systemwide Strategic Plan.
The new dashboard is now available in the Reporting Center. In MyU, navigate to Key Links > Reporting Center > Human Resources > Workforce Analysis > Retention and Attrition > Employee Retention Demographics. If you are unable to view these dashboards and believe you should have access, please submit an access request form.
(5/26)
One-Day Payroll Close This Week
Due to the Memorial Day holiday on Monday, this week's payroll close is a one-day close. The payroll update deadline is Thursday, May 26. at 1:00 p.m.
Contracts for 12-Month Appointments Have Been Updated
Contract renewals for 12-month appointments have been entered. Contracts, job data, and notice of appointments have been updated. The contract renewal report dated 5/20/2022 is available in the Reporting Center via My Reports > PeopleSoft Pushed Reports > HR CONTRACT RENEW > UM CONTRACT RENEWALS (05/20/2022).
Report Routing Issue Fixed
Beginning Saturday, May 28, the Stability Payment Notification Report will be easier to find. The report will start appearing on the My Reports tab of the Reporting Center, under the PeopleSoft Pushed Reports heading, in a folder called HR Stability Pymt. Before this fix, the PDF files for this report had been misrouting to the HRMS Reports folder and were buried in a long list of HRMS job output files.
(5/16)
HRMS Advisory Group Will Meet Tomorrow at 3:00 p.m.
The next HRMS Advisory Group meeting will be held tomorrow (Tuesday, May 17) from 3:00 to 4:00 p.m. Members of the HRMS Advisory Group can join the meeting via Zoom:
https://umn.zoom.us/j/93733491249?pwd=d1p0dWUrVGtWejBleDhWWkdrTDlkZz09
Meeting ID: 937 3349 1249
Passcode: GPLnf8
Appointment Entry Updates
As a reminder, work-study terminations for fall and spring will take place today (except for the Morris campus). You can enter summer appointments as early as tomorrow, May 17.
(5/9)
Direct Retro Distribution Processing Delays
Direct retros entered and approved after 11:00 a.m. on Friday, May 6, will be processed in HRMS at noon today (Monday, May 9), but will not post to the general ledger until this evening. All direct retros will be available on reports in the Reporting Center Tuesday morning.
HRMS Advisory Group Will Meet Tuesday, May 17
The next HRMS Advisory Group meeting will be held Tuesday, May 17, from 3:00 to 4:00 p.m. Members of the HRMS Advisory Group can join the meeting via Zoom:
https://umn.zoom.us/j/93733491249?pwd=d1p0dWUrVGtWejBleDhWWkdrTDlkZz09
Meeting ID: 937 3349 1249
Passcode: GPLnf8
(4/19)
HRMS Advisory Group Will Meet Today at 3:00 p.m.
The next HRMS Advisory Group meeting will be held today (Tuesday, April 19) from 3:00 to 4:00 p.m. Members of the HRMS Advisory Group can join the meeting via Zoom:
https://umn.zoom.us/j/93733491249?pwd=d1p0dWUrVGtWejBleDhWWkdrTDlkZz09
Meeting ID: 937 3349 1249
Passcode: GPLnf8
Recommended Process for Renewing Job Postings
As previously announced, as of March 15, the questions "Are you authorized to work in the United States?" and "Is your authorization to work in the United States scheduled to end at any point in the future?" are being automatically added to all new job postings. Please note that if you "refresh" a posting or "clone an older requisition," the system will not automatically add those questions. You will need to manually add them as you have been doing in the past. We recommend that you create a new requisition to ensure those questions are automatically added.
New HR Analytics Dashboard: Salary Structure
OHR Operations' HR Analytics team has released the 50th in a continuing series of data dashboards—Salary Structure. This new dashboard provides the salary and hourly rate minimum, midpoint, and maximum for any job code or job title. You can filter the information for any date. The Salary Structure dashboard is now available in the MyU Reporting Center. In MyU, go to Key Links > Reporting Center > Human Resources > Workforce Analysis > Compensation > Salary Structure.
(4/11)
HRMS Advisory Group Will Meet Tuesday, April 19
The next HRMS Advisory Group meeting will be held Tuesday, April 19, from 3:00 to 4:00 p.m. Members of the HRMS Advisory Group can join the meeting via Zoom:
https://umn.zoom.us/j/93733491249?pwd=d1p0dWUrVGtWejBleDhWWkdrTDlkZz09
Meeting ID: 937 3349 1249
Passcode: GPLnf8
DHS to End COVID Policy of Accepting Expired List B Identity Documents
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is ending the temporary COVID‑19 policy that allowed employers to accept expired List B identity documents (student ID, voter registration card, military ID, etc.) during the employment verification process. Beginning May 1, employers can accept only valid, unexpired List B documents from new employees when completing the I-9 form.
The temporary policy was in response to the difficulties many people faced in renewing documents during the COVID‑19 pandemic. Now that document‑issuing offices have reopened or provided alternatives to in‑person renewals, DHS is ending this flexibility.
If an employee presented an expired List B document between May 1, 2020, and April 30, 2022, employers must update their Form I-9 by July 31. Employees can present the renewed List B document, a different List B document, or a document from List A. In Section 2 of the I-9 form, under "Additional Information," the employer should enter the title of the document, the issuing authority, number, and expiration date, then initial and date the change. If you have questions, email or call the OHR Contact Center at ohr@umn.edu, 612-624-8647 or 800-756-2363.
HR Analytics Dashboards Now Include More Data on Diversity, Student Hiring
OHR Operations' HR Analytics team has enhanced three of its dashboards to include more information on ethnicity and diversity. They have also created a new dashboard to better track the hiring of student workers.
These three previous dashboards now include categories for Ethnicity, BIPOC, and Underrepresented on the Ethnicity page and the Trending page:
Employee Headcount and FTE Demographics
Employee Hiring with Demographics
Employee Departures with Demographics
You can use the data to track progress of MPact 2025 Systemwide Strategic Plan commitments to recruit and retain diverse faculty and staff. (If you are unable to view these dashboards and believe you should have access, please submit an access request form.) For more information, see the recently published Guide to Reporting on Ethnicities.
In addition, a newly created dashboard, Undergraduate Student Workers Hiring, is a tool for tracking progress on the MPact 2025 Systemwide Strategic Plan commitment to increase on-campus employment opportunities for all students.
The four dashboards are now available in the MyU Reporting Center. Navigate to MyU > Key Links > Reporting Center > Human Resources > Workforce Analysis and then to:
Employee > Employee Headcount and FTE Demographics
Retention and Attrition > Employee Hiring with Demographics
Retention and Attrition > Employee Departures with Demographics
Retention and Attrition > Undergraduate Student Workers Hiring
(4/5)
PeopleSoft Update Set for Weekend of April 23
On Saturday and Sunday April 23 and 24, University IT is planning to update the PeopleSoft development platform, PeopleTools. MyU and PeopleSoft applications, and some applications that depend on them, will be unavailable while the update is in progress. Please make note of this outage and plan accordingly. The update helps our PeopleSoft systems remain stable and secure and ensures that they remain supported by the vendor. The project team will coordinate the timing to reduce disruption to the University.
After the update, PeopleSoft users will notice some minor changes to the interface. IT will be communicating about the upcoming outage more broadly to the University community via Brief, MyU, and banner messages. During the weekend, you can view the progress on the University's Service Status page. Please contact Technology Help with any questions.
(3/22)
HRMS Advisory Group Will Meet Tomorrow at 3:00 p.m.
The next HRMS Advisory Group meeting will be held tomorrow (Tuesday, March 22) from 3:00 to 4:00 p.m. Members of the HRMS Advisory Group can join the meeting via Zoom:
https://umn.zoom.us/j/93733491249?pwd=d1p0dWUrVGtWejBleDhWWkdrTDlkZz09
Meeting ID: 937 3349 1249
Passcode: GPLnf8
Talent Acquisition Enhances Client Support
Talent Acquisition has hired several new consultants recently and has formed teams to better support its clients. See this listing to find your consultant and Talent Acquisition specialist. They will be scheduling meet-and-greets with unit contacts in the coming weeks.
(3/16)
HRMS Advisory Group Will Meet Tuesday at 3:00 p.m.
The next HRMS Advisory Group meeting will be held Tuesday, March 22, from 3:00 to 4:00 p.m. Members of the HRMS Advisory Group can join the meeting via Zoom:
https://umn.zoom.us/j/93733491249?pwd=d1p0dWUrVGtWejBleDhWWkdrTDlkZz09
Meeting ID: 937 3349 1249
Passcode: GPLnf8
Manager Info Tab in MyU Now Displays Up to 5 Employee Emergency Contacts
MyU recently made a small change to the Manager Info tab: When a manager clicks an employee's name, it will now display up to five emergency contacts, rather than one.
The new feature will make it easier for managers to find contact information if something happens at work or if an employee is unreachable. Please let your employees know they can add more names to their emergency contacts in the My Info tab.
(3/8)
Job Application Process Will Now Include Work Authorization Questions
The following changes have been made when posting a job opening in PeopleSoft. Beginning March 15, you will no longer have to manually select the question, "Are you authorized to work." Instead, the following two questions have been added to the online questionnaire step of the application process and will be automatically included in all new job postings:
Are you authorized to work in the United States?
Is your authorization to work in the United States scheduled to end at any point in the future?
These questions have been vetted by the Office of the General Counsel.
For job openings created before March 15, you will need to add the two questions manually, if desired. See this job aid for more information and screenshots.
Reminders for Entering Additional Personal Holidays
Thank you to everyone who worked so hard to add the extra personal holidays from President Gabel into the HRMS system. After reviewing the process, the Data Quality team would like to offer a few reminders about how to input this information to ensure data accuracy. The steps below are also available on the HRMS Instruction website under Job Data Entry.
Reminders
The Payroll Tab includes data fields that are critical to the correct personal holiday allotment.
The Eligibility Group selection must be accurate for the personal holiday to be correct.
For more details on eligibility, see the Office of Human Resources web page Personal & Scheduled Floating Holiday.
Data Entry Steps
In Job Data, Payroll Information: If the employee is absence eligible, complete the following fields:
Payroll System: Leave at default, "Payroll for North America."
Absence System: Select "Absence Management." (If the employee is not eligible, leave the Absence System as "Other.")
On the Payroll for North America section, complete the following fields:
Pay Group: Select the appropriate Pay Group based on the appointment length (not how they are paid).
Employee Type: Select how the employee is paid: "E - Exception Hourly," "H - Hourly," "S - Salaried."
Pay Group: Should match the Pay Group from the Payroll for North America section.
Use Pay Group Eligibility: Deselect the checkbox.
Eligibility Group: Select the appropriate group to enroll the employee in. For details on eligibility, see the Personal & Scheduled Floating Holiday web page under Personal Holiday—Twin Cities and Rochester Campuses.
(2/22)
AFSCME Employees Must Have Been in AFSCME Job on 2/11/22 to Get Retro Pay
In this round of bargaining, the parties specifically negotiated this issue and put language on page 1 of the tentative agreement (which AFSCME members voted on and the Board of Regents approved).
Here is the language:
*** Only members of the bargaining unit who were employed by the University and were on the University's payroll in a bargaining unit position as of the date on which the collective bargaining agreement is approved by the Board of Regents [Note: February 11, 2022] shall be eligible for retro pay. No employee who separated or left the bargaining unit prior to the approval of the collective bargaining agreement by the Board of Regents is eligible to receive retro pay.
"Left the bargaining unit" means that an employee may still work at the University—for example in a Civil Service job—but no longer holds an AFSCME-represented job as of February 11, 2022. While you may have handled this issue differently in the past in your college or administrative unit, this language controls for the June 21, 2021–February 11, 2022 retroactive pay period this round.
(2/14)
Union Pay Increases Do Not Require Wage Change Notice
Departments do not need to send notices to Labor-Represented employees informing them about a pay increase from a negotiated union contract. According to the University's Office of the General Counsel, the State of Minnesota does not require the salary change notices in these cases because Labor-Represented employees are informed of the new wage terms when they vote on the contract, and others have access to the new contracts on the public OHR Employee Relations web page, which will be posted before the salary change appears on their paycheck. Please contact your unit's Employee Relations consultant if you have questions about the process.
AFSCME Pay Increases Set for Week of March 7
Central OHR will enter the AFSCME Clerical, Heath Care, and Technical annual pay increases and the Technical step pay increases during the week of March 7. Central OHR will manually enter the Health Care step pay increases by March 16.
Central OHR will contact departments about the market adjustment for eligible employees in job codes 4912, 4965, 5038, and 5039.
The new hourly rates will be paid on the March 23 payday (for the February 28–March 13 pay period).
Retro Pay
Departments are responsible for processing and entering retro pay from June 21, 2021, through February 27, 2022. An employee who separated or left the bargaining unit before February 11, 2022, is not eligible to receive retro pay.
The retro pay must be entered into Additional Pay by 4:30 p.m. on March 30 for the March 14–27 pay period.
Temporary queries will be available to help with the retro calculations.
Retro pay will be paid on the April 6 payday (March 14–27 pay period).
We will send detailed instructions the week of March 7.
(2/7)
HRMS Advisory Group Will Meet Tomorrow at 3:00 p.m.
The next HRMS Advisory Group meeting will be held tomorrow (Tuesday, February 8) from 3:00 to 4:00 p.m. Members of the HRMS Advisory Group can join the meeting via Zoom:
https://umn.zoom.us/j/93733491249?pwd=d1p0dWUrVGtWejBleDhWWkdrTDlkZz09
Meeting ID: 937 3349 1249
Passcode: GPLnf8
Year-End Payroll Adjustments Are Completed
As part of the normal year-end process, Payroll Services runs an abbreviated year-end, off-cycle payroll to make year-end adjustments and to check adjustments or reversals that affect employees' 2021 year-to-date amounts. This payroll was processed on Monday, February 7. As a result, you may see an additional UM Payroll Verification Reports for your department in the Reporting Center with a pay end date of 12/18/21. These payroll entries will be posted to the general ledger on Wednesday evening with an accounting date of 02/09/22.
Note: If no employees had year-end adjustments, you will not see a payroll verification report for your area.
2022
(1/19)
New Report Shows Who Needs Safety of Minors Background Check
A new query in the MyU Reporting Center can tell you which employees in your department require a Safety of Minors background check due to the nature of their job. You can find a link to the report, named "Emps with Safety of Minors Background Check," in the Reporting Center under Human Resources > HR Operational > HR/Benefits. The query requires HR administrative query access.
Reminder: New Student Worker Wages Earnings Codes Now Active
The new student worker wages earnings codes are now in place for 2022. For all earnings codes used to pay student worker wages, a new, corresponding earnings code has been created. This change allows the University to correctly report unemployment-eligible earnings to the State of Minnesota, by excluding these student wages. Please keep the following in mind:
There is no change to time-reporting steps. Nothing changes for student workers entering their time; the existing time-reporting codes will still be used. A behind-the-scenes process will switch the existing codes into the new student worker codes.
The only change the employee will see is the new earnings code descriptions on their check/advice—it is the same description with "SW" added to the end.
For HR/payroll administrators, the correct student worker code will need to be selected in Additional Pay. Student workers are all employees in the job code series 2XXX.
When creating and submitting a Payroll Update or Off-Cycle Request for a student worker, be sure you select the new earnings codes.
The new codes and descriptions will appear on payroll and finance reports.
Here is the list of new earnings codes. The master earnings codes list is also available on the Earnings Codes and Tax Information page of the OHR website.
(1/11)
Ad Hoc Reporting Data Has Been Expanded
The data in HR Analytics ad hoc reporting has been expanded to include HR Leads and Reports To Hierarchy information. This public data is now available in the Human Resources—Position, Job, Compensation subject area for those with access to the ad hoc environment. If you do not yet have access, you will need to fill out an Access Request Form for HR Analytics ad hoc reporting and complete two prerequisite courses: "Working With Employee Data" (OHR060) and "UM Analytics: Creating Basic Analyses and Dashboards" (EUS132, EUS133, or EUS134). Register for both in Training Hub. In addition, a working lab (EUS135) is scheduled for Tuesday, February 22, from 1:00 to 4:00 p.m. via Zoom.
To submit an Access Request Form, select Additional Applications & Data Warehouse Tables > Additional Applications > UM Analytics. On the form, be sure to choose Create Access (Author) and select Human Resources—Public.
(1/3)
New Student Worker Wages Earnings Codes Now Active
The new student worker wages earnings codes are now in place for this first payroll close in 2022. For all earnings codes used to pay student worker wages, a new, corresponding earnings code has been created. This change will allow the University to correctly report unemployment-eligible earnings to the State of Minnesota, by excluding these student wages. Please keep the following in mind:
There is no change to time-reporting steps. Nothing changes for student workers entering their time; the existing time-reporting codes will still be used. A behind-the-scenes process will switch the existing codes into the new student worker codes.
The only change the employee will see is the new earnings code descriptions on their check/advice—it is the same description with "SW" added to the end.
For HR/payroll administrators, correct student worker code will need to be selected in Additional Pay. Student workers are all employees in the job code series 2XXX.
When creating and submitting a Payroll Update or Off-Cycle Request for a student worker, be sure you select the new earnings codes.
The new codes and descriptions will appear on payroll and finance reports.
Here is the list of new earnings codes. The master earnings code list will be updated shortly.
2021
(12/28)
Employees Have Till Wednesday to Use Remaining Pay Reduction Program Hours
Employees with remaining Pay Reduction Program hours can apply that paid time off through Wednesday, December 29 (all campuses have University holidays on December 30 and 31). Balances will be zeroed out following processing of the pay period ending January 2. The UM Pay Reduction Hours for P and A and Faculty report in the Reporting Center will show you which employees have balances remaining.
Off-Cycle Payroll Schedule Change This Week
The off-cycle payroll schedule will change slightly this week due to the University and federal holidays Thursday and Friday. Normally, the off-cycle request deadline would be at 5:00 p.m. Wednesday, December 29. Instead, the deadline will move up to noon on that same day. Off-cycle direct deposits will be made on Thursday, December 30, because Friday, December 31, is a federal banking holiday. Off-cycle printed checks will be mailed on Wednesday, December 29.
(12/20)
Holiday Payroll Schedule This Week
This week will be an early payroll close because of University holidays Thursday and Friday:
A one-day payroll close will occur on Wednesday.
The units' noon deadline for time and absence and 4:30 p.m. deadline for job data, which would normally fall on Wednesday, will shift to Tuesday.
The Payroll Update deadline on Wednesday will be 1:00 p.m.
Most Faculty and Staff to Receive Two Additional Personal Holidays
As President Gabel announced on Friday, the Board of Regents approved two additional personal holidays to acknowledge the dedication and hard work of faculty and staff throughout the pandemic. An email coming soon from Vice President Ken Horstman will have more details.
Remaining Pay Reduction Period Hours Expiring at End of 2021
Employees with remaining Pay Reduction Program hours can apply that paid time off through December 29 (all campuses have University holidays on December 30 and 31). Balances will be zeroed out following processing of the pay period ending January 2. The UM Pay Reduction Hours for P and A and Faculty report in the Reporting Center will show you what employees have balances remaining.
Emergency Pandemic Hours Extended in 2022
Eligible University employees will have access to another 80 hours of emergency pandemic paid leave in 2022. Hours not used in 2021 do not carry forward into the new year. The process for requesting the time remains the same. Please monitor your employees' use of this time so that it doesn't exceed 80 hours. The COVID-19 Policies and Procedures page of the HRMS Instruction website explains the process and how to use the Emergency Leave Totals query to monitor use of this leave.
Off-Cycle Schedule Change Last Week of the Year
The off-cycle schedule will change slightly the week of December 27–29 due to the federal and University holidays that week. Normally, the off-cycle request deadline would be at 5:00 p.m. Wednesday, December 29. Instead, the deadline will move up to noon on that same day. Off-cycle direct deposits will be made on Thursday, December 30, because Friday, December 31, is a federal banking holiday. Off-cycle printed checks will be mailed on Wednesday, December 29.
Flexibility on Form I-9 Compliance Extended
On December 15, the Department of Homeland Security announced a further extension of the flexibilities on Form I-9 compliance requirements that was initially granted last year. The guidance, which was set to expire on December 31, has been extended through April 30, 2022. The guidance will continue to allow for remote inspection of Form I-9 documents in situations in which employees work exclusively in a remote setting due to COVID-19 precautions. For employees who physically report to work at a company location on a regular or predictable basis, employers are required to use standard I-9 procedures.
(12/13)
HRMS Advisory Group Will Meet Tuesday at 3:00 p.m.
The next HRMS Advisory Group meeting will be held tomorrow (Tuesday, December 14) from 3:00 to 4:00 p.m. Members of the HRMS Advisory Group can join the meeting via Zoom:
https://umn.zoom.us/j/93733491249?pwd=d1p0dWUrVGtWejBleDhWWkdrTDlkZz09
Meeting ID: 937 3349 1249
Passcode: GPLnf8
One tap mobile: 651-372-8299/93733491249#/*564943#
Payroll Holiday Schedule
This year, payroll close falls during the holiday week of December 20, which will mean a shift in the payroll close schedule:
Week of December 20 (University holidays December 23 and 24)
A one-day payroll close will occur on Wednesday, December 22.
The units' noon deadline for time and absence and 4:30 p.m. deadline for job data, which would normally fall on Wednesday, December 22, will shift to Tuesday, December 21.
The Payroll Update deadline on Wednesday, December 22, will be 1:00 p.m.
Unused Pay Reduction Program Hours Expire at the End of the Year
As a reminder: Employees who still have a balance of unused Pay Reduction Program hours have until December 29 to use that optional paid time off. Any balances not used by the end of 2021 will be deleted and unavailable for use after 2021.
State Minimum Wage Set to Increase to $10.33
Minnesota's minimum wage will increase from $10.08 to $10.33 an hour for large employers beginning January 1. This represents a 2.48% increase. All University of Minnesota employees, including student workers, must be paid at or above this new minimum of $10.33 no later than January 1. The Office of Human Resources will process required pay increases centrally, using an effective date of December 20, 2021. These changes will appear on the January 12 paychecks. Also note, the salary floor for undergraduate student employees in the S3-01 salary admin plan and grade and for workers in the C6-01 salary admin plan and grade will also be updated to the new minimum effective December 20.
(12/8)
Payroll Holiday Schedule
This year, payroll close falls during the holiday week of December 20, which will mean a shift in the payroll close schedule:
Week of December 20 (University holidays December 23 and 24)
A one-day payroll close will occur on Wednesday, December 22.
The units' noon deadline for time and absence and 4:30 p.m. deadline for job data, which would normally fall on Wednesday, December 22, will shift to Tuesday, December 21.
The Payroll Update deadline on Wednesday, December 22, will be 1:00 p.m.
Annual Salary Grades Have Been Updated
The annual salary grade updates to job codes were completed last week for calendar year 2022. A central program updated the salary grades on positions and job data records. The following rows were inserted:
Position
Effective date: 12/20/2021
Reason Code: UPD
Job Data
Effective date: 12/20/2021
Action/Reason Codes: Position Change/Position Data Change
New Partnership Supports Diversity Recruiting
OHR's Talent Acquisition team has entered a partnership with diversity recruiting company Circa (formerly known as the Local Job Network). Through this partnership, all open positions are automatically emailed to a large network of community-based organizations and posted to most major diversity job boards and to MinnesotaWorks (a federal requirement). Positions will no longer need to be posted manually to these sites. The list of job boards will be available soon on the OHR website.
In addition, Talent Acquisition will have access to Circa's AI technology, which matches openings to potential candidates who haven't yet applied, without bias. Please contact your recruiter for more information.
Unused Pay Reduction Program Hours Expire at the End of the Year
As a reminder: Employees who still have a balance of unused Pay Reduction Program hours have until December 29 to use that optional paid time off. Any balances not used by the end of 2021 will be deleted and unavailable for use after 2021.
HR Analytics Dashboard for Annual Salary Structure Comparison
OHR Operations' HR Analytics team has released the 48th in a continuing series of data dashboards—Annual Salary Structure Comparison. The dashboard will be released to a targeted audience who have employees reporting to them. The OHR Compensation team will be communicating directly to their target audience, including HR Leads, about the availability of the dashboard in mid-December. The dashboard provides year-to-year comparison of salary structures (salary grade, minimum hourly rate, midpoint hourly rate, maximum hourly rate, normalized hourly base rate, and compa ratio) for employees in market-refined job families by reports-to hierarchy.
(11/22)
Payroll Close Days During the Holidays
This year, payroll close falls on the week of both the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays, which will mean a shift in payroll close schedules:
This Week (University holidays November 25 and 26)
A one-day payroll close will occur on Wednesday, November 24.
The units' noon deadline for time and absence and 4:30 p.m. deadline for job data, which would normally fall on Wednesday, November 24, will shift to Tuesday, November 23.
The Payroll Update deadline on Wednesday, November 24, will be 1:00 p.m.
Week of Christmas (University holidays December 23 and 24)
A one-day payroll close will occur on Wednesday, December 22.
The units' noon deadline for time and absence and 4:30 p.m. deadline for job data, which would normally fall on Wednesday, December 22, will shift to Tuesday, December 21.
The Payroll Update deadline on Wednesday, December 22, will be 1:00 p.m.
(11/16)
HRMS Advisory Group Will Meet Today at 3:00 p.m.
The next HRMS Advisory Group meeting will be held today from 3:00 to 4:00 p.m. Members of the HRMS Advisory Group can join the meeting via Zoom:
https://umn.zoom.us/j/93733491249
Meeting ID: 937 3349 1249
Passcode: GPLnf8
One tap mobile
651-372-8299
Payroll Close Days During the Holidays
This year, payroll close falls on the week of both the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays, which will mean a shift in payroll close schedules:
Week of Thanksgiving (University holidays November 25 and 26)
A one-day payroll close will occur on Wednesday, November 24.
The units' noon deadline for time and absence and 4:30 p.m. deadline for job data, which would normally fall on Wednesday, November 24, will shift to Tuesday, November 23.
The Payroll Update deadline on Wednesday, November 24, will be 1:00 p.m.
Week of Christmas (University holidays December 23 and 24)
A one-day payroll close will occur on Wednesday, December 22.
The units' noon deadline for time and absence and 4:30 p.m. deadline for job data, which would normally fall on Wednesday, December 22, will shift to Tuesday, December 21.
The Payroll Update deadline on Wednesday, December 22, will be 1:00 p.m.
New HR Analytics Dashboard: Unit Comparisons Analysis
OHR Operations' HR Analytics team has released the 47th in a continuing series of data dashboards—Unit Comparisons Analysis. The new dashboard compares unit headcount, full time equivalent (FTE), institutional base salary (IBS), and additional pay by equivalent HR department hierarchy levels for any date from April 2015 (headcount, FTE, IBS) or June 2018 (additional pay) to the current date.
The new dashboard is now available in the Reporting Center. In MyU, navigate to Key Links > Reporting Center > Human Resources > Workforce Analysis > Compensation > Unit Comparisons Analysis.
(11/9)
Payroll Close Days During the Holidays
This year, payroll close falls on the week of both the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays, which will mean a shift in payroll close schedules:
Week of Thanksgiving (University holidays November 25 and 26)
A one-day payroll close will occur on Wednesday, November 24.
The units' noon deadline for time and absence and 4:30 p.m. deadline for job data, which would normally fall on Wednesday, November 24, will shift to Tuesday, November 23.
The Payroll Update deadline on Wednesday, November 24, will be 1:00 p.m.
Week of Christmas (University holidays December 23 and 24)
A one-day payroll close will occur on Wednesday, December 22.
The units' noon deadline for time and absence and 4:30 p.m. deadline for job data, which would normally fall on Wednesday, December 22, will shift to Tuesday, December 21.
The Payroll Update deadline on Wednesday, December 22, will be 1:00 p.m.
Missing Social Security Numbers
Please remember to check that your employees' Social Security numbers (SSN) are recorded in both PeopleSoft and I9 Express. The query UM_HR_MISSING_PERSDATA in the Reporting Center will show you which employees are missing an SSN. With limited access to the Social Security Administration during the pandemic, many of our new foreign national employees have seen delays in acquiring an SSN. Please be sure you are following up with them to ask if they have gotten their SSN. This is becoming more urgent as we get closer to issuing W-2 forms in January.
Employees Should Update Direct Deposit Info If They Bank With TCF/Huntington
Payroll Services recently contacted employees who have set up their direct deposit through TCF (now Huntington Bank) to ask that they update their account and routing number in MyU. While their direct deposits will not be interrupted if they do not update their information, it is helpful for payroll operations to have the most up-to-date account and routing number. Employees can follow the steps in the Editing a Direct Deposit instructions. If they have questions, they can email the OHR Contact Center at ohr@umn.edu or call 612-624-8647 or 800-756-2363.
HR Analytics Adds Dashboard for Additional Pay and Updates Job Code Dashboard
OHR Operations' HR Analytics team has released the 46th in a continuing series of data dashboards—Departmental Non-Institutional Base Salary (Addl Pay) Trending. The dashboard—a separate tab on the existing Departmental Non-Institutional Base Salary (Addl Pay) dashboard—reports annual trends in additional pay by HR department hierarchy for any time from June 2018 to the current date. It is available in MyU by navigating to Key Links > Reporting Center > Human Resources > Workforce Analysis > Compensation > Departmental Non Institutional Base Salary (Addl Pay).
In addition, the Job Code Groupings dashboard has been improved with new categories. The dashboard provides mappings for each job code to various employee groups, with current job code descriptions and related attributes. The latest enhancement adds Job Family Level Code, Job Family Level Description, and Job Specialty columns for job codes in market-refined job families. For non-refined job families, the values for these columns are NA, Level Not Assigned, and - (dash), respectively. These columns will be populated with new values as the market refinement project continues. The improved dashboard is available in MyU by navigating to Key Links > Reporting Center > Human Resource Management > Human Resources > Workforce Analysis > Position > Job Code Groupings.
(11/2)
Future-Dated Benefits Row Added to Some Employee Records
Last week a 12/20/2021 Data Change/Benefits Use Only row was inserted into some employee records for Open Enrollment processing. Please do not delete this row, even if an employee is terminating before December 20. The row should remain for COBRA and rehire reasons.
University Vaccination and Testing Policy
The University encourages all employees to seek full vaccination to limit the spread of COVID-19. In addition, the University requires all employees to agree to follow the University's COVID-19 protocols, including masking and testing protocols, and isolation or quarantine, if needed. As a condition of University employment, within the first three weeks of employment an employee must complete an attestation process to signal their agreement to follow these protocols. The attestation does not mandate vaccination, does not require employees to disclose their vaccination status, and does not require COVID test results to be shared with the University. In the coming weeks the University will move from attestation to requiring all faculty and staff systemwide to submit proof of vaccination.(10/25)
Audit of HRMS Security Roles Begins This Week
In our continuing effort to keep University data in HRMS safe and secure, OHR Operations is conducting an audit of our HRMS security roles across the University. Examples of the roles include hiring manager, position entry, appointment entry, unit time administrator, and so on.
This week, OHR Operations' Workforce Data Management team will be sending a spreadsheet of all the HRMS security roles to University departments for their review and updates. If there are changes, departments will be instructed to submit a Change of Employment Status (COES) form. For questions about the security audit, contact wfdmdq@umn.edu.
State Minimum Wage Increasing to $10.33
Minnesota's state minimum wage will increase to $10.33 an hour for large employers beginning January 1, from the current rate of $10.08 an hour. All employees, including student workers, must be paid at or above that rate. We will provide more information next month about the process the Office of Human Resources will follow to implement these mandated increases, but we want to make you aware now so you can assess the potential impact to your unit.
(10/18)TCF/Huntington Bank Direct Deposit Communication
Employees with payroll direct deposits to a TCF Bank account (recently purchased by Huntington Bank), will receive a communication this week from Payroll Services asking them to update their bank account number and routing number in direct deposit. The communication will explain that, while their direct deposit will not be interrupted if they do not make the change, having the most up-to-date routing number and account number is helpful for payroll operations. We want to alert you to this communication should you get questions from your employees.
HR Analytics Ad Hoc Data Expansion
HR Analytics Ad Hoc Data Expansion
HR Analytics ad hoc reporting now offers expanded data, including employee contact information (public and private) and demographics data (private). Public data is housed in Position, Job, Compensation and Position, Job, Compensation Snapshot (Operational) dashboards and private data is housed within the new PJC Private and PJC Private Snapshot dashboards. If you have ad hoc access, data will be available for you now depending on your security role.
If you would like to gain access, you'll need to submit an Access Request Form (ARF). As a reminder, there are two prerequisites to gain access to the HR ad hoc reporting. You will need to complete both the Working with “Employee Data” (OHR060) and one of the “UM Analytics: Creating Basic Analyses and Dashboards” (EUS132, EUS133, or EUS134) courses before gaining access. Registration for both courses is available in the Training Hub. In addition, working labs are scheduled for November 9 and December 2 via Zoom.
Employee Requirements Update
Employee Requirements Update
The ad template in Recruiting Solutions has been modified to incorporate language regarding the attestation requirement. We changed the section labeled "Background Check" to "Employment Requirements" with the following text:
Employment Requirements
Any offer of employment is contingent upon the successful completion of a background check. Our presumption is that prospective employees are eligible to work here. Criminal convictions do not automatically disqualify finalists from employment.
All employees at the University of Minnesota are required to either attest that they are fully vaccinated against COVID-19 or agree to comply with the University's testing requirement. To learn more please visit the “Get the Vax 2.0” webpage.
(10/11)Teamsters 6/21/2021 Pay Increase Has Been Added
Pay increases for the Teamsters bargaining unit were centrally added to job data on October 6. The program inserted a Pay Rate Change/Annual Increase row and an updated hourly rate on that row and any rows after 6/21/2021. You can view two reports in the Reporting Center via My Reports > HRMS Reports:
UMHRAE002 - TEAMSTERS INCREASE.PDF (10/06/2021)
UMHRAE002 - TEAMSTERS INCREASE ERROR.PDF (10/06/2021)
Cook (job code 6074) step realignment: Steps and hourly rates for eligible employees will be manually updated by OHR.
New hires, rehires, recalls, or transfers: The hourly rates for new hires, rehires, recalls, or transfers, effective 6/21/2021 and after, will be manually updated by OHR.
Full instructions, including retro pay processing, will be coming soon.
(10/4) For Employees Working Outside U.S., Do Not Enter 'Expected Job End Date'
An important change has been made to the guidance announced last month about job data updates for employees working outside the United States. Previously, the training resource instructed users to enter an Expected Job End Date when assigning employees in a non-U.S. location; however, doing so can affect payroll encumbrance for the employee. As a result, this step has been removed in the Work Location Change: Employees Working Internationally training resource. As a reminder, you should update work location for any employee working outside the U.S. for more than 30 days.
Faculty and Instructional Staff Credentials Updates Due Tomorrow
The University recently identified a number of faculty and instructional staff whose PeopleSoft records do not accurately capture their educational credentials and terminal degrees. Recently, HR Leads were sent a spreadsheet with information on faculty and instructional staff whose records need to be modified. Units should update those records by Wednesday, October 6. Please remember that degree information should always be entered for all academic appointments. For information about entering terminal degree data, see this HRMS Instruction web page. For questions, please email Workforce Data Management at wfdmdq@umn.edu.
(9/27) A Reminder on Foreign National I-9 and Tax Process
If you are working with foreign national employee I-9s, please remember that two emails must be sent to OHR for a new foreign national employee so that we can pay the employee on time.
When a new I-9 and documents have been uploaded, send an email to I9OHR@umn.edu with the following information:
Employee name
Employee ID
Also send an email when there is a reverification or rehire (section 3).
Send an email, as soon as possible but no later than the employee's first day of employment, to FNPayroll@umn.edu with the following information:
Subject Line: New Foreign National Employee (FNE) Setup
Employee name
Employee ID number
Employee email
Unit HR contact
For more information, see the Completing I-9s and Tax Set-up for New Foreign National Employees page of the HRMS Instruction website. As always, if you have questions about the I-9 process, please direct them to the OHR Contact Center at ohr@umn.edu.
Faculty and Instructional Staff Credentials Updates Due by October 6
The University recently identified a number of faculty and instructional staff whose PeopleSoft records do not accurately capture their educational credentials and terminal degrees. Last week, HR Leads were sent a spreadsheet with information on faculty and instructional staff whose records need to be modified. Units should update those records by Wednesday, October 6. Please remember that degree information should always be entered for all academic appointments. For information about entering terminal degree data, see this HRMS Instruction web page. For questions, please email Workforce Data Management at wfdmdq@umn.edu.
Guide Explains How to Add External Members to Search Committees
Talent Acquisition has created a guide on how to add external search committee members to your hiring team. The Search Committee How-to Guide is also linked on the OHR website in the Post and Recruit table, in the row titled "Identify and engage others."
2 New Data Dashboards Analyze Departmental Pay
OHR Operations' HR Analytics team has released the 44th and 45th in a continuing series of data dashboards, both of which can help departments analyze employee pay.
The new dashboard Departmental Pay Increases reports pay increase information, compared to the annual salary increase pool for non–labor-represented faculty and staff, for each level of the HR department hierarchy for any period from April 2015 to the current date. The new dashboard is now available in the Reporting Center. In MyU, navigate to Key Links > Reporting Center > Human Resources > Workforce Analysis > Compensation > Departmental Pay Increases. (The data has enhanced security features that allow access only to HR professionals. If you can't view it and believe you should have access, email ohr@umn.edu to request permission and explain why it is required in your role.)
The other new dashboard, Departmental Institutional Base Salary Trending, is a separate tab on the existing Departmental Institutional Base Salary dashboard. It reports on institutional base salary and detailed pay component information trending by year or month. You can view the data by HR department hierarchy for any period from April 2015 to the current date. In MyU, navigate to Key Links > Reporting Center > Human Resources > Workforce Analysis > Compensation > Departmental Institutional Base Salary.
New Job Data Options Created for Employees Working Outside U.S.
To more accurately identify and support employees working outside the United States and to comply with international employment and tax laws, a new location code (NONUS) has been created in PeopleSoft. In addition, the address types "Campus Office Location 1" and "Campus Office Location 2" have been changed to "Office Location 1" and "Office Location 2" to recognize that an employee's office may not necessarily be on campus.
Updates to an employee's location code and office location address should be made when the duration of their time outside the U.S. is expected to last over 30 days. You can find more details in the Work Location Change: Employees Working Internationally training resource.
As a reminder, employees traveling outside the U.S. on University business for any duration must register their trip on the University's International Travel Registry.
OHR Contact Center Now Has Interpreter Service
The OHR Contact Center has partnered with Language Link to provide over-the-phone interpretation service. A Contact Center team member can connect the employee to an interpreter via a conference call and help with any questions about their benefits or payroll. Language Link can accommodate 240 languages.
(09/06/2021) For I-9 Questions About Foreign Nationals, Contact OHR
Our colleagues in International Student and Scholar Services (ISSS) have reported an increase in questions about I-9 compliance for foreign national employees. If you have an I-9 question for a foreign national employee, please email or call the OHR Contact Center rather than ISSS.
(09/06/2021) DHS Extends I-9 Flexibility for Employees Working Exclusively in a Remote Setting
(08/30/2021) Reminder: One-Day Payroll Close Thursday
There will be a one-day payroll close this Thursday due to the Labor Day holiday. The payroll update deadline that day will be 1:00 p.m.
(08/30/2021) 9-Month Twin Cities and Rochester Contract Renewals Have Been Updated
Contract renewals for 9-month appointments have been entered for U of M Twin Cities and Rochester campuses. Contracts, job data, and notices of appointment have been updated. One contract renewal report dated 8/26/2021 is now available in the Reporting Center under Reports Run for Me > HR Contract Renew > UM CONTRACT RENEWALS (08/26/2021).
(08/30/2021) Reminder: Report Available on Employed Students With Unused Work-Study Awards
As you hire new students for the fall semester, check with your students about any available work-study awards. If they are uncertain of their status or if your department is hiring many students, use the "Employed Students With Unused Work Study Awards" report in the Reporting Center of MyU. The report shows all actively employed students who have available work-study awards, both placed and unplaced. If the Placement Status column is blank, that award is available for placement. If the award is already placed, a work-study split may be possible if the student agrees and it can be performed by your campus's student employment program support staff.
(08/30/2021) New Report for Applicants with a Conflict of Interest
A new report, UM_RS_COI_ACTIVE, is available in the Query Viewer that allows unit recruiters to view all applicants with an unresolved Conflict of Interest on their job openings. Unit recruiters should review and resolve any conflicts of interest for any applicant brought in for interview. That can be done by navigating to the Questionnaire section of that candidate's application, adding notes under the Review Details section, and then marking Review Completed when finished. Use the policies Institutional Conflict of Interest and Managing Nepotism and Personal Relationships to help make any determinations or adjust the search or hiring team if needed. Contact your Talent Acquisition consultant with any questions.
(08/30/2021) 2 New Dashboards Analyze Trends in Employee Departures and Headcount by Job Category
OHR Operations' HR Analytics team has released the 42nd and 43rd in a continuing series of data dashboards: 1) Employee Departures Trending and 2) Employee Headcount and FTE by Job Category Trending.
The new Employee Departures dashboard reports the annual and monthly trends of employee departures by HR department hierarchy from April 2015 to the current date. It is now available in the Reporting Center. In MyU, navigate to Key Links > Reporting Center > Human Resources > Workforce Analysis > Retention and Attrition > Employee Departures Trending.
The Employee Headcount and FTE by Job Category Trending is a new tab on the existing Employee Headcount and FTE by Job Category dashboard. It reports on employee headcount trends by job category, by year or month. You can analyze by HR department hierarchy for the current time or any time since April 2015. Find it in MyU by following Key Links > Reporting Center > Human Resources > Workforce Analysis > Employee > Employee Headcount and FTE by Job Category.
(08/23/2021) Payroll Schedule for Labor Day Holiday
There will be a one-day payroll close on Thursday, September 2, due to the Labor Day holiday. The payroll update deadline that day will be 1:00 p.m.
(08/23/2021) Clarification on New Foreign National Student-Employee Process
There has been some confusion surrounding the steps new foreign national student employees need to take when arriving in the U.S. We'd like to provide some clarification thanks to input from our colleagues in International Student and Scholar Services (ISSS). Apparently our presentation gave the impression that a student's SEVIS number can be activated before the student arrives in the U.S. That is incorrect. ISSS is not allowed to activate a student's SEVIS record until they have done their check-in and registered for classes.
Listed below are the steps a foreign national student arriving in the U.S. must follow. The SEVIS number cannot be activated until the first four steps have been completed. Note that the order of steps in this process has not changed from previous years.
Foreign national students arriving in the U.S. must follow these steps:
Arrive on campus
Complete their welcome and check-in with ISSS and get approval confirmation (this is not done until a student physically arrives in the U.S.)
Update their address in MyU
Register for full-time classes
Apply for a Social Security number (can do this before or after they complete the I-9)
Complete their I-9
(08/23/2021) Preparing for 9-Month Twin Cities and Rochester Contract Renewals
The 9-month contract renewals for the U of M Twin Cities and Rochester will be run this week. Please enter the Return from Short Work Break rows by Wednesday.
(08/23/2021) Training Required for Access to Recruiting Solutions
As a reminder, to get access to Recruiting Solutions, HR staff must first complete the necessary training.
(08/23/2021) Improvements Made to HR Analytics Dashboard Employee Compa Ratio
The Employee Compa Ratio HR analytics dashboard has been updated to include Salary Grade, along with the associated minimum, midpoint, and maximum hourly rates. The enhanced dashboard is now available in the Reporting Center. In MyU, navigate to Key Links > Reporting Center > Human Resources > Workforce Analysis > Compensation > Employee Compa Ratio.
(08/16/2021) Preparing for 9-Month Twin Cities and Rochester Contract Renewals
The 9-month contract renewals for the U of M Twin Cities and Rochester will be run the week of August 23. Please enter the Return from Short Work Break rows by Wednesday, August 25.
(08/16/2021) 9-Month UMM/UMC/Law School Contract Renewals Have Been Updated
Contract renewals for 9-month appointments at U of M Morris, U of M Crookston, and the Law School have been entered. Contracts, job data, and notices of appointment have been updated. A contract renewal report dated 8/12/2021 is now available in the Reporting Center under Reports Run for Me > HR Contract Renew > UM CONTRACT RENEWALS (08/12/2021).
(08/16/2021) Faculty and P&A Vacation Maximum Increasing to 216 Hours This Week
Following a recent policy change, the maximum number of hours a Faculty or P&A employee can accrue will increase to 216 hours this week. Employees whose balances will surpass the previous maximum of 176 hours will see the effects of this when vacation balances accrue on Friday, August 20, as part of the payroll close process.
(08/16/2021) New and Enhanced HR Analytics Dashboards
OHR Operations' HR Analytics team has released the 41st in a continuing series of data dashboards—Employee Hiring Trend. The new dashboard reports annual and monthly trends in employee hiring by HR department hierarchy from April 2015 to the current date. The new dashboard is now available in the Reporting Center. In MyU, navigate to Key Links > Reporting Center > Human Resources > Workforce Analysis > Retention and Attrition > Employee Hiring Trending.
In addition, in the Employee Headcount and FTE Snapshot dashboard, the Employee Detail Report has been updated to refer to an employee's Preferred (Display) Name rather than Legal Name, beginning with the April 2020 snapshot. Using specified names conveys a basic level of respect for each employee and their identities and is specified in the University's Equity and Access: Gender Identity, Gender Expression, Names and Pronouns policy.
(08/09/2021) 10-Month Contract Renewals Have Been Updated
Contract renewals for 10-month appointments have been entered. Contracts, job data, and notices of appointment have been updated. One contract renewal report dated 8/9/2021 is now available in the Reporting Center under Reports Run for Me > HR Contract Renew: UM CONTRACT RENEWALS (08/09/2021).
(08/09/2021) Preparing for 9-Month Contract Renewals
U of M Morris and Law School: The 9-month contract renewals will be run this week. Please enter the Return from Short Work Break rows by today, August 11.
U of M Twin Cities and Rochester: The 9-month contract renewals will be run the week of August 23. Please enter the Return from Short Work Break rows by Wednesday, August 25.
(08/09/2021) Presentation and Recording From I-9 Best Practices Lab Session Now Online
The I-9 lab session on Monday, August 9, was very well attended. Thanks to all who participated. If you missed the meeting, or would like to review it, the presentation slides and a recording of the session are now online.
As a reminder, Payroll Services also conducts an I-9 open lab and Q&A every Monday from 1:00 to 2:00 p.m., hosted by Alba Vogelgesang. You can join using this Zoom link:
https://umn.zoom.us/j/98375107598?pwd=YlR4eUtJMFNOVHN4TUdVUEgxZlRzQT09
Meeting ID: 983 7510 7598
Passcode: OHR2020
(08/02/2021) Hiring Pause Language to Be Discontinued in Job Postings
HRMS is discontinuing the field in PeopleSoft that inserted language in job postings about the University's hiring pause. The following text is no longer needed in job postings:
The UMN has suspended hiring for most positions. However, we will continue hiring for positions critical to the University's mission and operations at this time. Applications are being accepted for this position and you are encouraged to apply. In-person interviews are suspended indefinitely and will be replaced by interviews in a virtual format. Thank you for your continued interest in working at the University of Minnesota.
(08/02/2021) Preparing for 9-Month Contract Renewals
U of M Morris and Law School: The 9-month contract renewals will be run the week of August 9. Please enter the Return from Short Work Break rows by Wednesday, August 11.
U of M Twin Cities and Rochester: The 9-month contract renewals will be run the week of August 23. Please enter the Return from Short Work Break rows by Wednesday, August 25.
(08/02/2021) Preparing for 10-Month Contract Renewals
The 10-month contract renewals will be run the week of August 9. Please enter the Return from Short Work Break rows into job data by Friday, August 6.
(08/02/2021) New HR Analytics Dashboard: Employee Departures with Demographics Trending
OHR Operations' HR Analytics team has released the 40th in a continuing series of data dashboards—Employee Departures with Demographics Trending. This new dashboard is a separate tab on the existing Employee Departures with Demographics dashboard. It calculates and reports employee departure annual and monthly trends for diverse populations by HR department hierarchy from April 2015 to the current date. Diversity attributes include ethnicity (institutional calculation), age, legal sex, disability status, and protected veteran status. The dashboard is protected by HR Private security. If you are unable to view the dashboard and believe you should have access, please submit an access request form for approval.
The new dashboard is now available in the Reporting Center. In MyU, navigate to Key Links > Reporting Center > Human Resources > Workforce Analysis > Retention and Attrition > Employee Departures with Demographics.
(07/26/2021) Preparing for 10-Month Contract Renewals
The 10-month contract renewals will be run the week of August 9. Please enter the Return from Short Work Break rows into job data by Friday, August 6.
(07/26/2021) New Recruiting Solutions Features: Additional Attachments and Job Posting View Options
Two new features have been added to improve the applicant experience in Recruiting Solutions:
Applicants now have two view options for job postings on the U of M Career site—a list and a table view for ease of use. They can toggle between the two by selecting the buttons at the top of the page, just under the search bar.
A new Attachments section is also now available on the job application, allowing more upload options beyond a cover letter or résumé. After the Referrals section on the job application, applicants will now see an Attachments page that allows them to upload an additional document to their application, including references, statement on diversity, transcripts, work portfolio, or writing sample. The attachment will be on the application itself, so applicants will no longer have to navigate out of the application to their Recruiting Solutions account to upload additional documents.
(07/19/2021) HRMS Fall Planning Guide Now Available
The HRMS Fall Planning Resource Collection is available for HR Leads and unit HR professionals. The resource collection is intended to provide planning tips and guidance for the typically very busy fall. Planning reminders and tips span the various HRMS processes and outline the critical sequence of these processes: position management, recruiting, hiring, absence and time administration, and payroll. The Fall Planning Resource Collection is especially useful for newer unit HR staff. Keep in mind that this planning resource should be used as a supplement to existing HRMS resources at hrms.umn.edu.
(07/19/2021) 19 HR Analytics Dashboards Now Feature Employee Preferred Names
OHR Operations' HR Analytics team recently enhanced 19 of its dashboards to refer to employees' Preferred Name. The dashboards had previously used Legal Name. Using specified names conveys a basic level of respect for each employee and their identities and is specified in the University's Equity and Access: Gender Identity, Gender Expression, Names and Pronouns policy.
(07/12/2021) Sunday's PeopleSoft HRMS Update May Require Cache Clearing
Because of the PeopleSoft HRMS update over the weekend, some HRMS users may have to clear their caches if processes don't seem to be working properly. Here are instructions from OIT on clearing caches in various browsers.
(07/12/2021) New Process for Out-of-State Employees Begins
As of this week, OHR has begun a new exception request process for employees who are currently, or who will be in the future, working in a state outside of Minnesota. The change involves two key processes when arranging for an employee to work in another state:
Exception Request Process, administered by Employee Relations
Payroll Tax Location Reporting Process, administered by Payroll Services
See this instruction sheet for details. (You may want to download and save the document, as this link will expire in a few weeks.)
(07/12/2021) Group Correspondence Actions in Recruiting Solutions
Users reported a concern about the group action "Reject Applicants" in Recruiting Solutions, specifically that all rejected applicants were copied on the rejection email, given that all names were displayed. After investigation, we confirmed that while all names are displayed, system emails are sent individually. The job aid Rejecting and Corresponding with Applicants has been updated to reflect this.
(07/12/2021) New and Updated Fields in HireRight
As of Monday, July 12, two field names now appear on the background check entry page in HireRight on the page with Campus and Collegiate/Admin Unit. The field formerly titled Fund/DeptID will now be separated into two fields, Fund/Chartstring and DeptID for Position/Individual. DeptID for Position/Individual will also be required to complete the background check request, as this field will help us match these individuals in PeopleSoft for reporting and for monitoring compliance with University policy.
(07/12/2021) New HR Analytics Dashboard: Hiring Trending with Demographics
OHR Operations' HR Analytics team has released the 39th in a continuing series of data dashboards—Hiring Trending with Demographics. The new dashboard reports employee hiring annual and monthly trends for diverse populations by HR department hierarchy from April 2015 to the present. Diversity attributes include ethnicity (institutional calculation), age, legal sex, disability status, and protected veteran status. The dashboard is a separate tab on the existing Employee Hiring with Demographics dashboard. It is protected by HR Private security. If you can't view the dashboard and believe you should have access, please submit an access request form for approval.
(07/05/2021) PeopleSoft HRMS Update Set for Sunday
OHR Operations will conduct a planned update to the PeopleSoft HRMS system this Sunday, July 11. The process will take place during the normal Sunday morning maintenance window, from 6:00 a.m. to noon, to fix several minor bugs in the system and add updates to maintain system stability. The changes will not affect daily processes and routines for users.
(07/05/2021) Direct Retro Processing Deadline for Period 12 Extended
Due to scheduling conflicts last weekend with the HRMS image upgrade, we are extending the deadline for direct retros to post into Period 12. All direct retros that have been entered and approved by 4:30 p.m. on Sunday, July 11, will post into period 12 and be available on UM Reports the morning of Monday, July 12.
Reminder: There is no direct retro processing on Friday, July 9, due to payroll processing. The deadline of Monday, July 12, for period 913 remains unchanged.
(06/28/2021) Correction: Original Signatures for International Employment Verifications
An Operations update item last week, about the Social Security Administration now requiring "wet ink" signatures on F-1 and J-1 student employment verification letters, incorrectly stated, "To get the ISSS signature, international students and employees can bring their signed form to the Humphrey School of Public Affairs between 1:00 and 3:00 p.m. on Wednesday afternoons." The process is only needed for students, not employees. For questions, please contact International Student and Scholar Services at ISSS@umn.edu.
(06/28/2021) Correction: Work-Study Reimbursement Returning to Previous Rates
Starting July 5, University of Minnesota campuses will be returning to previous work-study split rates for employers. A previous communication misreported all splits as 75–25. The correct splits are:
Crookston, Duluth, Morris: 75–25
Twin Cities, Rochester: 70–30
Off-campus employers contracting with Twin Cities: 75–25
(06/212021) HRMS Advisory Group Meets June 29
The next HRMS Advisory Group meeting will be held Tuesday, June 29, from 3:00 to 4:00 p.m. Members of the HRMS Advisory Group can join the meeting via Zoom:
https://umn.zoom.us/j/669161681
Meeting ID: 669 161 681
One tap mobile
312-626-6799
(06/21/2021) Contact Renewals Have Been Updated
Contract renewals for 9- or 10-month appointments paid over 12 months have been entered. Contracts, job data, and notices of appointment have been updated. Four contract renewal reports dated 6/14/2021 are now available in the Reporting Center under Reports Run for Me > HR Contract Renew. Please note: The 10_12 reports have an incorrect 6/12/2022 payment date. All contracts were corrected to a 6/19/2022 payment date.
(06/21/2021) Salary Ranges and Academic Floors Have Been Entered for FY22
Fiscal year 2022 salary ranges and floors for non-refined job families, along with academic floors, are now live in the HRMS system. They have been updated by 1.5%, except for the floor for postdoctoral associates, which is remaining unchanged for FY22. These changes took effect June 21, pending Board of Regents approval, which we expect to receive on June 29.
(06/21/2021) Payroll Accounting Distributions for FY 2022 Completed
On Sunday, Accounting Services completed the payroll accounting distribution roll for fiscal year 2022. All current and future-dated payroll accounting distributions were automatically copied forward into the new 2022 entry and are now available for review. Reminder: If any distribution changes are needed for the 27th pay period of fiscal year 2021 that should also apply to the first pay period of 2022, distribution changes must be made in both fiscal years.
(06/21/2021) Original Signatures Now Required for International Student Employment Verifications
The Social Security Administration (SSA) now requires "wet ink" signatures on F-1 and J-1 student employment verification letters. The information below, from International Student and Scholar Services (ISSS), also includes SSA requirements for J-1 scholars and employment-based visa holders.
F-1 and J-1 Students
F-1 students: The SSA now requires students with an on-campus job who need to apply for a Social Security number (SSN) to get original (non-electronic) signatures on their "Verification of F-1 Student's On-Campus Job" form. Original, "wet ink" signatures must be obtained first from the employing department and then from ISSS. This form is only required for students applying for Social Security numbers for an on-campus job; students applying for an SSN for an off-campus job (CPT or OPT) can find information about required documentation on the ISSS website.
J-1 students: SSA will require a "J-1 Social Security Authorization Letter" with an original signature from ISSS. Students can request the letter by emailing isssjast@umn.edu.
J-1 Scholars and Employment-based Visa Holders
J-1 scholars: SSA requires the DS-2019 with an original signature from an RO or ARO.
Employment-based visa holders: The employee must present an original offer letter on department letterhead with the department hiring authority's original signature.
To get the ISSS signature, international students and employees can bring their signed form to the Humphrey School of Public Affairs between 1:00 and 3:00 p.m. on Wednesday afternoons. An ISSS staff member will be available in the Atrium (the large lobby area) to sign the form. They will need to bring their U Card to enter Humphrey.
Note: International visitors should make a copy of the ISSS letter to send when they submit their application and save the original to bring with them to their in-person interview at the SSA.
Open Labs Available for I-9 Assistance
As a reminder, every Monday from 1:00 to 2:00 p.m. Payroll Services hosts an open lab via Zoom for all your I-9–related questions. To join a Zoom meeting:
https://umn.zoom.us/j/98375107598?pwd=YlR4eUtJMFNOVHN4TUdVUEgxZlRzQT09
Meeting ID: 983 7510 7598
Passcode: OHR2020
(06/14/2021) Work-Study Reimbursement Returning to Previous Rates
With Minnesota's state of emergency ending on June 30, University of Minnesota campuses will be ending the 100% reimbursement for work-study awards and moving back to the 75%–25% split beginning July 1. This change will occur during the summer work-study blackout dates from June 21 to July 4, when no work-study can be used or processed. The July 5–18 pay period will be the first to reflect this change.
(06/07/2021) Job Data Records Have Been Updated for the Return to 26 Pay Dates
Last week, central OHR updated job data records in preparation for returning to 26 pay dates in fiscal year 2022. These two rows were added:
A 6/21/2021 - Data Change/FY Comp Freq - CNTRL USE ONLY row was inserted to update the comp frequency from B27 to B for salaried employees paid over 12 months. Units should not change or delete these rows.
A 6/21/2021 - Data Change/Special Circumstances row was inserted for hourly and exception hourly employees to ensure correct reporting through the Data Warehouse. Units should not change these rows but may delete when necessary.
(06/07/2021) New Time Data Exception Reports
Two new time-reporting exception reports are available in the MyU Reporting Center. We suggest that units check these reports daily in the Reports Run for Me > PY TIME REPORTS folder. Thank you to the HRMS Advisory Group for arriving at these new alert messages to boost payroll processing efficiency.
Time—Reported Time Exceptions
This report alerts units to several potential timecard errors or missing information. Reports are refreshed overnight every day (except Wednesday and Thursday nights of payroll on-week). Alert messages:
REG Is Missing. (Occurs when OnCall, Augment, or Shift exist for the day. If the appointment doesn't have a schedule, there will be no alert for OnCall.)
Override Rate Missing. (All OnCall, Augment, and Shift earnings without an override rate)
Over 12 Hours Reported (in a day)
Over 40 hours a week multiple appointments worked
Rate Over $100
Missing Punches
Unapproved Hours from Previous Pay Prds
Time—Variations from Standard Hours, Multi-Appt OT
This report reviews absence hours and time/labor hours and alerts units to deviations from standard hours or in overtime for multiple appointments. It is refreshed only on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday nights of payroll on-week.
The new reports are available to anyone with the Time Entry security access role and are divided into separate reports by collegiate or administrative unit.
These new reports will replace the following two current reports, which will be removed from the Reporting Center on June 14:
Missing Punches by Dept
Rate over 100.00
(05/31/2021) Process for Reporting Out-of-State Employees
The Office of Human Resources is working on processes to ensure compliance for employees working in states outside of Minnesota. The current process calls for units to send the Out-of-State Employees—Departmental Reporting Form to Payroll Services, and with increased awareness in units we've seen a significant increase in the number of forms being sent to us. Unfortunately, we can't process many of the forms because of missing information or errors, so we would like to clarify how the form should be used. Though some changes in the process may be coming in the next few months, for now please make sure the forms you send to Payroll Services follow these requirements:
The form should be submitted to payforms@umn.edu only by a unit HR representative, who must sign the form or email it directly with an electronic signature. We cannot accept forms directly from employees or supervisors.
Section B of the form must include the address where the employee is doing the work.
Section B must also include the dates the employee will be working out of Minnesota. If the employee will not return to Minnesota, please note that on the form.
(05/24/2021) One-Day Payroll Close Thursday
Due to the Memorial Day holiday on Monday, May 31, Payroll Services will have a one-day close this Thursday, May 27. The Payroll Update deadline will be Thursday at 1:00 p.m., which will allow Payroll Services to get printed checks in the mail early so their delivery is not delayed by the holiday.
(05/24/2021) Job Data Updates for Returning to 26 Pay Dates Will Now Be June 4
In our May 3 Operations update, we shared a timeline of upcoming job data changes in preparation for resuming a 26-payday schedule in fiscal year 2022. We have one change to that timeline: Job data updates will now take place on Friday, June 4, rather than on June 14.
(05/17/2021) 12-Month Contract Renewals Have Been Entered
Central OHR has entered and updated contracts, notices of appointment, and job data for 12-month appointments. The contract renewal report is available in the Reporting Center under Reports Run for Me > HR Contract Renew > UM Contract Renewals (05/15/2021).
(05/17/2021) One-Day Payroll Close Thursday, May 27
Payroll Services will have a one-day close on Thursday, May 27. On that day, the Payroll Update deadline will be 1:00 p.m. That allows Payroll Services to get printed checks in the mail early so their delivery is not delayed by the Monday, May 31, Memorial Day holiday.
(05/17/2021) New HR Analytics Dashboard: Employee Headcount and FTE Demographics Trending
OHR Operations' HR Analytics team has released the 38th in a continuing series of data dashboards—Employee Headcount and FTE Demographics Trending. The new dashboard (a separate tab on the existing Employee Headcount and FTE Demographics dashboard) reports on employee headcount and FTE trending by year or month by HR department hierarchy for any time from April 2015 to the present. It includes five demographic attributes in the trend reporting: legal sex, ethnicity (institutional calculation), age, disability, and protected veteran.
The new dashboard is now available in the Reporting Center. In MyU, navigate to Key Links > Reporting Center > Human Resources > Workforce Analysis > Employee > Employee Headcount and FTE Demographics. The dashboard is protected by "HR Private" security. If you can't view it and believe you should have access, please submit an access request form for approval.
(05/10/2021) Three HR Analytics Dashboards Now Include Age Information
OHR Operations' HR Analytics team has enhanced three HR Analytics dashboards with age information. The dashboards now report employees' ages and assign them to age bands based on the current date, workforce action date, and, on the Employee Headcount and FTE Demographics dashboard, the date specified in the prompts. The enhanced dashboards are now available in the Reporting Center. In MyU, navigate to Key Links > Reporting Center > Human Resources > Workforce Analysis and then to:
Retention and Attrition > Employee Hiring with Demographics
Retention and Attrition > Employee Departures with Demographics
Employee > Employee Headcount and FTE Demographics
(05/10/2021) 'Annual Rate' Information Added to Pay Increase Dashboards
Units that are analyzing employee pay increases can now view HR Analytics data by "Annual Rate," thanks to recent enhancements to two dashboards: Employee Pay Increases and Employee Pay Increases with Demographics. The enhanced dashboards are now available in the Reporting Center. In MyU, navigate to Key Links > Reporting Center > Human Resources > Workforce Analysis > Compensation > Employee Pay Increases.
(05/10/2021) One-Day Payroll Close Thursday, May 27
Payroll Services will have a one-day close on Thursday, May 27. On that day, the Payroll Update deadline will be 1:00 p.m. That allows Payroll Services to get printed checks in the mail early so their delivery is not delayed by the Monday, May 31, Memorial Day holiday.
(05/03/2021) OHR Prepares for Return to 26–Pay Date Schedule
Beginning July 1, the University will once again be on a typical 26–pay date schedule for fiscal year 2022. University employees will be paid 26 times in FY22, instead of the 27 pay dates we saw in fiscal year 2021. For salaried Faculty and P&A staff, their annual salary will again be divided by 26 instead of 27. As a result, beginning with their first paycheck of the fiscal year on July 14, they will see a slight adjustment in their biweekly amount of gross pay compared to FY21. Employees paid hourly will not see any difference; they will continue to be paid their biweekly rate for hours worked, as usual.
To prepare for the transition, central OHR will be making job data changes in the coming weeks. Please be aware of these dates:
Contract renewals for fiscal year 2022 will be entered May 15 for 12-month appointments. Renewals for 9- and 10-month appointments paid over 12 months will be entered in mid-June.
Job data updates for FY22 will be entered June 14.
All changes will have an effective date of June 21.
The first payday of the new fiscal year is July 14.
Deadlines for time/absence validation and job data and additional pay entries are July 7.
(04/26/2021) HRMS Advisory Group Meets Tuesday, May 4
The next HRMS Advisory Group meeting will be held Tuesday, May 4, from 3:00 to 4:00 p.m. Members of the HRMS Advisory Group can join the meeting via Zoom:
https://umn.zoom.us/j/669161681
Meeting ID: 669 161 681
One tap mobile
312-626-6799
(04/26/2021) One-Day Payroll Close Thursday, May 27
Payroll Services will have a one-day close on Thursday, May 27. On that day, the Payroll Update deadline will be 1:00 p.m. That allows Payroll Services to get printed checks in the mail early so their delivery is not delayed by the Monday, May 31, Memorial Day holiday.
(04/19/2021) Three UM Reports Being Replaced by PeopleSoft Queries
These UM Reports will be replaced with a PeopleSoft Query on Wednesday, April 21:
Entry Activity
Employees With Change of Status in Pay Period
Employee Review Tracking
You can access the replacement query by the same link in the Reporting Center that you have always used, and the data will match what was in the UM Report. If you have marked the report as a "Favorite," it will remain as a Favorite. Download the query data to Excel for easy searching, sorting, filtering, and analysis.
(04/19/2021) Job Data Corrections
The Workforce Data Management/Data Quality team will begin entering Data Change/Correction—Central Use Only action/reason codes with an effective sequence when processing certain job data corrections. For more information, see the Effective Sequence in Job Data Corrections page of the HRMS Training website.
(04/19/2021) New HR Analytics Dashboard: Employee Pay Increases with Demographics
OHR Operations' HR Analytics team has released the 37th in a continuing series of data dashboards—Employee Pay Increases with Demographics. The dashboard is a separate tab on the existing Employee Pay Increases dashboard. It reports on employee pay increases for specific workforce actions, layering five demographic attributes into the reporting: legal sex, ethnicity (institutional calculation), age, disability, and protected veteran. You can see results by HR department hierarchy for any time from April 2015 to the present. The new demographics dashboard is protected by HR Private Analytics security. If you can't see it and believe you should have access, please submit an access request form (ARF) for approval.
The new dashboard is now available in the Reporting Center. In MyU, navigate to Key Links > Reporting Center > Human Resources > Workforce Analysis > Compensation > Employee Pay Increases.
(04/19/2021) 3 Dashboards Revised as a Result of Job Family Refinements
After asking for feedback several weeks ago on proposed changes to HR Analytics, we heard from users that much of the information in the Job Family Reporting Group field had become outdated because of OHR's job family market refinement project. Users suggested replacing it with a Job Family field where appropriate. As a result of that feedback, we are announcing enhancements to three HR Analytics dashboards:
The Employee Normalized Hourly Base Rate dashboard has been enhanced to replace Job Family Reporting Group with Job Family as both a prompt and in the dashboard data display area.
The Employee Compa Ratio dashboard has been changed to remove the Job Family Reporting Group field from the data display area.
The Job Code Groupings dashboard has been revised to remove the Job Family Reporting Group as both a prompt and in the dashboard data display area.
All three enhanced dashboards continue to be available in the Reporting Center. In MyU, navigate to Key Links > Reporting Center > Human Resources > Workforce Analysis and then to:
Compensation > Employee Normalized Hourly Base Rate
Compensation > Employee Compa Ratio
Position > Job Code Groupings
(04/05/2021) DHS Extends Form I-9 Flexibility Through May 31
The Department of Homeland Security and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement announced an extension of the relaxed provisions for complying with requirements related to Form I-9, Employment Eligibility Verification, due to COVID-19. This temporary guidance was set to expire March 31. Because of continuing precautions for COVID-19, DHS has extended the Form I-9 flexibility policy another 60 days until May 31.
(03/29/2021) Updates Made to Absence Management Process in MyU
Over the weekend, minor updates were made to the absence management process in MyU to improve the mobile experience and accessibility, make it easier to cancel absence requests, and allow scheduling of more than one time-off request at a time. For more details on submitting time-off requests, visit z.umn.edu/takingtimeoff. For more on absence management, visit z.umn.edu/absencemgmt. Support is also available at OHR@umn.edu.
(03/15/2021) New Dashboards and Enhancements Introduced by HR Analytics
OHR Operations' HR Analytics team has released two new dashboards in the Reporting Center and has improved two others. Here are details:
NEW DASHBOARDS
Employee Hiring with Demographics and Employee Departures with Demographics: These two dashboards report on 1) employee hires and transfers in or 2) employee departures (terminations and transfers out), respectively, for specific job groupings and by HR department hierarchy for the current date or any time after April 2015. In addition, the dashboards allow you to download data based on four private demographic attributes for further analysis:
Legal sex
Ethnicity (institutional calculation)
Disability
Protected veteran
The two dashboards are now available in the MyU Reporting Center. Go to Key Links > Reporting Center > Human Resources > Workforce Analysis > Retention and Attrition and choose either Employee Hiring with Demographics or Employee Departures with Demographics.
ENHANCED DASHBOARDS
Employee Headcount and FTE Demographics and Employee Headcount and FTE Demographics Snapshot: These two dashboards have both been enhanced to include a new tab with age analysis and graphic presentation plus new reporting capabilities that allow you to download data based on five private demographic attributes for further analysis.
Legal Sex
Ethnicity (institutional calculation)
Disability
Protected veteran
Age
The two dashboards are now available in the MyU Reporting Center. Go to Key Links > Reporting Center > Human Resources > Workforce Analysis > Employee and choose either Employee Headcount and FTE Demographics or Employee Headcount and FTE Demographics Snapshot.
All four dashboards include security features so that only those approved to view "HR Private" data can access them. They are also among the first to be released with security features so that only those approved to view "HR Private Analytics" data can use the new, downloadable reporting capabilities. If you can't view the dashboard or use the downloadable reporting and believe you should have access, please submit an access request form (ARF).
In coming months we will be adding these demographic data to other dashboards for reporting and analysis.
(03/01/2021) HRMS Advisory Group Meets Tuesday, March 9
The next HRMS Advisory Group meeting will be held Tuesday, March 9, from 3:00 to 4:00 p.m. Members of the HRMS Advisory Group can join the meeting via Zoom:
https://umn.zoom.us/j/669161681
Meeting ID: 669 161 681
One tap mobile
312-626-6799
(03/01/2021) New HR Analytics Dashboard: Job Code Groupings
OHR Operations' HR Analytics team has released the 34th in a continuing series of data dashboards—Job Code Groupings. For each job code, this new dashboard provides mappings to various employee grouping categories, with current job code descriptions and related attributes, regardless of whether any employees are assigned to the job code.
The new dashboard is now available in the Reporting Center. In MyU, navigate to Key Links > Reporting Center > Human Resource Management > Human Resources > Workforce Analysis > Position > Job Code Groupings.
(02/22/2021) Information Updated on I-9 Tentative Nonconfirmations in E-Verify
After entering an employee's I-9 information in E-Verify, units may occasionally receive a Tentative Nonconfirmation (TNC) notification from the Social Security Administration or Department of Homeland Security. The designation means the employee's information does not match what is on file with either agency. The HRMS Instruction web page about TNCs was recently updated with more detailed instructions about what to do in these cases.
(02/22/2021) New HR Analytics Dashboard: Employee Compa Ratio
OHR Operations' HR Analytics team has released the 33rd in a continuing series of data dashboards—Employee Compa Ratio. This new dashboard calculates the compa ratio for all employees in job families where positions have values assigned. (A compa ratio shows how an employee's salary compares with the prevailing job market. A ratio of 1.0 indicates the market median.) The dashboard can be run at any level of the HR department hierarchy for the current date.
The new dashboard is now available in the Reporting Center. In MyU, navigate to Key Links > Reporting Center > Human Resource Management > Human Resources > Compensation > Employee Compa Ratio.
(02/15/2021) Salary Grade Changes to Job Codes Have Been Entered
Annual salary grade updates to job codes were finalized in December for calendar year 2021. On Friday, February 12, a central program updated the salary grades on positions and job data records. The following rows were inserted:
Position—Effective date: 2/1/2021. Reason Code: UPD
Job Data—Effective date: 2/1/2021. Action/Reason Codes: Position Change/Position Data Change
(02/15/2021) Open Labs Available for I-9 Assistance
As a reminder, every Monday from 1:00 to 2:00 p.m., central Payroll hosts an open lab session via Zoom for all your I-9-related questions. Upcoming sessions will be held February 22 and March 1 and 8.
To join a Zoom meeting:
https://umn.zoom.us/j/98375107598?pwd=YlR4eUtJMFNOVHN4TUdVUEgxZlRzQT09
Meeting ID: 983 7510 7598
Passcode: OHR2020
(02/15/2021) Wait Till End of Day to Add or Edit Your Preferred Name
If you are considering adding or editing your Preferred Name in the My Info tab of MyU, to avoid potential disruption to services like Zoom please wait to make changes until just before you stop accessing University systems for the day and before 1:00 a.m. Central Time.
The Office of Information Technology recently discovered that when some people add or edit their Preferred Name, they may temporarily lose access to some University applications or systems, such as Zoom. Technicians are working to resolve the issue. In the meantime, OIT is running an overnight process that restores any lost access to systems.
If you need to make an immediate change or have questions, please contact Technology Help.
(02/08/2021) Year-End Payroll Adjustments Are Completed
As part of the normal year-end process, Payroll Services runs an abbreviated year-end, off-cycle payroll to make year-end adjustments and check adjustments or reversals that affect employees' 2020 year-to-date amounts. This payroll was processed on Monday, February 8. As a result, you may see an additional UM Payroll Verification Reports for your department in the Reporting Center with a pay end date of 12/19/20. These payroll entries will post to the general ledger on Wednesday evening with an accounting date of 02/10/21.
Note: If none of your employees had year-end adjustments, you will not see a payroll verification report for your area.
(02/01/2021) Pointers for I-9 Processing
We'd like to share some pointers based on some recent frequently asked questions and common errors we're seeing in monitoring I-9 processing, including for foreign national employees. We'll address these and more in next week's HRMS Advisory Group Meeting.
1. Upload Documentation for Foreign National Employees
After completing a foreign national employee's I-9, the I-9 administrator should upload the employee's documents to I-9 Express, especially:
F1: I-20 and I-94 form
J1: DS-2019 and I-94 form
H1B: I-797A Notice of Action
OPT, DACA, J2: EAD Card
These documents are necessary because they indicate when a foreign national employee's employment eligibility documents need to be reverified and reviewed by Payroll Services in order to update the employee's status in PeopleSoft.
2. Unconfirmed Data
After completing section 2 of an I-9, what should you do if you get this message from E-Verify?
To resolve it, the unit I-9 administrator should click on the Confirm Case Fields button at the bottom of the employee details page, which takes you to the Check Information and Submit Confirm Case Details page. The I-9 administrator can review and update the data and then click on the Confirm Case Details button.
3. Manual Review
What should you do if you receive a Manual Review message after completing an I-9? This means the case is being reviewed by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). The unit I-9 administrator should log in to I-9 Express at a later time to view the updated reply, since sometimes a DHS Tentative Nonconfirmation (TNC) or a Pending Referral might be received, which require immediate attention.
4. Remember to Complete Photo Matching
When an employee supplies a U.S. passport, U.S. passport card, Form I-766, or Form I-551 to complete section 2, the unit I-9 administrator must click the Photo Matching button in the E-Verify section and determine if the photos match or not. Then select the corresponding reason and click submit.
(02/01/2021) Clarification on Off-Cycle Check Direct Deposits and Replacement Payments for Lost Checks
As Payroll Services can now process off-cycle direct deposit payments, we will be replacing lost checks with direct deposits whenever possible. If an employee reports to their department that a check was lost in the mail and the department submits a Stop Payment request, Payroll Services will automatically process a replacement payment for that lost check, assuming the check has not cleared the bank, just as we always have. This procedure has not changed, other than the replacement funds can now be processed via direct deposit.
Departments should continue to request the stop payment through PeopleSoft using the reason code "Check reported lost or stolen." Payroll Services will determine if the employee has an active bank account where we can direct deposit the replacement funds. Please do not choose other reasons such as "Employee should not have been paid" or "Employee was overpaid." Also, please do not submit a separate off-cycle request for net pay replacements.
(02/01/2021) DHS Extends Form I-9 Flexibility Through March 31
The Department of Homeland Security and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement announced an extension of the relaxed provisions for complying with requirements related to Form I-9, Employment Eligibility Verification, due to COVID-19. This temporary guidance was set to expire January 31. Because of ongoing precautions related to COVID-19, DHS has extended the Form I-9 flexibility policy an additional 60 days until March 31.
(01/25/2021) Payroll Deduction Refund to Occur on January 27 Pay Date
Employees were told in December 2019 that deductions would not be taken for some benefits on the December 30, 2020, pay date. Unfortunately, deductions were taken in error on these benefits:
Voluntary Long-Term Disability Coverage
Voluntary Short-Term Disability Coverage
Additional Employee Life Insurance
Spouse Life Insurance
Child Life Insurance
Employees with those deductions will see a refund on their January 27 paycheck. Note that the refund offsets any deductions owed on that paycheck, so deduction amounts may appear as zero. Affected employees are being notified.
(01/25/2021) Direct Deposit of Off-Cycle Payroll Payments Begins Today
Beginning today, Payroll Services will provide direct deposit of off-cycle payments for any employees who have direct deposit of their regular paychecks. Employees who still receive paper paychecks will continue to receive off-cycle payments by a printed paper check mailed to them. We have made additional updates and improvements to the Off-Cycle and Payroll Update request forms.
A few other points to keep in mind:
You can find the Payroll Off-Cycle Direct Deposit Processing Schedule here: https://humanresources.umn.edu/payroll-administration/payroll-hrms-calendars
Please review the resources under HR Professionals—Special Payroll Circumstances (https://hrms.umn.edu/maintain/special-payroll-circumstances) that describe these changes.
The recording of the HRMS Advisory Group meeting from Tuesday, January 12, also provides a thorough description of these changes.
Off-cycle direct deposits will be made using the same employee-established priorities as on-cycle direct deposit. (Example: Priority 1—$100 to savings, Priority 2—remaining to checking.)
(01/18/2021) Payroll Deduction Refund to Occur on January 27 Pay Date
Employees were told in December 2019 that deductions would not be taken for some benefits on the December 30, 2020, pay date. Unfortunately, deductions were taken in error on these benefits:
Voluntary Long-Term Disability Coverage
Voluntary Short-Term Disability Coverage
Additional Employee Life Insurance
Spouse Life Insurance
Child Life Insurance
Employees with those deductions will see a refund on their January 27 paycheck. Note that the refund offsets any deductions owed on that paycheck, so deduction amounts may appear as zero. Affected employees are being notified.
(01/18/2021) Direct Deposit of Off-Cycle Payroll Payments Begins Today
Beginning today, Payroll Services will provide direct deposit of off-cycle payments for any employees who have direct deposit of their regular paychecks. Employees who still receive paper paychecks will continue to receive off-cycle payments by a printed paper check mailed to them. We have made additional updates and improvements to the Off-Cycle and Payroll Update request forms.
A few other points to keep in mind:
You can find the Payroll Off-Cycle Direct Deposit Processing Schedule here: https://humanresources.umn.edu/payroll-administration/payroll-hrms-calendars
Please review the resources under HR Professionals—Special Payroll Circumstances (https://hrms.umn.edu/maintain/special-payroll-circumstances) that describe these changes.
The recording of the HRMS Advisory Group meeting from Tuesday, January 12, also provides a thorough description of these changes.
Off-cycle direct deposits will be made using the same employee-established priorities as on-cycle direct deposit. (Example: Priority 1—$100 to savings, Priority 2—remaining to checking.)
(01/18/2021) Direct Deposit of Off-Cycle Payroll Payments Begins Monday
Beginning Monday, January 25, Payroll Services will be able to provide direct deposit of off-cycle payments. For employees with direct deposit, off-cycle payments will now also be paid electronically. Employees who still receive paper paychecks will continue to receive off-cycle payments by a printed paper check mailed to them. Additional updates and improvements will be made to the Off-Cycle and Payroll Update request forms on Sunday, January 24.
A few other points to keep in mind:
You can find the Payroll Off-Cycle Direct Deposit Processing Schedule here: https://humanresources. umn.edu/payroll- administration/payroll-hrms- calendars
Please review the resources under HR Professionals—Special Payroll Circumstances (https://hrms.umn.edu/ maintain/special-payroll- circumstances ) that describe these changes.
The recording of the HRMS Advisory Group meeting from Tuesday, January 12, also provides a thorough description of these changes.
Off-cycle direct deposits will be made using the same employee-established priorities as on-cycle direct deposit. (Example: Priority 1—$100 to savings, Priority 2—remaining to checking.)
(01/11/2021) Completing I-9s and Tax Setup for New Foreign National Employees
Please review the revised procedures for Completing I-9s for New Foreign Nationals on the HRMS Instruction website. We have updated the process to ensure that payroll taxes are set up accurately for new foreign national employees. For questions, please email or call the OHR Contact Center at ohr@umn.edu or 4-UOHR (612-624-8647 or 800-756-2363).
(01/11/2021) Direct Deposit of Off-Cycle Payroll Payments to Begin Monday, January 25
Payroll Services will be able to provide direct deposit of off-cycle payments starting Monday, January 25. For employees with direct deposit, off-cycle payments will now also be paid electronically. Employees who still receive paper paychecks will continue to receive off-cycle payments by a printed paper check mailed to them. You will see corresponding updates to the off-cycle request form that will be released on Sunday, January 24. We will provide more details, including a new off-cycle calendar, at tomorrow's HRMS Advisory Group meeting.
(01/04/2021) HRMS Advisory Group to Meet Tuesday, January 12, at 3:00 p.m.
The next HRMS Advisory Group meeting will be held on Tuesday, January 12, from 3:00 to 4:00 p.m. Members of the HRMS Advisory Group can join the meeting via Zoom:
https://umn.zoom.us/j/669161681
Meeting ID: 669 161 681
One tap mobile
312-626-6799
(01/04/2021) Furlough and Pay Reduction Program Queries Updated
The following Furlough and Pay Reduction Program queries available in the Reporting Center have been updated to reflect data from Period 2:
UM Furlough Hours for Cvl Svc and LabRep
Pay Reduction Program Hours for P&A and Faculty
Pay Reduction Program Hours Scheduled in Excess of Available Balance
Furlough Hours with Vacation, Personal Holiday or Comp Time Scheduling Prior to Furlough, for Civil Service and Labor Represented
(01/04/2021) Direct Deposit of Off-Cycle Payroll Payments to Begin Monday, January 25
Beginning Monday, January 25, Payroll Services will be able to provide direct deposit of off-cycle payments. For employees with direct deposit, off-cycle payments will now also be paid electronically. Employees who still receive paper paychecks will continue to receive off-cycle payments by a printed paper check mailed to them. You will see corresponding updates to the off-cycle request form that will be released on Sunday, January 24. We will provide more details, including a new off-cycle calendar, at next week's HRMS Advisory Group meeting.
(01/04/2021) DHS Extends Form I-9 Flexibility
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement announced an extension of the flexibility in complying with requirements related to Form I-9, Employment Eligibility Verification, due to COVID-19. This temporary guidance was set to expire December 31. Because of ongoing precautions related to COVID-19, DHS has extended this policy an additional 30 days until January 31.
This provision only applies to employers and workplaces that are operating remotely. See the original news release for more information on how to obtain, remotely inspect, and retain copies of the identity and employment eligibility documents to complete Section 2 of Form I-9.
Remember that you can monitor which I-9s have been partially completed under this provision in I-9 Express by searching under Type of I9 for Covid-19 Virtual Update.
(12/21/2020) Payroll Close December 23 and Year-End Payroll Updates
Due to the University holidays on Thursday, December 24, and Friday, December 25, we will have a one-day close on Wednesday, December 23. The normal Wednesday payroll deadlines for units will move to Tuesday, December 22:
Tuesday, December 22
Morning: UMP Payroll
Noon: Time and absence entries must be completed.
4:30 p.m.: Job data entries must be completed.
Wednesday, December 23 (Payroll Close)
Early morning: Payroll Pre-Confirm Report available.
1:00 p.m.: Payroll updates accepted until this time.
A few additional payroll updates as we approach the end of the year:
This is the last payroll of the 2020 tax year.
Please submit any taxable benefits that need to be reported for this year by the end of this week.
Any overpayments made in 2020 need to be repaid by the end of this year to be repaid as net pay. Overpayments repaid in a subsequent tax year require that the gross pay amount is repaid.
Remind employees to update home addresses.
(12/21/2020) Furlough and Pay Reduction Program Period 2 Begins
Ken Horstman's email on December 16 provided thorough information on implementing Period 2 of the Furlough and Pay Reduction Program. A couple of reminders:
While Furlough and Pay Reduction period hours can be used now, balances will be updated in MyU following the payroll close on Wednesday, December 23.
Some excellent resources on the OHR website can help you address employee questions:
(12/21/2020) COVID-Related Emergency Leave Extended
Starting January 1, full- and part-time employees will again have access to up to two weeks of University Emergency Paid Leave. Unused emergency leave from 2020 will not carry forward. Full-time employees will have 80 hours of University Emergency Paid Leave time available January 1, and those working part time will receive paid leave hours proportionate to the time they work.
The process to use the leave will stay the same in 2021. When requesting time off in the My Time tab of MyU (or the time-tracking system for the employee's unit), select the absence type "Excused Paid" and "Emergency Pandemic" as the reason. Hourly employees who do not use MyU or another online time-tracking system should report the University Emergency Paid Leave on their timesheet using "Emergency Pandemic Hourly" for the time reporting code. This web page provides detailed instructions on entering this leave.
If an employee has already used all their previous Emergency Paid Leave time, they can use other available leave (such as vacation days, comp time, or unpaid time off) until the new set of 80 hours is available January 1. Information on how to use this leave and combine it with sick leave, comp time, and short-term disability insurance if needed are available on the OHR website and in the University State of Emergency: Human Resources Implications.
(12/21/2020) New Dashboard Automatically Calculates Institutional Base Salary
With the start of Period 2 furloughs and pay reductions, some employees may have questions about how to find their institutional base salary (IBS), which determines their furloughs and pay reductions. OHR Operations has created a handy dashboard that can show each employee their unique IBS just by entering their employee ID number. The dashboard is also available in the Reporting Center. It displays an employee's total IBS and detailed pay information. In MyU, navigate to Key Links > Reporting Center > Human Resources > Workforce Analysis > Compensation > Employee Institutional Base Salary for Furlough and Pay Reduction Program.
(12/14/2020) Payroll Close December 23 and Year-End Payroll Updates
Due to the University holidays on Thursday, December 24, and Friday, December 25, we will have a one-day close on Wednesday, December 23. The normal Wednesday payroll deadlines for units will move to Tuesday, December 22:
Tuesday, December 22
Morning: UMP Payroll
Noon: Time and absence entries must be completed.
4:30 p.m.: Job data entries must be completed.
Wednesday, December 23 (Payroll Close)
Early morning: Payroll Pre-Confirm Report available.
1:00 p.m.: Payroll updates accepted until this time.
A few additional payroll updates as we approach the end of the year:
This is the last payroll of the 2020 tax year.
Please submit any taxable benefits that need to be reported for this year by the end of this week.
Any overpayments made in 2020 need to be repaid by the end of this year to be repaid as net pay. Overpayments repaid in a subsequent tax year require that the gross pay amount is repaid.
Remind employees to update home addresses.
(12/14/2020) New HR Analytics Dashboard: Departmental Transfers Out and University Terminations
OHR Operations' HR Analytics team has released the 31st in a continuing series of data dashboards—Departmental Transfers Out and University Terminations. The new dashboard provides a directional map of employee departures by HR department hierarchy now or at any time in history after April 2015. The dashboard can calculate external turnover, internal turnover, or both together.
The dashboard has enhanced security features that allow access only to HR professionals. If you can't view the dashboard and believe you should have access, please email ohr@umn.edu requesting access and explaining why it is required in your role.
(12/07/2020) State Minimum Wage Set to Increase to $10.08
As a reminder, Minnesota's minimum wage will increase by 0.8% to $10.08 an hour for large employers beginning January 1. The minimum wage is now $10 an hour. All University employees, including student workers, must be paid at or above this rate no later than January 1. The Office of Human Resources will process required pay increases centrally, using an effective date of December 21, 2020. These changes will appear on the January 13 paychecks. Also note: The salary floor for undergraduate student employees in the S3-01 salary admin plan and grade and the floor for workers in the C6-01 salary admin plan and grade will also be updated to the new minimum effective December 21. Finally, you will be emailed a report of all affected employees in your unit at the beginning of January.
(12/07/2020) Upcoming Changes to Priority Hire Referral Process
Effective December 21, priority hire candidates will opt in to qualifying job openings by submitting new applications instead of being routed automatically with their generic application. In the new process, priority hire candidates will be notified of qualifying job openings and given five days to apply. This allows these candidates to decide which openings they are interested in and tailor their application materials, like all other candidates, without risk of a turn-down. The job posting will continue to collect applications during these five days. If priority hire candidates apply, they will be screened and routed by seniority, as normal. From there, the process continues as normal, and departments will still be expected to contact and interview these candidates in a timely manner. If no priority hire candidates apply, central recruiters will screen and route the other applicants, and hiring managers may move forward with the hiring process.
(12/07/2020) Combo Code Now Required on Taxable Benefits Form
When reporting taxable benefits using the Taxable Benefit/Expense Reimbursement Reporting Form, you will now be required to submit a combo code. Here is the updated form (you may want to download it, as this link will expire in a few weeks). Please contact the Controller's Office at controller@umn.edu for questions about combo codes.
(12/07/2020) Online Access to Employee Engagement Reports Ends January 6
The University's access to the online system that houses Employee Engagement data will end on January 6. You will no longer be able to view and export engagement data after that date, so please export any reports you need before then. Log in to https://ee.ltd.umn.edu/ and use portal ID 4344. You will need your old password to log in. If you need your password reset, please email Susan.Baer@kornferry.com. (Please try logging in to the system before contacting Korn Ferry for a password reset.) Contact Marisa de la Rosa in LTD (delarosa@umn.edu) if you plan to export reports from the online system. The vendor will allocate more exports to you. Please allow three to five business days for additional exports to be added to your account.
OHR's Leadership and Talent Development (LTD) department is now exporting all direct and indirect staff and faculty reports from the system (except for Special Reports or Comments). If your unit's staff or faculty supervisors would like a report after January 6, they can email ee2@umn.edu. LTD will send their direct or indirect reports to them in three to five business days.
(12/07/2020) Make Sure Employees Schedule Assigned Furlough Hours by Today
Today is the last day for employees to schedule any unused Period 1 furlough hours that were assigned in June. If they do not schedule their remaining furlough hours by today, supervisors will need to schedule the hours for them and ensure they take the time off during the pay period of December 7–20. If they have mistakenly scheduled their required hours after December 20, please make the adjustment in the absence tracking system by deleting the incorrect hours, enter the hours during the correct time frame, and have them take their hours before December 20. Period 1 of the University's Furlough and Pay Reduction Program ends December 20, and all employees with assigned furlough hours must take those hours by that date.
Managers can view their employees' furlough time in MyU: On the Manager Info page, click "View Absence Balances." Employees can see their remaining hours in the My Time tab of MyU. They should submit requests for furlough hours as they do for any other absence using their usual time-tracking system, such as Absence Management in MyU or Kronos. They should choose "Furlough" as the reason for the absence.
(11/30/2020) New HRMS Instruction Website Debuts Today
Be sure to check out OHR's all-new HRMS Instruction website, which goes live today with a redesigned look, new features, and improved searchability. The new version keeps the existing URL, so you don't need to update your favorites. The site is organized so visitors can easily find the information most relevant to them, based on their role: employees, supervisors, or HR professionals. Hundreds of instructional PDF job aids have now been turned into web pages, so they can be easily searched, bookmarked, and updated. Find the information you need with a prominent search bar, or click on a list of "A to Z Keywords" to go directly to a general topic.
The new site is the result of months of work by OHR's Training Services team, which has been working with an external vendor, end users, and a small pilot group on the redesign to make sure the site meets the needs of the people using it most. Take a few minutes to explore the new design and bookmark your most-used resources. Email Training Services at trngsvcs@umn.edu with questions or feedback.
(11/30/2020) Benefit Deduction Date Change
Beginning January 1, 2021, benefit deductions will be taken in the pay period that the event takes place and not by paycheck date. The affected deductions will be medical, dental, all life insurance, voluntary short- and long-term disability, and flexible spending. The change does not affect retirement contributions.
(11/30/2020) Make Sure Employees Schedule Assigned Furlough Hours by December 7
Period 1 of the University's Furlough and Pay Reduction Program will end on December 20, which means all employees who were assigned furlough hours in June must take those hours by that date. Managers can view employees' furlough time in the same way they monitor other types of leave. In MyU, on the Manager Info page, they can click on the link "View Absence Balances." The page will show the absence balances for their employees, including furlough balances.
Employees must schedule their remaining Period 1 furlough hours by December 7, using the My Time tab in MyU (or the absence request system used by your department), and they must use those hours by December 20. If they have not scheduled all their furlough hours by December 7, the manager will need to schedule the hours for them and ensure they take the corresponding time off during the pay period of December 7–20.
(11/23/2020) Payroll Closes Early This Week
As a reminder, due to this week's Thanksgiving holiday, the normal Wednesday payroll deadlines for units will move to Tuesday:
Tuesday, November 24
Morning: UMP Payroll
Noon: Time and absence entries must be completed
4:30 p.m.: Job data entries must be completed
Wednesday, November 25: Payroll Close
Early morning: Payroll Pre-Confirm Report available
1:00 p.m.: Payroll updates accepted until this time
(11/23/2020) Make Sure Employees Schedule Assigned Furlough Hours by December 7
Period 1 of the University's Furlough and Pay Reduction Program will end on December 20, which means all employees who were assigned furlough hours in June must take those hours by that date. Managers can view employees' furlough time in the same way they monitor other types of leave. In MyU, on the Manager Info page, they can click on the link "View Absence Balances." The page will show the absence balances for their employees, including furlough balances.
Employees must schedule their remaining Period 1 furlough hours by December 7, using the My Time tab in MyU (or the absence request system used by your department), and they must use those hours by December 20. If they have not scheduled all their furlough hours by December 7, the manager will need to schedule the hours for them and ensure they take the corresponding time off during the pay period of December 7–20.
(11/23/2020) U.S. Extends Relaxed I-9 Requirements Till End of Year
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services has extended its flexibility on inspecting I-9 employment eligibility documents to December 31. The guidance, which makes exceptions to the requirements for physically inspecting I-9 documents due to COVID-19, was set to expire November 19. The provision only applies to workplaces operating remotely. For now, you can continue to remotely inspect and retain copies of I-9 documents as you have been for the last several months. E-Verify participants who choose the remote inspection option should continue to follow current guidance and create cases for their new hires within three business days from the date of hire.
(11/23/2020) New HRMS Instruction Website Coming November 30
The HRMS Instruction website will have a brand-new look next Monday, November 30, when a new OHR Training Services site debuts with increased searchability, functionality, and usability. The new version will keep the existing URL, so you won't need to update your favorites. The Training Services team has been working with an external vendor, end users, and a small pilot group on the redesign to make sure the site meets the needs of the people using it most. More details will be coming as we get closer to the launch date.
(11/23/2020) New HR Analytics Dashboard: Employee Turnover
OHR Operations' HR Analytics team has released the 30th in a continuing series of data dashboards—Employee Turnover. The new dashboard provides annualized employee turnover rates across a specified time period by empl class, job category, pay group, workforce category, and HR department hierarchy for any date from April 6, 2015, to the current date. The dashboard can calculate external turnover, internal turnover, or both together.
The new dashboard is now available in the Reporting Center. In MyU, navigate to Key Links > Reporting Center > Human Resources > Workforce Analysis > Retention and Attrition > Employee Turnover. The dashboard has enhanced security that allows only HR professionals access to the information. If you can't view the dashboard but believe you should have access, please email ohr@umn.edu to request access, with an explanation of why it is required in your role.
(11/16/2020) Payroll Close Thanksgiving Week
Payroll close falls on the short week of the Thanksgiving holiday this year. Given this, the units' normal Wednesday deadlines will move to Tuesday:
Tuesday, November 24
Morning: UMP Payroll
Noon: Time and absence entries must be completed
4:30 p.m.: Job data entries must be completed
5:00 p.m.: Time to start thawing the turkey?
Wednesday, November 25: Payroll Close
Early morning: Payroll Pre-Confirm Report available
1:00 p.m.: Payroll updates accepted until this time
(11/16/2020) New and Updated I-9 Job Aids Released
Training Services has released a number of new and updated job aids on I-9 compliance that can be found on the Recently Updated Materials page of the HRMS Instruction website:
Completing I-9s for Foreign Nationals
I-9 Reverification for Foreign Nationals
Completing I-9s Initiated Under the COVID-19-Related Relaxed Provisions: Physical Inspections of Employee Documents for Form I-9
Completing I-9s after Expiration of the Relaxed Provisions
(11/16/2020) Tentative Non-Confirmation Timeline Change and Ongoing I-9 Compliance
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has established a new rule that requires that Tentative Non-Confirmations (TNCs) must be referred within 10 federal government working days after E-Verify issued the TNC result. Be sure you are reviewing and addressing TNCs promptly.
As a reminder, to ensure I-9 compliance:
Review the documentation of I-9s completed under USCIS relaxed provisions at your earliest opportunity.
Complete photo-matching. There are many incomplete photo matches in the system. Remember to keep up with these regularly.
(11/16/2020) Supervisors Can Use MyU to Monitor Furloughs
Supervisors can monitor the use of furlough time by their employees in the same way they monitor other types of leave. In MyU, on the Manager Info page, managers will find a link to "View Absence Balances." The page will show the absence balances for their employees, including furlough balances.
(11/16/2020) New HRMS Instruction Website Coming November 30
The HRMS Instruction website will be getting a makeover on November 30, when a new OHR Training Services site debuts with increased searchability, functionality, and usability. The Training Services team has been working with an external vendor, end users, and a small pilot group on the redesign to make sure the site meets the needs of the people using it most. The new version will keep the existing URL, so you won't need to update your favorites. More details will be coming as we get closer to the launch date.
(11/09/2020) Make Sure Employees Have Scheduled All Furlough Hours by December 7
Period 1 of the University's Furlough and Pay Reduction Program will end on December 20, which means all employees who were assigned furlough hours in July must take those hours by that date. Units should be tracking the use of furlough hours and making sure all employees have scheduled their furloughs by December 7 and taken all their furlough hours by December 20.
To track your employees, use the query Furlough Hours for Cvl Svc and LabRep available in the Reporting Center. If employees have not scheduled all their furlough hours by December 7, units will need to schedule the hours for them by December 14.
(11/09/2020) Direct Deposit of Off-Cycle Payments
Payroll Services is working toward being able to pay off-cycle payments via direct deposit, which we expect to implement in early January. Currently, all off-cycle payments are issued with a paper check that, since the pandemic, is mailed to the employee. The change will allow us to issue that payment electronically to any employee who is normally paid by direct deposit (about 95% of all University employees). Look for more information on this soon.
(11/09/2020) Monitoring Use of Families First Coronavirus Relief Act Leave
We'd like to remind our HR colleagues of the limits related to FFCRA leave. In addition to the 80 hours of Employee Pandemic leave, employees are able to use an additional 80 hours of FFCRA leave. Both the University Emergency Leave and the FFCRA Emergency Leave are coded the same in the system. Employees using Provision 2 of the FFCRA to help care for children could potentially use more than 160 hours of this leave. Please use the Emergency Leaves Total Hours Query to monitor your employees' use of emergency leave.
(11/09/2020) Correction to I-9 Message from Last Week
Last week's item on uploading documents to I-9 Express for foreign national employees included the statement, "The University does not upload copies of documents for U.S. citizens." This was not entirely correct. The documents of U.S. citizens and permanent residents who produce a List A document (most often a U.S. passport or permanent resident card) will trigger a photo-matching step in eVerify. Documents that trigger the photo-matching step should be uploaded into I-9 Express.
(11/09/2020) HR Analytics Makes Improvements to 3 Dashboards
In response to requests from users, the HR Analytics team has made improvements to three Reporting Center dashboards. The Employee Hires and Transfers In and Employee Terminations and Transfers Out dashboards have both been enhanced with a new Workforce Category selection prompt field, and several new columns of detail have been added to the report:
Institutional Email Address
Position Number
Position Title
Workforce Category
Annual Rate
In addition, the Workforce Actions dashboard has been enhanced to include three new columns of detail in the report accessed from the main dashboard.
Position Number
Position Title
Annual Rate
All three dashboards continue to be protected with security features that allow only HR professionals access to the information. If you can't view the dashboards and believe you should have access, email ohr@umn.edu to request it and explain why it is required in your role.
(11/02/2020) Foreign National Employee Documents - Upload to I-9 Express
We'd like to change how the foreign national I-9 documents are to be sent to OHR. Effective immediately, please upload all documents to the employee's I-9 case as an attachment in I-9 Express, rather than e-mailing copies of Foreign National I-9 documents to I9OHR@umn.edu. Now, once you have uploaded the documents, please send an email to I9OHR@umn.edu stating the I-9 is completed and documents have been uploaded and put "Foreign National Documents uploaded to I-Express" in the subject line. The email should also include the employee's name and ID number in the body of the e-mail. Please note that this is only for foreign national employees. The University does not upload copies of documents for US citizens. (10/26/2020) Future-Dated Benefits Row Added to Some Employee Records
Last week a 12/21/2020 Data Change/Benefits Use Only row was inserted into some employee records for Open Enrollment processing. Please do not delete this row unless the employee is terminating before December 21.
(10/26/2020) Audit of HRMS Security Roles Begins This Week
In our continuing effort to keep University data in HRMS safe and secure, OHR Operations is conducting an audit of our HRMS security roles across the University. Examples of the roles include hiring manager, position entry, appointment entry, unit time administrator, and so on.
On Wednesday, OHR Operations' Workforce Data Management team will be sending a spreadsheet of all the HRMS security roles to University departments for their review and updates. If there are changes, departments will be instructed to submit a Change of Employment Status (COES) form. For questions about the security audit, contact wfdmdq@umn.edu.
(10/26/2020) Changes to Conflict of Interest Question for External Applications
Changes have been made to the conflict of interest question on external job applications. After attaching or completing their work history and education information, external applicants must respond yes or no to the following:
To the best of your knowledge, are either of these statements true?
I have a personal, business, or professional relationship with someone involved in hiring for this position (an interviewer, hiring official, or search committee member; do not include recruiters or acquaintances not involved in hiring).
In my current job or other professional capacity, I make decisions that affect the University.
Those who answer yes are still required to provide more information. Unit recruiters should continue to review and resolve any identified conflicts of interest for candidates brought in for interview or hired for faculty or staff positions, following the business process found here.
(10/26/2020) Job Opening Cleanup a Success
Thank you to units for all your work with the job opening cleanup. Your efforts led to 638 postings closed, encompassing 1,673 openings. Of the postings that remained, we found another 131 that could be closed, for a total of 1,804 openings cleaned up. We will be reviewing the remaining openings and contacting units with any concerns.
(10/26/2020) Recording of Meeting on I-9 Process Changes Now Online
If you missed last Thursday's meeting on I-9 process changes for foreign national employees, or if you would like to review the materials, a recording of the meeting and the presentation slides have been posted to the OHR Operations website. Click on the I-9 heading, then Resources, or follow this direct link.
(10/19/2020) Foreign National I-9 Process Training Set for Thursday
Earlier this fall we proposed moving the processing of I-9s for foreign national employees to unit I-9 administrators and solicited your feedback. We'd now like this change to take effect with the pay period beginning Monday, October 26. We will release job aids before the change and have scheduled an online training. The training will take place at 11:00 a.m. on Thursday, October 22. Here are details:
Foreign National I-9 Processing
October 22, 11:00 a.m.
Join Zoom meeting:
https://umn.zoom.us/j/92298983751?pwd=eTREc09Ea2xRUklkVlRldXAyWFo3Zz09
Meeting ID: 922 9898 3751
Passcode: c8rY5a
Join by SIP: 92298983751@zoomcrc.com
(10/19/2020) Reminder: Enter Dates for Completed Background Checks
Remember to add the most recently completed background check date when entering a hire or transfer. Recent internal audits show that these entries are often being missed. For more information about these steps, please see the Appointment Entry: Hire Step by Step job aid.
(10/19/2020) Provisional Hires Process No Longer Needed
Background checks are now being processed with normal turnaround times. The process of using a provisional hiring form for positions delayed by background checks (originally outlined in the April 13 OHR Operations Update) is no longer necessary unless you are notified by a central recruiter. If we start to see delays again due to pandemic-related closures, we will reopen this process.
(10/19/2020) Reminder: Job Opening Cleanup Due Friday
Unit recruiters should have received an email on Monday, October 12, about cleaning up open job postings that are no longer active or have been filled. The cleanup is needed to accurately report our job openings to senior leaders and is due by Friday, October 23. If your unit did not receive your report, please contact your central recruiter or locate it in this drive.(10/12/2020) Timeline for I-9 Process Changes for Foreign Nationals
Earlier this fall we proposed moving the processing of I-9s for foreign national employees to unit I-9 administrators and solicited your feedback. We'd now like this change to take effect with the pay period beginning Monday, October 26. We will release job aids before the change and schedule an online training for late next week. More details and links to the training will be coming soon.
(10/12/2020) State Minimum Wage Increasing to $10.08
Minnesota's state minimum wage will increase to $10.08 an hour for large employers beginning January 1 from the current rate of $10.00 an hour. All employees, including student workers, must be paid at or above that rate. We will provide more information next month about the process the Office of Human Resources will follow to implement these mandated increases, but we want to make you aware now so you can assess the potential impact to your unit.
(10/12/2020) Job Opening Cleanup Due Friday, October 23
Unit recruiters should have received an email earlier this week about cleaning up open job postings that are no longer active or have been filled. This cleanup is needed to accurately report our current job openings to senior leaders and is due by Friday, October 23. If your unit did not receive their report, please contact your central recruiter or locate it in this drive.
(10/12/2020) 'Employee Outside Salary Grade Range' Dashboard Has Been Improved
OHR Operations' HR Analytics team has made enhancements to the Reporting Center dashboard Employee Outside of Salary Grade Range. The dashboard now has options to include graduate assistants, professionals-in-training, and other PLH employees with a normalized hourly base rate and salary minimum/maximum. The changes do not affect results provided by the default parameters in the dashboard. The dashboard is now available in the Reporting Center. In MyU, navigate to Key Links > Reporting Center > Human Resource Management > Human Resources > HR Operational > HR/Benefits > Emp - Outside of Salary Grade Range.
(09/28/2020) Technical Step Increases
The Technical step increase program ran last week for eligible bargaining unit employees, and most errors were corrected by OHR. The program inserted a Pay Rate Change/Step/Progression Increase row effective 10/1/2020 and updated the step number and hourly rate on that row and any rows after 10/1/2020.
These reports are available in the Reporting Center under Reports Run for Me:
(09/28/2020) How to Process Wire Transfers for Foreign National Employees Working Overseas
A new process was introduced recently to allow foreign national employees working overseas, who do not have a U.S. bank account, to receive pay via foreign wires. Just a reminder that If you have employees in this situation, you must submit the new form Notification of Employee Working Overseas to payforms@umn.edu in advance of their first payment. This form should be sent to Payroll Services before you begin the process of setting them up as a supplier. Payroll Services needs the advance notice to ensure they are properly set up in Peoplesoft. Here is a link to the supplier/wire setup process.
(09/21/2020) University Decides Not to Implement Payroll Tax Holiday (09/21/2020)
Based on a variety of complex factors, the University will not be implementing the Social Security payroll tax holiday (IRS Notice 2020-65) at this time. The decision aligns with other Big 10 universities and local private industry. OHR will gather more details on the tax notice that may clarify the open issues and will report back to senior management.
(09/21/2020) Adjustment to Federal and State Work-Study Reimbursement
Changes to both federal and state work-study are waiving the institutional share/employer match for fall 2020. That means hours worked by students with a placed work-study award will be 100% reimbursed by that award. Units do not need to make any changes for this to occur. Campuses will be monitoring earning levels throughout the year and may adjust this reimbursement percentage midyear if spending becomes too high.
Work-Study Resources
Review the Work-Study Placement Job Aid for help placing a student's work-study.
If the student has more than one position, contact your campus resource below and include the student's ID number and details on how the award should be split.
Use the work-study reports in the Reporting Center to help monitor current student employees.
Employed Students with Unused Work Study Awards
Employed Students with Maxed Work Study Awards and Unmet Need
Contact the following resources on your campus with work-study placement questions:
Crookston: umc-fa@umn.edu
Duluth: umdhr@d.umn.edu
Duluth (DMED): john2141@d.umn.edu or poste034@d.umn.edu
Duluth (Pharm): tkrause@d.umn.edu or lericks1@d.umn.edu
Morris: morrisfa@morris.umn.edu
Rochester: umrsempl@r.umn.edu
Twin Cities: stdtempl@umn.edu
(09/14/2020) I-9 Process Changes: Training Thursday at 1:00 p.m.
Several complicating factors related to the pandemic have affected the I-9 process over the past six months. The federal government's relaxed provisions for verifying I-9 information are expected to expire on September 19. The fact that these relaxed rules have been extended month to month with little notice have made it hard to anticipate when we will be required to return to normal compliance rules and when we will need to complete I-9s initiated under the relaxed provisions. With these factors in mind, we'll be making some changes to the I-9 process, of particular consequence for foreign national employees:
Beginning Sunday, September 20, the employing unit will be responsible for I-9 completion and compliance for their foreign national employees.
We will ask units to alert Payroll Services when a foreign national is hired so we can work directly with the employee to collect the information needed to comply with foreign national tax requirements.
We continue to urge units to complete the I-9s initiated during the USCIS relaxed provision period as soon as you can.
We will hold an online Zoom session this Thursday, September 17, at 1:00 p.m. to address these process changes in more detail and train I-9 administrators on factors unique to completing I-9s for foreign national employees. The session will be recorded and posted on the OHR website. We are also creating job aids on these process changes that will be shared at the session.
Join the online meeting:
https://umn.zoom.us/j/ 95339598044?pwd= L2xPNTczdU9FajBOMlNlWlB4eU5GQT 09
Meeting ID: 953 3959 8044
Passcode: UdsjS9
(09/14/2020) HR Analytics Releases 2 New Dashboards on Employee Hires and Terminations
OHR Operations' HR Analytics team has released the 30th and 31st in a continuing series of data dashboards:
Employee Hires and Transfers In provides information on all employee hires or transfers in across a specified time period by employee class, job category, pay group, and HR department hierarchy for any date from April 6, 2015, to today.
Employee Terminations and Transfers Out provides information on all employee terminations or transfers out in a specified time period by employee class, job category, pay group, and HR department hierarchy for any date from April 6, 2015, to the current date.
These dashboards are now available in the MyU Reporting Center. In MyU, navigate to Key Links > Reporting Center > Human Resources > Workforce Analysis > Retention and Attrition. Then choose either Employee Hires and Transfers In or Employee Terminations and Transfers Out.
Both dashboards have enhanced security features that allow only HR professionals access to the information. If you can't view the dashboards but believe you should have access, email ohr@umn.edu to explain why it is required in your role.
(08/31/2020) Reminder: Use Routines to Monitor Employee Data
One of the best ways to keep your employee data accurate, consistent, and up to date is by running routine queries to check that data. OHR has recently improved many of its queries and conveniently grouped them in the MyU Reporting Center to help you with that process. Make sure someone in your unit is assigned to run the following queries one or more times each pay period.
To find the queries, in MyU click on Key Links and follow this path: Reporting Center > Human Resources > HR Operational > HR/Benefits.
Routine Employee HR Data Review Queries:
Emp - Additional Pay on Inactive Job Records
Emp - Appointment Exceptions
Emp - Expected End Date
Emp - Expected Return Date
Emp - Missing Degree Info
Emp - Missing Personal Info
Emp - Missing Supervisor - Exception Hourly or Salaried
Emp - Missing Supervisor - Hourly
Emp - Missing Tenure for Reg Faculty
Emp - Outside of Salary Grade Range
Emp - Position and Job Mismatches
You can now find this same list of routine queries on the OHR Operations website. Click on Resources > Reporting > Reporting Routines.
Note: In the process of enhancing these routine queries, we merged some previous queries into the list above. As of August 26, these queries are no longer available as separate reports:
Missing Date of Birth
Missing Home Address
Missing SSN
Employees/Positions Who Report to Vacant Positions
Grad Assist - No Expected End Date
We will continue to enhance reporting for HRMS data monitoring and data management in upcoming months. These improvements are a collaboration between unit HR and payroll representatives and central OHR's Workforce Data Management team. The goal is to improve data integrity while making biweekly payroll and other processes more efficient.
(08/31/2020) Reminders on Hiring
Don't forget about a couple of tools that can smooth the hiring process and your unit's workload:
References checks for your final job candidates can now be automated through SkillSurvey References. SkillSurvey can create a fuller picture of job candidates, speed up the reference-checking process, and provide a detailed report on each candidate. See this OHR web page for more information.
If your department could use extra staffing for important projects—or if you have employees with time for more work—the University's Talent Share program can loan employees where work is needed most. To take part, or get more details, visit the Talent Share website.
(08/24/2020) Contract Renewals
The 9-month contract renewals for UMTC and UMR will be run later this week. Please have the Return from Short Work Break rows entered into job data.
(08/24/2020) Furlough/Pay Reduction Time for 9- and 10-Month Faculty
Compensation will be pulling data for all P09/P10 fall appointments on Tuesday, August 25, to determine Furlough and Pay Reduction Program time amounts. Please ensure these appointments are entered by end of today (Monday, August 24). Pay Reduction Program hours will be loaded according to appointment start dates.
(08/24/2020) Expanded Exception Reporting Coming
The HRMS Advisory Group, in partnership with OHR's Workforce Data Management, Payroll, and HRMS teams, is embarking on an effort to expand reporting for payroll exceptions. This exception reporting will improve data integrity and increase unit efficiency during the biweekly payroll review process. Expect to hear more about this effort in the coming weeks, including opportunities to become involved and support the project.
(08/24/2020) Reminder: New Web Page Outlines Fall I-9 Process
A recent OHR web page provides instructions on the I-9 process for foreign national employees this fall. Please review the web page for information on:
The process for submitting documents
Required forms
Required visa documents
How to get an I-94
(08/17/2020) Enter 9- and 10-Month Appointment Data by August 24
As a reminder, all 9- and 10-month appointment data entry must be completed by the end of day on August 24. This data will be pulled on August 25 so the Furlough and Pay Reduction Program calculations can be completed for this group.
(08/17/2020) HRMS Not Quite Right This Morning? You May Have to Clear Your Cache
Because of system work over the weekend, HRMS users may have to clear their caches if processes don't seem to be working properly. Here is a brief tutorial on clearing caches in various browsers.
(08/17/2020) Background Check Video and Job Aid Now Online
The University recently transitioned to a new vendor, HireRight, to conduct background checks on new hires. A new job aid and video have been posted on the OHR website that provide instructions on how to initiate a background check, plus information about HireRight.
(08/10/2020) How to Process Wire Transfers for Foreign National Employees Working Overseas
In anticipation of an increase in the need to pay foreign national employees working overseas due to the pandemic, Payroll Services has recently documented this process. The process should only be used for a foreign national employee who is working overseas and doesn't have a U.S.-based bank account. If you have employees in this situation, you should also submit the new form Notification of Employee Working Overseas to payforms@umn.edu.
(08/10/2020) I-9 Compliance During COVID-19
Since March 20, USCIS has relaxed the rules on completing I-9s, allowing employers to review documents while not in the physical presence of the employee. The provision allowing this relaxed approach will expire on August 19. This presents two issues:
Completing I-9s Processed During the Relaxed Provision
Employers who used the relaxed provision must complete the I-9 process by physically reviewing the necessary documents within three days of a return to normal operations. The review must be documented on the I-9, adding "documents physically examined" with the date of inspection to the Section 2 Additional Information field on the Form I-9, or to Section 3 as appropriate. The definition of "return to normal operations " has not been defined by the government. We recommend that units focus now on completing these I-9s before the fall rush begins. To help, we will be providing you with reports of the I-9s completed during this period. Keep in mind that, if the employee is working on site at all, the documentation can be reviewed and completed by a supervisor or colleague on paper and uploaded into I-9 Express. These I-9s could also be completed using the Remote Employee Form I-9 Process by establishing an authorized representative to review the documentation in person.Completing I-9s After the Relaxed Provisions Expire
Starting August 20, you will again be required to review I-9 documentation in the presence of the employee. Again, keep in mind that if the employee is in the physical presence of any other University employee, they can complete the I-9 on paper, including the review of documentation, and submit this to the unit's HR department to be uploaded into I-9 Express. Units can also use the Remote Employee Form I-9 Process.
(08/10/2020) Furlough/Pay Reduction Time for 9- and 10-Month Faculty
Compensation will be pulling data for all P09/P10 fall appointments on Tuesday, August 25, to determine Furlough and Pay Reduction Program time amounts. Please ensure these appointments are entered by end of day on Monday, August 24. Pay Reduction Program hours will be loaded according to appointment start dates.
(08/03/2020) Fall 2020 I-9 Verification Process for Foreign National Employees
I-9 verifications for foreign national employees will continue to take place remotely by contacting the OHR Contact Center. The Donhowe office will remain closed through the fall and will not be hosting walk-in sessions or taking in-person appointments in August for foreign national employees.
To process I-9 verifications promptly and remain in compliance with I-9 completion before or on the first day of employment, a new email address has been created where foreign national employees can send I-9 forms and visa documents: I9OHR@umn.edu. We have also created a new OHR web page, which provides more information about the I-9 process for foreign national employees this fall.
To ensure the I-9 verification is done in time, it is important that forms and documents be sent in as soon as possible. The OHR Contact Center is only able to process documents Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m to 3:00 p.m. If documents are sent on a weekend and the start date is the following Monday, the process will most likely not be completed in time. Incomplete forms and missing visa documents will delay processing.
The OHR Contact Center can also help with questions about forms and documents. Call 4-UOHR Option 2 or 612-624-8647.
(08/03/2020) Procedure for Employees Accepting Retirement Incentive Option
From August 17 through October 19, employees will have the opportunity to sign up for the University's Retirement Incentive Option (RIO) if they retire by January 15, 2021. For employees taking retirement, departments will enter a Retired with Benefits/Severance row in HRMS. Benefits will centrally update the record for the RIO.
Departments should follow the procedure outlined in the "Ending a Phased Retirement" section in the Phased Retirement Job Aid. The directions apply for all employees participating in the RIO—Faculty, P&A, Civil Service, and Labor Represented.
(08/03/2020) Review Furlough Requests
Please remember to use the query UM_PY_FURLOUGH_HRS_CS_LR - Furlough Hours Audit for CS&LR to review what furlough hours are in an employee's balance, what have been scheduled, and how many have been used. We have seen a few instances in which employees have requested more furlough hours than are in their balance. For example, an employee is scheduled for eight hours in a day, has seven hours of furlough, but submits a request for eight hours of furlough, taking the whole day off. This employee will go unpaid for eight hours. If they want to be paid for that eighth hour, they should request one hour of another type of absence to complete the day.
(08/03/2020) PeopleSoft HRMS Update Set for Sunday
MyU and PeopleSoft applications will be unavailable on Sunday from 4:00 a.m. to noon due to a planned software update. The outage includes the job search site, Payroll, Job Data, and the Reporting Center, among other applications. The update will fix several minor bugs in the system and add updates to maintain system stability. The changes will not affect daily processes and routines for users.
(08/03/2020) New HR Analytics Dashboard Monitors Temporary/Casual Workers
OHR Operations' HR Analytics team has released the 26th in a continuing series of data dashboards—Temporary/Casual Assignment Analysis. This new dashboard reports temporary/casual appointment information and provides initial determinations on which temporary/casual employees are working more than 67 days a year or more than 14 hours a week. The new dashboard is now available in the Reporting Center. In MyU, navigate to Key Links > Reporting Center > Human Resources > Workforce Analysis > Employee > Temporary/Casual Assignment Analysis.
(07/27/2020) New HR Analytics Dashboard: Positions UNS University Non-Service
OHR Operations' HR Analytics team has released the 25th in a continuing series of data dashboards—Positions UNS University Non-Service. This new dashboard displays all active positions in company UNS (University Non-Service) by HR department hierarchy. The new dashboard is now available in the Reporting Center. In MyU, navigate to Key Links > Reporting Center > Human Resources > Workforce Analysis > Position > Positions UNS University Non-Service.
(07/27/2020) Reporting Center Queries for Furlough and Pay Reduction Program Hours
As mentioned in the July 20 Operations weekly update, these queries are available in the Reporting Center to help you track employee Furlough and Pay Reduction Program hours:
Furlough Hours for Civil Service and Labor Represented
Vac_PH_Cmp Hours Scheduled Prior to Furlough
Pay Reduction Hours for P&A and Faculty
Pay Reduction Hours Scheduled in Excess of Available Balance
If you have any issues accessing these queries, send an email to wfdmdq@umn.edu for assistance.
(07/20/2020) Queries Now Available for Furlough and Pay Reduction Program Hours
OHR has created several queries, available in the Reporting Center, to help units monitor the hours employees are using in the Furlough and Pay Reduction Program:
Furlough Hours for Civil Service and Labor Represented: Includes initial balance, current balance, used hours, hours scheduled, and hours alerts
Vac_PH_Cmp Hours Scheduled Prior to Furlough: For Civil Service and Labor-Represented employees. Includes initial balance, current balance, used hours, hours scheduled, and hours alerts.
Pay Reduction Hours for P&A and Faculty: Includes initial balance, current balance, used hours, hours scheduled, and hours alerts
Pay Reduction Hours Scheduled in Excess of Available Balance: For P&A and Faculty employees. Includes current balance, hours taken, hours scheduled, and hours over balance.
This job aid provides more details about prompts and how to find and run each report. Help documents for each query are also available in the Reporting Center. The HRMS data in the query is private-restricted and requires access to private HR data. If your job requires access to private data not currently granted, submit an Access Request Form.
(07/20/2020) Covid-Related Form I-9 Accommodations Extended Once Again
On July 18, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement announced an extension of the flexibilities in rules related to Form I-9 compliance that was granted earlier this year. Due to the continued precautions related to COVID-19, the Department of Homeland Security has decided to once again extend this policy for an additional 30 days, to August 19.
Under these accommodations, employers are not required to review the employee's identity and employment authorization documents in the employee's physical presence. If unable to do so in person, employers must inspect the Section 2 documents remotely (video link, fax, email, etc.) and obtain, inspect, and retain copies of the documents needed to complete Section 2. Employers should enter "COVID-19" as the reason for the physical inspection delay in the Section 2 Additional Information field. After normal operations resume, the documents should be physically inspected within three days. Once the documents have been physically inspected, the employer should add "documents physically examined" with the date of inspection to the Section 2 Additional Information field on the Form I-9, or to Section 3 as appropriate.
For more information, see the original guidance from March.
(07/20/2020) Technical Unit Lump Sum Payments
All technical employees at the top of their classification's step range will receive a $200 lump sum. The lump sums will be entered centrally into Additional Pay with the following:
Earnings Code: NLM
Effective Date: 07/06/2020
End Date: 07/19/2020
Earnings: $200.00
Departments will be notified of eligible employees receiving the lump sum payment.
(07/20/2020) Retirement Incentive Option Begins August 17
The OHR Contact Center has already been getting some inquiries about the University's upcoming retirement incentive option (RIO). If employees in your unit have questions, let them know that more information about RIO will be sent to employees at the end of July. Eligible faculty and staff will be able to elect the program from August 17 through October 19, 2020.
(07/20/2020) PRP Earnings Code in HR Analytics
OHR has received questions about why the PRP earnings code is not appearing in the Non-Institutional Base Salary dashboards in HR Analytics. The reason is that earnings assigned to the PRP code are negative earnings. By design, negative earnings are excluded from the Non-Institutional Base Salary dashboards.
(07/20/2020) OHR Contact Center Remains Closed for In-Person Appointments
As a reminder, the OHR Contact Center in the Donhowe Building remains closed for I-9 appointments and document pickups.
For an I-9 appointment, new foreign national employees should email ohr@umn.edu.
Employees are no longer able to pick up checks, W-2 reprints, and 1042-S reprints in person. These are being automatically mailed.
Benefits consultations are now handled by phone or virtual meeting. Email or call to make an appointment.
The Contact Center is taking phone calls remotely. Phone numbers are the same as before—612-624-8647 or 800-756-2363. Or email ohr@umn.edu.
(07/14/2020) Reminder: Background Check Vendor Migration and Training Dates
The University will be migrating to the HireRight background check system this month, as part of the HireRight and GIS merger. Current GIS users can attend one of these remaining training webinars for the new HireRight system:
Wednesday, July 15, 1:00 p.m.
Tuesday, July 21, 1:00 p.m.
Users will have received invitations to these events already, so email Nicole Salm at salm0078@umn.edu if you need access to GIS/HireRight or have a new employee who needs access. If you can't attend on one of these dates, the training will be recorded and made available to all users.
The new HireRight system will begin accepting new background check orders from users on July 20, with new log-in information sent directly to current users that week. GIS will still accept new background check orders through July 31. Any requests still pending or being reviewed on that date will continue through the process normally until completed. You will still have access to GIS for reporting purposes. For questions, contact Nicole Salm in OHR Talent Acquisition at salm0078@umn.edu.
(07/06/2020) Payroll Accounting for Furlough and Pay Reduction Program
Information to help people understand and report on payroll accounting data for the Furlough and Pay Reduction Program has been created through the collaboration of the University Budget Office, Sponsored Projects Administration, Accounting Services, and Sponsored Financial Reporting. For questions about reporting on payroll accounting data, contact the Financial Helpline at controller@umn.edu or 612-624-1617.
(07/06/2020) Background Check Vendor Migration and Training Dates
The University will be migrating to the HireRight background check system this month, as part of the HireRight and GIS merger. Current GIS users can attend a training webinar for the new HireRight system on these dates:
Monday, July 13, 2:00 p.m.
Wednesday, July 15, 1:00 p.m.
Tuesday, July 21, 1:00 p.m.
We will send more information directly to current users, including links for the online training webinar, later this week. If you are unable to attend, the training will be recorded and made available to all users.
The new HireRight system will begin accepting new background check orders from users on July 20, with new log-in information sent to current users that week. GIS will still accept new background check orders through July 31. Any requests still pending or being reviewed on that date will continue through the process normally until completed. You will still have access to GIS for reporting purposes. For questions, contact Nicole Salm in OHR Talent Acquisition at salm0078@umn.edu.
(07/06/2020) PeopleSoft HRMS Update Set for Weekend of August 8–9
OHR Operations is in the process of a planned software update to the PeopleSoft HRMS system, which is scheduled to be installed the weekend of August 8–9. The update will fix several minor bugs in the system and add updates to maintain system stability. The changes will not affect daily processes and routines for users. Throughout July, Operations will be conducting quality assurance testing in advance of the go-live date. Later in July we will provide more information about possible system downtimes that weekend as we move closer to go-live.
(07/06/2020) More Position Information Now Available in Ad Hoc Reporting
The data in HR Analytics ad hoc reporting has been expanded to include all the position data in the Positions and Incumbents dashboard. If you have ad hoc access, the data is now available in the PJC-Operational area in the ad hoc environment. We have also scheduled a working lab for Thursday, July 9, from 9:00 a.m. to noon via Zoom.
If you would like access to HR Analytics ad hoc reporting, please complete an Access Request Form (ARF). (Select Additional Applications & Data Warehouse Tables > Additional Applications > UM Analytics. Be sure to choose Create access [Author] and Human Resources–Public.) You will also need to complete two prerequisite courses to gain access: "Working with Employee Data" (OHR060) and one of the "UM Analytics: Creating Basic Analyses and Dashboards" courses (EUS132, EUS133, or EUS134). Register for both of these courses in Training Hub.
(06/22/2020) Change in Vacation Balance Transfers to P&A Positions
Beginning July 6, when employees move from Civil Service to a Professional & Academic position, OHR will centrally process a transfer of up to 120 hours of unused vacation time instead of the current maximum of 80 hours. Any remaining hours over 120 will be paid out at the Civil Service pay rate. Balances less than 120 hours will be transferred in full.
(06/22/2020) Pre-Confirm Payroll Report Updated for 27 Pay Dates
To help you identify employees who will have their pay spread over 27 pay dates in fiscal year 2021, the Pre-Confirm Payroll Report has been updated to include the employees' frequency code from the job data compensation tab.
(06/22/2020) Fiscal Year-End: Payroll Encumbrances
All non-sponsored and cost-share payroll encumbrances have been zeroed out for fiscal year 2020. Payroll encumbrances for sponsored chartstrings will continue to be available on payroll reports until June 30, when they will be zeroed out on the last day of the fiscal year. On July 1, all payroll encumbrances will be calculated for fiscal year 2021 and will be available in reporting on July 2. Reminder: No daily payroll encumbrance adjustments will be processed between June 18 and July 1.
(06/22/2020) Personalized Emails Will Welcome New Employees
Because we are unable to host the New Employee Welcome events during the pandemic, we have developed a plan to welcome new employees with an email that includes information and resources to help give them a strong start in their new role at the University. Beginning Tuesday, June 23, new employees and their supervisors will receive one of the emails below, based on their employee group. The emails will go out weekly to new employees. Their supervisors will also receive a copy, along with content that directs them to onboarding resources.
(06/15/2020) New HR Analytics Dashboard: Positions and Incumbents
OHR Operations' HR Analytics team has released the 24th in a continuing series of data dashboards—Positions and Incumbents. This new dashboard displays all active positions and information on the current or previous incumbent in that position for each level of the HR department hierarchy. The new dashboard replaces two legacy UM Reports, the Position Management Position List and the Position Management Vacant Position List, which will both be retired. To see the new dashboard, in MyU navigate to Key Links > Reporting Center > Human Resources > Workforce Analysis > Position > Positions and Incumbents.
(06/08/2020) Time Reporting Updates for University Closure on Thursday Afternoon, June 4
The University was closed the afternoon of Thursday, June 4, out of respect for the memorial service of George Floyd. Here are instructions for the different employee groups to ensure employees are paid correctly for that time:
Essential employees who worked during this time may be paid the $2-an-hour essential employee augmentation using the time reporting code "Essential Employee Augment." The augmentation should be added to the time sheet in addition to regular time worked during that period.
Hourly employees who normally would have worked Thursday afternoon should report their time as REG according to their schedule.
Salaried and exception hourly employees will be paid for their regular hours and do not need to take any action.
(06/08/2020) It's Time to Process Regents Scholarships
The summer term is our first start-of-term under reduced operations and remote work. This is normally when Regents Scholarships are being processed and are being reported to Payroll Services so that we can apply the taxable value of this benefit to employees' earnings. Understandably, we are noticing some delay in this processing. That can result in a shorter period over which the additional taxable earnings can be reported. Please encourage employees and supervisors to submit and route the necessary forms.
(06/08/2020) New Web Page Can Help With Remote Hiring
Even during a hiring freeze, recruiting for some exempt positions continues. And with social distancing still in place, hiring can be especially challenging. To help units cope with these new realities, OHR's Talent Acquisition Department has created the Remote Hiring Toolkit, a web page that offers tools and advice for interviewing and selecting candidates remotely. The web page shows you how to prepare for and conduct virtual interviews using time-saving technology—including video conferencing, one-way recorded video interviews to screen candidates, and automated reference checking—to ensure that you and the applicants have a positive experience.
(06/08/2020) Labor-Represented Increases Have Been Updated
Last week pay increases were updated for Teamsters and for AFSCME Clerical, Health Care, and Technical bargaining units. The program inserted a 6/8/2020 Pay Rate Change/Annual Increase row and updated the hourly rate on that row and any rows after that date. (The program was run twice for the Clerical and Technical increases to ensure all eligible employee records were updated.)
You can review reports in the Reporting Center via Reports Run for Me > HRMS.
Clerical
Health Care:
Technical
UMHRAE002 - AFSCME TECHNICAL INCREASE ERROR.PDF (06/05/2020)
UMHRAE002 - AFSCME TECHNICAL INCREASE ERROR.PDF (06/04/2020)
Teamsters
Departments will need to update records for employees listed with the "Expected End Date Less Than Effective Date" error message. Departments do not need to update records for employees listed with the "Future Pay or Step Increase" error message.
(06/08/2020) Job Data Records Have Been Updated for 27 Pay Dates
Last week, central OHR updated job data records in preparation for 27 pay dates in fiscal year 2021. These two rows were added:
A 6/8/2020 - Data Change/FY Comp Freq - CNTRL USE ONLY row was inserted to update the comp frequency from B to B27 for salaried employees paid over 12 months.
A 6/8/2020 - Data Change/Special Circumstances row was inserted for hourly and exception hourly employees to ensure correct reporting through the Data Warehouse.
Units should not change or delete these rows.
(06/08/2020) Be Aware of How 27 Pay Dates Will Affect Data Tables
The 27 pay dates in FY21 will affect HR analytics and HR data warehouse tables that derive from PS_UM_EMPLOYEES. If you use this data, review the Knowledge Article that has been put together to help data users prepare for the changes this will have on reporting.
(06/08/2020) New HR Analytics Dashboard Will Replace 2 Position Reports
HR Analytics is excited to be deploying a new Positions and Incumbents dashboard on Monday, June 15. The new dashboard will improve reporting on position management and will include reporting on position incumbents. With the deployment of this new dashboard, two legacy UM Reports, the Position Management Position List and the Position Management Vacant Position List, will both be retired. If you have any questions or concerns about the retirement of the two UM Reports, email or call the OHR Contact Center at OHR@umn.edu, 612-624-8647 or 800-756-2363.
(06/08/2020) Talent Share Program Can Help Meet Staffing Needs
As a reminder, if your department could use extra staffing for important projects—or if you have employees who have time for more work during reduced operations—the University's Talent Share program can help. The program matches work opportunities in one unit with employees from other units who have the time and skills to complete additional tasks.
To take part in Talent Share—either to request help or share available employees—visit the Talent Share website for details and an online form to get started. For questions, contact your unit's HR representative or your OHR Talent Acquisition consultant.
(06/08/2020) Correction to 27th Pay Date eLearning
In response to recent questions and discussions, OHR Training Services would like to make a correction to one of the examples given in the 27th Pay Date eLearning course on the new B27 frequency code for fiscal year 2021. In Module 3, in the scenario "Return from Work Break and Data Change for B27 Frequency," the example for Lucas uses the action/reason "Data Change/Pay Group Change" to document the B27 frequency after his return to work. The action/reason in that situation should be "Data Change/Special Circumstances." While we can't update the training at this date, please keep this correction in mind as you take the course or review the materials.
To enroll in or review the training, sign in to Training Hub (training.umn.edu), click on Course Catalog, and search for the course name/keyword "B27: New Frequency Code for FY21."
(06/01/2020) Conflict of Interest Question Added to External Applications
As of May 31, external applicants are now required to identify any conflicts of interest on submitted job applications to the University. After attaching or completing their work history and education information, they must respond yes or no to the following:
To the best of your knowledge, are either of the following statements true:
You have a prior relationship, professional, business, or personal, with individuals involved in the hiring process for this position.
You are currently employed outside the University and, as part of that employment, you work with the University or are in a position to make decisions that impact the University.
Those who answer yes will be required to provide more information. Unit recruiters and central recruiters will have a new role in reviewing and resolving any identified conflicts of interest for candidates brought in for interview or hired. The business process is available under Recently Updated Materials on the HRMS website.
(05/26/2020) HR Analytics Releasing 2 New Dashboards
OHR Operations' HR Analytics team has released the 23rd in a continuing series of data dashboards—Workforce Actions. This new dashboard displays information on job record workforce actions by HR department hierarchy or employee for any date range from April 6, 2015, to the current date. The new dashboard is now available in the Reporting Center. In MyU, navigate to Key Links > Reporting Center > Human Resources > Workforce Analysis > Employee > Workforce Actions.
In addition, HR Analytics is excited to be deploying a new Positions and Incumbents dashboard on June 15. The new dashboard will improve reporting on position management and will include reporting on position incumbents. With the deployment of this new dashboard, two legacy UM Reports, the Position Management Position List and the Position Management Vacant Position List, will both be retired. If you have any questions or concerns about the retirement of the two UM Reports, email or call the OHR Contact Center at OHR@umn.edu, 612.624.8647, or 800-756-2363).
(05/18/2020) HRMS Advisory Group to Meet May 26
The next HRMS Advisory Group will be held via Zoom on Tuesday, May 26, from 3:00 to 4:00 p.m. regarding updates on the University's COVID-19 response. Members of the HRMS Advisory Group can join the meeting via Zoom:
https://umn.zoom.us/j/669161681
Meeting ID: 669 161 681
One tap mobile
312-626-6799
(05/18/2020) Process for FFCRA Paid Expanded FMLA Leave
As we discussed in the last HRMS Advisory Group, under the Families First Coronavirus Response Act's expanded FMLA provision, employees who cannot work because they must care for children due to COVID-related school, daycare, or summer camp closures, and who are close to exhausting their 160 hours of emergency paid leave, may be able to access more paid time away.
If you have employees who are eligible for the expanded FMLA leave, please contact Blaine Bloomgren in Payroll Services (bloo0250@umn.edu). (Previously you were instructed to contact Employee Relations or Lauren Daughenbaugh in Total Compensation.) A collaborative team in Total Compensation and Payroll will review the person's eligibility, address your questions, and provide instructions on using the employee's absence balances as a part of their 10 weeks of paid FMLA, which you can then communicate to the employee.
(05/18/2020) Discontinue Using ECT Earnings Code for Student Continuation of Pay
If you are still making entries in Additional Pay to add or change student worker continuation of pay, be sure you do not add to an ECT earnings code record. You must use ECW. We found more than 300 instances of new ECT earnings during the payroll close for pay period ending 5/10/20 that had to be corrected manually, as many would have resulted in overpayments.
(05/18/2020) Appointment Entry Updates
As a reminder, work-study terminations for fall and spring will take place today (except for the Morris campus). You can enter summer appointments as early as tomorrow, May 19.
(05/11/2020) Work-Study Continuation of Pay Codes Corrected Centrally
As we announced previously, since the state is now allowing state-funded work-study to be used for both hours worked and student worker continuation of pay, the use of the ECT earnings code was discontinued. At that time, we also let you know that we would correct the previous use of ECT centrally. Those updates took place this week. Units do not need to take any action regarding this change.
HRMS and Payroll took the following steps:
For all ECT records in Additional Pay that have an end date greater than 04/26/2020, the end date was updated to 04/26/2020.
An ECW record was added with an effective date of 04/27/2020. The number of hours, rate, and end date did not change.
For all pay periods before 05/10/2020, where ECT was paid to an employee, Payroll Services will move these funds from ECT to ECW on a pay line adjustment, so the appropriate funds will be applied to Work Study. Please remember, the work-study program in PeopleSoft will determine if the student has work-study funds and will apply them appropriately.
(05/11/2020) Temp/Casual Employees and the Families First Coronavirus Response Act
Recent clarification of the FFCRA has alerted us that temp/casual employees are eligible for two weeks of paid leave (prorated) under this law. While University emergency and reduced operations pay provisions do not include temp/casuals, the federal leave entitles them to the number of hours they work, on average, over a two-week period. The time should be entered on the employee's time sheet using the Emergency Reduced Ops or Emergency Pandemic Hourly time reporting codes, depending on the reason for their leave.
To help in this effort, Payroll Services will send HR Leads a list of temp/casual employees paid in the pay period ending 3/1/20 to help you determine who did not continue to work in subsequent pay periods. We also refer you to the UM_TL_PAYABLE_TIME query in the Reporting Center. Beyond those resources, we encourage you to work with your supervisors to determine which temp/casual employees should receive paid leave.
(05/11/2020) Emergency Leave Reason Reporting Form
On May 7, OHR sent more than 2,100 employees a request asking them to complete the Federal Leave Reason Reporting Form. If you get questions from employees about this form, please assure them that all employees who received the request need to complete the form. The form applies to employees being paid under both continuation of leave and University emergency leave. We also need the forms from employees being paid intermittently under one of these provisions.
(05/11/2020) Find Answers to COVID HR Questions on the Operations Google Site
If you have a COVID-related HR question, the answer may already be available on the OHR Operations Google site. COVID questions and their vetted and approved answers are regularly being logged on a Google spreadsheet. In the menu at the top of the Operations home page, click on Resources and look for the document “HRER Follow-Up FAQ,” under the COVID-19 heading at the top of the page. If you don’t have access to the OHR Operations website, please email ohr@umn.edu.
(05/11/2020) Reminder: OHR Contact Center Is Taking Calls Again
The Contact Center has resumed taking phone calls after a brief period of email only. Phone numbers are the same as before—612-624-8647 or 800-756-2363. As always, you can also email ohr@umn.edu. A few other Contact Center reminders:
For an I-9 appointment, new foreign national employees should email ohr@umn.edu.
Employees are no longer able to pick up checks, W-2 reprints, and 1042-S reprints in person. These are being automatically mailed.
Benefits consultations are now handled by phone or virtual meeting. Email or call to make an appointment.
(05/04/2020) Students Can Now Be Paid With State Work-Study Funds
State-funded work-study has been approved for paying students who are working during the pandemic, the same as federally funded work-study. As a result, the time-reporting code CCW should no longer be used in the time sheet. These hours should be recorded as REG, which will allow pay funded by work-study to be processed correctly in the system.
(05/04/2020) Changes Made to Teamster Salary Grades
Effective 3/16/20, two new salary grades—47D and 43B—were created for the following job codes:
6073—Senior Maintenance Plumber: Salary plan/grade changed from S1/47 to S1/47D
6075—Maintenance Plumber: Salary plan/grade changed from S1/43 to S1/43B
Positions and job data records have been centrally updated.
(04/27/2020) New HR Analytics Dashboard: Employee Headcount and FTE by RRC
OHR Operations' HR Analytics team has released the 22nd in a continuing series of data dashboards—Employee Headcount and FTE by RRC. This new dashboard displays the headcount and FTE by RRC (Resource Responsibility Center) for any date from April 6, 2015, to the current date.
The new dashboard is now available in the MyU Reporting Center. In MyU, navigate to Key Links > Reporting Center > Human Resources > Workforce Analysis > Employee > Employee Headcount and FTE by RRC.
(04/20/2020) How to Enter 'Essential Employee Augmentation'
We'd like to clarify some confusing and contradictory instructions we have given about using the new EEA "Essential Employee Augmentation" time reporting code. EEA is used on both hourly and exception hourly time sheets to grant essential workers a $2-an-hour augmentation for the hours they work on site. To apply the augmentation correctly, the earnings code should always be listed with a corresponding REG line of pay. The EEA line should report the number of hours worked on site, while the REG line should report the total hours worked that day.
For more details and examples of correct and incorrect EEA entries, download and save this instruction sheet.(04/20/2020) Instructions for Entering Teamsters Pay Increases
It is time to update PeopleSoft records to reflect pay increases to Teamsters-represented employees as a result of recent contract negotiations. Units must enter retro pay into Additional Pay by 4:30 p.m. on 5/13/20 for the 4/27–5/10/20 pay period. Use these instructions and charts:
(04/20/2020) HRMS Advisory Group to Meet Monday at 3:00 p.m.
The HRMS Advisory Group will hold a Zoom meeting Monday, April 27, from 3:00 to 4:00 p.m. regarding federal leave tracking and 27th pay date updates. Members of the HRMS Advisory Group can join the meeting via Zoom:
https://umn.zoom.us/j/669161681
Meeting ID: 669 161 681
One tap mobile
312-626-6799
(04/20/2020) New HR Analytics Dashboard: Temp/Casual and Student Worker Headcount Snapshot
OHR Operations' HR Analytics team has released the 21st in a continuing series of data dashboards—Temp/Casual and Undergrad Student Workers Headcount Snapshot. This new dashboard displays a headcount of temp/casual and undergraduate student workers by HR department hierarchy in biweekly snapshots from April 2020 to the current date.
The new dashboard is now available in the MyU Reporting Center. In MyU, navigate to Key Links > Reporting Center > Human Resources > Workforce Analysis > Employee > Temp/Casual and Undergrad Student Workers Headcount Snapshot.
(04/13/2020) OHR Contact Center Is Accepting Calls Again
Beginning today, the OHR Contact Center is once again taking phone calls, thanks to software installed by OIT that allows staff to field calls from home. The phone numbers are the same as before—612-624-8647 or 800-756-2363. Or email the Contact Center at ohr@umn.edu.
(04/13/2020) $2 Essential Employee Augmentation and Overtime
There has been some confusion about the $2 augmentation for essential employees (Time Reporting Code EEA). The augmentation is eligible to be used on overtime hours. Also, it is included in the FMLA rate when overtime is calculated. The job aid Time Reporting Codes for COVID-19 (available on the Recently Updated Materials page of the HRMS Instruction site) has been corrected to reflect this clarification.
(04/13/2020) Employees Now Have Access to Excused Paid Absence Type
As requested by HR Leads, we have opened access to the Excused Paid Absence Type to all absence-eligible employees so that employees can enter their own pandemic-related absence requests. A new job aid is being developed to guide employees on selecting the correct absence reason. When directing employees to enter their own pandemic-related absence requests, please emphasize the importance of selecting the correct absence reason:
For emergency leave, choose: Emergency Pandemic
For continuation of pay for employees unable to work remotely under extended reduced operations, choose: Emergency Reduced Operations
(04/13/2020) PeopleSoft Unavailable From Noon Saturday to Noon Sunday
Due to a planned software update this weekend (April 18 and 19), the HR PeopleSoft system will be unavailable from noon Saturday through noon Sunday. During that time, users will not have access to PeopleSoft HRMS applications. That includes:
MyU self-service functions, such as the tabs My Time, My Pay (including W-2 tax information), My Benefits, My Info, and Manager Info
HRMS-related queries in the Reporting Center
The job search site
This PeopleSoft update will provide technical enhancements but will not affect end users. Mark your calendars for the upgrade weekend so that you can plan around the service outage.
(04/13/2020) Guide to Posting Jobs During Hiring Freeze
Even during a hiring freeze, some aspects of the hiring process may need to continue. OHR has created a brief guide to job postings during this time, outlining what steps should be taken for 1) putting current postings on hold, 2) posting exceptions to the freeze, and 3) accepting applications without further hiring action. Find the guide on the Operations Google website under Resources > COVID-19 > Hiring Freeze Guidelines > UMN Postings During Hiring Freeze: Quick Guide.
(04/13/2020) Provisional Hires While Waiting for Background Checks
With background checks significantly delayed during the pandemic, units should put a hold on new hires until the checks can be completed. If necessary, however, exceptions can be made for some critical positions by using a new provisional hiring form. (The provisional form cannot be used for candidates whose background checks are required under the administrative policy Safety of Minors.) The criteria and process for a provisional hire are explained in a new guide—Provisional Hiring Due to Background Check Delays—that has been posted on the Operations Google website under Resources > COVID-19 > Hiring Freeze Guidelines.
(04/13/2020) Teamster Increases Completed
The increase program was run and inserted a 9/30/19 Pay Rate Change/Annual Increase row into job data. You can see a report in the Reporting Center under Reports Run for Me > HRMS > UMHRAE002 - TEAMSTERS INCREASE.PDF (04/09/2020) . The new hourly rates will be paid on the 4/22/20 payday (3/30/20–4/12/20 pay period). Detailed pay increase and retro pay instructions will be forthcoming.
(04/06/2020) AFSCME Increase Retro Pay Reminder
All retro pay for AFSCME clerical, technical, and health care employees must be entered by the departments no later than 4:30 p.m. on Wednesday, April 15. The retro pay will be entered for the 3/30/2020–4/12/2020 pay period and paid on the April 22 pay date.
(04/06/2020) Answers to COVID HR Questions Now on Operations Google Site
OHR has a new location for answers to COVID-related HR questions that have been vetted and approved. A Google spreadsheet is now available on the OHR Operations Google site. In the menu at the top of the home page, click on Resources and look for the document, “HRER Follow-Up FAQ,” under the COVID-19 heading at the top of the page. If you don’t have access to the OHR Operations website, please email ohr@umn.edu.
Since many of these questions are very HR-specific and not necessarily relevant to a larger audience, we thought the Operations website was a better place for them than a public-facing FAQ on the OHR website. Answers that are relevant to employees will continue to be added to the public FAQ.
(04/06/2020) Use Hiring Freeze Exception Form for Critical Positions
During the University’s hiring freeze, if collegiate or administrative unit leaders decide that an unfilled position is critical to operations, units should submit a Hiring Freeze Exception Request to the Office of Human Resources. This new form is available on the Recruiting and Hiring page of the OHR website, under Additional Resources. The form will be reviewed by the vice president for human resources and the Executive Leadership Review Team. See page 3 of the form for positions exempt from the freeze or for options in cases in which an offer has already been made.
(04/06/2020) Help Document Now Available for Student Average Hours Query
Last week we told you about a new query in the Reporting Center to help you figure the average work hours for student workers who can continue to be paid even if they are not able to work during the University’s extended reduced operations. We have now added a help document in the Reporting Center that provides more details about the query, Spring Semester 2020 Undergrad Student Avg Hours. View it by clicking on the information icon next to the report name.
(03/30/2020) New Report Computes Students' Average Hours of Work
Student workers who are not able to work due to the extended reduced operations can continue to be paid, based on the average number of hours they have worked per pay period so far. A report now available in the Reporting Center can determine those average hours for you. The query Spring Semester 2020 Undergrad Student Avg Hours provides a student worker's average hours and hourly rate. In MyU, navigate to the report via Key Links > Reporting Center > Human Resources > HR Operational > Payroll > Spring Semester 2020 Undergrad Student Avg Hours. The job aid Student Worker Pay for Not Actively Working: Additional Pay During COVID-19 can provide more details.
(03/30/2020) Cancel or Suspend Multiple Job Postings Using Group Actions
With a hiring freeze in place, unit recruiters will want to cancel job postings or put them on hold in Recruiting Solutions. A new job aid shows how you can use the Group Actions feature to update multiple job openings at once. For questions, email the OHR Contact Center at ohr@umn.edu or Talent Acquisition at employ@umn.edu.
(03/30/2020) Teamsters Pay Increases
Teamsters annual pay increases are effective 9/30/19. During the week of April 6, central OHR will update the Salary Admin Plan and Grade tables and run the annual increase program to update employee job data records. Departments are responsible for processing and entering the retro pay. New hourly rates will be paid in the 4/13/20–4/26/20 pay period and paid on the 5/6/20 pay date. Retro pay will be processed by the units for the 4/27/20–5/10/20 pay period and paid on the 5/20/20 pay date.
(03/23/2020) HRMS Advisory Group Meeting Tomorrow at 2:00 p.m.
The HRMS Advisory Group will hold a Zoom meeting tomorrow, Wednesday, March 25, from 2:00 to 3:00 pm. The meeting will be to discuss the University's COVID-19 response and the impact on HR systems.
Members of the HRMS Advisory Group can join the meeting via Zoom:
https://umn.zoom.us/j/669161681
Meeting ID: 669 161 681
One tap mobile
312-626-6799
(03/23/2020) I-9 Compliance During COVID-19
The Department of Homeland Security is deferring the physical presence requirements for I-9 employment eligibility verification for employees who are being onboarded remotely and will continue to work remotely. This option is not available for employees who are physically present at a work location. For more information, see the announcement on the I-9 Employee Eligibility Verification page.
(03/23/2020) Data Updates for 27th Pay Date
As a reminder, units should continue to focus on data updates for the 27th pay date process, including:
Terminating active employees who are no longer being paid
Updating the employees' expected end dates
Entering a notice of appointment for all employees required to have one
(03/16/2020) New HR Analytics Dashboard: EEO Goal Setting
OHR Operations' HR Analytics team has released the 20th in a continuing series of data dashboards—EEO Goal Setting. The new dashboard provides information about the demographics of the University's workforce, the University's estimate of the available workforce in the market (Percent Availability), and the University's equal opportunity goals, for specific snapshot dates from October 2019 to the present. The dashboard is an important tool to use during the search and hiring processes.
It includes security features that ensure only individuals approved to view "HR Private" data can see the report. If you can't view the dashboard and believe you should have access, please submit an access request form (ARF).
The new dashboard is now available in the Reporting Center. In MyU, navigate to Key Links > Reporting Center > Human Resource Management > Human Resources > EEO Goal Setting.
(03/16/2020) I-9 Processing During the COVID-19 Outbreak
We have received a number of questions about how the University will process I-9 forms during the outbreak. Unfortunately, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) at this time is not providing any flexibility on the requirement to review original documents in person. I-9 guidance specifically prohibits reviewing documents "via webcam."
If a new employee in your department is beginning their job remotely and will not meet with colleagues, please have them complete a paper I-9 form (https://www.uscis.gov/system/files_force/files/form/i-9-paper-version.pdf) at home using an employer's authorized representative. An authorized representative can be any person we designate to complete and sign Form I-9 on our behalf. Under the circumstances raised by COVID-19, DHS will consider "any person" to include even a family member or household member. There is no need to have specific agreements or other documentation for Form I-9 purposes.
If the new employee is coming to a University work location but HR is not available to complete section 2 of an I-9, a colleague should complete section 2 of the I-9 on paper.
Paper I-9 forms should be kept and uploaded to I-9 Express at the earliest convenience.
We will continue to process I-9s for new foreign national employees in Donhowe B20, though hours will be limited to 9:00 a.m. to noon daily. Please have the employee make an appointment.
For foreign national I-9 reverifications, during the COVID-19 outbreak we will ask foreign national employees to send us a photo or scan of their renewed document and present the document in person in the future. Please continue directing them to call the OHR Contact Center, which will provide them with instructions for sending us documentation.
(03/16/2020) Off-Cycle Checks and Check Pickup
We will continue to process off-cycle requests and stop pay requests as usual, but employees will not have the option to pick up checks at Donhowe B20 during the COVID-19 outbreak. All checks we are now holding will be mailed today. However, we ask that you be judicious with off-cycle requests and add the pay to the next on-cycle check when possible.
(03/16/2020) Payroll Close This Week
The payroll close process is continuing as usual. The timeline remains the same (as noted below). If you have a question during the payroll close process, please send emails as usual to payroll@umn.edu or ohr@umn.edu. The OHR Contact Center will not be able to accept phone calls. Please do not call or email questions to individual OHR employees, as some employees will be working remotely and responsibilities may shift during this time.
Payroll Close Timeline:
Thursday, March 19: Payroll preconfirmation report will be available.
Friday, March 20: 10:00 a.m.: Payroll Update deadline
(03/16/2020) Changes to OHR Contact Center and Donhowe In-Person Services
Effective immediately, and until further notice, we are making these changes to OHR's in-person services in the Donhowe Building:
Contact Center phone lines are closed. We are processing emails from the following email addresses: ohr@umn.edu, benefits@umn.edu, well@umn.edu, payroll@umn.edu, and employ@umn.edu
I-9 appointments for new foreign national employees will still be held at Donhowe. We will take appointments for new foreign national employees to process their I-9 during these days/times:
Friday, March 20: 8:00 a.m.–noon
Monday, March 23: Noon–3:00 p.m.
Wednesday, March 25: 8:00 a.m.–noon
Monday, March 30: Noon–3:00 p.m.
Wednesday, April 1: 8:00 a.m.–noon
Future appointments will be scheduled as needed. Please ask foreign national employees to make an appointment by emailing the OHR Contact Center at ohr@umn.edu before coming to Donhowe.
Employees will not be able to pick up checks, W-2 reprints, and 1042-S reprints in person. These will be automatically mailed.
For benefits consultations, employees should email the OHR Contact Center to make an appointment. Consultations will be handled by phone or virtual meeting.
Be aware that the Donhowe Building, as with other campus buildings, requires a UCard to enter even during regular business hours.
(03/09/2020) 'Recruiting and Hiring' Web Pages Get a Makeover
Talent Acquisition has streamlined its Recruiting and Hiring web pages (on the OHR website under Supervising at the U), making it easier to find information on the hiring process. All the previous information has been retained, but some pages and sections have been moved to new categories, so you may have to re-bookmark some of your favorites. We have also added a new page on technology tools to support the hiring process: LinkedIn recruiting, video interviews, and automated reference checks. If you can't find the information you're looking for, email or call the OHR Contact Center at ohr@umn.edu or 4-UOHR (612-624-8647; 800-756-2363).
(03/09/2020) HR Analytics Releases New and Enhanced Dashboards
OHR Operations' HR Analytics team has released a new data dashboard—Employee Headcount and FTE Demographics Snapshot—and has added new features to a previous dashboard, Employee Headcount and FTE Demographics. The new demographics snapshot dashboard—the 19th in a continuing series—displays the headcount and FTE by ethnicity, legal sex, employees with disabilities, and protected veterans, viewable by HR department hierarchy for specific snapshot dates from October 2019 forward.
The enhanced Employee Headcount and FTE Demographics dashboard adds two new tabs, which display the headcount and FTE by employees with disabilities and protected veterans by HR department hierarchy for any date from April 6, 2015, to the present.
The new and revised dashboards are now available in the Reporting Center. In MyU, navigate to Key Links > Reporting Center > Human Resource Management > Human Resources. Then choose either Employee Headcount and FTE Demographics Snapshot or Employee Headcount and FTE Demographics.
(03/02/2020) HRMS Advisory Committee Meeting Tuesday, March 10
Members of the HRMS Advisory Committee will meet Tuesday, March 10, at 9:00 a.m. in Bruininks Hall, Room 131B.
(03/02/2020) AFSCME Clerical, Health Care, and Technical Increases
Central OHR will complete the manual entry of retro annual and step increases by 4:30 p.m. Wednesday. We will send spreadsheets on Thursday, and instructions will follow.
(02/17/2020) Pay Increases for AFSCME Clerical, Health Care, and Technical Employees
As a result of recent contract negotiations, central OHR will be manually updating PeopleSoft records with step realignments and pay increases to employees represented by AFSCME Clerical, Health Care, and Technical.
The salary plan and grades will be updated this week. The step realignments and pay increases will be updated in employee job data from February 24 to March 4. The new hourly rates will take effect in the 2/17/20–3/1/20 pay period and will be paid on the 3/11/20 pay date.
Effective Dates
Clerical:
Step realignment: Effective 6/10/2019
Annual increase: Effective 12/23/2019
Step increases: Have been programmatically entered monthly (June 2019–March 2020)
Health Care:
Step realignment: Effective 6/10/2019
Annual increase: Effective 12/23/2019
Step increases: Will be entered based on employee's progression/anniversary date
Technical:
Step realignment: Effective 6/10/2019
Annual increase: Effective 06/10/2019
Step increases: Effective 10/1/2019
Retro pay will be entered by the departments for the 3/30/2020–4/12/2020 pay period and paid on the 4/22/2020 pay date.
(02/17/2020) 'Year Acquired' Field for Degree Data Is Now Required
Following a PeopleSoft monthly release yesterday, the Year Acquired field for degree data is now a required field for both employees and applicants. To ensure degree data flows successfully through PeopleSoft, any blank Year Acquired field in degree data entered before the update has been populated with "1900." HRMS users can update the Year Acquired field in PeopleSoft by going to the UM HR Homepage, clicking the Workforce Development tile, and choosing Person Profiles. If you have questions, please email or call the OHR Contact Center at ohr@umn.edu or 4-UOHR (612-624-8647, 800-756-2363).
(02/17/2020) New Time Reporting Code for Work-Study During Campus Closures
In case of emergency closures, departments can now use a new time reporting code to pay work-study students from department funds instead of work-study funds, as required under work-study regulations. Under Time Reporting Code, tell work-study student employees to select the option "53 Campus Closure Work Study." If a student fails to do so, the approver can still make that change before approving the time sheet. The time reporting code will appear as CCW=Campus Closure Work Study. The code should be used only for campus closure days.
(02/17/2020) Reminder: Add Automated Screening Questions for 1826 and 1885 Job Openings
Unit recruiters should still be adding system screening questions to all 1826 and 1885 job openings. Adding these questions reduces screening time for central recruiters so that hiring managers can review qualified applicants sooner. Refer to the job aid for more information on adding the questions to a job opening. You can also view the job aid by visiting the A-Z Materials/Tools page of the HRMS Instruction site and clicking on Adding Screening Questions to a Job Opening.
(02/17/2020) Fix to Payroll Encumbrance Calculation
The PeopleSoft monthly release yesterday included a fix to resolve a previous issue with payroll encumbrances. The encumbrance calculation will now recognize that additional pay earnings should stop at the end of the fiscal year. Previously, if additional pay had an earnings end date that was the same as the end of the fiscal year and was distributed on sponsored funds, the calculation would improperly extend the additional pay until the end of the grant award period or project end date.
(02/10/2020) Year-End Payroll Adjustments Being Run Today
As part of the normal year-end process, Payroll Services runs an abbreviated year-end, off-cycle payroll to make year-end adjustments and check adjustments or reversals that affect employees' 2019 year-to-date amounts. That payroll was processed on Monday, February 10. As a result, you may see additional UM Payroll Verification Reports for your department in the Reporting Center with a pay end date of 12/07/19. These payroll entries will post to the general ledger on Wednesday evening with an accounting date of 02/12/20. (Note: You will not see a payroll verification report for your area if no employees had year-end adjustments.)
(02/10/2020) Health Benefits Workshop Friday
The next Health Benefits Workshop for new employees will be held Friday, February 14. The workshops are for employees who want to learn more about their benefit options (medical, dental, pre-tax flexible spending accounts, life insurance, and disability) and would like help before completing their enrollment online. This workshop complements the New Employee Welcome by providing detailed benefits information. New employees should plan to attend the earliest session after their start date.
New employees should register in advance. For questions, call 612-624-8647 and select option 1 to reach Employee Benefits. The workshops will be held on these dates from 9:00 to 10:30 a.m. in the Donhowe Building, Room 210:
Friday, February 14
Friday, March 20
Thursday, April 30
(02/03/ 2020) New HR Analytics Dashboard: Employee Headcount and FTE Demographics
OHR Operations' HR Analytics team has released the 18th in a continuing series of data dashboards—Employee Headcount and FTE Demographics. This new dashboard displays the headcount and FTE by ethnicity (institutional calculation) or legal sex for any date from April 6, 2015, to today. It also allows comparisons across and within the HR department hierarchy. We will be adding more demographic data, such as disability status, protected veteran status, and so on, in the coming months.
This new dashboard is the first one with security features that only allow people approved to view "HR Private" data to see the information. If you can't view the dashboard but believe you should have access, please submit an access request form (ARF).
The new dashboard is now available in the Reporting Center. In MyU, navigate to Key Links > Reporting Center > Human Resource Management > Human Resources > Employee Headcount and FTE Demographics.
(02/03/2020) More Data Now Available for HR Analytics Ad Hoc Reports
We have also expanded the data available in HR Analytics ad hoc reporting. It now includes all employee workforce actions taken from April 6, 2015, to today. In addition, several fields used for Office of Institutional Research reporting have been added to the snapshot area.
If you don't yet have ad hoc access, complete an Access Request Form (ARF) for HR Analytics ad hoc reporting. Select Additional Applications & Data Warehouse Tables > Additional Applications > UM Analytics. On the ARF form, under Author Access, select HR Public. You will also need to complete two prerequisite courses: Working with Employee Data (OHR060) and one of the UM Analytics: Creating Basic Analyses and Dashboards courses (EUS132, EUS133, or EUS134). Register in Training Hub . In addition, a working lab is scheduled for Tuesday, February 11, from 9:00 a.m. to noon in Humphrey 50A.
(03/30/2020) HRMS Advisory Group Meets Today at 3:00 p.m.
The HRMS Advisory Group will hold a Zoom meeting today from 3:00 to 4:00 p.m. The meeting will be to discuss the University's COVID-19 response and the impact on HR systems. Members of the HRMS Advisory Group can join the meeting via Zoom:
https://umn.zoom.us/j/669161681
Meeting ID: 669 161 681
One tap mobile
312-626-6799
(01/27/2020) Reminder on Data Entry for Notice of Appointments
We have found a number of Notice of Appointment (NOA) data elements missing or inaccurately entered in PeopleSoft. Please remember to complete the Contract entry for salaried Faculty and Staff on a 12-month, 10-month, or 9-month appointment (including 9- or 10-month appointments paid over 12 months).
This entry is a required step in the new-hire process. It completes the employment agreement document that employees see in MyU when they click on the Notice of Appointment link at the bottom of the My Info tab. We will be escalating missing NOA data to department leadership in February.
If you have questions about how to complete this entry, please review the online resources at https://hrms.umn.edu/appointment-entry/contract-details or email or call the OHR Contact Center at ohr@umn.edu or 4-UOHR (612-624-8647; 800-756-2363).
(01/27/2020) I-9 and Contact Center Reminders
Here are a few tips to keep in mind when referring employees to the Contact Center:
I-9 forms for permanent residents should be completed in your department.
The Contact Center has had quite a few foreign national employees walk in to complete their I-9 or tax treaty forms without an appointment. It is very important that employees make an appointment to ensure we are staffed to help. However, we will accept a walk-in if the employee is starting that day.
If an employee has a question about payroll or recruiting, please refer them to the 4-UOHR number (612-624-8647; 800-756-2363) or ohr@umn.edu. We are not staffed to take walk-ins for these types of questions.
(01/20/2020) Please Limit PeopleSoft Use for Start of Spring Semester
Twin Cities classes resume today, and PeopleSoft will experience peak usage as thousands of students and faculty start up a new term. Please limit manual processing and large queries today and tomorrow to protect critical systems for student and faculty use.
(01/20/2020) Student Work-Study Reminders
As spring semester begins, make sure your department is using available work-study funds effectively and correctly with your student workers:
Use the Employed Student With Unused Work Study Awards query in the Reporting Center to identify any student worker in your unit who may have a work-study award that is not being used. If one of your student workers appears on the report, confirm whether they are using the award on another job and place the award following the Work Study Placement Job Aid.
Check that the Placement Status on the UM WS Award Placement page has the appropriate effective date, usually the student's hire date.
Students can decide to split their work-study between a maximum of two positions. To split work-study, email stdtempl@umn.edu with the student ID and how much the student would like to allocate of the remaining award to each job record (for example, 50/50).
Check the end date for your student worker's appointment. The last day to use work-study funds for spring semester is May 10.
The department will begin receiving the 70% reimbursement of the student's earnings once the placement panel is completed. For questions, please contact Student Employment Programs at stdtempl@umn.edu.
(01/20/2020) W-2s Now Available Online
The 2019 W-2 tax form is now available to all employees online. Employees can log in to MyU and click on the My Pay tab, then on View W2/W2C Forms. Employees who have opted to receive their W-2s exclusively online will not receive a printed form in the mail. If they did not opt in, their printed forms will be mailed this week.
For added security, logging in to MyU now requires Duo two-factor authentication. Employees who haven't yet signed up for Duo will be required to enroll when they log in to MyU to get their W-2. They can get help with Duo at https://it.umn.edu/technology-help-our-staff. Suspected phishing attempts, which tend to increase during tax season, should be reported to UMN Technology Help at 612-301-4357 or help@umn.edu.
(01/13/2020) New 'Personal Data View' Security Group
To make access to private data more secure, a new security group—Personal Data View—has been created to provide view-only access to these PeopleSoft pages:
Citizenship-Identification Data
Disabilities
Modify a Person
Users with a business need for view-only access to this private data should submit an Access Request Form (ARF) for the new security group. Appointment View users who need to see personal data should have the ARF process completed by February 16; at that point, Appointment View will only provide access to appointment data. Users with Appointment Entry access do not need to request the new security group; they will continue to have access to both appointment and personal data.
(01/06/2020) Change in Access for Entering Excused Paid/Unpaid Absences
Beginning with the pay period Monday, January 6, employees will no longer be able to submit the absence types Excused Paid and Excused Unpaid directly in Absence Management through MyU. Only unit absence administrators will have access to enter these absence types and will need to make them on behalf of their unit's employees. The change is the result of an audit that found these absence types were often used incorrectly.
(01/06/2020) New Feature Added to Institutional Base Salary Dashboard
The Employee Institutional Base Salary dashboard has been enhanced to show whether an employee was scheduled to receive additional pay during the previous year. If additional pay was scheduled, you will now see a link to the Employee Non Institutional Base Salary (Addl Pay) dashboard. To view the updated Employee Institutional Base Salary report, in MyU go to Key Links > Reporting Center > Human Resources > Workforce Analysis > Employee Institutional Base Salary.
2019 W-2 Now Available in MyU
On January 17th, 2019 Payroll Director Heather Kidd sent out the following communication to all University employees:
Your 2019 W-2 tax-reporting form is now available online. As in past years, all employees have access to their W-2 forms online. To see your W-2, log in to MyU and click on the My Pay tab, then on View W2/W2C Forms. If you opted to receive your W-2 form exclusively online, you will not receive a printed form in the mail. If you did not opt in for an online W-2, your printed form will be mailed next week.
If you have trouble opening your online W-2, make sure your web browser's pop-up blocker is turned off or allows University sites as an exception. You can find instructions on OIT's website at it.umn.edu/how-disable-pop-blockers-or-add-trusted.
A word of caution: In the past, we've seen an increase in phishing attempts during tax season. Remember that the University of Minnesota, including the Office of Human Resources, will never ask you to provide personal information such as a user name and password via an email or email link.
Please be aware when logging in to MyU that two-factor authentication through Duo Security is now required. If you have not already done so, you will be required to enroll when you access the MyU sign-in page to get your W-2. You can find assistance with enrolling in Duo Security from UMN Technology Help at https://it.umn.edu/technology-help-our-staff.
If in doubt, reach out: If you receive a suspicious message, contact UMN Technology Help at 612-301-4357 or email help@umn.edu.
Issue with Payroll Encumbrances Resolved
On December 24, an issue caused all existing payroll encumbrances to reverse and recalculate only through 01/03/20. The issue has been resolved, and payroll encumbrances will recalculate correctly as of December 30. All corrected payroll encumbrance balances will be available on UM Reports as of Tuesday, December 31.
In addition, due to payroll being moved back a day to Thursday, payroll activity for the current week is reflected in Finance Payroll Accounting UM Reports as of today.
More Data Now Available for HR Analytics Ad Hoc Reports
If you run ad hoc reports using HR Analytics in the Reporting Center, you now have more data available to you. The data has been expanded to include all information in two recent dashboards: Employee Non Institutional Base Salary (Addl Pay) and Departmental Non Institutional Base Salary (Addl Pay). You can also choose from several new fields when running ad hoc reports.
If you don't yet have ad hoc access, you can complete an Access Request Form (ARF) for HR Analytics ad hoc reporting. Select Additional Applications & Data Warehouse Tables > Additional Applications > UM Analytics. On the ARF form, under Author Access, select HR Public. You will also need to complete two prerequisite courses: Working with Employee Data (OHR060) and one of the UM Analytics: Creating Basic Analyses and Dashboards (EUS132, EUS133, or EUS134) courses. Register in Training Hub.
Extra Pay Statement for Employees in Fit Choices
Employees who participate in the Wellbeing Program's Fit Choices will see two pay statements in MyU this pay period. One statement is their regular paycheck. The other statement shows a zero balance, along with a line item showing taxes the University has paid on their Fit Choices reimbursements for the last year. Fit Choices reimburses $20 to employees when they visit a participating gym at least eight times a month. Federal tax law requires these reimbursements to be taxed as income. The second pay statement adds their annual reimbursements to their taxable gross earnings on the 2019 W-2 they will receive in January. It also allows payment of FICA taxes. The University pays both the employer and employee portions of FICA for this reimbursement.
IRS Issues New W4 Form
The IRS has issued a new version of the W-4 form for 2020. It can be found here: https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/fw4.pdf.
Here are a few key things to know about the form:
A new concept: Withholding allowances will no longer be used.
Employees are not required to complete a new revised form. The IRS has designed the withholding tables so they will work with both the new and previous forms.
Employees hired in 2020 and any employees who make withholding changes during 2020 will be required to use the new form.
Employers cannot give employees advice on what content to provide on the form. Instead, direct employees to the Tax Withholding Estimator ( www.irs.gov/W4App). We are working to make the new form available in MyU by January 1.
Employees will receive the following communication:
The 2020 Form W-4, Employee's Withholding Certificate, is very different from previous versions. This is due to the federal tax law changes that took place in 2018. The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) is not requiring all employees to complete the revised form and has designed the withholding tables so that they will work with both the new and prior year forms. However, certain employees will be required to use the new form: those hired in 2020 and anyone who makes withholding changes during 2020.
Even though the IRS does not require all employees to complete the revised form, and even if your tax situation has not changed, we recommend you perform a "paycheck checkup" to see if you need to make adjustments to your current withholding. To conduct the checkup, you can use the IRS's Tax Withholding Estimator (www.irs.gov/W4App). To effectively use the estimator, it is helpful to have a copy of your most recent pay stub and tax return. It is likely that the estimator will be updated to account for the 2020 tax tables in early January. Please note: if you do not submit a new form, withholding will continue based on your previously submitted form.
Before completing the 2020 Form W-4, please read the instructions that are included with the form. You must complete Steps 1 and 5. Steps 2, 3, and 4 are optional, but completing them will help ensure that your federal income tax withholding will more accurately match your tax liability. Step 1 is for your personal information; Step 2 is for households with multiple jobs; Step 3 is used to claim tax credits for dependents; Step 4 is for other adjustments (additional income such as interest and dividends, itemized deductions that exceed the standard deduction, and extra tax you want withheld); and Step 5 is where you sign the form.
The IRS takes your privacy seriously and suggests that, if you are worried about reporting income from multiple jobs in Step 2 or other income in Step 4(a), you check the box in Step 2(c) or enter an additional withholding amount in Step 4(c). To determine the additional withholding amount, you can use the withholding estimator.
The IRS has also published Frequently Asked Questions that you may find helpful as you complete the form (https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/faqs-on-the-draft-2020-form-w-4.
Work-Study Reminders
Work-study funds cannot be used on days when the University is closed, including University holidays (refer to your campus holiday calendar) and unexpected campus closures.
For campus closures, it is a best practice not to use work-study student employees as essential employees, and departments should inform those students that they should not report to work on those days.
If a student employee is graduating this fall 2019 semester, the last day they can work is December 22, 2019.
If a student was not registered for the fall 2019 semester, the first day they can work is December 26, 2019.
New Look: Human Resources Area in Reporting Center
The Human Resources section in the Reporting Center will have a new look on December 16. The top-level folders will be "HR Operational," "Talent Management," "Work Study," and "Workforce Analysis," with subfolders containing relevant reports. We hope this new design will provide a more intuitive user experience. You can also use the "Filter by Title" search box at the top of the Reporting Center to quickly find a report or query. The change will not affect reports you have added to your Favorites.
Presentation from December 5 Payroll Forum Now Online
If you missed the December 5 Payroll Forum, or would like to review the material, you can view a recording of the online session, or see the slide presentation only, on the Payroll Administration page of the OHR website or on the OHR Operations Google site in the Payroll section.
First Payday for 2020 Thursday, January 2nd
As a reminder, the first payday in 2020 will be on Thursday, January 2, due to the New Year's Day bank holiday, which falls on the normally scheduled payday, Wednesday, January 1. Since pay cannot be delivered on New Year's Day, the University will move the pay date to the following business day.
Our normal practice, when a payday falls on a bank holiday, is to move the pay date one day earlier, and that will continue to be our practice. However, in this unique case, when that move would change the tax year in which the earnings would be reported, we must move the pay date to the following business day.
Open Enrollment Ends December 2
Monday, December 2, is the last day for employees to review their benefits selections for 2020 and make any changes to their medical and dental coverage, short- or long-term disability coverage, flexible spending accounts, or additional life insurance. Employees can sign up through the My Benefits tab in MyU. Because HealthPartners Dental will be discontinued next year, employees who want dental coverage will need to select a Delta Dental plan for 2020. Employees will also need to enroll if they want a flexible spending account in 2020, even if they had an FSA in 2019. If they are satisfied with their current selections, don't want an FSA or additional life insurance, and are already enrolled with Delta Dental, they do not need to take any action; their benefits will stay the same for next year. Learn more about Open Enrollment options, which will take effect January 1, on the Open Enrollment website. For questions, email or call the OHR Contact Center at ohr@umn.edu or 4-UOHR (612-624-8647, 800-756-2363).
'Employee Job History' in UM Reports Has Been Retired
The HR Analytics Employee Job History report in the MyU Reporting Center has been enhanced to include all job history information dating back to 1998. The previous version of the dashboard provided data back to April 6, 2015. In addition to the expansion of historical data, the dashboard has been updated with new security features: Only HR professionals can view the job history of all employees. As a result of these enhancements to the HR Analytics report, the legacy Employee Job History in UM Reports has been retired.
State Minimum Wage Set to Increase to $10
Minnesota's minimum wage will increase by 1.4% to $10 an hour for large employers beginning January 1. The minimum wage is now $9.86 an hour. All University of Minnesota employees, including student workers, must be paid at or above this rate no later than January 1. HR Leads will receive a report of any affected employees in mid-December. The Office of Human Resources will process pay increases centrally, using an effective date of December 23. These changes will appear on January 15 paychecks. We want to make you aware of this change now so you can begin to assess the potential impact to your collegiate or administrative unit.
Updated Employee Job History (HR Analytics) Report
On Monday, November 25, the Employee Job History (HR Analytics) report will be enhanced to include all job history information dating to 1998. The previous dashboard provided data back to April 6, 2015. The dashboard will also be updated with new security features; only HR professionals will be able to view the job history of all employees.
Payroll Close Deadlines Affected by Thanksgiving Holiday
This year the Thanksgiving holidays fall on November 28–29, which is during a payroll close week. With a shortened week, the unit deadlines that normally fall on Wednesday of payroll close week will be pushed back to Tuesday, November 26. Payroll Services will carry out a one-day payroll close on Wednesday the 27th, with a payroll update deadline of 1:00 p.m. Please keep this in mind as you plan for coverage during that short holiday week.
New HR Analytics Dashboard: Departmental Non Institutional Base Salary (Addl Pay)
OHR Operations' HR Analytics team has released the 17th in a continuing series of data dashboards—Departmental Non Institutional Base Salary (Addl Pay). This new dashboard displays the non–institutional base salary compensation (otherwise known as additional pay) by HR department hierarchy for any date range from the start of fiscal year 2019 (July 1, 2018) to the present. The new dashboard is now available in the Reporting Center. In MyU, navigate to Key Links > Reporting Center > Human Resource Management > Human Resources > Departmental Non Institutional Base Salary (Addl Pay).
Open Enrollment Starts November 1
Open Enrollment begins November 1 and runs through December 2. This is the one time each year employees can make changes to their benefits, including medical and dental coverage, short- and long-term disability, flexible spending accounts, and Voluntary Life Insurance.
The medical plan rates have changed for 2020. In addition, as of January 1, 2020, HealthPartners Dental will no longer be a UPlan option. Employees now enrolled in HealthPartners Dental should choose a Delta Dental option during Open Enrollment to continue dental coverage in 2020. Otherwise:
Employees who now have HealthPartners Dental and use the Open Enrollment online portal through MyU to submit changes to their benefits but do not select a dental plan are waiving their dental coverage for 2020.
Employees who now have HealthPartners Dental but do not enter the Open Enrollment online portal and submit any changes to any benefits for 2020 will be automatically enrolled in a similar Delta Dental plan.
Employees who want a flexible spending account for 2020 will need to enroll whether or not they have had one before—FSA selections do not carry over to the next year.
To make a change, employees need to enroll online through MyU by the December 2 deadline. The selections they make will take effect January 1. If an employee does not want an FSA, is already enrolled with Delta Dental, and doesn't want to add or change anything about their current benefits, they do not need to take any action; their benefits will stay the same for next year.
For more information, see the Open Enrollment website, or email or call the OHR Contact Center at ohr@umn.edu or 4-UOHR (612-624-8647, 800-756-2363).
Future-Dated Benefits Row Added to Some Employee Records
During the week of October 28 to November 1, a 12/9/2019 Data Change/Benefits Use Only row will be inserted into some employee records for Open Enrollment processing. Please do not delete this row unless the employee is terminating before December 9, 2019.
Improvements to Distribution Entry
Improvements to the search and display features of the UM Distribution Entry page in HRMS will be made on Sunday, October 20. These improvements include:
A more robust search screen. A drop-down menu to select the department or employee distribution view will replace the radio buttons. The search criteria and results now display on the same page for quicker navigation.
Introduction of the "As Of" search criterion. This new criterion allows you to view job data and distribution funding levels as of a specific date in the fiscal year.
Appointment funding page: The distribution effective date has moved above the job data information. Job data will now display relative to the current distribution effective date.
All funding level pages changed to a pop-up window that overlays the main search page, and the action buttons have been standardized (Save and Close). This allows for a consistent experience in all pages.
For more information, see the job aid Distribution Entry Improvements Fall 2019.
Two Important Regulatory Changes Effective January 1
State Minimum Wage Increasing to $10
Minnesota's state minimum wage will increase to $10 an hour for large employers effective January 1, 2020, from the current rate of $9.86 an hour. All employees, including student workers, must be paid at or above this rate. We will provide more information next month about the process the Office of Human Resources will follow to implement these mandated increases, but we wanted to make you aware now so you can begin to assess the potential impact to your collegiate or administrative unit.
Salary Threshold for Maintaining Exempt Status Increasing to $35,568 per Year
The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) recently released the final rule increasing the salary threshold for white-collar exemptions to the federal overtime pay requirements under the Fair Labor Standards Act from $23,660 to $35,568, effective January 1, 2020. The DOL did not make any changes to the duties test. Collegiate and administrative units will receive more information in the coming months, including a project timeline and steps for identifying solutions for affected employees.
Student Work-Study Reminders
As you continue to hire for student jobs, here are a few tips to make sure your work-study students are set up properly:
On the UM WS Award Placement page, be sure the Placement Status appears on your department's record with the appropriate effective date. The effective date is usually the student's hire date.
Use the "Employed Student With Unused Work Study Awards" query in the Reporting Center to identify any student worker in your unit who may have a work-study award that is not being used. If one of your student workers appears on the report, talk with them about using their award and complete the work-study placement panel.
Students can have more than one work-study job. They can decide to split their work-study between a maximum of two positions. How the award is divided between the two employing departments is up to the students. To split work-study, please email stdtempl@umn.edu with the student ID and how much the student would like to allocate to each job record (for example, 50/50).
The department will begin receiving the partial reimbursement of the student's earnings once the placement panel is completed. The work-study placement panel is part of the appointment entry process. Please refer to the Work Study Placement Job Aid for entry details, or find it on the A-Z Materials/Tools page of the HRMS Instruction site.
For questions, please contact Student Employment Programs at stdtempl@umn.edu or 612-626-8606.
New HR Analytics Dashboard: Employee Headcount and FTE by Administrative Cost Benchmark and Subgroup
OHR Operations' HR Analytics team has released the 16th in a continuing series of data dashboards—Employee Headcount and FTE by Administrative Cost Benchmark and Administrative Cost Benchmark Subgroup. This new dashboard displays the headcount and FTE by administrative cost benchmark, administrative cost benchmark subgroup, and HR department hierarchy for any date from April 6, 2015, to the present. The new dashboard is now available in the Reporting Center. In MyU, navigate to Key Links > Reporting Center > Human Resource Management > Human Resources > Employee Headcount and FTE by Admin Cost Benchmark and Subgroup.
Health Benefits Workshop October 10
The next Health Benefits Workshop for new employees will be held Thursday, October 10. The workshops are for employees who want to learn more about their benefit options (medical, dental, pre-tax flexible spending accounts, life insurance, and disability) and would like help before completing their enrollment online. This workshop complements the New Employee Welcome by providing detailed benefits information. New employees should plan to attend the earliest session after their start date.
New employees should register in advance. For questions, call 612-624-8647 and select option 1 to reach Employee Benefits. Meetings will be held on the following dates from 9:00 to 10:30 a.m. in the Donhowe Building, Room 210:
Thursday, October 10
Thursday, December 12
Daily System Interruption Between 12:30-1 p.m.
Each afternoon there is a process that runs to update who has access to view University of Minnesota employee data in the HRMS system. If this process does not complete successfully, all users lose HRMS access until the process runs to success. This normally occurs 2-3 times per year but has recently increased significantly to almost daily in the last few weeks. The process is being monitored daily so that issues can be resolved quickly, however, you may experience a 10-15 minute interruption in the afternoon between 12:30-1 p.m. until a more stable solution can be developed. Development is in progress and we will communicate back when the solution is implemented. This issue does not impact the data in the system.
First 2020 Pay Date Moved From January 1 to January 2
The first scheduled pay date of 2020 is January 1. However, New Year's Day is a bank holiday, which means pay cannot be delivered on that day. In order for employees to receive their pay in the same tax year that it should be paid, the University will move this pay date to the following business day, Thursday, January 2. Normally, pay dates are moved one day earlier if they fall on a bank holiday, except when the change affects taxes
Thanksgiving Week: This week's Thanksgiving holidays, Thursday and Friday, fall during a payroll close week. With the shortened week, unit deadlines that normally fall on Wednesday of payroll close week will be pushed back to Tuesday, November 26. Payroll Services will carry out a one-day payroll close on Wednesday, November 27, with a payroll update deadline of 1:00 p.m.
UM Report 'Job Code Average Salary' to Be Retired
The Job Code Average Salary report will be removed from the Reporting Center on Monday, September 30. It has been replaced with the Employee NHBR Job Code Average Salary report found in the Human Resources area of the Reporting Center and delivered through the UM Analytics system (MyU > Key Links > Reporting Center > Human Resource Management > Human Resources > Employee NHBR Job Code Average Salary). Please send an email to OHR@umn.edu by September 27 if you have any concerns with the removal of this report.
New HR Analytics Dashboard: Employee Non Institutional Base Salary (Addl Pay)
OHR Operations' HR Analytics team has released the 15th in a continuing series of data dashboards—Employee Non Institutional Base Salary (Addl Pay). This new dashboard displays an employee's "non-institutional base salary compensation" (otherwise referred to as "additional pay") for any date range from the start of fiscal year 2019 to the present.
The new dashboard is now available in the Reporting Center. In MyU, navigate to Key Links > Reporting Center > Human Resource Management > Human Resources > Employee Non Institutional Base Salary (Addl Pay).
Updates on Implementing Minnesota's New Wage Theft Law
A new Minnesota law, which took effect July 1, provides several protections for employees from wage theft by their employers. Among the law's provisions, employers are required to provide new employees with a very detailed written notice of the terms and conditions of their employment when they start work, which should be included in the offer letters the University sends to new hires. In addition, all employees must receive advance written notice of changes in any of the terms and conditions of employment. Here are a few updates on the University's implementation of the law:
Temporary, casual, and labor-represented employees should be included in coverage under the Wage Theft Law. Student workers are not covered by the law.
Offer letter templates on OHR's website have now been updated to comply with the law. Please download the new versions and use them from now on. (Note: The offer letters available in the Recruiting Solutions module in PeopleSoft have not been updated. We have determined that they do not meet the law's requirement that employees must review and sign their offer letters. We are still reviewing how to resolve that issue.)
OHR is working on a process of notifying employees about changes in their terms and conditions of employment. In the meantime, if you make changes to an employee's terms and conditions, notify the employee as soon as possible in advance of the change.
For employees who request a language translation of their notice of employment terms (a right under the new law), the Minnesota Department of Labor has downloadable notices online in several languages . If you need further translation help, the State of Minnesota has a contract with Betmar Languages that includes the University. Use the normal purchase order process and reference state contract S-888(5).
For a helpful resource on the Wage Theft Law, see this question-and-answer page of the Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry. As always, the Contact Center can also help with specific questions.
Reminder on Completing 'Preventing Sexual Misconduct' Training
Occasionally new employees call the Contact Center asking why they haven't been credited with completing the Preventing and Responding to Sexual Misconduct training, even though they have taken the course. Most likely it is because the employees haven't completed the final step by pressing the Next button in Training Hub after finishing the course. To resolve the issue, see this guide on how to return to the training and complete the last step.
Health Benefits Workshop September 20
The next Health Benefits Workshop for new employees will be held Friday, September 20. The workshops are for employees who want to learn more about their benefit options (medical, dental, pre-tax flexible spending accounts, life insurance, and disability) and would like help before completing their enrollment online. This workshop complements the New Employee Welcome by providing detailed benefits information. New employees should plan to attend the earliest session after their start date.
New employees should register in advance. For questions, call 612-624-8647 and select option 1 to reach Employee Benefits. Meetings will be held on the following dates from 9:00 to 10:30 a.m. in the Donhowe Building, Room 210:
Friday, September 20
Thursday, October 10
Thursday December 12
Reminder: Foreign National Employees Need Appointments for I-9s
As of September 5th appointments are again required for foreign national employees who need to complete I-9s. To make an appointment, please email ohr@umn.edu or call 612-624-8647 and press option 2.
Student Work-Study Reminders
As students return for the new school year and are hired for student jobs, here are a couple of tips to make sure your work-study students are set up properly:
On the UM WS Award Placement page, be sure the Placement Status appears on your department's record with the appropriate effective date. The effective date is usually the student's hire date. The first day a student can work is 8/19/19.
Use the "Employed Student With Unused Work Study Awards" query in the Reporting Center to identify any student worker in your unit who may have a work-study award that is not being used. If one of your student workers appears on the report, talk with them about using their award and complete the work-study placement panel.
Students may have more than one work-study job, if interested. Students can decide to split their work-study between a maximum of two positions. How the award is divided between the two employing departments is up to the students. To split work-study, please email stdtempl@umn.edu with the student ID and how much the student would like to allocate to each job record (for example, 50/50).
The department will begin receiving the partial reimbursement of the student's earnings once the placement panel is completed. The work-study placement panel is part of the appointment entry process. Please refer to the Work Study Placement Job Aid for entry details, or find it on the A-Z Materials/Tools page of the HRMS Instruction site.
For questions, please contact Student Employment Programs at stdtempl@umn.edu or 612-626-8606.
Layoff Letters
As a reminder, departments no longer need to send copies of layoff letters to the Total Compensation Department in OHR.
Reminder: Foreign National Employees Need I-94 Form for I-9 Walk-in Appointments
Through September 4, foreign national employees who need to complete an I-9 will not need an appointment. They can stop by the Donhowe Building, Room 210, anytime between 8:00 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. To complete their I-9s, foreign national workers will need to bring some required documents, including their I-94 form, which can be printed from this government web page. Other required documents depend on the type of visa they have. They can find that Information on the I-9 Process for Foreign National Faculty, Staff, and Student Workers page of the OHR website.
9-Over-9 Contract Renewal Reports Available
The 9-over-9 contract renewals for the Twin Cities and Rochester campuses and the Law School were completed on Thursday, August 15. The reports below are available in the MyU Reporting Center (Reports Run for Me > HR Contract Renew):
Reminder About Increased Security Measures for Direct Deposit Authorization
As we all prepare for new employees, remember that, to increase the security of access to employees' direct deposit data, Payroll Services has added some additional steps to the process for updating a direct deposit using a revised paper Direct Deposit Authorization form. Keep in mind that the best and most secure way to establish a direct deposit is for an employee to set it up themselves online in MyU.
If a paper form must be used, we now require these added security steps:
Unit HR/Payroll verification is now required. The new form includes fields for this verification.
"Paper" forms will only be accepted by scanned email, sent to payforms@umn.edu from a unit HR/Payroll representative. We no longer accept paper forms by mail. To facilitate this, the new form no longer requires a Social Security number or a voided check or deposit slip.
Only complete forms will be processed. If the form is not complete, it will be returned to the department.
Job Data Changes for Graduate Assistants
To prevent issues in running the tuition benefits program, job data changes to graduate assistants qualifying for Advanced Classification appointments can no longer be entered mid-semester or retroactively. Graduate assistants must meet the requirements for Advanced Classification job codes and must have their appointment entered before the beginning of the semester. If the graduate student’s qualifications are met or verified mid-semester, the hiring unit must then wait until the following semester to make the change. Email gaesinfo@umn.edu with questions.
August Payroll Forum Recording Now Online
A recording and PowerPoint slides from the August 14 Payroll Forum are posted on the Payroll page of the OHR Operations Google site. The meeting focused on the I-9 employment verification process but also included discussion of the January 2, 2020, pay date change, HR requirements under Minnesota's new wage theft law, and Payroll project updates.
Health Benefits Workshop Dates Set Through December
Health Benefits Workshops are for employees who want to learn more about their benefit options (medical, dental, pre-tax flexible spending accounts, life insurance, and disability) and would like help before completing their enrollment online. This workshop complements the New Employee Welcome by providing detailed benefits information. New employees should plan to attend the earliest session after their start date.
Please register in advance. For questions, call 612-624-8647 and select option 1 to reach Employee Benefits. Meetings will be held on the following dates from 9:00 to 10:30 a.m. in the Donhowe Building, Room 210.
Monday, August 19
Friday, September 20
Thursday, October 10
Thursday December 12
Reminder: Payroll Forum Tomorrow
The next Payroll Forum will be held Wednesday from 9:00 to 10:30 a.m. in Bruininks Hall, Room 412. As in previous years, the August Payroll Forum will focus on I-9 compliance. If you have specific topics or questions you'd like addressed, please email Heather Kidd at kidd0029@umn.edu. A recording of the Payroll Forum will be posted online after the meeting on the Payroll page of the Operations Google site. We will not, however, stream the meeting live online. Past experience with streaming the meeting while also presenting to a room of people has been problematic and frustrating for all attendees. For future Payroll Forums, we will offer some in person and some online only. All sessions will be recorded and posted online.
I-9 Walk-in Dates for Foreign National Employees: August 21–September 4
Mark your calendars: From August 21 to September 4, foreign national employees who need to complete an I-9 will not need an appointment. During those dates, foreign national employees can complete their I-9s anytime between 8:00 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. at the Donhowe Building, Room 210.
New HR Analytics Dashboard: Employee NHBR Starting Salary
OHR Operations' HR Analytics team has released the 14th in a continuing series of data dashboards—Employee NHBR Starting Salary. The new dashboard displays employee starting salary information by job and HR department hierarchy for any date range from April 6, 2015, to the present. (NHBR is an hourly compensation value that allows for comparison regardless of pay group, compensation frequency, standard hours, additional pay, etc. It is the best way to compare pay because it provides a common baseline for comparison that excludes other variables.)
The Employee NHBR Starting Salary dashboard is now available in the MyU Reporting Center. In MyU, navigate to Key Links > Reporting Center > Human Resource Management > Human Resources > Employee NHBR Starting Salary.
Next Payroll Forum Wednesday, August 14
The next Payroll Forum will be held Wednesday, August 14, from 9:00 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. in Bruininks Hall, Room 412. As in previous years, the August Payroll Forum will focus on I-9 compliance. If you have specific topics or questions you'd like addressed, please email Heather Kidd at kidd0029@umn.edu.
Preparing for 9-Month Contract Renewals
The 9-month contract renewals will be run the week of August 12. Please enter the Return from Short Work Break rows into job data by Friday, August 9.
I-9 Walk-in Dates for Foreign National Employees: August 21–September 4
Mark your calendars: From August 21 to September 4, foreign national employees who need to complete an I-9 will not need an appointment. During those dates, foreign national employees can complete their I-9s anytime between 8:00 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. at the Donhowe Building, Room 210.
Next Payroll Forum Wednesday, August 14
The next Payroll Forum will be held Wednesday, August 14, from 9:00 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. in Bruininks Hall, Room 412. As in previous years, the August Payroll Forum will focus on I-9 compliance. If you have specific topics or questions you'd like addressed, please email Heather Kidd at kidd0029@umn.edu.
Preparing for 9-Month Contract Renewals
The 9-month contract renewals will be run the week of August 12. Please enter the Return from Short Work Break rows into job data by Friday, August 9.
I-9 Walk-in Dates for Foreign National Employees: August 21–September 4
Mark your calendars: From August 21 to September 4, foreign national employees who need to complete an I-9 will not need an appointment. During those dates, foreign national employees can complete their I-9s anytime between 8:00 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. at the Donhowe Building, Room 210.
Reporting Taxable Gifts to Employees and Taxable Expense Reimbursement
The Internal Revenue Code stipulates that the value of some awards or gifts to employees as well as some reimbursable expenses must be included in an employee’s income (for details, see University Employee Recognition Awards, an appendix to the University policy Business Expenses).
When reporting employees' taxable gifts (including gift cards) and taxable expense reimbursements (expense reimbursements submitted after 60 days), departments will no longer have the option to gross up an employee's pay to cover any tax obligation related to an award. This aligns with the aforementioned policy. We have also developed a new taxable benefit reporting form that should be used when reporting these taxable gifts or taxable expense reimbursements.
To report taxable benefits, gifts, or expenses as taxable income, complete the Taxable Benefit Taxation Reporting Form detailing the taxable income. Be sure to include all requested information. E-mail the form to payforms@umn.edu.
New HR Analytics Dashboard: Departmental IBS by Workforce Category
OHR Operations' HR Analytics team has released the 13th in a continuing series of data dashboards—Departmental IBS by Workforce Category. This new dashboard displays institutional base salary by workforce category and HR department hierarchy for any date from April 6, 2015, to the present. The new dashboard is now available in the Reporting Center. In MyU, navigate to Key Links > Reporting Center > Human Resource Management > Human Resources > Departmental IBS by Workforce Category.
Change to MSRS Vacation and Comp Payments for Active Employees
As of July 1, the Minnesota State Retirement System (MSRS) is requiring the University of Minnesota to cover the first 40 hours of vacation or compensatory time payments for MSRS purposes if the payments are made while the employee is actively employed. You may notice on your payroll reports that several earnings codes (TMO, TMD, and CMO) have been added to accommodate this requirement. Time and Absence has been reprogrammed to allocate these payments appropriately, starting on the July 31 paycheck.
If you are a member of the HRMS Advisory Committee, you will notice that the actual processing method is not changing, as we are able to program the changes to occur automatically. We hope this is good news for you, as it simplifies the process significantly.
Taxable Gifts to Employees
Beginning with the pay period starting July 8, departments that give employees taxable gifts, including gift cards, will no longer have the option to "gross up" (charge the tax to the University rather than to the employee) the reporting of these taxable earnings. The gross-up option is being discontinued because it requires additional complex steps to report the taxable income correctly. Making the change also aligns with finance practices.
Summer Work-Study Items to Keep in Mind
Because Wednesday, July 4, is a University holiday, students' earnings cannot be funded by work-study. For the Fourth of July and other official University holidays, departments are responsible for 100% of the students' pay on those dates.
Students are eligible for employment during certain dates each term. The student employment begin and end dates for the 2019–2020 school year have been published to the OHR website.
OHR Contact Center Training Is Complete
The OHR Contact Center has completed cross-training for all of its members. As of July 3, all team members will be able to take benefits, payroll, and HR Operations calls and emails. For questions or concerns, contact Tina Derby (tderby@umn.edu). Thank you for your patience as the Contact Center took time away from phones to train.
Foreign National Employees Should Make Appointments for I-9 Processing
Please emphasize to your foreign national employees who must come to Payroll to process an I-9 or reverification that they should call the OHR Contact Center (612-624-8647) to set up an appointment—even those who need to come in the same day because of their start date. Scheduling appointments avoids long waits and assures that employees know what documents to bring.
Personal Holidays Must Be Used by June 30
Please remind your employees that they must use their personal holidays by the end of this week. Unit HR and supervisors can review their employees' leave balances by running the "Vacation, Sick and Comp Balances" report in the Reporting Center. Follow this path: Reporting Center > Human Resource Management > Payroll & Time > Vacation, Sick and Comp Balances.
Payroll Accounting Distributions Are Ready for FY 2020
On Sunday, June 9, Accounting Services completed the payroll accounting distribution roll for fiscal year 2020. All current and future-dated payroll accounting distributions were automatically copied forward into the new 2020 entry and are now available for review.
Reminder: If any distribution changes are needed for the 26th pay period that should also apply to the first pay period of 2020, distribution changes must be made in both 2019 and 2020.
First 2020 Pay Date Moved From January 1 to January 2
The first scheduled pay date of 2020 is January 1. However, News Year's Day is a bank holiday, which means pay cannot be delivered on that day. In order for employees to receive their pay in the same tax year as it is accounted for, the University will move this pay date to January 2. Normally, pay dates are moved back by one day if they fall on a bank holiday, except when the change impacts taxes.
Personal Holidays Must Be Used by June 30
Please remind your employees that they must use their personal holidays by the end of this month. Unit HR and supervisors can review their employees' leave balances by running the "Vacation, Sick and Comp Balances" report in the Reporting Center. Follow this path: Reporting Center > Human Resource Management > Payroll & Time > Vacation, Sick and Comp Balances.
New HR Analytics Dashboard: Employee Pay Increases
OHR Operations' HR Analytics team has released the 12th in a continuing series of data dashboards: Employee Pay Increases. This new dashboard displays employee pay increase information by workforce action and HR department hierarchy for any date range from April 6, 2015, to the present. The Employee Pay Increases dashboard is the first to use new security features that allow access to HR professionals only. If you can't view the dashboard but believe you should have the access granted only to HR professionals, please send an email to ohr@umn.edu requesting access and explaining why it is required in your role.
The new dashboard is now available in the Reporting Center. In MyU, navigate to Key Links > Reporting Center > Human Resource Management > Human Resources > Employee Pay Increases.
Contract Renewals Updated
Contract renewals for 12-month appointments and 9- or 10-month appointments paid over 12 months have been entered. Contracts, job data, and notice of appointments have been updated. Five contract renewal reports, dated 5/21/19, are available in the Reporting Center via Reports Run for Me > HR Contract Renew.
Teamsters Pay Increases and Step Realignments Are Now Entered
Teamsters pay increases and step realignments for eligible job codes and employees were manually entered by OHR the week of May 20. OHR updated the Salary Admin Plan/Grade tables in PeopleSoft with the new hourly rates of pay and step realignments. For eligible employees, Central OHR manually inserted a Data Change/Special Circumstances row and updated the hourly rate of pay and/or the step. Not all Teamsters employees were eligible for these updates.
New HR Analytics Dashboard: Departmental Institutional Base Salary
OHR Operations' HR Analytics team has released the 11th in a continuing series of data dashboards— Departmental Institutional Base Salary. This new dashboard displays institutional base salary by pay component (such as base, hourly, or incremental pay) and HR department hierarchy for any date from April 6, 2015, to the present. It allows comparisons across and within departments. The new dashboard is now in the Reporting Center. In MyU, navigate to Key Links > Reporting Center > Human Resource Management > Human Resources > Departmental Institutional Base Salary.
Appointment Entry Updates
As a reminder, work-study terminations for fall and spring will take place today (except for the Morris campus). You can enter summer appointments as early as tomorrow, May 21
Increased Security Measures for Direct Deposit Authorization
To increase the security of access to employees' direct deposit data, Payroll Services is adding some additional steps to the process for updating a direct deposit using the paper Direct Deposit Authorization form. While the revised form is now available, the new requirements will be effective Monday, May 6, 2019. Keep in mind that the best and most secure way to establish a direct deposit is for an employee to set it up themselves online in MyU.
If a paper form must be used, we will require the following additional security steps:
Unit HR/Payroll verification will be required to be processed. The new form includes fields for this verification.
"Paper" forms will only be accepted by scanned email, sent to payforms@umn.edu from a unit HR/Payroll representative. We will no longer accept paper forms by mail. To facilitate this, the new form will no longer require a Social Security number or a voided check or deposit slip.
Only complete forms will be processed. If the form is not complete, it will be returned to the department.
New HR Analytics Dashboard: Employee Headcount by Workforce Category
OHR Operations' HR Analytics team has released the tenth in a continuing series of data dashboards—Employee Headcount and FTE by Workforce Category. This new dashboard displays the numbers of employees in broad employment categories—such as athletics, building and grounds, executive leadership, faculty, legal, and so on—for any date from April 6, 2015, to today. It also allows comparisons across and within the HR department hierarchy. This dashboard is the first to use the workforce category, which is defined as a "categorization of job codes used to organize University employees and student workers into groupings based on the type of work performed." Importantly, this and other dashboards represent a shared understanding of how this information is defined; users can trust that the information has been vetted and approved by the greater organization.
The new dashboard is now available in the Reporting Center. In MyU, navigate to Key Links > Reporting Center > Human Resource Management > Human Resources > Employee Headcount and FTE by Workforce Category.
Entering Degree Info in PeopleSoft Now Much Simpler
The HRMS team has simplified the page in PeopleSoft for Degree Info entry, reducing the number of fields on the page from 24 to 9. By focusing on just the information needed for accreditation and tenure, data entry should be much simpler for units. As part of this change, the Year Acquired field is now a required entry for each degree (for new entries or updates to current entries). We have also rebuilt the UM Report Degree and Honors to be a little more user friendly and to show more information about the degrees held by our staff and faculty. If you have questions or concerns, please email or call the OHR Contact Center at ohr@umn.edu or 4-UOHR (612-624-8647, 800-756-2363).
Screening Questions Now Required for 1826 and 1885 Job Openings
As a reminder, a pilot program beginning this week requires unit recruiters to add system screening questions to all new job openings for 1826 and 1885 job codes. The pilot aims to reduce screening time so that hiring managers can review and contact qualified applicants sooner. For information on the process, see the Adding Screening Questions to a Job Opening job aid on the A–Z Materials/Tools or Recently Updated Materials pages of the HRMS Instruction site.
Update to Summer Guide on Teaching and Research Appointments
Directions regarding the "Reports To" field in Position Management have been updated in the online reference manual Summer Teaching and Research Appointments. Remember to review "Reports To" assignments for appointments on a Short Work Break over the summer. Because these appointments are not active, they cannot remain a "Reports To" for time and absence approvals while on break. See page 5 of the Summer Guide for directions.
Summer Appointments Instructions for 2019 Now Online
Many units are already starting to think about the approaching summer term. To help with summer hiring, OHR has updated the summer teaching appointments instruction manual for 2019. Here is a link to this year's materials. You can also view them by visiting the HRMS Training site and clicking on A-Z Lists > A-Z Material/Tools > Summer Teaching and Research Appointments (Includes May Sessions).
Single Sign-on for I-9 Express
Department I-9 administrators are now able to access I-9 Express using their University log-in credentials. From now on please log in to I-9 Express using this url: z.umn.edu/i9express. The current sign-in method, including your current password, will be disabled for the University on March 8. Employees completing I-9s will continue to access I-9 Express the same way they do now. Department I-9 administrators who need access to I-9 Express visit the Request Catalog and search for I9 Express Request
PeopleTools Update Postponed Till June 1–2
The PeopleTools update, originally scheduled for the weekend of April 6–7, has been postponed to the weekend of June 1–2. MyU and PeopleSoft applications will be available as usual April 6–7. The PeopleTools project team will send more information in the coming weeks.
More Data Now Available for Ad Hoc Reports
The data available in HR Analytics ad hoc reporting has been greatly expanded. You can now run your own customized reports using all the compensation data in the four existing compensation dashboards. In addition, the data now include all active and inactive employees and workers, including undergraduate student workers and temp/casuals.
If you don't yet have ad hoc reporting access, you can complete an Access Request Form (see instructions below). You will also need to complete two Training Hub courses as prerequisites: Working with Employee Data (OHR060) and one of the UM Analytics: Creating Basic Analyses and Dashboards (EUS132, EUS133, or EUS134) courses. Register for both in Training Hub. We have also scheduled a working lab for Thursday, April 18, from 1:00 to 4:00 p.m. in Humphrey 50A.
To complete an Access Request Form (ARF): From OIT's Enterprise Access Requests page, scroll down to Instructions and Forms and select Additional Applications & Data Warehouse Tables > Additional Applications > UM Analytics. On the ARF form, under Author Access, select Human Resources—Public.
Welcome to HR Analytics!
UM Analytics is the University of Minnesota’s Business Intelligence and Data Analytics platform. Using this platform, the University can publish dashboards drawing information from a vetted data source that utilizes University approved data definitions. UM Analytics also enables campuses, colleges, units, and individuals to author their own ad hoc analyses, dashboards, and visualizations.
This first HR Analytics release in March 2018 provided the ability for users to understand the headcount and FTE distribution for all jobs, or just primary job, by HR hierarchy for the current date. That initial release was followed by additional dashboards which provide reporting related to both understanding employee distribution and compensation.
Most importantly, this early work has set the foundation for HR analytics as we continue to move forward with more complex reporting.
All of the released dashboards can be accessed in the Reporting Center under Human Resource Management > Human Resources.
Deploying HR Analytics has been an exceptionally collaborative effort, involving representation from each unit, college, and campus at the University. Work direction has been provided by a strategic steering group, with membership representing academic units, research, finance, and OHR.
In 2019, the HR Analytics team plans to continue to create and release HR Analytics dashboards at the direction of the steering group.
The roadmap for the HR Analytics includes the following dashboard categories:
● Employee Distribution - Headcount and FTE calculations through multiple lenses
● Employee Job History - from 2015 to present
● Compensation Summary and Analysis - through multiple lenses
● Employee Job History - from 2003 to 2015
● Demographics and Diversity - “Person” demographics for all employees
● Retention and Attrition Analysis - through multiple lenses
● Trending Analysis and Reporting - (for HC and FTE, Compensation, Demographics, etc.)
As of December 2018 over 7,000 HR reports have been created using the HR Analytics dashboards!
Report abuse