OHR Operations

(10/20/2025)

Future-Dated Benefits Row Added to Some Employee Records

During the week of 10/20/2025, a 12/15/2025 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 15. 

Enhancements to Request Time Off Page in MyU 

OHR is enhancing the employee header on the Request Time Off page to improve the experience of employees who hold multiple jobs. Previously, employees with multiple jobs that had the same job title experienced trouble choosing the correct job record for their absence request.

Now, when an employee navigates to the Request Time Off page, the following key differentiating fields will be visible in the custom header (including the Change Job Selection). 

•     First row: Employee Name

•     Second row: Business Title and Employee Record

•     Third row: Manager Name (Position) and Department (Description)

This additional data is intended to help the employees better select the correct record and reduce the administrative need for their HR department to submit absence requests on their behalf. 

In rare instances where an employee has two records that share the same Business Title, Department Description, and Manager Name, the Employee Record is included as well. If an employee contacts their HR Department for clarification, the employee may utilize the Employee Record information to confirm which job record corresponds with their absence request.

(9/22/2025)

MyU and PeopleSoft Applications Unavailable September 27-28 

Due to planned system maintenance, MyU and other PeopleSoft applications will be unavailable from noon Saturday, September 27, to noon Sunday, September 28. This upgrade helps the University’s PeopleSoft systems remain current and secure and ensures we retain Oracle support. 

Please make note of this outage and plan accordingly.

•     PeopleSoft users will need to clear the cache on their web browser following this upgrade.

•     Some PeopleSoft users will notice minor changes to the interface. 

•     Aside from downtime during the weekend, no significant impact is expected. 

UMNTC Fall/Spring Work Study Item Type Reminder 

All departments using UMNTC Fall/Spring Work Study in the UM WS Award Placement panel should only select the following item types: 

•     914000000002(Fed WS)

•     924000000002(MN WS)

Item types 914000000006 and 914000000007 are only for use by the America Reads program. All non-America Reads entries will be reversed by the Office of Student Finance.

(9/8/2025)

Protective Measures for Employee Direct Deposit

An uptick in email phishing attacks is compromising employee direct deposits. Fraud actors are setting up accounts at several online banks, so Payroll Services is blocking these banks for direct deposit setup to protect University employees.

If one of your employees receives an error message when setting up direct deposit in MyU, they may be using a blocked bank. Please direct them to the OHR Contact Center (ohr@umn.edu) to determine if this is the case.

If your employee still wants to set up direct deposit at one of these banks, they can submit a manual Authorization for Direct Deposit form (found on OHR’s Payroll Forms page) via the process below: 

1. Complete the Authorization for Direct Deposit form. Bring a signed physical form to their unit HR or Payroll team.

2.  Unit HR or Payroll confirms it’s a valid request (from a valid employee) and signs off on the verification section at the bottom of the form.

3.  Unit HR or Payroll scans and emails the form to payforms@umn.edu.

Note: Payroll Services will only enter a manual direct deposit if the form is signed and sent by a unit HR or Payroll administrator. Forms coming directly from an employee will not be processed. 

New OHR Webpage on Employment-Related Scams and Phishing

In partnership with OIT, OHR created the Employment-Related Scams and Phishing webpage. The page covers the following topics:

•     Unemployment insurance fraud

•     Direct deposit fraud

•     General phishing, email, and web-based scams

•     Income tax fraud

•     Retirement and financial consultation outreach from non-University vendors

•     What employees should do if they think their information has been compromised

•     Tips employees can use to protect their information

Feel free to share this page with others in your unit or college.

(8/25/2025)

One-Day Payroll Close on Thursday, August 28 

Due to the upcoming Labor Day holiday (Monday, September 1), there will be a one-day payroll close on Thursday, August 28. 

•     Wednesday deadlines and UMP payroll do not change

•     Payroll update deadline: 1 p.m. on Thursday, August 28 

Review these dates on OHR’s Pay Calendars page. 

New Field on Payroll Update/Off-Cycle Request Form 

The Payroll Update/Off-Cycle Request form now has a field to enter the total expected gross pay. 

Please use this field going forward when submitting your requests. This information helps the Payroll Services team ensure that your requested changes are being processed correctly. 

Summer Work Study Terminations

Summer Work Study terminations for Duluth, Morris, and Twin Cities campuses were successfully run on Monday, 8/18. 

Crookston didn't have any summer placements to be terminated. 

Placements for Fall work study can be entered with an effective date on or after 8/11/2025 for all campuses.

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 8/19/2025 is now available in MyU > Reporting Center > My Reports > HR Contract Renew > UM CONTRACT RENEWALS (08/19/2025).

Graduate Assistant Absence Tracking

The Employee and Labor Relations (ELR) team is planning to communicate with Graduate Assistants (GAs) and their supervisors this week regarding new paid sick time and personal day absences. 

GAs will have access to their paid sick and personal days from the start of the fall appointment period, but these balances won’t be loaded into MyU until Monday, September 15. 

As a result, GAs won’t be able to view their balances or submit requests in MyU until September 15. 

For additional questions about GA paid sick time and personal holidays, please refer to the GLU-UE contract on OHR’s Active Contracts and Negotiations page.

Reminder: Action Required by August 28: E-Verify Training Certification in I-9 Management

E-Verify is requiring training certification for all I-9 Administrators to retain access. The training is now accessible directly within the I-9 Management application. 

•  The training consists of four modules and should take approximately 35-45 minutes to complete. To obtain certification and maintain access to E-Verify, users must complete all four modules and achieve a score of 70% or higher on the final exam by August 28.

•  Please complete the training as soon as possible. Your access to I-9 Express will be terminated if you don’t complete the training and exam by August 28. 

•  Note: Even if you have previously completed E-Verify training outside of I-9 Management, you are still required to complete these new modules and obtain the certificate of completion via the application.

Please review this guide provided by I-9 Express to learn how to access the training and exam.

(8/11/2025)

Action Required by August 28: E-Verify Training Certification in I-9 Management

E-Verify is requiring training certification for all I-9 Administrators to retain access. The training is now accessible directly within the I-9 Management application. 

•  The training consists of four modules and should take approximately 35-45 minutes to complete. To obtain certification and maintain access to E-Verify, users must complete all four modules and achieve a score of 70% or higher on the final exam by August 28.

•  Please complete the training as soon as possible. Your access to I-9 Express will be terminated if you don’t complete the training and exam by August 28. 

• Note: Even if you have previously completed E-Verify training outside of I-9 Management, you are still required to complete these new modules and obtain the certificate of completion via the application.

Please review this guide provided by I-9 Express to learn how to access the training and exam. 

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 8/4/2025 is now available in MyU > Reporting Center > My Reports > HR Contract Renew > UM CONTRACT RENEWALS (08/04/2025). 

9-Month UMM/UMC/Law School Contract Renewals Have Been Updated

Contract renewals for 9-month appointments at U of M Morris, Crookston, and Law School have been entered. Contracts, job data, and notices of appointment have been updated. 

One contract renewal report dated 8/5/2025 is now available in MyU > Reporting Center > My Reports > HR Contract Renew > UM CONTRACT RENEWALS (08/05/2025).

Reminder: Enter Return from Work Break Rows

Contract Renewals for UMTC/UMR 9-month appointments will be run the week of 8/18. Please enter Return from Work Break rows into job data before 8/18.

(7/28/2025)

Preparing for Contract Renewals

Contract renewals for 10-month appointments and UMC/UMM/Law School 9-month appointments will run the week of 8/4. Please enter Return from Work Break rows into job data before 8/4.

Contract Renewals for UMTC/UMR 9-month appointments will be run the week of 8/18. Please enter Return from Work Break rows into job data before 8/18.

New Graduate Assistant Absence Eligibility Code

A new absence eligibility has been created to better track graduate assistant absences under the Collective Bargaining Agreement. 

Please use the new absence eligibility code, UMGRAD, when creating records for the fall semester or entering absences for graduate assistants. 

If the current eligibility code is something other than UMGRAD when entering absences, please keep track of these hours offline and add them once code has been updated, which should occur no later than September 17. 

Evening Pay Change Entries Cause Dashboard Delay 

Entering pay changes such as merit adjustments late in the evening may automatically notify an employee but not be reflected in the Employee Pay Change dashboard. This is due to the staggered program run times of these two processes. 

A change to sync them may take time to implement. In the meantime, OHR recommends entering pay change entries during regular business hours and completing them by 5 p.m. 

Annual I-9 Forum on August 11

The annual I-9 forum will be held on Monday, August 11, from 1-2 p.m. 

Zoom link

This meeting will cover the following topics: 

•     I-9 compliance basics

•     Unique rules around foreign national employees

•     New development updates for I-9 administrators 

There will be time for questions. 

A recording of the meeting will be made available afterward.

(7/14/2025)

Process Change for Updating HR Unit Contacts Spreadsheet

The process for requesting updates to the HR Unit Contacts spreadsheet has changed. Units previously emailed ohr@umn.edu with any edits. 

Moving forward, please submit any changes via the HR Unit Contacts Update Request Form. 

This process change allows for easier spreadsheet maintenance and auditing. 

Updated Personal Information Screens in MyU 

On July 13, the HRMS team deployed PeopleSoft updates to four personal information screens in MyU > My Info. 

These updates include: 

• A new pagelet in the My Info tab

•  “Look and feel” upgrades to the Race/Ethnicity, Disability, Veteran Status, and Additional Information screens

Learn more about updates to these PeopleSoft screens. 

Minnesota State Retirement System (MSRS) Contributions Update

Employees who contribute to the Minnesota State Retirement System (MSRS) pension plan will begin to contribute 6% of covered salary again starting the first full pay period of July. The first paycheck that will be affected by this change is August 6, 2025. PeopleSoft will be updated to reflect this change, so no action is required on your part. 

This is due to a 2023 state appropriation to the MSRS pension plan that reduced employee contributions from 6% to 5.5% for two years. (Employer contributions have continued at 6.25%.) Note that the vesting period, which changed from 5 years to 3 years in 2023, will remain 3 years.

(6/20/2025)

Perceptive Content Updates for PEAK Phase 1 and 2 Units 

PEAK Phase 1 and 2 units no longer need to download offer letters or scan resignation letters into Perceptive Content (PC) to index them into an employee’s personnel file. 

• Offer letters: As of June 23, all offer letters generated in PeopleSoft by the Staffing Operations team are sent automatically to the employee’s personnel file in PC. All offer letters generated before June 23 must be manually scanned into PC.

• Resignation letters: As of June 26, all resignation letters attached to the End of Appointment TDX form are sent automatically to the employee’s personnel file in PC. All resignation letters submitted before June 26 must be manually scanned into PC. 

Questions? Please contact Tina Derby (tderby@umn.edu). 

Off-Cycle Request Guidelines

Payroll Services is asking unit colleagues to follow these guidelines when considering whether or not to request an off-cycle vs. adding owed wages to the next on-cycle paycheck. 

Please avoid requesting off-cycle payments in these cases:

• Requests of less than $100.

• Retroactive rate increases (RGT / URR). These should be added to the next on-cycle using Additional Pay.

• Payments to UNS payees. These are not wage payments subject to timeliness wage and hour laws. 

Exceptions can be made for each case. 

• If an exception is needed, please explain in the comments. 

• If Payroll Services receives a request outside of these guidelines without an explanation, the request will be returned. You’ll be asked to process it for payment on the next on-cycle. 

Example: If a small payment under $100 would alleviate a situation of hardship for an employee, Payroll Services will process the payment. 

Reminder: One-Day Payroll Close on Thursday, July 3

Due to the Independence Day holiday (Friday, July 4), there will be a one-day payroll close on Thursday, July 3. 

• Wednesday deadlines and UMP payroll do not change

• Payroll update deadline: 1 p.m. on Thursday, July 3

Review these dates on OHR’s Pay Calendars page. 

Upcoming Events

• Navigating Parental Leave for Civil Service and Labor-Represented Employees — July 10 at noon

• Navigating Parental Leave for Faculty and P&A Employees — July 10 at 2 p.m.

(6/16/2025)

One-Day Payroll Close on Wednesday, June 18

Due to the upcoming Juneteenth holiday (Thursday, June 19), there will be a one-day payroll close on Wednesday, June 18. 

•     UMP payroll close: Tuesday, June 17

•     Wednesday deadlines move to Tuesday, June 17

•     Payroll update deadline: 1 p.m. on Wednesday, June 18

One-Day Payroll Close on Thursday, July 3

Due to the Independence Day holiday (Friday, July 4), there will be a one-day payroll close on Thursday, July 3. 

•     Wednesday deadlines and UMP payroll do not change

•     Payroll update deadline: 1 p.m. on Thursday, July 3

Review these dates on OHR’s Pay Calendars page

Payroll Accounting Distributions for FY2026 

On Sunday, June 15, Accounting Services completed the payroll accounting distribution roll for fiscal year 2026. All current and future-dated payroll accounting distributions were automatically copied forward into the new 2026 entry and are available for review as of Monday, June 16. 

Combination codes for new chartfield strings that were budgeted in FY26 will be available for entry by 2 p.m. on Monday, June 23.

Reminder: If distribution changes are needed for the 26th pay period of fiscal year 2025 but also apply to the 1st pay period of 2026, the distribution change must be made in both fiscal years.

New PeopleSoft Navigation Tile Coming June 22 

Effective June 22, PeopleSoft users may notice a new Person of Interest (POI) tile on the UM HR homepage. 

•     This tile makes it easier to find and access the pages relevant to the entry and maintenance of a POI. 

•     Some users may see fewer links within the POI tile, depending on their security roles in PeopleSoft.

•     You can add this tile to your personalized homepage. 

Minor Changes to Operations Update 

Operations Update has a slightly new look! This newsletter will come from Operations Update instead of OHR Operations. You’ll also notice the header now displays as Operations Update. These changes were made to align with newsletter best practices at the University. 

Upcoming Events

•     Navigating Parental Leave for Civil Service and Labor-Represented Employees — July 10 at noon

•     Navigating Parental Leave for Faculty and P&A Employees — July 10 at 2 p.m.

(6/2/2025)

 Appointment Entry Updates 

•     Fall and spring work-study terminations for Crookston, Morris, and Twin Cities are entered. 

•     Placements for summer work-study can be entered with an effective date on or after 05/19/2025. 

•     Date change for Duluth: Summer work-study can be entered with an effective date on or after 5/5/2025.

(5/19/2025)

One-Day Payroll Close: Thursday, May 22 

Due to the Memorial Day holiday (Monday, May 26), there will be a one-day payroll close on Thursday, May 22. 

Note: The payroll update deadline is 1 p.m. on May 26.

Easier Application Process for Student Jobs

As of May 18, applicants only need to attach a resume to apply for undergraduate and graduate positions in PeopleSoft. Learn more about the simplified application process, plus important information for posting student jobs in PeopleSoft.

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 12 for Duluth. 

• Terminations for Crookston, Morris, and Twin Cities take place on May 27. 

• Placements for summer work-study can be entered with an effective date on or after May 28.

Contact Renewals

Contract renewals for 12 month, 9 or 10 month paid over 12 month appointments have been entered. Contracts, job data, and notice of appointments have been updated. 

The contract renewal reports (dated 5/10/2025 and 5/13/2025) are available in MyU > Reporting Center > My Reports > PeopleSoft Pushed Reports > HR CONTRACT RENEW.

HRMS Advisory Meeting on Tuesday, May 27

The next HRMS Advisory Meeting will be held on Tuesday, May 27, from 3-4 p.m. This is always a great opportunity to ask questions related to HR Operations.

May 27 HRMS Advisory Zoom link

Meeting ID: 976 1549 9504

Passcode: 68Hrkx

(4/7/2025)

 HRMS Drop-In Session on Wednesday, April 16

The Training Services team is hosting its next HRMS drop-in session on Wednesday, April 16, at 10 a.m.

•     Topic: Entering and Ending Summer Appointments 

•     April 16 HRMS Drop-In Zoom link

•     Submit a question ahead of time

(3/10/2025)

 $150 Payment to Union Represented Graduate Assistants

The University will provide a one-time lump sum payment of $150 to members of the United Electrical, Radio and Machine Workers of America (GLU-UE) to offset a portion of student fees. This payroll payment was agreed upon in the collective bargaining agreement. The represented graduate assistant must be employed during the 19th payroll period to receive the disbursement.

ISSS Session on International Students and On-Campus Employment

Join International Student and Scholar Services (ISSS) on Wednesday, March 19, at 10 a.m. for a webinar on international students and on-campus employment over the summer. 

The webinar will cover the basics of work eligibility and more complex advising scenarios, such as students who will graduate during the summer. 

Please RSVP.

(2/24/2025)

 Consult With ISSS When Considering Remote Work for Foreign National Employees

International and Student Scholar Services (ISSS) is asking units to please consult with ISSS prior to approving any kind of remote work agreements for foreign national employees with J-1 or H-1B status, even within the United States. There can be important visa eligibility requirements tied to work location for foreign national employees.

Update to UM RS Reporting Tables

The Applicant Data for Reporting table (HR_PS_UM_AP_RPT_VW) was updated on February 23 to show all current application statuses. Previously this table listed only applications in Hired, Rejected, or Withdrawn statuses.

This update resulted in a large increase in the number of results for applicants in additional statuses. The STATUS_CODE field can be used to filter data on status.

Two Leaves of Absence Reminders

The Leave Administration team has a couple of reminders to help everyone process leaves of absence (LOA) more smoothly:

• When an LOA specialist requests information, please respond promptly to ensure successful payroll processing.

• Please inform the Leave Administration team whenever an employee returns to work.

  • Whenever an employee returns to work after a leave of absence, the Leave Administration team will send you a closure email.

  • If you don’t receive a closure email, it means the team is unaware of your employee’s return.

Access Process Change for Suspended Employees

Effective immediately, suspended employees will retain access to Google Workspace and University logins. This change is from a protocol previously updated in October 2024. That said, HR Leads are responsible for assessing the risk to University systems when an employee is suspended for discipline or placed on administrative leave. Partner with ELR and/or OGC to determine if system access should be suspended. For situations where access needs to be suspended, requests should be sent to security@umn.edu.

Recruiting Solutions Updates

As of February 24, HRMS has added applicant disposition statuses and a group action functionality that allows recruiters to route multiple candidates through interview phases easily. These changes allow recruiters to better track stages within the recruitment lifecycle, specifically the interview process. Tracking allows us to tell the story of a recruitment effort, so please make sure to route applications. 

• Learn more about applicant disposition statuses

• Learn more about group actions for routing applicants

HRMS Drop-In Session on Tuesday, March 4

The Training Services team is hosting their next HRMS drop-in session on Tuesday, March 4, at 10 a.m.

• Topic: Your Unit’s HR Reports: Reporting Center

• March 4 HRMS Drop-In Zoom Link

• Submit a question ahead of time

(1/27/2025)

Parental Leave Webinars on Thursday, February 6

The Leave Administration team is hosting two parental leave webinars on Thursday, February 6. 

Please enroll in advance via Training Hub (linked below). You’ll receive the Zoom link once you’ve enrolled: 

• Navigating Parental Leave for Civil Service and Labor Represented Employees — noon-12:45 p.m.

• Navigating Parental Leave for Faculty and P&A Employees — 2-2:45 p.m.

HRMS Drop-In Session on Wednesday, February 19 

The Training Services team is hosting their next HRMS drop-in session on Wednesday, February 19, at 10 a.m.

• Topic: vacation eligibility and audits

• February 19 HRMS Drop-In Session Zoom link

• Submit a question ahead of time

(1/13/2025)

One-Day Payroll Close on Thursday, January 16

Due to the upcoming Martin Luther King, Jr. Day holiday (Monday, January 20), there will be a one-day payroll close on Thursday, January 16. 

Note: The payroll update deadline is 1 p.m. on January 16. 

New Action/Reason Code

Employees who need to take unpaid leave for pregnancy and/or birth-related reasons and aren't covered under FMLA are eligible for protection under Minnesota’s Pregnancy and Parental Leave Act.

• This provision ensures job protection and a subsidized billing rate for up to 12 months.

• Such situations will be coded in Job Data as Unpaid Leave/MN PFA.

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. 

(12/16/2024)

No Operations Update on December 31

Due to the holidays, there will be no Operations Update on Tuesday, December 31.

Successful PEAK Phase 2 Launch for Talent Acquisition

PEAK Phase 2 units transitioned to the new HR service model on December 2. The Phase 2 launch was also successful for Talent Acquisition. Please note the following updates to TA’s team:

• Anna Griebel is TA’s new Priority Hire Lead

• Angie Windnagel is the Senior Talent Acquisition Specialist supporting all positions within the HR job family

Year-end Payroll Processing Deadlines Calendar Available (December 16-January 3)

Payroll Services has created a calendar that captures key deadlines for on and off-cycle payroll processing for the next three weeks (December 16 to January 3).

Note: You’ll notice several changes from the regular payroll schedule due to upcoming University and banking holidays.

Preparing for Form W-2 Issuance

W-2 forms will be issued before the end of January.

To ensure your employees receive their correct, timely W-2 form, please share these reminders with them:

• For employees who haven’t provided their social security numbers (SSN): They must provide their SSN to ensure their wage and tax reporting is attached to their number.

• Opt into online W-2s: Through MyU > My Pay > W-2/W-2C Consent, employees can opt into receiving their W-2 electronically (instead of by mail).

  • All active employees will have access to their W-2s online.

  • Please remind employees that receiving their W-2s online is more secure than by mail.

  • Keep personal information updated: Your employees can review and update their home address information in MyU > My Info.

Payroll Audit TDX Report Job Aid Now Available

PEAK Phase 1 and 2 units have access to two payroll audit reports in TDX to support your review and validation of payroll during payroll close:

• RRC Report - Payroll Audit Report - Staffing Ops

• RRC Report - Payroll Audit Report - WFDM

For assistance with running and using these reports, view the TDX Payroll Audit Job Aid.

(12/2/2024)

Report Taxable Benefits to Payroll Services by December 17

All taxable benefits issued in 2024 must be reported on an employee’s pay in the 2024 tax year. 

Please submit this information to Payroll Services by Tuesday, December 17, at 5 p.m. 

Submit Overpayment Forms to Payroll Services by December 17

To repay an overpayment from tax year 2024 via payroll deduction within the same tax year, please submit any overpayment forms to Payroll Services by Tuesday, December 17, at 5 p.m. This ensures repayment is reflected on the December 24 pay date. 

If repaying via personal check, the check must be postmarked by December 31. 

All 2024 overpayments not repaid by December 31 will be sent to the University’s Collections Department.

Update: Requirements for Pay and Benefit Information in Job Postings 

Starting January 1, 2025, University job postings on any sites that allow application submissions and hard copies of job postings must list budgeted pay range and general benefits information. You can find information about the review process on the “New Requirements for Pay and Benefit Information in Job Postings” web page. HRMS training is also available for those who enter postings into Recruiting Solutions.

Note: Postings that meet all of the following criteria will begin to be closed by Talent Acquisition and Staffing Operations starting December 30, 2024:

• The posting is older than nine months.

• The posting has not received any applications in the last 30 days.

• The posting has not been updated with the “Pay & Benefits” section.

"Open Link in New Window" Function Returns to PeopleSoft 

Oracle’s November patch restored the Open Link in New Window function to PeopleSoft. This is especially helpful for job postings where users insert their own hyperlinks. This allows applicants to click links without disrupting their view of the original job posting. 

Leave of Absence Reports 

These reports provide details on who is on a leave of absence by department and by employee.

• FMLA Leave of Absences

• FMLA Leave of Absence by Employee

• FMLA Military Leave of Absence

• Leave of Absences Last 2 Yrs

• Leave of Absences Last 2 Yrs by Employee

Reminder: December Payroll Processing Deadline Changes

Due to the holidays, there are several payroll processing deadline changes in December:

Pay period ending: Sunday, December 15, 2024

Pay date: Tuesday, December 24, 2024 (moved up due to banking holiday on Wednesday, December 25)

• One-day payroll close: Thursday, December 19

• Payroll update deadline: Thursday, December 19, by 3 p.m.

• Stop pay request deadline: Monday, December 23, by noon

Pay period ending: Sunday, December 29, 2024

Pay date: Wednesday, January 8, 2025

• UMP payroll close: Tuesday, December 31

• Payroll update deadline: Tuesday, December 31, by 10:30 a.m.

• Holiday: Wednesday, January 1 (New Year’s Day)

• Time and absence deadline: Thursday, January 2, by noon

• Job data deadline: Thursday, January 2, by 4:30 p.m.

• One-day payroll close: Friday, January 3

• Payroll update deadline: Friday, January 3, by 1 p.m.

(11/18/2024)

FLSA Overtime Rule Blocked: Guidance for January Threshold

A federal judge in the Eastern District Court of Texas blocked the Biden Administration's FLSA overtime rule. This eliminated all parts of the rule, including the July and January thresholds and the planned updates every three years. 

As a result, the FLSA threshold for exempt-status employees will return to the rate of $684 per week or $35,568 that was in place before July 1. 

Units should cease all work in progress related to the January 1 threshold. The Office of Human Resources is exploring options to reverse the July changes for employees who were moved to non-exempt status, returning them to exempt status. OHR will share more information on this soon. 

November Payroll Processing Deadline Changes

Payroll close does not fall during Thanksgiving week this year; therefore, there are no changes to next week’s on-cycle payroll close.

Note: Off-cycle requests for the Friday, November 29, direct deposit are due by Tuesday, November 26, at 5 p.m.

December Payroll Processing Deadline Changes

Due to the holidays, there are several payroll processing deadline changes in December:

Pay period ending: Sunday, December 15, 2024

Pay date: Tuesday, December 24, 2024 (moved up due to banking holiday on Wednesday, December 25)

• One-day payroll close: Thursday, December 19

• Payroll update deadline: Thursday, December 19, by 3 p.m.

• Stop pay request deadline: Monday, December 23, by noon

Pay period ending: Sunday, December 29, 2024

Pay date: Wednesday, January 8, 2025

• UMP payroll close: Tuesday, December 31

• Payroll update deadline: Tuesday, December 31, by 10:30 a.m.

• Holiday: Wednesday, January 1 (New Year’s Day)

• Time and absence deadline: Thursday, January 2, by noon

• Job data deadline: Thursday, January 2, by 4:30 p.m.

• One-day payroll close: Friday, January 3

• Payroll update deadline: Friday, January 3, by 1 p.m.

Wellbeing Program Email Address Update

The Total Rewards team is transitioning away from using wellness@umn.edu for Wellbeing Program-related requests. Please direct program-related requests to benefits@umn.edu instead.

Since wellness@umn.edu still appears in printed materials such as the 2025 Employee Enrollment Guide, Tina Derby in the OHR Contact Center will continue to monitor the account until we close it at the end of 2025.

Health Programs Team Now Hiring

The Health Programs team in OHR’s Total Rewards department is now hiring a Benefits Consultant — Time Away, Disability, & Life position.

This role oversees the University’s time away, disability, and life insurance benefits. This role ensures the University offers a competitive set of fiscally responsible offerings that are responsive to employee needs.

Please share this job posting with anyone who may be interested.

Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) Forms

Employees can send their PSLF forms to the OHR Contact Center (ohr@umn.edu) for employment verification and signature. To avoid common errors, please refer to the OHR website, which has been updated with the correct information required to complete the forms.

(11/5/2024)

Future-Dated Benefits Row Added to Some Employee Records

On Monday, October 28, a 12/16/2024 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 16, 2024.

Update: Requirements for Pay and Benefit Information in Job Postings 

Starting January 1, 2025, University job postings on any sites that allow application submissions and hard copies of job postings must list budgeted pay range and general benefits information, as shared earlier via this newsletter and other channels. 

OHR will review job postings starting this month to bring the University into compliance and ensure that our postings remain compliant. You can find new information about the review process on the New Requirements for Pay and Benefit Information in Job Postings web page. HRMS training is also available for those who enter postings into Recruiting Solutions.

Note that units and colleges are responsible for reviewing and updating hard copies of job descriptions to include budgeted pay and general benefits information. Please also update listings on any third-party sites that allow applicants to submit applications, such as Handshake.

New Parental Leave Sessions Added

The Leave Administration team has added two parental leave information sessions on November 14. One session is for Civil Service and Labor-Represented employees; the other is for faculty and P&A employees. 

More information is available via hyperlinks in the Events section below. 

Events

• Navigating Parental Leave for Civil Service and Labor-Represented Employees — November 14

• Navigating Parental Leave for Faculty and P&A Employees — November 14 

(10/21/2024)

Now Hiring: Staffing Operations Specialist

The staffing operations specialist (job code: 1897) is part of the OHR Staffing Operations team. Some of the responsibilities include posting positions, initiating background checks, and finalizing the hire of civil service employees.

This position will only be posted internally and will be live through October 24. Please share the job posting (job ID: 365205) with anyone you think may be interested, or apply yourself!

New Earnings Code

NAP - Nonaccountable Plan Payment is the new earnings code for reporting expenses not substantiated within a reasonable period of time per the University’s Accountable Plan. This code replaces HFR – Taxable Benefit/Compensation, which was previously used for reporting taxable expense reimbursements. You will find this new earnings code in the UM-1865 - Taxable Benefit/Expense Reimbursement Reporting Form. 

The earnings code HFR should no longer be used beginning October 21, 2024. 

Please use the updated UM-1865 form when reporting your taxable benefits, starting with the payroll beginning November 13, 2024.

Events

Navigating FMLA for Supervisors - Thursday, October 31, at noon 

(10/15/2024)

MyU and PeopleSoft Applications Unavailable October 19-20

Due to planned system maintenance, MyU and other PeopleSoft applications will be unavailable from noon Saturday, October 19, to noon Sunday, October 20. This upgrade helps the University’s PeopleSoft systems remain current and secure and ensures we retain Oracle support.

This upgrade includes updates for absence-eligible employees.

Please make note of this outage and plan accordingly.

• Those who use PeopleSoft will need to clear the cache on their web browser following this upgrade.

• Some who use PeopleSoft will notice minor changes to the interface.

• Aside from downtime during the weekend, no significant impact is expected.

Learn more about the new features for absence-eligible employees.

Upcoming Changes to PeopleSoft Recruiting Tools

A planned upgrade to PeopleSoft (October 19-20) will impact hiring managers and recruiters and temporarily limit access for job seekers.

After the upgrade, hiring managers and recruiters may see minor changes to screens related to recruiting.

Learn more about the upcoming changes to the user experience. 

(10/8/2024)

Wage Transparency Law Updates

The Wage Transparency Law will go into effect on January 1, 2025. Talent Acquisition has been working with HRMS to create new templates in Recruiting Solutions.

Learn more about the template launch and training rollout timeline on the OHR website.

(9/24/2024)

OHR Services Temporarily Unavailable on October 8

The OHR Contact Center, Benefits Administration, and Leave Administration teams will be attending the HR Summit on Tuesday, October 8. As a result, the OHR Contact Center phone lines will be closed. Additionally, responses to the following emails will be delayed:

• ohr@umn.edu

• benefits@umn.edu

• employ@umn.edu

• payroll@umn.edu

• leaveadmin@umn.edu

• wellness@umn.edu

New Requirements for Pay and Benefit Information in Job Postings

Starting January 1, 2025, Minnesota employers with 30 or more employees must list the budgeted pay range and general benefits information in every job posting due to Minnesota State Statute Sec. 42. [181.173]. This new law applies to all University job postings, including on third-party sites, as well as postings for student workers. Hard copies of job descriptions must also include budgeted pay and general benefits information.

The OHR Talent Acquisition team will be hosting two drop-in sessions about the legislation on October 10 and 17. Learn more about the legislation and sign up to attend a drop-in session on the “New Requirements for Pay and Benefit Information in Job Postings” web page.

(9/10/2024)

New Location Address in PeopleSoft

We have updated the Location Address field in PeopleSoft to reflect the Board of Regents' decision to rename Nicholson Hall to 216 Pillsbury Drive. 

This was done in coordination with ASR, Facility Information Services, and Mailing Services. 

(8/27/2024)

New Report Available in Reporting Center

OHR Operations has developed a new report that identifies employees who are working outside of Minnesota as well as those who may be working outside of Minnesota. However, data does not clearly indicate non-MN work. The report is titled Non-MN Employee Data and Taxing Audit.

Location: MyU > Key Links > Reporting Center > Human Resources > HR Operational > Payroll > Non-MN Employee Data and Taxing Audit

Please review this report at least annually with supervisors using the supervisor emails in the query results. If discrepancies are found, please work with the employee’s supervisor to determine the actual work location and update the position location data, home address, or tax location code as necessary.

Learn more about the Non-MN Employee Data and Taxing Audit report.

Background Check Best Practices

With the new academic year beginning, Talent Acquisition wants to remind hiring managers to send background check invitation links to candidates in a timely manner to allow ample time for the background checks to be completed. Learn more about background check practices in this HR Update blog post.

Work Study Terminations

Summer Work Study terminations for Duluth, Morris, and Twin Cities campuses were successfully run on Monday, 8/19. Crookston didn't have any summer placements to be terminated.

Placements for Fall work study can be entered with an effective date on or after 8/12/2024 for all campuses.

Updated: 9-Month Twin Cities and Rochester Contract Renewals

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 8/19/2024 is now available in the Reporting Center under My Reports > HR CONTRACT RENEW - UM CONTRACT RENEWALS (08/19/2024).

Position Job Code Groupings

The HR Analytics team has released a new dashboard available on MyU Reporting Center.

Position Job Code Groupings enables units to report the current mapping of a position’s job code to various job code grouping categories, with current descriptions for each job code and its related attributes, regardless of whether or not there are any employees assigned to the position or job code.

Location: MyU > Key Links > Reporting Center > Human Resources > Workforce Analysis > Position

Reminder: One-Day Payroll Close on Thursday, August 29

Due to the upcoming Labor Day holiday, there will be a one-day payroll close on Thursday, August 29.

Payroll Services has changed the Payroll Update deadline to 3 p.m. Given the high volume of work at this time of year, Payroll Services has adjusted the deadline to give you more time to review and validate payroll.

(8/13/2024)

Updated: 9 Month UMM/UMC/Law School Contract Renewals

Contract renewals for 9-month appointments at U of M Morris, Crookston, and Law School have been entered. 

Contracts, job data, and notices of appointment have been updated. One contract renewal report dated 8/5/2024 is now available in the Reporting Center under My Reports > HR Contract Renew - UM CONTRACT RENEWALS (08/05/2024). 

Updated: 10 Month Contract Renewals

Contract renewals for 10-month appointments have been entered. 

Contracts, job data, and notices of appointment have been updated. One contract renewal report dated 8/9/2024 is now available in the Reporting Center under My Reports > HR Contract Renew - UM CONTRACT RENEWALS (08/09/2024).

Preparing for Contract Renewals

Contract Renewals for UMTC/UMR 9 month appointments will be run the week of 8/19.

Please enter Return from Work Break rows into job data before 8/19.

Upcoming Events

• Navigating FMLA for Supervisors — August 22 

• HR/Leave Administration Open Forum — August 23

(7/29/2024)

Preparing for Contract Renewals

• Contract renewals for 10 month appointments and UMC/UMM/Law School 9 month appointments will be run the week of 8/5. Please enter Return from Work Break rows into job data before 8/5.

• Contract Renewals for UMTC/UMR 9 month appointments will be run the week of 8/19. Please enter Return from Work Break rows into job data before 8/19.

Twin Cities Undergrad Student Job Fair on Thursday, September 5

Talent Acquisition (TA) will be hosting an undergrad job fair on the U of M Twin Cities campus. 

• Date: Thursday, September 5

• Time: 10 a.m.—3 p.m.

• Location: RecWell M/P 3/4

Please sign up for a booth by Friday, August 23, if you’re interested in speaking to undergraduates looking to work on campus.

• The last student job fair in 2023 brought in more than 600 students. TA is working with Career Services and Student Finance to ensure great attendance this year.

• Please contact stdtempl@umn.edu with any questions.

Reminder: I-9 Compliance Forum on Wednesday, August 7

Payroll Services will hold an I-9 Compliance Forum on Wednesday, August 7, 2024, at 2 p.m. to discuss the employment eligibility verification process. Some topics include the virtual verification procedure and Foreign National I-9 and Tax Reporting processes.

August 7 I-9 Compliance Forum Zoom link

Meeting ID: 958 3260 9767
Passcode: Nu9Yir

Upcoming Events

• I-9 Compliance Forum — August 7

• Navigating Parental Leave for Civil Service/Labor Represented Employees — August 8

• Navigating Parental Leave for Faculty and P&A Employees — August 8

(7/15/2024)

Drop-in Session on Tuesday, July 23: Faculty Contracts and Fall Hiring

The Training Services and Workforce Data Management teams invite you to join their drop-in session on Tuesday, July 23, from 10 to 11 a.m.

• The session will begin with a presentation on faculty contracts and fall hiring.

• Attendees can submit questions ahead of time.

• Learn more about the drop-in session on the OHR Operations website.

Tuesday, July 23 Drop-in Session Zoom link 
Meeting ID: 970 2569 1308
Passcode: V3PhGY

I-9 Compliance Forum on Wednesday, August 7

Payroll Services will hold an I-9 Compliance Forum on Wednesday, August 7, at 2 p.m. to discuss the employment eligibility verification process. Some topics include the virtual verification procedure and Foreign National I-9 and Tax Reporting processes.

Zoom link for 8/7 I-9 Compliance Forum
Meeting ID: 958 3260 9767
Passcode: Nu9Yir

Form UM 1651: Updated Submission Requirements for Faculty

The Request for Unpaid Discretionary Leave for Faculty and P&A Employees form (UM 1651) has been updated. Please note that faculty members will now submit two items to the Provost’s Office:

• Form UM 1651

• A separate letter explaining the reason for their request

Vacation Donation Update

The vacation donation program has changed ownership within OHR.

• The Leave Administration team now processes the vacation donation program instead of the Benefits Administration team.

• Moving forward, please direct any questions and forms to the Leave Administration team (leaveadmin@umn.edu).

Upcoming Events

• Drop-in Session: Faculty Contracts and Fall Hiring — July 23

• I-9 Compliance Forum — August 7

_____________________________________________________________________________________________

From the Senior Director Archive
Tell Us What You Think About the OHR Operations Website 

The OHR Operations website has been online for several months now, and we'd like to hear your opinions about how you use it and how it could be improved. Please send your feedback to ohr@umn.edu. 

~Amy Kucera