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August 3 Tuesday Tips

Friday, August 14, 2020

Tip #1: Phase 3 Telecommuting Guidelines: Unit Planning [WSC]

As discussed on page 14 of the Return to Campus guidelines, some units may find it necessary to maintain some measure of ongoing or rotating telecommuting. ​Deans, Department Heads, and Directors have been advised by University Human Resources that they have the latitude to work with their faculty and staff to devise and implement flexible work schedules and telecommuting decisions internally for phase 3. While HR will not be approving each plan, units will be required to submit the plans for their faculty and staff to HR by September 18 for documentation and tracking purposes. This will assist unit leadership and the University to evaluate the percentage of faculty and staff utilizing an alternate schedule.

 University HR is diligently working to finalize the instructions and updating the webpages/input form for this new tracking process. Designated UnitHR Liaisons should expect to receive instructions, additional guidance, and updated HR webpage link/form via email by the end of day tomorrow, Wednesday, August 5. This topic will also be covered in the August 6 Weekly Status Call.

 In addition, Deans, Directors and Department Heads may also approve the use of telecommute for COVID-19 leave situations when a non-symptomatic employee must quarantine themselves upon notification of a close contact COVID-19 exposure.

Tip #2: Returning International Graduate Students

If you have a returning graduate student who is unable to come back due to current travel restrictions, the payroll team will work to make sure they are paid. At this time, please hire or rehire these individuals in OneUSG Connect and send a ticket to Human Resources titled EMPLOYEES WORKING OUTSIDE OF THE U.S. (if you have not already). This will inform Human Resources that the graduate students will NOT be working in the U.S. but will be performing their work internationally; and will allow Human Resources to ensure that they receive the proper onboarding materials for international employee hires.

Tip #3: UGA: Well-Being Resources and Employee Assistance Program [WSC]

There are a variety of resources at the University to assist with well-being and employee assistance that can be found on the UGA Department of Psychology COVID-19 Well-Being Guide​, the UGA Well-being Resources Guide and the Professional Education Portal under “well-being.”​ You can also join Kiz Adams for a Mindfulness Moment every day at 9:00 a.m., for a guided mindfulness practice via Zoom​ that is less than 10 minutes!

The Employee Assistance Program (EAP) Services are available to active employees (full and part time employees), family members and members of their immediate household. The service provides: ​24/7/365 access to telephonic support​, confidential, short term counseling at no cost to the eligible members​, work life services and referrals, ​as well as monthly program promotion and webinars​. For unlimited managerial consultations, contact the Well-Being Coordinator, Kiz Adams.

Remember that there’s still time to register and earn your $100 Well-Being credit! All benefits-eligible employees who receive their health benefits from a USG health provider can earn up to $100 in well-being credit.​ Spouses of UGA employees who receive their health benefits from a USG provider can also earn up to $100 in well-being credit.​ Other benefits-eligible employees can register and participate and have a chance to win prizes for their participation but cannot earn money.

Tip #4: Financial Management System: June 2020 is Closed! [WSC]

The June accounting period is now closed in the UGA Financial Management system!​ Closing the accounting period ensures financial transactions are properly recognized in the period in which they were generated, which ensures financial reporting is accurate and locked for the month. ​FY21 month-end close dates have been added to the Fiscal Master Calendar. ​

Tip #5: Catering Services: UGA Catering Updates [WSC]

Catering Services is transitioning the payment process for all internal campus Catering billing in fiscal year 2021 from the Catering Pay App to UGAmart.  Invoices to be paid requiring a UGA departmental chartstring will be processed for payment in UGAmart. The UGA Food & Business-Related Entertainment Policy and the Food Purchase Matrix will still need to be followed. Requisitions will require proper Food Policy documentation and UGA-FMS chartstring information​. Questions about using UGA Foundation funds​ can be answered by Foundation, questions regarding proper fund/chartstring information can be directed to the OneSource Service Desk, and the transition or other general billing/payment assistance can be directed to Auxiliary.

Tip #6: Purchasing: UGAmart Vendor Revisions [WSC]

A new functionality added in the UGAmart 20.2 Release is that Purchase Orders (PO) for punchout vendors with order acknowledgement and advanced shipment notifications capability may now be updated automatically in UGAmart, and the revision is pushed manually by the PO assigned Buyer (allow for some delay).​ This will increase efficiency for order revisions and replaces a number of  manual steps for departments and Procurement during a revision. Users can view order/shipping acknowledgements or vendor's changes to the PO in the History tab.

Tip #7: Budget Management: BPSS Static Reports [WSC]

Static reports will be available beginning August 15 for Smart View analysis.​Variety of reports taken and pointed to those static cubes: including Chartstring Budgets, Salary Data, and Position Funding Data.

Tip #8: General Ledger/ Commitment Control: Query Prompt Defaults [WSC]

Fiscal Year and Budget Reference defaults in prompts are being updated for queries in the UGA_KK_​ and UGA_GL_​ queries. Please be sure to be attentive to the defaults!

Tip #9: Benefits and Total Rewards: Voluntary Retirement Incentive Program [WSC]

Employees who have applied for the program have received an email confirming receipt of application and timeline of next steps. ​Those who are determined to be ineligible will receive communication within next two weeks detailing the decision. For those who have been determined eligible, scheduling appointments with benefits counselors has begun. ​Employees who accept the incentive plan must wait four months after retiring before being eligible for retired-rehire. More details and the application can be found on the Voluntary Retirement Incentive Plan website! 

Tip #10: OneUSG Connect: Practitioner Access VPN Changes [WSC]

Please remember that Monday, August 3 began the requirement that VPN02 will be necessary for access to the OneUSG Connect Practitioner Portal (CORE URL).​

​You may find information on requesting VPN-02 access here. VPN-02 access questions should be directed to the EITS Help Desk and ​OneUSG Connect questions should be directed to OneUSG Connect Support. 

Tip #11: Workforce Planning & Recruitment: Unit Ask and Updates [WSC]

The Position of Trust position clean-up is well under way! In August, all positions will be updated, individuals will be reviewed and those impacted will be notified. More information on the clean-up can be found in the July 30 Weekly Status Call.

For returning Graduate Assistants, the University HR Compensation Team can assist with bulk data updates to compensation and position data. ​If you are interested in the bulk update, please contact Human Resources. You will be provided with instructions and an Excel template for unit salary and position information. The deadline for submitting the bulk data template will be this Friday, August 7!

Updates to reports-to or supervisor should be submitted as a position request through UGAJobs.​ If more than 30 reports-to updates are needed, please contact your Dedicated HR Team and they can assist you with a data load.​ After the position action is approved, it will be updated in OneUSG Connect overnight.​ More information on position management can be found in the Resource Manual, but please don't hesitate to contact your Dedicated HR Team with questions!

Tip #12: Office of Faculty Affairs: Welcome Associate Provost Weeks! [WSC]

On July 1, Elizabeth Weeks joined the Office of Faculty Affairs as the new Associate Provost for Faculty Affairs following the retirement of Sarah Covert. ​Elizabeth Weeks joined the UGA faculty in 2011 and served as Associate Dean for Faculty Development in the School of Law since 2018. ​

​All offer letters requiring Provost approval should be sent to Associate Provost Weeks for preliminary review per the offer letter policy (1.09-1).​ Please copy Carly Surratt and Justin Twiddy on offer letter emails as well.

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