ANR Employees
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ANR Employees

Posts Tagged: personnel

UC has mental health resources for faculty and staff

As UC Irvine's coordinator of Faculty & Staff Mental Health Care and Respondent Services, Negar Shekarabi often meets with people who know they need help, but aren't sure where to start.

“Figuring out what kind of help you need and how to get it can feel overwhelming, especially when you're in the middle of a difficult time,” Shekarabi said. “I listen, I answer questions and I help people navigate the many resources that are available to UC faculty and staff.”

To help others this Mental Health Awareness Month, Shekarabi shared answers to a few common questions.

Should I start with my location's Employee Assistance Program or my behavioral health plan?

You'll find support from either resource. Here's how they work.

Your Faculty and Staff Assistance Program (also known as an Employee or Academic and Staff Assistance Program) offers free, confidential assessment, intervention, consultation and referral services to all faculty and staff (and their immediate families) at your location. Many programs even offer convenient onsite consultations.

Regardless of your insurance coverage, you can go to your assistance program for no-cost individual counseling for a wide range of personal and work-related problems, with referrals to behavioral health plan and community resources when needed.

If you prefer, you may choose to go directly to your behavioral health plan for support. All of UC's behavioral health plans other than Core and UC Health Savings Plan cover initial outpatient visits without a copay or deductible.

Behavioral health and substance abuse coverage are provided by Anthem Blue Cross for employees and retirees enrolled in:

Behavioral health and substance abuse coverage are provided by Optum for employees and retirees enrolled in:

Kaiser members may also choose to receive behavioral health care through Kaiser.

How should I choose a provider?

Your assistance program counselor is a great resource if you need a referral to a provider in your health plan's network. He or she is familiar with providers in the area, and can talk with you about your preferences and needs.

Your behavioral health plan offers a choice between an online provider search (with options to narrow your search by gender, specialty and languages spoken) or assistance by phone from specially trained representatives.

Either way, once you've narrowed down your search, online research can help you make a decision. Many providers have websites where they explain their background and philosophy. Psychology Today offers an extensive online database with similar information.

If the first few providers you call aren't available or don't respond within a few days, call your plan for assistance. Optum, Anthem and Kaiser are committed to ensuring you receive timely support.

If I get help from UC, will my privacy be protected?

Your privacy is protected by law – whether you visit your location's assistance program or a provider through your health plan. Unless there's a clear legal need (for example, if someone's life or safety is at risk), information about your participation is never released to anyone without your written consent, and it will never appear in any departmental, central or personnel file.

“I want people to know that help is available – and it can make a big difference,” said Shekarabi. “Visit your assistance program, call your behavioral health plan, talk to your doctor – however you start, the most important thing is that you reach out for the help you need.”

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Posted on Tuesday, May 29, 2018 at 5:07 PM
Tags: benefits (9), May 2018 (14), personnel (13)

UC ANR Staff Assembly offers scholarships for staff

The UC ANR Staff Assembly has established a scholarship program that is available to all UC ANR staff employees and county-paid employees. The scholarship provides financial assistance to UC ANR staff to pursue career interests, develop new career paths, and address knowledge or skill gaps needed to reach professional development goals.

This year's award dates are for courses taken between May 1, 2017, and April 15, 2018. Deadline for applications is close of business April 15, 2018. Late applications will not be accepted. Courses taken after April 15, 2018, will be eligible for reimbursement on the next scholarship cycle of April 16, 2018, to Nov. 30, 2018.  

Scholarship criteria:

  • Funding up to $499, dependent on amount of eligible applications received. 
  • Training activities must occur between May 1, 2017 and April 15, 2018.
  • Scholarship allocation will be considered only for successfully completed training activities. Proof of completion with a passing grade must accompany applications for courses or seminars (i.e. grade report, transcript, certificate, etc.)
  • Applications must be submitted by close of business April 15, 2018. Late applications will not be accepted.
  • Receipts for all eligible expenses are required for reimbursement and must be submitted with application.
  • Applications received incomplete or without required documentation will not be considered.
  • The UC ANR Staff Assembly Council will review applications within 30 days of application close date. Award recipients will be notified within 60 days and receive reimbursement checks when notified.

For more information, please visit the Staff Assembly website http://staffassembly.ucanr.edu/Scholarships.

Posted on Tuesday, March 27, 2018 at 2:20 PM
  • Author: Matt Baur

Market-based adjustment plan for staff salaries enters second year

Attracting and retaining highly qualified employees is a top priority for UC ANR. To be more competitive among many diverse employment markets, UC ANR has developed a plan to address the competitiveness of our staff salaries. 

As part of UC ANR's overall Strategic Plan, VP Glenda Humiston approved a four-year Market-based Adjustment Plan for non-represented staff to ensure salaries of existing staff are better aligned with the labor market. This is the second year of the four-year plan.  

All non-represented staff are eligible to participate in this plan, regardless of their position's funding source. For some staff members whose compensation has fallen behind market rates, the Division is making a significant effort to address this issue, as long as it is fiscally viable and prudent to do so.

Using UC Career Tracks, UC ANR Human Resources will be able to identify, review and address the salaries of non-represented staff members whose pay is not in the targeted competitive zone. This strategy is being implemented over four years, which will allow us to better manage the fiscal impact of the salary adjustments.

Eligible employees will be notified individually within the next few weeks. These market-based adjustments are separate and distinct from any merit program approved centrally by President Napolitano.

For more information, please read the FAQs at http://ucanr.edu/sites/ANRSPU/Supervisor_Resources/Compensation/Equity_.

Posted on Tuesday, February 27, 2018 at 3:11 PM

Learning and development update: Register for ANR Statewide Conference

ANR STATEWIDE CONFERENCE: INNOVATION IN ACTION

When: April 9-12, 2018

Where: Ontario, California DoubleTree Inn

All ANR academics and staff are invited. Non-academic employees need to discuss and obtain approval from their supervisors, county directors or program managers before registering or making travel arrangements.

See and hear what your colleagues (staff and academics) across UC ANR are doing and share your own work during this multi-day event. Discover what's new in Extension and Agriculture Experiment Station research. Engage with leaders of the University of California and interact with invited leaders of peer organizations across the state. Network with colleagues and cultivate new partnerships and new ideas.

ANR pays for your attendance. You will provide an estimate for your travel and lodging when you register and will get an approval or a resubmit from Program Support.

To register or to get more information, visit http://ucanr.edu/sites/statewideconference2018.

ADMINISTRATIVE ORIENTATION FOR NEW ACADEMICS AND STAFF

When: May 23, 2018, 9 a.m.-3 p.m.

Where: ANR Building Davis, 2801 Second Street, Davis, CA 95618

Who should attend: New Academics and Staff

Registration: Will open in March

More information can be found at http://ucanr.edu/sites/orientations/Administrative_Orientations.

UC PEOPLE CONFERENCE

When: Aug. 7-9, 2018

Where: UCLA Luskin Center

Who: ANR People Managers who have completed the UC Performance Management Series Certificate (UC Learning Center). (Browse course titles and codes here).

Cost: ANR will be sponsoring fees, travel, and lodging for several ANR People Managers. Managers must complete the Series by June 26, 2018 and can apply for funds here.

The UC People Management Conference brings together leaders from across the UC network to learn about current management topics, exchange best practices, collaborate with their peers, and continue their development and growth as UC people managers and leaders. This year's conference will explore the importance of cultural change. After an unforgettable two days of learning, inspiration and fun, participants will walk away re-energized with knowledge, connections, and tools to help them achieve their goals and maximize their teams' full potential.

NEW! ANR ONBOARDING BUDDY GUIDE

People Managers: Could you use some help onboarding your new hire? Do you have a star employee that could introduce your new employee to the rest of your team and others at your location? How about someone to share the workplace culture, safety plans, ANR Collaborative Tools, ANR processes and procedures...and more.? 

If yes, read the ANR Onboarding Buddy Guide and think of sharing this guide with your next onboarding buddy.

LYNDA FEATURE

Leading and Working in Teams

Organizations thrive or fail to thrive based on how well the teams within those organizations work. If you want to know what it takes to create a high-performing team, complete the course “Leading and Working in Teams”.

Harvard Business School professor Amy Edmonson reveals how high performance arises when teams are encouraged to take risks, fail, and learn from those failures, a process she calls “teaming.” Learn more here

PERFORMANCE APPRAISAL WEBINARS

The annual performance appraisal is an opportunity for staff and supervisors to recognize accomplishments, identify opportunities to build skills, and align individual efforts to high-level unit and division goals. Take time in the next month to review and reflect on the past year, and plan your future work with your supervisor.

The staff performance review period runs from April 1, 2017, through March 31, 2018. An annual appraisal should be completed for all ANR staff employees, including represented and non-represented, career and contract employees with at least six months of service as of March 31, 2018.

The recommended first step for the process is for employees to complete a Summary of Accomplishments. This year ANR supervisors have the option to have their staff prepare a self-appraisal in lieu of the summary of accomplishments using the 2017-18 Employee Performance Appraisal Form.

Upcoming webinars

ANR Human Resources will host Zoom webinars for staff and supervisors during the month of March. Please hold one of these dates/times on your calendar. (Zoom meeting details will be sent prior to the first session.)

Employee Role: March 1, Thursday, 10 a.m.–11 a.m.         

Employee Role: March 14, Wednesday, 3 p.m.–4 p.m.                        

Supervisor Role: March 23, Friday, 10 a.m.–11:30 a.m.

Supervisor Role: March 28, Wednesday, 1 p.m.–2:30 p.m.

If you are a supervisor, you only need to participate in a supervisor session.

For those unable to join a live session, the sessions will be recorded and posted on the ANR HR website http://ucanr.edu/sites/ANRSPU/Supervisor_Resources/Performance_Management.

More information about the annual process, including timelines, guidelines and Performance Appraisal Tools are available on the ANR Human Resources website http://ucanr.edu/sites/ANRSPU/Supervisor_Resources/Performance_Management.

Note: ANR staff based at the Office of the President will follow the UCOP-HR performance process with separate trainings, timelines and forms.

If you have questions regarding the appraisal process, please contact Mary Vlandis at maroberts@ucanr.edu or Jodi Rosenbaum at jrosenbaum@ucanr.edu.

 

Posted on Friday, February 23, 2018 at 3:26 PM
  • Author: Jodi Azulai

Nominate staff for STAR awards by March 29

Nominations are being accepted for the ANR Staff Appreciation and Recognition (STAR) program for the fiscal year 2017-18. Nominations are due March 29, 2018.

The STAR program is your opportunity to celebrate and reward the great contributions of ANR's people.

The program provides cash awards to eligible staff in recognition of outstanding achievement. Managers may nominate individuals and teams demonstrating exceptional performance, creativity, organizational abilities, work success and teamwork.  

ANR staff in PSS and MSP titles, as well as members of the Clerical Unit (CX), are eligible to be nominated for cash awards. Nomination forms and program guidelines are attached. We've streamlined the nomination form this year to simplify the process. 

STAR Awards will be celebrated during an ANR recognition event at the Second Street building in Davis on June 6, 2018. 

Send your nominations to jlazulai@ucanr.edu.

The purpose of the STAR program is to recognize and reward outstanding staff individual and team performance within Agriculture and Natural Resources. Recipients receive cash awards as well as recognition.

Under the STAR plan, managers can recognize, acknowledge and reward staff employees for exceptional performance or significant contributions related to and supportive of individual, departmental, divisional or organizational goals and objectives. 

The nomination formSTAR award guidelines & restrictions and local plan are linked to this text.

 

 

 

Posted on Thursday, February 8, 2018 at 10:59 AM

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