Posts Tagged: Human Resources

Harassment and Discrimination Assistance and Prevention Program now serving UC ANR

A new partnership between UC ANR and the UC Davis Harassment and Discrimination Assistance and Prevention Program (HDAPP) was announced by John Fox, executive director of ANR Human Resources.  HDAPP supports the University's commitment to a harassment-free and discrimination-free work and learning environment. With our new agreement, HDAPP will serve members of the UC ANR community by:

• assisting individuals and ANR units to resolve conflicts and complaints related to harassment, discrimination, sexual harassment, sexual violence and hate and bias; and
• serving as the central office for receiving reports and maintaining records of these types of complaints.

HDAPP is available to receive complaints of harassment or discrimination against anyone affiliated with UC ANR. If you believe you or someone you know may be experiencing any of the complaint types, or if you have questions and want to consult, contact HDAPP. Options are available to report by phone or online, as well as anonymous reporting.

They are happy to speak with you about their process, your concerns, and support resources. They strongly believe in helping people make informed decisions about reporting, including where and how to report situations of concern. 

To learn more, join a Zoom session on Thursday, Feb. 4, 1:30 p.m.–3 p.m. During the Feb. 4 information session, members of the HDAPP team will describe how they handle common situations and answer questions.

You can also find more information about HDAPP at hdapp.ucdavis.edu/about-us.

HDAPP contact information and links to other reporting options are available at   ucanr.edu/sites/DiscriminationSexual_Violence. 

If you have any questions about the HDAPP partnership, contact Fox at jsafox@ucanr.edu.

W-2s available online

Beginning on Jan. 26, 2021, all employees can access their 2020 UCPath W-2 online:

· For employees who requested an electronic version of their W-2, they will receive an email notification when it becomes available

· For employees who did not select an electronic version, a printed W-2 will be mailed to the home address on file on Friday, Jan. 29, 2021

To access the UCPath W-2, please visit UCPath at http://ucpath.universityofcalifornia.edu  and click on Employee Actions > Income and Taxes > View Online W-2.

Former employees have access to view or download their W-2 statements (up to three years after their separation date). To access their UCPath W-2, they can visit UCPath and click on Former Employee. Once logged in, click on Employee Actions > Income and Taxes > View Online W-2.

Federal and state earned income tax credit (EITC or EIC)

· Per the Earned Income Tax Credit Information Act, UC includes a notice with all Form W-2 statements notifying employees that they may be eligible for the federal EITC. This is a benefit for working people with low to moderate-income. To qualify, you must meet certain requirements (https://www.irs.gov/credits-deductions/individuals/earned-income-tax-credit/use-the-eitc-assistant) and file a tax return, even if you do not owe any tax or are not required to file. EITC reduces the amount of tax you owe and may give you a refund. For more information about the federal EITC, reference IRS Notice 797 (https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/n797.pdf) or contact the Internal Revenue Service at (800) 829-3676 or via www.irs.gov (http://www.irs.gov/) .

· You also may be eligible to receive the California EITC, starting with the 2015 tax year. The California EITC is a refundable state income tax credit for low-income working individuals and families. It is treated in the same manner as the federal EITC and generally will not be used to determine eligibility for welfare benefits under California law. To claim the California EITC, even if you do not owe California taxes, you must file a California income tax return and complete and attach the California EITC Form (FTB 3514). For information on the availability of the credit, eligibility, how to obtain necessary forms and help filing, contact the Franchise Tax Board at (800) 852-5711 or via www.ftb.ca.gov (http://www.ftb.ca.gov/).

Claiming exemption from withholding

The IRS requires you to complete a new W-4 form each year if you are claiming exemption from tax withholding. If you wish to claim exemption from withholding in 2021, you must make this choice on UCPath online (https://ucpath.universityofcalifornia.edu/) before Feb. 15, 2021.

Have questions or need help?

Log in to UCPath (http://ucpath.universityofcalifornia.edu/) and select Ask UCPath to submit an inquiry. You may also call UCPath to speak with an associate at (855) 982-7284 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. (PDT) Monday through Friday.

Retiring within 5 years? Take a UC retirement workshop to prepare

Transitioning to Retirement workshops are offered by UC Davis for employees considering retirement within 5 years.

The life changes that accompany retirement can be unexpectedly challenging and these virtual, Zoom workshops will help employees prepare.

Topics & dates

• Staff sessions: 9 a.m. – noon 
• Faculty/physician/academic sessions: 1 – 4 p.m.

1. Introduction and UC Retirement Plan — Friday, Jan. 15
2. Retiree health benefits and human resources considerations — Friday, Jan. 22
3. Financial planning in retirement and Social Security — Friday, Jan. 29
4. Work and lifestyle transitions — Friday, Feb. 5

Early registration is advised

When you register, please double check to ensure you are signing up for the appropriate session.

• Register for Transitioning to Retirement for Staff
• Register for Transitioning to Retirement for Academics/Faculty

More information and FAQs

• Supervisors will not be automatically notified when an employee registers for these workshops.
• It is recommended that participants register for the entire four-week series, however each session is available for individual registration.
• For those who cannot attend the workshops, or for those who are more than five years from retirement, online presentations and other resources are available on the Center's retirement planning webpage at https://retireecenter.ucdavis.edu/planning.

Questions

• Contact the Retiree Center at retireecenter@ucdavis.edu or (530) 752-5182.

 

Academics and staff may reduce work time

UC ANR recognizes the importance of helping employees manage a work/life balance. During the COVID 19 pandemic, it is understandable that some employees may wish to temporarily reduce their appointment time to address priority family and self-care needs. UC ANR is providing opportunities for flexible work schedules and reduced time appointments through programs such as the Employee-initiated Reduction In Time program (ERIT).

For academics, approvals for one year or less will be considered and are subject to renewal consideration. All requests to reduce the appointment time must be supported by supervisors. Final approval rests with AVP Wendy Powers. The academic or supervisor may end such approved arrangements with a 30-day advanced notice. 

Salary, monthly sick and vacation leave, and UCRP service credit accruals will be calculated on the reduced appointment percentage. You are also encouraged to contact the UC Davis Benefits Office to discuss the implication of healthcare coverage for any such reduced appointment.  

Academics who are interested in seeking a voluntary reduction in time, please complete the documents listed below and submit to Tina Jordan (tljordan@ucanr.edu). 

• Voluntary Reduced Appointment Request Form
• Work Plan Template 
• Work Plan Process Guidelines

Staff employees may, with the approval of their department, reduce their working hours and corresponding pay between 5% and 50%. For more information about the Employee Initiated Reduction in Time (ERIT) Program, please visit the website or contact John Fox or Bethanie Brown.

Majority of ANR employees feel “satisfied,” according to ANR@Work Survey

UC ANR employees made their voices heard through the 2020 ANR@Work survey. The survey received a 73% response rate with over 74% of respondents stating that they are a “satisfied” or an “extremely satisfied” UC ANR employee.

The inaugural ANR@Work survey was distributed to academics, staff and county-paid employees between March 17 and April 3, 2020. The goal of the anonymous survey was to obtain feedback about the work environment at UC ANR.

“Your responses tell us the top strengths of UC ANR include feeling valued by your department, feeling welcomed in your workplace, and feeling your department supports your work-life balance,” said John Fox, executive director of Human Resources.

Two of the top-scoring issues (4.4 out of 5 on the scale) show that respondents feel their supervisors treat them with respect and that their supervisors are supportive of their personal issues.

We hear you.

“Overall, while scores were not low, employees shared opportunities for improvement, which included wanting to have more of a voice on how to improve UC ANR, and wanting to hear more from senior leaders about long-range goals and strategic direction,” Fox said. “Another opportunity to improve was in the area of feeling more valued by the organization.”

Fox will review the overall ANR@Work survey results during the Town Hall Zoom meeting on Thursday, Aug. 20, at 1:30 p.m.

“We plan to repeat the survey annually for at least five years,” Fox said. “The 2020 survey results establish a baseline for continually assessing UC ANR's work environment.”

See more about ANR@Work Survey results at https://ucanr.edu/sites/anrstaff/Diversity/ANR@Work_Survey_741. Questions or comments about the survey? Contact satsurvey@ucanr.edu.

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