End of the Year Leave Reminder for Classified Employees
The university’s winter holiday break begins on Wednesday, December 20. As we approach the holiday season, please keep in mind that in accordance with Department of Human Resource Management Policy 4.25-Holidays, classified employees must either work on, or be on approved paid leave, the workday before and the workday after the holiday in order to be paid for holiday time.
Classified employees should review their current vacation balance with their supervisor and plan to use vacation hours that will exceed their maximum carry-over limit. Excess vacation hours and the 2017 Personal Day (taken in its full eight-hour increment) must be used on or by January 9, 2018 with the exception of the vacation hours accrued on January 9 for the final pay period (12/25/17 through 1/9/18). These vacation hours will be counted in the new year’s total vacation leave balance.
Please have all leave requests for the 2017 leave year entered in MyMadison by Thursday, January 11 at 5:00 p.m.
Time and Attendance Records for Non-exempt Classified Employees
2017 Time and Attendance Records for non-exempt classified employees must be submitted electronically to benefits@jmu.edu no later than Friday, January 19. The 2017 and 2018 Time and Attendance Records are located on the Time and Attendance Reporting website.
We are excited to announce that DMV 2 Go, a mobile customer service center through DMV, will be coming to campus on Wednesday, February 7, 2018, from 9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m., in the Wine-Price Building. DMV 2 Go is equipped to process all DMV transactions including:
- Applying for or renewing your ID card
- Applying for or renewing your driver’s license
- Applying for a Veteran ID card
- Getting a copy of your driving record
- Obtaining vehicle titles, license plates, decals, and transcripts
- Ordering disabled parking placards or plates
- Applying for certified copies of Virginia vital records, including birth, death, marriage, and divorce certificates
- Getting fishing and hunting licenses
- Updating your mailing address, voter registration address, and organ donor status
- Requesting a Personal Identification Number (PIN) to set up an online myDMV account
- Purchasing an E-ZPass transponder
- And much more!
Save yourself the inconvenience and the time it takes to go to DMV to complete your transactions; simply visit DMV 2 Go!
Benefits Broadcast
Our goal with the Benefits Broadcast is to feature a specific benefit each month. This month’s featured benefit is…
Health Benefits Incentive Programs – Healthy Beginnings
If you receive the wonderful news that you (or your spouse) is expecting, then the free Healthy Beginnings benefit is for you! One benefit to the program is that Healthy Beginnings gives you direct access to a personal nurse to help promote a healthy pregnancy and avoid complications. Nurses are available Monday – Friday from 8:30 a.m. – 11:00 p.m. and Saturday from 9:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. When you sign up, you will receive a getting-to-know-you call from the nurse. Your nurse will set up some telephone appointments to check in periodically. Your nurse can help with:
- Following a healthy diet and lifestyle
- Understanding prenatal tests and results
- Finding a specialist if there is a need
- Recognizing signs of early labor
- Taking care of yourself and your baby after delivery
Another benefit to the program is that COVA Care and COVA HealthAware members can earn either a $300 copay waiver on the inpatient stay or an HRA contribution. To qualify for the waiver or contribution, you must:
- Enroll in the Healthy Beginnings program within your first 16 weeks of pregnancy and
- Actively participate in the program and complete a 28-week health assessment
Be sure to take advantage of this free benefit as soon as you receive the news that there is a baby on the way!
JMU Employee Blood Drive
Think about giving the gift of life next year—become a blood donor! In support of work life balance, Benefits will be offering the opportunity for employees to be blood donors quarterly on campus. January is National Blood Donor Month, so to kick off this new offering, our first blood drive will be held on Monday, January 8, from noon – 4:00 p.m. at Memorial Hall. Appointments are preferred, but walk-ins are welcome. Sign up online.
Virginia Retirement System Members News
Be sure to read the latest issue of Member News from VRS. Included in this issue is information regarding increasing your money management skills, optional life insurance coverage, and news for Hybrid Retirement Plan Members. Subscribe to Member News directly for the latest updates.
2018 Elective Contribution Limits
The IRS recently announced Pension Plan limits for 2018. Effective with the 2018 calendar year, elective contribution limits for 403(b) and 457 plans will increase to $18,500/year, an increase from the current $18,000/year limit. The catch-up limit for employees over the age of 50 remains an additional $6,000/year. If you would like to increase the contribution amount to your 403(b), please complete a Salary Reduction Agreement and return to benefits@jmu.edu. The change will go into effect on the next payroll cycle following receipt of the form, unless otherwise indicated.
If you would like to increase the contribution amount to your 457, please log into your account or contact ICMA-RC Investor Services at 1-877-327-5261, Option 1. The change will become effective the first of the next month after you make the change.
Please contact the Benefits Team at benefits@jmu.edu or 540-568-3593 if you have any questions regarding the limit changes.
Payroll’s Dollars & Sense
Director of Payroll Services
We are pleased to announce Jill Dean is the new Director of Payroll Services. Jill has worked at JMU for over thirteen years, most recently as the Technology Manager within the Payroll Services Office.
Mailing Address in MyMadison (Employee Tab)
Payroll Services would like to remind employees to check their mailing address in MyMadison by December 31, under the Employee Tab, to ensure timely delivery of their W-2 document in January. Payroll Services will not mail W-2 documents to mail stop codes, JMU departments, JMU student PO boxes or to the JMU designated zip code of 22807 due to the confidential nature of the information contained in the document. It only takes a minute to verify your address in MyMadison, but it may take the mail up to two weeks to return a W-2 document with an incorrect or invalid address.
NOTE: Student employees may need to update their mailing address under the Employee Tab for payroll purposes and under the Student Tab for other student related year-end documents.
2017 W-2’s
In addition to mailing your 2017 W-2 as we have done in the past, your 2017 W-2 will be available electronically within the Employee Tab in MyMadison. Please note the Employee Social Security Number box on the electronic W-2 will be blank. If you mail your tax return or have someone prepare your tax return on your behalf, you will have to use the W-2 you receive in the mail. W-2’s will be mailed to home addresses no later than January 31. Reissue W-2 requests will be prepared on a weekly basis starting Monday, February 5, 2018.
6-month Employment Break – Direct Deposits
Payroll Services would also like to remind hiring departments that direct deposits are inactivated for anyone who has had a six-month or more break in service. Please keep this in mind, as you rehire employees from year to year. Direct deposit is a condition of employment. If you have any questions regarding direct deposits, you may contact Chris Jones @ x8-3401, our Direct Deposit Coordinator.
Duo Enrollment Deadline Approaching
To all faculty, staff, emeriti, affiliates and student employees:
If you have not yet enrolled in Duo, JMU’s new two-factor authentication service, you are about to lose your opportunity to do so voluntarily. Beginning January 17, when you log in to MyMadison you will be prompted to complete Duo enrollment before you can proceed. To avoid any potential interruption to your work, please make an extra effort to review the enrollment guide and enroll before this deadline. In short, Do Duo Now! Enrollment instructions and more information about the Duo project are available online. If you need additional assistance, contact the IT Help Desk at 540-568-3555, or by email to helpdesk@jmu.edu.
JMU Talent Development
Discover.Grow.Succeed.
- Talent Code: Greatness Isn’t Born. It’s Grown. Here’s How. (TD2248)
- Social Media in the Workplace (TD2083)
- Extreme Couponing (TD2045)
- Achieve More by Fearing Less (TD2241)
- Cultivate Your Calm (TD2171)
- Managing Generations in the Workplace (TD1971)
- Successful Communication via Devices (TD2152)
Visit Talent Development’s webpage for a listing of all they have to offer!
UREC Winter Break Hours
Winter Break means that UREC’s operating schedule will be modified over the next month, so please check the UREC website before heading to UREC! For your convenience, the UREC homepage now shows “Today’s Hours” for UREC, UREC Café, centers/services within UREC, and Family Hours!
SUSTAINABILITY MONTH CHALLENGE RESULTS
Congratulations and thank you to all of the Greening Your Workspace Sustainability Month Challenge participants! The buildings recognized with the highest participation are:
Physics/Chemistry
Wilson Hall
Health and Behavioral Studies
Student Success Center
Although the sustainability month challenge has concluded, the Greening Your Workspace program will continue! Employees can continue to access the online modules and will receive recognition for completion. All participants receive a program sticker and email signature logo, and Oak Level participants will also receive a certificate and training credit.
Contact us at stewardship@jmu.edu with questions or comments.
JMU Office of Risk Management
The holidays can sometimes be a bit rough. Lucky for you, the Office of Risk Management has a wealth of safety information to help ensure the holiday season is a safe one.
Human Resources is dedicated to customer service, a positive approach to change and the pursuit of excellence that promotes university and individual success.
Credits:
Created with images by marvelmozhko - "childhood person baby" • katerha - "If it's a penny for your thoughts and you put in your two cents worth, then someone, somewhere is making a penny. ~Steven Wright" • Engin_Akyurt - "computer laptop notebook" and by JMU University Communications and Marketing.