O U T S I D E   E M P L O Y M E N T 

Beginning July 1, 2009, outside employment will be reported through Southeastern’s Blackboard system.  Emails will be sent to all full-time employees with instructions. 

Those who have NO outside employment will complete the Blackboard verification by July 14, 2009. 

Those who DO have outside employment will print the form and instructions through the Blackboard link and forward the completed form to your supervisors by July 14, 2009.  Your supervisors will sign and forward the form to the deans or department heads by July 27, 2009.  The dean or department head will sign and forward the form to the Human Resources Office by August 7, 2009.  The Human Resources Office staff will determine if additional approvals are needed; i.e., vice president, president. 

If you have questions about outside employment, contact Rissie Cook at 549-2347.  If you have questions about Blackboard, contact Jan Ortego at 549-5771. 

Re: Instructions for Completing Outside Employment through Blackboard 

The Outside Employment reporting process is online through the University’s Blackboard Course System.  All full-time faculty and staff are enrolled in Blackboard 301007, Outside Employment Policy, HR, sections 01, 02, 03, 04, 05 or 06.  

     Following is a step-by-step procedure for employees to follow to access the Blackboard System and complete the documentation: 

FOR ALL EMPLOYEES 

1. Click on the Blackboard name on the bottom of the Southeastern Home Page.

      This will bring you to the Log In page for Blackboard 

BLACKBOARD 

2. On the left hand side of the page click on the log-in button
    

3. Enter your user name (w#) and your email password, then click Login

USER NAME:  W1234567   (Include the W)

PASSWORD:   

4. In the center panel, under “My Courses”, you will see the words “Courses in which you are enrolled ” in bold letters
    

5. Click on the course title 301007, Outside Employment Policy, HR.  The numbers 01, 02, 03, 04, 05 or 06 represent the section in which you are enrolled

Example:  

301007_ 04: Outside Employment Policy, HR sec 04 

6.  On the left side of the page is a list of topics:

Announcements (You will open on this page)

Faculty Information

Important Message from the President

Disclosure of Outside Employment Policy

Employees with NO Outside Employment

Employees who DO HAVE Outside Employment

Course Documents

Policy Acknowledgement 

All employees should read the first four topic areas above.  You can open the topics by clicking on them. 

The remaining instructions will be organized according to the category of outside employment which applies to you.  Please follow the appropriate path as directed below. 

Employees with NO Outside Employment

1. Click on the topic entitled “Employees with NO Outside Employment”
2. Follow directions, first clicking on the last topic “ Policy Acknowledgement”
3. After arriving on the Policy Acknowledgement page, click on the link
4. Click OK
5. In the box under question 1, type in the words – do not
6. Click on Submit in the right hand corner and a box will appear asking you to confirm your submission.  Click OK.
7. Your assessment confirmation will display
8. Click OK in the right hand corner to review your results
9. You have completed the process and may click on Logout at the top of the page

Employees who DO HAVE Outside Employment

1. Click on the topic entitled “Employees who DO HAVE Outside Employment”
2. Follow directions by clicking on the topic, “Course Documents”
3. Once that page is up, click on the link, which will bring you to the site of the Outside Employment Form and instructions for completing the form.  Print both and follow the directions for completing and forwarding the form to the appropriate persons.
4. Logout to exit Blackboard

If you have any questions regarding completing the form, please call Rissie Cook at (985) 549-2347.  If you have any questions regarding accessing the form, please call Jan Ortego at (985) 549-5771. 

G R A D U A T E   A S S I S T A N T S

 Fall 2009 Semester Employment Information for GAs 

Last Day to Work for Summer:  July 24. 

Last Pay Date for Summer:  For AAs/PSAs – July 31; for RAs/TAs/GTFs – July 31 (refer to the online payroll calendar). 

Additional Duties:  Additional duty forms are on the HR website.  These must be completed for all GAs working during the break and forwarded to Dr. Ainsworth for approval by the end of the day Friday, July 24.  Dates for additional duties are July 27 through August 14.  To be eligible for additional duties during the semester break, a student must be employed as a GA in both the previous summer and following fall semesters.  For those who clock, the pay rate must be the same as during the summer semester. 

Exit Check-out Forms:  Must be completed for all GAs who will not return as GAs.  Forms are generated in the department and the department will sign off on section one.  GAs who have keys must take the form and the keys to Physical Plant where Physical Plant will sign off that keys have been returned.  HR will complete the remainder of the form.  If the form is not completed and received by HR by Friday, July 24, checks and transcripts may be held.   

Certify Time:  Departments must verify that GAs have certified their time.  If a GA will not be available to certify, the department may obtain a signed authorization from the GA that will allow Payroll to certify.   

Fall Semester Dates:  Monday, August 17, through Friday, December 11.  These are mandatory work dates.   

Minimum Course Hours Required for Fall:  Six. 

Pay Dates for Fall:  For AAs/PSAs – August 28, then every other Friday; for RAs/TAs/GTFs – September 15, then the last working day of September, October, November and December (refer to the online payroll calendar). 

Telephone Verification of Personal References:  Must be completed by the hiring department for all new GAs, including international students, and forwarded to HR.   HR will verify previous employment. 

Orientation:  Mandatory for all new GAs.  Departments must advise GAs that an orientation session will be held Monday, August 17, at 9 a.m. in UC133 and that they MUST bring the original and a XEROX copy of their Social Security cards and driver’s licenses as well as checks from their own checking accounts for direct deposit.  International students MUST bring the original and a XEROX copy of their passports (all pages with notations), visas, I-94s, I-20s and work permits.  GAs will not be processed for pay until all documentation is presented. 

Work Permits:  International students must obtain work permits each semester and present them to HR before beginning work. 

Social Security Card:  Citizen GAs will not be processed for pay until the original Social Security card is received in HR.  International GAs cannot apply for SS cards until they have been in the United States for ten days but are eligible to work prior to receipt of their SS card. 

Clocking:  Because the TimeCentre ID is now the W# preceded by two zeros, all GAs, including international, will be able to clock. 

B E N E F I T S 

 Benefits Fair

Southeastern Human Resources Office will host The Fall Employee Benefits Fair on August 17, 2009 from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. in the University Center, in conjunction with The Fall New Employee Orientation.   All employees are encouraged to attend the Benefits Fair to learn about the current benefit plans.  Refreshments will be served and vendors will be available to answer benefits questions and to give individual consultations.  For additional information, questions or comments regarding this article please contact Nicole Dunnington, Nanette Cheri, Jennifer Rowell or Sue Jones in the Human Resources Office at 5451, 2057, 2587 or 5655. 

Overage Dependents Fall 2009

The deadline to submit the Enrollment Verifications of Full-Time Student Status to the Office of Group Benefits for eligible dependent children, ages 21-24 for the Fall 2009 is August 31, 2009.  It is the plan member’s responsibility to provide this documentation each quarter or semester.  Please be advised failure to provide the enrollment verification can lead to your over age dependent being dropped from your insurance.  If your dependent is dropped you will have to reenroll him/her as a late applicant and Pre-existing Condition restrictions may apply.   Please contact your dependents registrar’s office to obtain to the necessary enrollment verification.  

University of Louisiana Board Changes the Dependent and Employee Fee Waivers

There are no longer waiting periods for the Employee and Dependent fee waivers.  If you are employed full time by the last day of registration, you are eligible for a fee waiver.  This policy will take effect for the Fall 2009 semester.

The Employee fee waiver has changed to allow for up to six hours per semester to be paid at a reduced charge.

If there are any questions regarding these changes, please call the Human Resources Office at extensions 2057, 5451 or 2587. 

Salary Deferral Limitations for Calendar Year 2009

The IRS Salary Deferral Limitations for Calendar Year 2009 are listed below.

(403B Accounts)

Basic Limit:               $16,500.00

Age 50+:                         5,500.00

Total:                          $22,000.00

*15 Year Catch Up:      3,000.00           

*The 15 Year Catch Up cannot exceed $3,000 per year or exceed cumulatively $15,000 over the lifetime of the 403B participant.  NOTE:  Employees who request the Catch Up provision must provide a Maximum Exclusion Allowance Calculation from the 403B agent/company. 

(457 Deferral Limits)

Basic Limit:               $16,500.00

Age 50+:                         5,500.00

Total:                          $22,000.00

**Catch Up:               $16,500.00

Total Allowed:          $33,000.00

**The special Catch Up is available for employees participating in an eligible 457 deferred compensation plan who have elected the special catch up available in the three years prior to the year of normal retirement age. NOTE:  This limit is not available if the participant is currently using age 50+ catch up limit.  Special forms must be completed with the 457 plan prior to starting this catch up limit.           

Social Security Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) Benefit Calculator

The Social Security Administration has available a calculator for the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) Benefit.  Employees of Southeastern Louisiana University who are members of the Louisiana State Employees’ Retirement System (LASERS), Teachers’ Retirement System of Louisiana (TRSL) or an Optional Retirement Plan (ORP) are not required to pay Social Security tax. However, if you were previously employed in a position that required payment of Social Security taxes, you may be entitled to a benefit from the Social Security Administration. 

If you receive a retirement benefit from LASERS, TRSL or ORP, the Social Security benefit may be reduced; your State Retirement benefit will NOT be reduced. 

A modified benefit formula known as the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) is used if you receive a State Retirement benefit. The formula is used to reduce your own Social Security earned benefit. When you receive an estimate of your Social Security benefit the amount probably will not have been reduced to reflect the WEP. 

The WEP formula is complex, however the Social Security Administration has a WEP calculator designed to allow you to estimate any benefits you may have earned for work covered by Social Security.  To use the WEP calculator you will need to have your last benefit statement received from the Social Security Administration.   Any comments or questions regarding the Social Security WEP Calculator should be addressed to the Social Security Administration at CalculatorMaster@ssa.gov. 

As a reminder to members of LASERS and TRSL, retirement benefit calculators are available on their websites at http://www.lasers.state.la.us/ and http://www.trsl.org/. 

University of Louisiana Board Changes the Dependent and Employee Fee Waivers

There are no longer waiting periods for the Employee and Dependent fee waivers.  If you are employed full time by the last day of registration, you are eligible for a fee waiver.  This policy will take effect for the Fall 2009 semester.

The Employee fee waiver has changed to allow for up to six hours per semester to be paid at a reduced charge.

If there are any questions regarding these changes, please call the Human Resources Office at extensions 2057, 5451 or 2587. 

 General Reminders

Address Changes:  Please contact the Human Resources Office to ensure that proper documents are submitted to your respective retirement plan and insurance carriers if your address has recently changed. 

Birth, Marriage or Adoption:  You must complete an enrollment form within 30 days after acquiring each new dependent by birth, adoption, or marriage.  If you fail to do so, your dependent may be subject to the pre-existing condition limitation.  The Office of Group Benefits requires all active and retired employees to provide written proof that each dependent you wish to cover is your legal dependent.  To satisfy this requirement you must bring the “original” documents to verify your dependent’s eligibility to the Human Resources Office within 30 days of their enrollment or they will be dropped from your coverage. 

T R A I N I N G   N E W S 

New Employee Orientation

The next orientation for new classified and unclassified employees will be held on Monday, August 17^th in the University Center, Room 139.  Registration begins at 8:30 a.m. and the program will run from 8:45 a.m. to 11:45 a.m. Attendance is mandatory for classified employees and unclassified employees are expected to attend.  To register for the program, please contact Jan Ortego at Jan.Ortego@selu.edu or at phone extension 5771.  

CPTP Programs Scheduled on Campus August through December

The Comprehensive Public Training Program (CPTP), a section of the Louisiana Division of Administration, is offering a number of free professional development programs on campus. The Human Resources office is pleased to be able to sponsor these programs for the convenience of faculty and staff.  Topics offered include:  Addressing Emotions at Work, Principles of Leadership, Managing Work Time, Common Myths that Affect Good Supervision, Civil Service Essentials, Individual Differences & Diversity in the Workplace and Providing Quality Service.  A link to a detailed description of the above programs follows: 

http://www.doa.louisiana.gov/cptp/classes_hamm.htm 

Advance registration is required for these programs and space is limited.   For more information, please contact Jan Ortego at Jan.Ortego@selu.edu or at extension 5771.   

Employee Self Service

Step by Step instructions on using the Employee Self-Service module in PeopleSoft 9 are available to help faculty and staff members navigate to view their personal information.  Please access the link below for detailed assistance: 

http://www.selu.edu/resources/howdoi/leonet/hr_selfserve/index.html 

Training Database

In an effort to maintain accurate employee professional development and training records, faculty and staff are asked to inform the Training Section of any conference, seminar or other training attended.  A training questionnaire can be found on the Human Resources website at  

http://www.selu.edu/admin/hr/documents/trainingquestionaire.pdf 

Once the form is completed, it may be emailed to Jan Ortego at Jan.Ortego@selu.edu or faxed to the Human Resources Office at 549-2308.  Additionally, if the training resulted in a license or certification, a copy of that document should be faxed to 549-2308 or sent via campus mail to SLU 10799.  If there are any questions, please email Jan Ortego or call at extension 5771. 

Mind Leaders On-Line Training Programs

The State Division of Administration, through its CPTP program, offers a state of the art, e-learning program for state employees called “Mind Leaders”.  This is a computer-based source of interactive courses available over the Internet 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.  The three categories of courses offered online are Computer Skills Courses, Professional Development Courses and Business Skills Videos.  In order to access these classes, employees will need an enrollment key that they can obtain by contacting Jan Ortego via email at Jan.Ortego@selu.edu . Graduate assistants and student workers are not eligible to use these courses.

IF YOUR SUPERVISOR MANDATES THIS TRAINING, IT WILL NEED TO BE COMPLETED DURING WORK HOURS.  IF YOU CHOOSE TO DO THIS TRAINING AFTER WORK HOURS, IT WILL BE CONSIDERED VOLUNTARY AND WILL NOT BE COMPENSATED.