August 2017 Volume 15 | Issue 2
PageUp is Coming to Kent State University
As you may be aware, the Talent Acquisition Team is improving its recruiting and hiring process by introducing a new online Applicant Tracking System (ATS) called PageUp, which will replace our current vendor, PeopleAdmin.
Some of the benefits for the new ATS include:
- Enhanced brand for recruiting top talent
- Increased automation of recruitment process administration
- Redesign and streamline of existing recruitment procedures
- Ability to build a candidate database/talent pools
- Enhanced candidate experience
- Electronic delivery of contract and new hire information forms
Implementation of PageUp will commence in August with the aim of being ready for use in late October. Training will be provided prior to the system go-live date. Tools and resources containing information materials will also be available prior to the go-live date. We look forward to communicating more about this process in the coming months. If you have any questions, please contact Talent Acquisition Team at 330-672-2100.
Vacation Reminders From Human Resources
If you are an employee who accrues vacation, be sure to check your leave balances to see if you are at risk of losing any accrued vacation time. According to the university policy regarding annual vacation leave for nonteaching unclassified and classified personnel, the maximum amount of vacation an employee can accrue is that which can be earned in a three-year period.
Employees who are over their accrual maximum must use the time by Sept. 30 ; if not, they will lose any vacation hours accrued beyond the maximum. Vacation hours are earned each pay period and vary according to the employee's years of service with Kent State and job appointment (i.e., classified or unclassified status). An explanation of vacation accrual rates, eligibility and usage is available at www.kent.edu/hr/benefits/vacation-and-holidays.
All employees who earn vacation are reminded to report and submit their leave promptly. Accurate and timely reporting is important to make sure the time is being deducted correctly, and that you are not exceeding your accrual maximum. Employees can easily check their leave balance in FlashLine. Once you have logged in, click on Employee and then click on Dashboard. Once you are in your Dashboard, click on the Employee Profile Dashboard located in the Top Employee Resources panel. You may then compare your balance with the Vacation Leave Accrual chart that can be found at the website listed above.
Unclassified staff, please be aware that if you have unapproved leave in the online leave system, it has not yet been deducted from your leave balances.
The HR Records office will be contacting employees by email if they are at risk of losing any vacation hours over the policy maximum.
If you have questions, please contact a member of the HR Records team at 330-672-8316.
Career Exploration and Development Will Be Using DocuSign Beginning Aug. 1 Career Exploration and Development will be using DocuSign beginning Aug. 1 for the processing of the following forms for student employees (only):
- Pay Raise Request
- Discontinuation of Student Position Form
- Pay Rate Exception Request
The forms are accessible through the Forms Library in the Student Employment Handbook. Career Exploration and Development will no longer accept the paper forms after Aug. 11.
Anyone who is interested can find additional information, including a user guide and tutorial on using DocuSign.
Additionally, the introduction of electronic student employment paperwork completion through DocuSign will begin in late August. This means that supervisors will initiate the Offer of Student Employment Form online. Even though the paper version of the form will be accepted through August, supervisors are encouraged to begin using it now.
Feel free to contact Ami Hollis at 330-672-8380 or ahollis@kent.edu for more information.
Job Description Website - New Enhancements
The new and improved job description website went live in January 2017; and, as the website has been viewed over the last six months, many of our users have voluntarily submitted feedback to the Human Resources Compensation team. This feedback led to a collaboration with the Division of Information Services to complete the enhancements within two weeks in a Release II using the Agile project management methodologies. Below are the major enhancements that will benefit all users of the website.
Home page enhancements:
- The addition of a sort feature was added to allow users to sort job titles by pay grade.
- The Position Class Code is now accessible in the job description summary that drops down when clicking a job title.
- Search criteria has been improved to exclude the need for commas and apostrophes in the search window (if Manager Parking Services is typed into the search window, Manager, Parking Services will be returned as a result).
Draft job description enhancements:
- The time-out security feature was lengthened for composing a draft description and includes a warning before it times out.
- The job title is now included in the subject line on email notifications when job descriptions are submitted for review or are published.
- A save button was added to the top of the working draft job description page for easier access.
Please direct any questions to Vanessa Vesely, manager, Compensation, at 330-672-8325.
Employee Appreciation Family and Friends Days
All full- and part-time employees are eligible for free or discounted tickets to select Kent State activities.
Birdies for the Brave Location: Bridgestone Invitational in Akron Date: Aug. 3-6, 2017
All Kent State Veteran employees will be eligible to receive complimentary tickets for each day of the event and have free access to United Rentals' Birdies for the Brave Patriots' Outpost, a private hospitality venue open to military members and their families. The Outpost is located on the 14th green at Firestone Country Club and will be open Thursday - Sunday from 9 a.m. until the end of play each day with complimentary food and beverage. Military ID is required for entry. Claim your free tickets!
Porthouse Theatre: Newsies Blossom Music Center, Thornbury Pavilion Saturday, Aug. 12, 2017, 2 p.m. (Show runs July 27-Aug. 13) Noon-1:45 p.m., complimentary lunch
Discount tickets on sale now for $22 each. Limit four tickets per employee. Limited supply available. Deadline to reserve tickets is Friday, Aug. 4. Call the Porthouse Theatre Box Office at 330-672-3884 or visit the Center for the Performing Arts Roe Green Center Lobby, 1325 Theatre Dr. on the Kent Campus. Box Office open weekdays 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Visa, MasterCard, Discover, checks and cash are accepted.
Wellness Brief: Wellness Your Way Employee Incentive Program Deadlines
Please review the following information and deadlines with your faculty and staff.
Kent State's Employee Wellness Incentive Program, Wellness Your Way, allows all full-time, benefits-eligible employees to earn up to $300 in incentives by simply participating in healthy lifestyle activities. Disbursements are paid out as employees complete their Tier One and Tier Two activities, both in $150 increments.
All full-time, benefits-eligible employees who have fulfilled their Tier One requirements by June 30 are also able to achieve their Tier Two reward, by Oct. 15, in order to be eligible for their second $150 incentive.
To view qualifying activities that count toward the Tier Two reward, simply go to the Wellness Your Way webpage or register for activities noted on our digital calendar (i.e., lunch and learn, yoga, spin 50/50, speaker series, etc.). You can also complete qualified actions to earn 350 points, such as complete a routine dental exam, complete age-appropriate cancer screenings, have a routine physical or eye exam and participate in 5K walks/runs.
Employees may view their points at any time, as well as download any necessary forms, by logging in to the Be Well portal at https://portal.bewelldata.com. Once logged in, select My Wellness then Program Forms and Information.
If you have questions regarding wellness points, you may contact Be Well directly at 1-888-935-7378 or ksu@bewellsolutions.com.
Dates to Remember
Aug. 5 Summer II classes end Aug. 19 National Aviation Day Summer III classes end. Advanced and baccalaureate degree Commencement ceremony, 9:30 a.m. Memorial Athletic and Convocation Center. Visit www.kent.edu/commencement for more information. Aug. 21 National Senior Citizens Day Fall International Student Orientation Aug. 22-23 Fall Graduate Student Orientation Aug. 25 University Convocation
Aug. 25-27 Destination Kent State: Welcome Weekend
Aug. 28 Fall Classes Begin
Tell Us What You Think
This e-newsletter is designed to keep you, the managers and supervisors, informed. Please take a few minutes to let us know what you think of it, along with any comments or suggestions. You may contact us at managersfeedback@kent.edu. We look forward to hearing from you.