HR Update; October 12, 2007

In this Edition

Benefits Open Enrollment 2008

For Faculty and Staff: November 1st-27th

‘Make Informed Choices’

Open Enrollment (OE) provides eligible faculty and staff the opportunity to change enrollments in--or add eligible dependents to--their UC sponsored insurance plans: medical, dental, vision and legal; and/or to sign up for the first time or to continue participation in the Flexible Spending Accounts (Health Care and/or Dependent Care Reimbursement Accounts).

As prudent consumers, we hope you will take a look at your family’s overall health insurance needs, evaluate your options and make informed choices during Open Enrollment.

Open Enrollment Highlights - Significant Changes for 2008

ARAG Legal Plan is Open for Enrollment
PacifiCare Plan is being discontinued and current PacifiCare members will need to take action during Open Enrollment to enroll in a new plan
- PacifiCare members who do not take action during OE will default to the Health Net plan and may need to contact the plan in January to re-enroll with a desired PCP
CIGNA Choice Fund replaces the Definity Health Plan and will be an option to all eligible UC employees
- Definity Health members that do not take action during OE will default to the new CIGNA plan and remaining HRA dollars will roll over into the new plan
United Behavioral Health (UBH) will administer the behavioral health component for all plans with the exception of CORE and Kaiser members may choose to use UBH or their current plan options
- Out-of-Network behavioral health benefits will only be available through the Blue Cross PPO plan
- Please click link above for information on transition of care benefits and additional information
Behavioral Health Benefits added to the CORE plan
Stay Well Wellness Benefits Program added
- Employees and their family members age 18 and older enrolled in a medical plans, with the exception of Kaiser, will be eligible for the program at no additional cost

Stay tuned to our local Benefits website for information on the OE Fair and our OE presentation schedule which will be posted very soon. Also link to the UCOP, At Your Service website for updates to Open Enrollment 2008.

UC Retirement Readiness Education Programs

Are your ducks all in a row? Start to plan now—it’s never too early.

UC Retirement Plan-UCRP
Retirement Savings Plans-403(B), 457(B), And DC Plans

Please pass this on to your colleagues, circulate invitations, post the actual schedules, or otherwise re-broadcast these weekly reminders about our valuable (FREE) education programs for faculty and staff. Bring your lunch; your questions; your spouse/partner. . .

UC Retirement Plan (UCRP)—UC’s Defined Benefit Plan
- “The Features of UCRP”
  - October 18, Mission Bay, Rock Hall – 102, 12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m.
- Refer to these schedules for details and future workshops
- The Future of UCRP
UC Retirement Savings Plans—the 403(b), 457(b) and DC Plans
- “Enrolling in Your UC Savings Program”
  - October 15, SFGH, Carr Auditorium, 8:00 a.m. – 9:00 a.m.
  - October 17, Mission Bay, GH-S 204, 8:00 a.m. – 9:00 a.m.
  - October 18, Laurel Heights, 3rd Floor, 384, 9:00 a.m. – 10:00 a.m.
  - October 23, Mount Zion, C - 126, 8:00 a.m. - 9:00 a.m.
- “Finding the Right Investment Strategy”
  - October 15, SFGH, Carr Auditorium, 10:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m.
  - October 17, Mission Bay, GH-S204, 10:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m.
  - October 18, Laurel Heights, 3rd Floor, 384, 11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
  - October 23, Mount Zion, C - 126, 9:30 a.m. - 10:30 a.m.
- “Achieving a Sound Retirement”
  - Coming Again Soon-Refer to these schedules
- “Understand the How-to’s of FITSCo’s NetBenefits Website”
  - October 15, SFGH, Carr Auditorium, 12:00 p.m. - 1:00 p.m.
  - October 17, Mission Bay, GH-S204, 12:00 p.m. - 1:00 p.m.
  - October 18, Laurel Heights, 3rd Floor, 384, 1:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m.
  - October 23, Mount Zion, C - 126, 11:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
- Focus on Your Future!

Usually there can be at least one (or more) workshop(s) per week scheduled at various UCSF locations around town. For more details and listings for upcoming scheduled presentations, please refer to our Workshops and Presentations Schedules menus found at our local UCSF HR/Benefits website.

UC Offers Nurses Raises and Continued Good Benefits as Part of Agreement Proposal

In an ongoing effort to ensure good wages and benefits for UC nurses, and uninterrupted care to patients, University of California officials today (Oct. 11) announced the details of their latest proposal to the California Nurses Association regarding a new labor contract for UC nurses. The proposal includes market-level raises for nurses and health and pension benefits equivalent to other university staff, and is intended to help facilitate a new contract for UC nurses, contingent on the union’s acceptance of the agreement by the end of scheduled negotiations next Wednesday (Oct. 17).

“We are offering what we believe to be an extremely fair proposal, one that recognizes the critical role our nurses play in providing outstanding care to our patients,” said Howard Pripas, executive director for systemwide UC labor relations. “We have been bargaining in good faith for the past six months, and the time has come to conclude these negotiations.”

UC’s latest proposal includes the following:

Wages

Market-based increases at every UC location – details at http://www.ucnurses.com.

Health benefits

Same excellent, affordable benefits as provided to other UC employees.
Some decreases in costs.

Paid Time Off

Change to current sick/vacation program that provides more flexibility for RNs and does not decrease the total accruals.
Currently employed RNs would have the option to remain in current sick/vacation program or to enroll in a paid time off program.

Pension benefits

17-year “contribution holiday” continues.
Guarantee of no employee contributions through September 2008. Enhanced package to help support nurses In addition, UC has agreed to enhance its proposals as follows if CNA agrees to an agreement by the end of scheduled negotiations, Oct. 17:

Wages

Wage increases will take effect the first pay period of October.

Supplemental Pay

Enhanced use of educational leave time, and guarantee to provide additional pay for time spent training other nurses, known as preceptor pay.

Severance

UC proposes to extend severance rights provided at UCSF to all RNs.

The enhanced proposal was originally offered with a deadline of Oct. 9; however, the University agreed to extend the offer to Oct. 17 to allow for further bargaining with the union.

As has been reported in the news recently, CNA has called strikes at several non-UC hospitals in California. UC has stated that any strikes before the completion of the entire bargaining process, including mediation and fact-finding with a state-appointed neutral third party, are presumptively illegal. In fact, CNA was legally barred by court order from conducting such a strike against UC hospitals during 2005 contract negotiations (www.universityofcalifornia.edu/news/2005/jul20.html), and the Public Employment Relations Board, the state agency governing public sector labor matters, also issued a complaint against CNA. A final court ruling on this matter is expected soon.

Even though UC was successful in restraining the union from striking in 2005, the strike threat alone cost the University medical centers a total of approximately $9 million in emergency arrangements (e.g., contracting for temporary additional staffing and other emergency operational provisions).

Negotiations with CNA began in April. On June 30, the current contract between UC and the CNA was extended by mutual agreement through Sept. 30. At the parties’ last bargaining session on Sept. 27, CNA rejected UC’s proposal to extend the contract through October.

There are more than 8,800 nurses in the UC medical system.

Drop-In Flu Shot Clinics

UCSF is providing free flu shots to all employees (staff, faculty, students and volunteers) with a UCSF ID from Monday, October 15 through Friday, October 26, 2007. UCSF identification is required. Appointments are not necessary. The flu shot is a safe and effective vaccine that provides immunity for the duration of the flu season. Contrary to what some people may believe, the vaccine does not cause the flu.

This year, Senate Bill 739 of the California Health and Safety Code and Joint Commission infection control standards establish new requirements for workers in an acute health care facility. Each general acute care hospital, in accordance with the Centers for Disease Control guidelines, must offer influenza vaccinations to its employees. UCSF must require Medical Center hospital staff, faculty, students and volunteers to be vaccinated, or if an individual elects not to be vaccinated, the individual must be required to declare that he or she has declined the vaccination. Declinations will be available on-line for Medical Center staff and faculty. These requirements also apply to campus-based faculty and staff who provide direct patient care in UCSF Medical Center. Langley Porter Psychiatric Institute, which also complies with Joint Commission acute hospital standards, will also require its staff to be vaccinated or complete a declination. LPPI will have hard-copy declinations forms available.

The reduction of influenza transmission from health care professionals to patients is a top priority. Health care workers may place patients or co-workers at risk of illness or death if he or she works while infected with the influenza virus. Health care workers can be infected by the influenza virus without feeling ill, pass the virus to patients, family, friends and co-workers. Please join in this effort to protect our patients and staff.

While the requirement for vaccination or declination does not apply to UCSF employees not involved with direct patient care in a hospital setting, everyone is nevertheless urged to take advantage of the flu shot program to reduce outbreak of flu in the work environment and to help their patients, co-workers, families, and themselves stay healthy during the flu season.
The drop-in flu clinic schedule — at Parnassus, Mount Zion, Laurel Heights, Mission Bay, China Basin, Mission Center Building, 2300 Harrison St., and Executive Park— will be posted on the campus-wide Occupational Health Services website.

Some additional program-specific sessions will be held for off-campus locations. Please check with your program manager for scheduled dates.

For more information about the flu vaccine and CDC recommendations, please see the CDC website.
For information about the Flu Shot program, please contact Tamara Liang, RN, at

PARNASSUS CAMPUS
* Park Room, near Moffitt Café

505 Parnassus Ave, Room M-286

Monday – Friday 10/15/07 to 10/26/07 7:30am to 3:30pm
* Medical Sciences Lobby

513 Parnassus Ave, Nobel Wall

Monday 10/15/07 8:30am to 4:30pm
Wednesday 10/17/07 11:15am to 12:45pm
Thursday 10/18/07 10:15am to 12:45pm
Friday 10/19/07 8:30am to 4:30pm
Monday 10/22/07 8:30am to 4:30pm
Tuesday 10/23/07 8:30am to 12:45pm
Wednesday 10/24/07 8:30am to 4:30pm
Thursday 10/25/07 8:30am to 4:30pm

* ACC (Ambulatory Care Center) Building
400 Parnassus Ave, 7th flr, Conference Room 723

Thursday 10/25/07 11:30am to 3:00pm

* Dental School

707 Parnassus Ave, Room D-2009

Wednesday 10/17/07 8:30am to 4:30pm

MOUNT ZION CAMPUS
* 1600 Divisadero St, Cafeteria, near vending machines

Monday 10/15/07 7:30am to 3:30pm
Friday 10/19/07 7:30am to 3:30pm
Tuesday 10/23/07 10:00am to 2:00pm
Thursday 10/25/07 8:00am to 10:00am

LAUREL HEIGHTS CAMPUS
* 3333 California St, Staff Break Room, 1st floor

Wednesday 10/17/07 3:00pm to 5:00pm
Monday 10/22/07 10:00am to 2:00pm

MISSION BAY CAMPUS
* 600 16th St, Genentech Hall, Room N-114

Tuesday 10/16/07 8:30am to 4:30pm
Friday 10/26/07 8:30am to 4:30pm

CHINA BASIN
* 185 Berry St., Lobby 7, 3rd floor, Suite 350, Room 384

Thursday 10/18/07 9:00am to 4:30pm

MISSION CENTER BUILDING (MCB)
* 1855 Folsom St., Room 400A

Tuesday 10/16/07 8:30am to 3:30pm
Friday 10/26/07 8:30am to 11:30am

2300 HARRISON ST.
* Room H-152

Friday 10/26/07 1:00pm to 4:00pm

EXECUTIVE PARK
* 250 Executive Park Blvd, Suite 3400

Tuesday 10/23/07 8:30am to 12:45pm

UCSF Fresno
* Contact Employee Health Services from Community Medical Centers for specific time schedule

Wednesday 10/17/07
Thursday 10/18/07

Experts Explore Flexibility as ‘The Way Work is Done’

Sept. 28, 2007A group of experts from higher education such as Duke University and the University of California-Davis, as well as leaders from private enterprise such as Ernst & Young and JP Morgan Chase & Co., recently gathered to explore the philosophy and practice of workplace flexibility. The “Working Retreat on Workplace Flexibility” organized by AWLP and WorldatWork was funded by the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation as a way to deconstruct the barriers and challenges to flexibility in the workplace.

The group explored in depth what optimal flexibility would look like in the best-case scenario. Following are a few of the characteristics of optimal flexibility in the workplace:

The word “flexibility” isn’t even necessary, as it’s simply “the way business is done” Flexibility becomes part of the performance-management process Flexibility is ingrained in an organization’s culture and systems The organization has no normative schedule Different job types or categories have different solutions for flexibility There is reciprocal flexibility from the employer and the employee The organizational results are positively impacted by flexibility All decision makers are informed about flexibility and what it means.

But as Marilyn Kraut, HR director, Quality of Worklife Programs for the University of Pennsylvania pointed out, what drives flexibility can be one of the biggest “aha” moments in developing flexibility.

“You have to start with the needs of the University (or private company) upfront so you can provide a business case motivation for changing organizational practices,” she said.

For many employers, as well as universities and colleges, attraction, motivation and retention, the heart of the WorldatWork Total Rewards Model, are the primary drivers of flexibility.

Many universities are struggling to retain faculty, especially women in the tenure track. As such, they are developing programs such as “stopping the tenure clock” where faculty on path to tenure can, upon request, extend the probationary period up to two years following the birth or adoption of a child.

In private enterprise, the group touted flexible scheduling as a way to retain current talent. Flexible scheduling can entail anything from a four-day workweek, to telecommuting to reduced workload, all of which can improve engagement and productivity.

The group will work together to produce a flexibility tool and resource to enable sharing and dissemination of programs, best practices, challenges, case studies, etc. that will be unveiled at the 2008 WorldatWork Total Rewards Conference & Exhibition in Philadelphia from May 20-23, 2008.

The group’s collaboration also will influence several articles that will be published in workspan magazine in early Spring.

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