There have been several questions asked about the implications of the Notice of Maintenance of Status Quo order as it pertains to new grad assistant appointments, reappointments, and fellowships. In all cases, the order to not change wages, hours, and all existing conditions of employment IS NOT implicated so long as appointments, reappointments, and fellowships were previously planned and are being established and communicated as part of normal unit practices.

For example, a unit who normally reappoints TA's during the summer can proceed with these reappointments. Where the order WILL BE implicated will be in situations where a unit wants to change, for example, wages due to equity or retention concern. For now, these types of wage changes will not be permissible pursuant to the order. The rule of thumb should be -- proceed with changes to wages, hours, and conditions of employment if there is standard practice to do so and where it's supported by existing University/College practice. If there isn't a standard practice, you'll likely be unable to make changes until the order is lifted. Please work directly with your ELR Consultant if you have any questions. 

HR at the U is an opportunity for NEW HR practitioners to gain an understanding of HR policies, principles, and practices at the University of Minnesota as well as network with other HR professionals from across the system. 

• Tuesday, April 8, from 1:00 to 4:30 p.m. and
• Wednesday, April 9, from 8:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.

This in-person event will take place in Donhowe.

Register Today

Teamsters Step Progression and Stability Pay is designed to equip unit HR with important information on how to process step progressions and stability pay for Teamsters. 

• Thursday, April 10, from 2:00 to 3:00 p.m. on Zoom

Register Today

Faculty and Instructional P&A Training equips HR practitioners with important information about faculty and instructional P&A appointments.

• Thursday, April 10, at 9:00 a.m. and
• Tuesday, April 22, at 9:00 a.m.

This in-person event will take place in Donhowe.

Register Today

Understanding and Preparing for Union Grievances is designed to equip participants with important information about understanding union grievances and processes.

• Wednesday, April 16, from 2:30 to 4:00 p.m. 

This in-person event will take place in Donhowe.

Register Today

Civil Service Bump Analysis Training equips unit HR with important information on how to conduct an initial bump analysis for Civil Service layoffs. 

• Thursday, May 1, from 10:00 to 11:30 a.m and
• Tuesday, May 13, from 1:00 p.m. to 2:30 p.m.

This in-person event will take place in Donhowe.

Register Today

Starting March 7, 2025, after people leave the University and their accounts close, if they return to the same department, the contents of their Google Workspace (email, drive, etc.) will not be restored. This is in alignment with University information security and data privacy standards. Instead, managers should require offboarding tasks BEFORE employees leave. Guidance is provided in the Leaving the University self-help guide.

From now on, and only on rare occasions, the only way to access the contents of these closed (de-provisioned) accounts will be through the Non-Standard Account Access. OIT shared this process at the recent HR Leads meeting. Additional details about the change are available. Please contact Katie Weber (kweber) with any questions.

A coalition of postdoc offices from 18 institutions has created the Postdoc Opportunities Board to promote postdoc recruitment. Use this free resource to recruit exceptional candidates for your open position. Please contact Mariam Banahi, Assistant Director of the Office of Postdoctoral Initiatives, at banah004@umn.edu with any questions. 

Benefits include:

• Free to Use: all faculty and staff from participating institutions may post an unlimited number of positions for free.
• Guaranteed Exposure: promoted to doctoral students and postdocs within the 18 member institutions twice per year, putting your posting in front of more than 83,000 prospective postdocs.
• Quick and Easy: simply complete a short online form for your posting to appear immediately on the Board.
• Institution Profiles: provide candidates with easy access to information on each featured institution, including benefits resources.
• Promotion of Recruitment Events: upcoming virtual and in-person postdoc recruitment events can be promoted on the site.

Visit https://pob.wisc.edu/ to get started. Contact the Postdoc Opportunities Board Moderators with any questions (pob-moderators@lists.osu.edu). 

To aid in a smooth LOA process, please respond promptly when an LOA specialist requests information. This helps ensure successful payroll processing. Also, please ensure the LOA team is notified whenever an employee returns to work. Whenever an employee returns to work after a leave of absence, the supervisor and local HR will be copied on the employee's closure email. If you do not receive a copy of a closure email, that indicates the LOA team is unaware of the employee's return. Please contact the Leave Administration team if you have any questions.

The Office of Human Resources (OHR) is looking for non-faculty employees to highlight in presentations and profiles on the OHR website. We're asking HR leads to nominate one or more colleagues you think may be a good fit. We’re seeking people from all employee groups, campuses, jobs, and backgrounds. Thanks for helping us highlight those who make the U of M a fantastic workplace. Please contact Libby Stille (still112) if you have any questions. 

Effective immediately, suspended employees will retain access to Google workspace and University logins. This is a change from a previously updated protocol shared in October 2024. For situations where there's a need to suspend access, requests should be sent to security@umn.edu.

The Graduate Assistant employment eligibility appendix has been updated to clarify that individuals are not permitted to hold multiple appointments in different employment groups simultaneously. This update formalizes what previously was a best practice. Please contact elr@umn.edu with any questions. 

HR at the U is an opportunity for NEW HR practitioners to gain an understanding of HR policies, principles, and practices at the University of Minnesota as well as network with other HR professionals from across the system. 

Trainings consist of two half-day sessions in person at Donhowe. (participants are asked to attend both days):

• Tuesday, April 8 from 1:00 to 4:30 p.m. and Wednesday, April 9 from 8:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.
• Tuesday, July 29 from 1:00 to 4:30 p.m. and Wednesday, July 30 from 8:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.
• Tuesday, December 2 from 1:00 to 4:30 p.m. and Wednesday, December 3 from 8:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.

HR at the U Registration

This training is designed to equip unit HR with important information on how to process step progressions and stability pay for Teamsters.

Dates are Zoom only:

• Thursday, February 27, 2025 from 10:00 to 11:00 a.m. or
• Thursday, April 10, 2025 from 2:00 to 3:00 p.m.

Teamsters Registration

Civil Service Bump Analysis 

This training is designed to equip unit HR with important information on how to conduct an initial bump analysis for Civil Service layoffs.

Dates are in-person only at Donhowe.

• Thursday, February 13, 2025 - 10:00 to 11:30 a.m. or
• Thursday, April 24, 2025 - 10:00 to 11:30 a.m.

Register Today

AFSCME, Civil Service, and Teamsters seniority rosters have been updated and can be found by following this path on the OHR website: Employees> Current Employees > Employee Relations > Seniority Rosters.

As we shared earlier this year, we will provide 30 days' notice before decommissioning the old PAT platform. This post is notice that the platform’s last day will be February 28, 2025.

What you need to know and next steps

All evaluations have been moved to the central/OHR Perceptive Content drawers. In addition, OIT is working to transfer them into local Perceptive Content drawers, which will allow direct access for local HR teams. This transfer is expected to be completed before the decommissioning. We will provide an update by February 21, 2025, to confirm whether:

1. Evaluations are available in local drawers or
2. A temporary access solution is needed

If a temporary solution is necessary, specific instructions will be shared at that time.

Action: Notify employees and supervisors.

We’ve created an email template for local HR teams to use to notify relevant employees and supervisors about the upcoming decommissioning and encourage them to download their evaluations for their convenience. 

PAT admins will also receive a notice today about the decommissioning, and local HR will inform the relevant employees and supervisors.

If it is more appropriate for the PAT admins to communicate this, please follow up with them to coordinate.

HR leads or PAT admins with immediate questions can reach out to talentstrategy@umn.edu. Employee and supervisor questions should be directed to local PAT admins.

On January 21, 2025, the Board of Regents approved the collective bargaining agreement (CBA) between the Graduate Labor Union-United Electrical, Radio and Machine Workers of America (GLU-UE) and the University.

The CBA is now active and runs through June 30, 2027. Here’s what you need to know.

Implementation Underway

The agreement sets forth the terms and conditions of employment for graduate assistants (GAs) systemwide. To implement the provisions of the CBA, Employee and Labor Relations (ELR) and OHR partners have developed training and resources to assist campus, college, and unit human resources and faculty supervisors of GAs. ELR has also been hosting a weekly “GA Contract Implementation Brown Bag” meeting series with HR Leads to address contract provisions and answer any questions. Finally, ELR has been attending key meetings with Associate Deans, Directors of Graduate Studies, etc., to discuss the provisions of the CBA.

The CBA is the reference for questions regarding any terms and conditions of employment for GAs and must be adhered to regarding wages, hours, benefits, and other provisions. We thank everyone who worked tirelessly to implement this contract by the start of the spring semester. We could not have done it without you! 

Any questions should be referred to ELR@umn.edu. 

GA Contract Resources 

The following resources have been implemented to help campuses, colleges, and units understand and adhere to the CBA.

Appointment Letter Template 

An updated appointment letter is now available on the OHR website with other template letters (see under Graduate Assistant). Users will be prompted to make a copy to edit when they click the link.

Job Aid for GA Leave Tracker

The job aid guide provides supervisors with a temporary process for effectively tracking personal days, sick leave, bereavement leave, and other paid time off taken by graduate assistants covered under the CBA. 

GA Leave Tracker

This is the GA leave tracker described within the job aid above. Note: the tracker does not include earned Sick and Safe Time and Parental Leave. Click the link to make a copy and start using it.

CBA Access

This is a zlink to the CBA (z.umn.edu/GA_CBA). You can also view it from the Active Contracts and Negotiations page on the OHR website. A signed version will be available once all signatures have been secured. 

Please continue to familiarize yourself with the CBA and share it with stakeholders such as faculty supervisors of GAs, graduate program coordinators, etc. If you identify areas in which your campus, college, or unit needs to modify existing practices, please work diligently on those items to ensure compliance and minimize grievances.

Action: Share Training Resources 

The following training topics should be shared with HR and GA supervisors in your campus, college, or unit.  GA supervisors are expected to complete the training as part of compliance and should also partner with their local HR if they have questions. 

• The GA training series is now complete and linked below. GA supervisors are expected to complete the training as part of compliance and should also partner with their campus, college, or unit HR if they have questions. 

• Part 1: Supervising GAs in a Union Environment (17 min)
  • Part 1 Slide Deck 
• Part 2: Understanding GA Appointments (17 min)
  • Part 2 Slide Deck 
• Part 3: Management, Union, and Other Rights (15 min) 
  • Part 3 Slide Deck 
• Part 4: Health and Safety (8 min)
  • Part 4 Slide Deck 
• Part 5: Respectful and Inclusive Work Environment (10 min) NEW 
  • Part 5 Slide Deck 
• Part 6: Discipline and Discharge (19 min) 
  • Part 6 Slide Deck
• Part 7: Grievances and Arbitration (14 min) NEW 
  • Part 7 Slide Deck 
• Part 8: Leaves of Absence (8 min) NEW 
  • Part 8 Slide Deck 
• Part 9: Compensation Considerations (7 min) NEW 
  • Part 9 Slide Deck

Graduate assistants (GAs) represented by GLU-UE who meet the eligibility criteria received an email notifying them of the 30-day window to opt-in to health care and/or dependent care flexible spending account (FSA) through the University. Coverage will be effective as of February 1, 2025, as long as the GA enrolls before the February 20 deadline.

Additionally, GLU-UE-represented GAs will receive a wage change notification for each appointment before the payday on February 5, 2025. 

Please reach out to Employee and Labor Relations with any questions. 

Please consider printing and displaying this poster in breakrooms or kitchens in support of the University's effort to let employees know they can voluntarily update their race, ethnicity, disability, and protected veteran status at any time. As a federal contractor, the University is required to take affirmative action to ensure that all individuals have an equal opportunity for employment. This poster is an effort to reach employees who may not use computers in their daily work. More information and instructions on how to update their status on MyU is available online.

Reminder: Submit Graduate Assistant pay change spreadsheets to Lesley Williams (baile549@umn.edu) by 5:00 p.m. on January 15, 2025. For questions about GLU-UE implementation, contact Lesley Williams or Coy Hillstead (chillste@umn.edu).

As of January 1, 2025, the University revised how employees can use Earned Sick and Safe Time (ESST) to align with a new state law. This applies to all ESST-eligible employees. The changes include:

Expanded Use  

Civil Service and Labor-represented employees may now use accrued sick time for an ESST-qualifying reason.

Eligible faculty and P&A employees can use up to the first ten days of an academic medical leave for an ESST-qualifying reason.

Documentation Requirements

Civil Service and Labor-represented employees cannot be asked to provide documentation for an absence (ESST-qualifying or not) until they out for three consecutive scheduled work days. This change supersedes department policies or contract language regarding documentation requirements 

As before, documentation is not required for faculty and P&A academic medical leave during the first 10 continuous days.

Definition of a Family Member

The ESST definition of family member is broader in many circumstances and now applies to sick time and the first ten days of academic medical leave for ESST-qualifying reasons.

Protection from Adverse Action

Employees cannot be disciplined or retaliated against because they used or attempted to use ESST. Time away using ESST cannot be counted as an absence that may result in adverse action under an attendance policy or point system. This extends to ESST-qualifying reasons when employees utilize their sick time or academic medical leave. 

The University anticipates additional guidance on the expanded use in early 2025.  After this guidance is released, applicable contracts and University policies will be updated later in 2025.

If you have questions about ESST, please contact your unit's HR representative, or email or call the OHR Contact Center at ohr@umn.edu, 612-624-8647, or 800-756-2363.

In rare cases, employees may start their appointment prior to the completion of a background check. Exceptions will only be considered if the background check and verification have not been completed five days after submission and if the position provides a critical service to the University or if the background check process has been delayed due to extenuating circumstances (e.g., a natural disaster). New employees shall not start in their role unless an exception has been granted by central HR. 

Background check exceptions must be requested through OHR’s Talent Acquisition (TA) department. To submit for an exception, hiring managers will follow the appropriate process: 

• For TA-supported positions: Reach out to their designated TA contact
• For all other positions: Reach out to their local HR department

They will then be asked to give more information, which will be submitted on their behalf by a TA representative or local HR department.

The University's policies on nepotism are currently undergoing the comprehensive review process. HR Leads and their teams are invited to review and comment on proposed revisions to the policies. Please send any comments to OED Associate Vice President Tina Marisam (marisam@umn.edu) by Friday, December 13.

We want to hear how your units are implementing HR best practices to support our broader HR community.

Please review this HR Leads Best Practices Topics form by Friday, December 20, 2024, and submit what topics you’d like to learn more about from your fellow HR Leads as well as content experts. 

Starting January 2025 we will reach out bi-monthly with a specific topic for you to share your best practices. We will share your input on a new web page scheduled to launch in February and continue to grow this toolkit on a bi-monthly basis.

PEAK Phase 2 colleges and administrative units will begin using the new service model on Monday, December 2. If you’re going to submit requests with the new service model, here’s what you need to know:

• TeamDynamix (TDX) training resources reminder: OHR’s PEAK: Training page has a collection of training resources available for PEAK units. The PEAK-HR Training Plan provides a recommended sequence for reviewing those resources. 
• TDX support: Help is available to all employees requesting services through TDX. You can get help by commenting on your TDX ticket or messaging the OHR Contact Center (ohr@umn.edu or 612-624-8647 or 800-756-2363). 
• Hypercare through January: OHR will provide additional resources (e.g., responding to issues and questions) to unit representatives throughout December and January. If you’re a Requestor, you can contact your local HR unit with any process questions. 
• Website updates for clarity: OHR anticipates increased web traffic from non-PEAK users after the go-live date. To ensure everyone finds the right information, callout boxes will appear on pages where PEAK and non-PEAK processes diverge. 

What to expect

The first few weeks may feel bumpy as people adjust to new technology and processes. While this is to be expected, the HR Operations Center and Talent Acquisition teams are here to support you.

Thank you for your patience and partnership as we navigate this important transition together.

To learn more about the service transition, read the PEAK Initiative’s article, “Go-Live for Phase 2 Units.” 

The use of the Paid Union Leave code in MyU should only be used by AFSCME President or Chief Steward. Questions regarding who receives union paid leave can be directed to the ELR team.

Starting January 1, 2025, University job postings on any sites that allow application submissions and hard copies of job postings must list budgeted pay range and general benefits information, as shared earlier via this newsletter and other channels. 

OHR will review job postings starting this month to bring the University into compliance and ensure that our postings remain compliant. You can find new information about the review process on the New Requirements for Pay and Benefit Information in Job Postings web page. 

Note that your teams are responsible for reviewing and updating hard copies of job descriptions to include budgeted pay and general benefits information. Please also update listings on any third-party sites that allow applicants to submit applications, such as Handshake. 

Please share this information with anyone involved with recruiting or entering job postings at your college or unit. HRMS training is also available for those who enter postings into Recruiting Solutions.

The deadline to update the PeopleSoft records of faculty retirees who are entitled to emeritus status is December 6, 2024. On December 7, Google Workspace and email accounts will close for people who retired before November 18, 2023 unless they have emeritus status and it is coded correctly in PeopleSoft. The job aid for coding tenure data fields is available on the HRMS Instruction site.

The emeritus status designation process was updated in August of 2023. There have been multiple communications to HR Leads regarding this change with the most recent one in Friday Connection on October 18, 2024. 

What Happens if Emeritus Accounts are Closed

In the event that a faculty emeritus account is closed (due to improper coding in PeopleSoft), they will be unable to access their email and Google Workspace. It is likely that these individuals will contact the Office of Information Technology’s (OIT) Technology Help service desk, which will prompt the following process:

1. The Technology Help technician will direct the caller to contact their departmental HR team 

2. The departmental HR professional verifies that the individual is eligible for emeritus status and updates the individual’s record in PeopleSoft 

3. The HR professional emails iam@umn.edu with the emeritus faculty member’s email address requesting that their Google Workspace and email account is restored

4. The Office of Information Technology restores the account 

To avoid emeritus faculty frustration and additional effort by HR and OIT, we strongly encourage all HR departments ensure their emeritus faculty records are coded correctly by December 6, 2024. 

The University recently learned that the Graduate Labor Union-United Electrical, Radio, and Machine Workers of America (GLU-UE) will hold a strike authorization vote for its members on October 28-31.

Next steps and answers to bargaining, unit clarification, and the MSQ questions can be found on the GLU-UE Contract Negotiation page on the OHR website.

More information about recent mediation and the petition is available on the OHR website.

As the development of the Performance Appraisal Tool (PAT) continues behind the scenes, we wanted to remind the HR community of the current and future stages and action expectations.

Current Stage: Goal Setting

What it means:

• Employees now have year-round access to goal setting within PAT where they can both set new goals for the year and upload goals from previous years if they want access to them on the new platform.

Required action:

• Nothing. PAT administrators do not need to do anything to give supervisors and employees access to goals.
• Optional: HR Leads can send the fifth communication from the transition guide if needed.

Up Next: Training and Expanded Access

What it means:

• Administrative access to the evaluation functionality will be available in late December to prepare for the next year's evaluations.

Required action:

• Training must be completed before administrative access is granted. The training is available now, but Talent Strategy recommends completing it closer to the December launch so the information is fresh in your mind. Talent Strategy will provide virtual working sessions in December to help set up evaluations and answer questions.

Contact Shannon Luloff (smacdon1@umn.edu) with any questions.

We’ve received such positive feedback on the presentations from our OHR teams that we’ve made them available for review on the HR Summit webpage in the “Speakers, Topics, and Presentations” section. Please feel free to share the link with your team.

Side note: Ken’s submission to the book/podcast/TV recommendations slide deck was “Braiding Sweetgrass” by Robin Wall Kimmerer.

If you or a member of your team were unable to attend one of the strategic planning sessions at the HR Summit, we’d still love for you to share your insights. Please complete the exercise on this worksheet and submit your thoughts through this Google Form. The form closes at 4:00 p.m. on Friday, October 18, 2024.

Employee and Labor Relations is pleased to offer the following training opportunities. Please share these events with your appropriate staff.

Corrective Action and Discipline

This in-person training covers the University's approach to corrective action and discipline, just cause/due process basics, the specific steps for each employee group, documentation, and channels for disputes.

Thursday, October 17, 2024
1:00–3:00 p.m.
210 Donhowe 
Register Today

Investigations

This in-person training is intended for HR Leads and consultants, who are HR Pro 3 or above on your team, who conduct investigations as part of their job.

Tuesday, October 29, 2024
1:00–3:00 p.m.
210 Donhowe 
Register Today

HR @ the U

HR @ the U is an in-person opportunity for NEW HR practitioners to gain an understanding of HR policies, principles, and practices at the University of Minnesota as well as network with other HR professionals from across the system. 

Tuesday, December 3, 2024
1:00–4:30 p.m. and 

Wednesday, December 4, 2024
8:30 a.m.–12:00 p.m.

Register Today

AFSCME-coordinated centralized new employee orientation (NEO) meetings will be held the first and third Wednesdays of the month from 12:00-1:00 p.m.

The meetings will be 30 minutes; however, an employee can choose to use their lunch break for an additional 30 minutes (1 hour total). AFSCME will provide lunch.

Second and third shift employees will be invited but are not expected to attend because it is off work hours. The union will schedule Zoom NEO with these employees if they do not attend the central meeting.

Distant staff (Extension, CUHCC, MIDB, CFANS outreach, etc.) will continue their practice of using Zoom.

Staff who are fully remote will be invited to the AFSCME NEOs but if they cannot attend, AFSCME will need to coordinate a Zoom meeting.

Supervisors are encouraged to be flexible with scheduling so that staff can attend and with travel time to and from the meeting.

OHR will continue to send AFSCME the biweekly list with contact information for new hires. AFSCME will handle the communications to new employees informing them of the time and location of the meetings. The University will continue to reinforce that attending these meetings with the union are an expectation of a new employee’s orientation.

Please contact Coy Hillstead (chillste@umn.edu) or Jean Leuthner (leut0004@umn.edu) with questions.

Starting January 1, 2025, the University must list the budgeted pay range and general benefits information in every job posting. The new statute (Minnesota State Statute Sec. 42. [181.173]) applies to all Minnesota employers with 30 or more employees. The requirement applies to all University job postings, including on third-party sites, as well as postings for student workers. Hard copies of job descriptions must also include budgeted pay and general benefits information.

The OHR Talent Acquisition team will be hosting two drop-in sessions about the legislation on October 10 and 17, 2024. Learn more about the legislation and sign up to attend a drop-in session on the “New Requirements for Pay and Benefit Information in Job Postings” web page. 

Please share this information with anyone involved with recruiting or entering job postings at your college or unit. They are also invited to attend the drop-in sessions. 

Reminder: Please use the Emergency Account Termination Request form when access removal from University technology platforms and systems is time sensitive. Requests can also be emailed to ERTerm@umn.edu. Please do not use the request form for cases of standard and routine off-boarding (i.e. standard non-renewals or probationary release, voluntary transfers, etc.). Standard off-boarding procedures in those instances are appropriate.

Please welcome Lesley Williams and Clare Schleichert to the ELR team! They begin September 24, 2024, as Senior Labor Relations Consultants. Lesley has more than 13 years of experience leading complex labor relations functions in the health and refinery industry where she's served as lead negotiator for multiple collective bargaining agreements. Clare has more than 10 years of experience in the health field as a trusted advisor on labor relations matters. She has experience leading negotiations, mediating, and responding to large organizing campaigns. We are excited to have them join our team.

The new Broadcast Technicians (IBEW), Printers (1-B, and 1-M) Contracts are available on the OHR site. 

• Broadcast Technicians IBEW contract runs from June 17, 2024, through June 30, 2027.
• Printers 1-B contract runs from July 1, 2024, through June 30, 2027. 
• Printers 1-M contract runs from July 1, 2024, through June 30, 2027.

The contracts can also be found by going to Current Employees>>Contracts and Negotiations>>Active Contracts and Negotiations.

Minnesota recently implemented changes to pregnancy and parental leaves. The changes are in effect for all employees, regardless if the employee is covered under FMLA.  The changes are as follows:

• All employees who are biological or adoptive parents, in conjunction with a birth or adoption, are eligible for 12 weeks of unpaid, job protected leave.
• Employers are required to maintain health insurance provided the employee pays their cost of the benefit.
• Any/all prenatal medical appointments will not reduce the 12 week allowance.

For University employees, this means: 

• All employees, whether birth or non birth parent are eligible to take 12 weeks of unpaid, job protected leave when they become a parent through birth or adoption whether they are FMLA eligible or not. 
• All current benefits will remain in effect while the employee is out on leave as long as they continue to pay their portion of the premiums.
• Time away for prenatal medical appointments will NOT reduce the 12 weeks of unpaid, job protected leave that can be used after the baby is born.
• If the employee is FMLA eligible, this will run concurrently with the Pregnancy & Parental Leave.

With the new academic year beginning, Talent Acquisition wants to remind hiring managers to send background check invitation links to candidates in a timely manner to allow ample time for the background checks to be completed. Sending out the invitation quickly allows for more time for the candidate to complete it before the start date. This practice also helps if there are unforeseen delays. 

Once sent, please monitor the background check invitation to ensure the candidate completes the process promptly. The background check is initiated once the candidate submits their information, not when the email is sent.

Please note that there has been an increase in background check exception requests. Only in rare circumstances will individuals be granted an exception by the Office of Human Resources to start their appointment prior to the completion of the background check and verification. 

Exceptions will only be considered if the required background check and verifications have not been completed after five days from when the individual submitted their information and the position provides a service critical to the mission of the University and the delay in their employment impacts the University’s ability to provide this service; or the background check and verification process has been impacted by extenuating circumstances, such as a natural disaster, pandemic, etc.

As a reminder, the University must comply with new employee orientation (NEO) requirements under PELRA. New labor-represented employees are expected to attend NEO, it is not optional since it is a part of their orientation. The Minn. Stat. Sec. 179A.07, Subd. 9 law allows unions to have in-person access to new employees in the bargaining unit for 30 minutes of paid time within 30 days of starting employment. If new employee orientations are being held, the applicable union(s) should be notified by local HR at least 10 days in advance. HR shall work with the union(s) to ensure compliance with this requirement which applies to all unions at the University, including LELS, 1-M, 1-B, IBEW, Trades Council(s), Teamsters, AFSCME, UEA-D, UEA-C, and GLU-UE. Local HR is also responsible for ensuring all supervisors understand the NEO requirements and their role in ensuring new employees attend NEO with their unions. 

For Graduate Assistants: Note that NEO requirements pertain to employees. They DO NOT pertain to graduate students or fellows who are not in GA appointments.  If you encounter the union requesting to meet with graduate students or fellows, please contact Senior Labor Consultant Coy Hillstead. 

Additionally, remember that the following resources are available to the HR community to help ensure compliance with the new law. 

• Link to List of Union Representatives (.doc)
• Reporting Tools and New Employee Orientation Meetings (.doc)
• Guide to New Employee Orientation (.doc)
• Minn. Stat. Sec. 179A.07, Subd. 9
• Campus, College, Unit NEO contacts (pdf) (Unions utilize this list to know who to contact.)  Please email ELR@umn.edu when updates need to be made. 

The Equal Opportunity and Title IX Office and the Sexual Misconduct Prevention Program are developing a new systemwide training for employees on preventing sexual misconduct and discrimination. This training will launch in March of 2025; all current employees will be required to complete the training. All new employees will be required to complete the training upon hire. The new training replaces the current sexual misconduct prevention training assigned to new employees. 

As the University’s HR Leads, please promote the importance of this topic and training with the senior leadership in the colleges, departments, and offices you serve. 

The purpose of this training is to ensure all employees:

• Understand what sexual misconduct and discrimination are;
• Understand their role in preventing and responding to sexual misconduct and discrimination; and 
• Understand the University’s role and responsibilities in preventing and responding to sexual misconduct and discrimination.

Training content will include: 

• Relevant definitions and policies related to the University’s prohibition of sexual misconduct and discrimination, as well as related resources
• Education on prevention and intervention strategies
• Practice scenarios and knowledge checks
• Pre- and post-training assessments 

More information will be shared as the training develops. Please contact Maggie Campe (campe052@umn.edu) with questions. 

As of July 1, 2024, workers in Minnesota can request to view their personnel or work records every six months and challenge any information they believe is in error. Employers must inform new hires about these rights and cannot retaliate against employees for using them. 

A recent legislative update now allows employees to use ESST benefits to make funeral arrangements, attend a funeral service or memorial, or address financial or legal matters that arise after the death of a family member.

Updated AFSCME and Teamsters seniority rosters are now available on the OHR website by following this path: Employees > Current Employees > Employee Relations > Seniority Rosters. 

If you have not done so already, please review the status of your faculty in PeopleSoft to ensure those who should be faculty emeriti are coded correctly. This should be completed by December 2024. There are a few emeriti training resource links available (note that you will first be asked to log in to the HRMS Instruction page): 

• Retiring Emeriti Faculty
• Add a Person / POI
• Tenure Data Fields

Feel free to replicate the PDF form CEHD uses to gather information from their departments. Contact Lori Mein (l-mein@umn.edu) with questions.

The goal-setting portion of the new PAT platform goes live on Monday, July 29, 2024. At that time, supervisors and employees will be able to log in and set goals to start the performance cycle. Talent Strategy recommends HR leads send either option A or B of email number four from the PAT Transition Guide depending on whether or not they will host workshops for supervisors. 

The ability to document ongoing check-ins and write evaluations will be available in early January 2025.

Additionally, PAT Administrator Training launches next week via Canvas. Those designated as PAT administrators (except view-only admins) will receive an email invitation to complete the course.

We are pleased to welcome Jessica McCann back to the University as the HR lead for University Libraries!  Jessica recently worked as an HR manager for a local IT company. However, many of you have partnered with Jessica in previous years as an HR colleague on the ELR team, the College of Education and Human Development, and the College of Design. Jessica has a wealth of HR experience and we are excited to welcome Jessica back to the University in this HR leadership role. 

The presentation materials from the June 24, 2024, session are now available:

• Slides
• HR competency architecture
• Selecting Talent Certificate (self-paced)  

The next step is for HR leads to complete the Selecting Talent Certificate which prepares you to hire for HR positions and how to use the HR competency architecture resources. 

Organizers kindly request that you also complete the post-session survey by the end of next week.

Planning is underway for this year’s HR summit scheduled for Tuesday, October 8, 2024, at Huntington Bank Stadium. Last year we learned that some members of local HR teams are not in the HR job family. To ensure that those team members are invited to this year’s event, please take a moment to add their name to this form so that we include them in the August “save the date” email.

Natasha Rodich will join the College of Veterinary Medicine as HR Director on July 9. Natasha has extensive experience in progressive human resource management including strategic partnering, employee relations, talent acquisition, policy and program development, and compensation. Her career includes years of HR roles within Sysco Corporation, the medical device industry, the University of Minnesota, and the University of St. Thomas. Please help us welcome Natasha back to the University.

Hiring letter templates have been streamlined to eliminate multiple versions for each employee group. The new templates prompt hiring managers to insert the offer information into a table allowing the candidate to see the details at a glance rather than search for the information in blocks of text. The new letters are available on the OHR Hiring Letter Templates webpage and match those auto-generated for units transitioning through PEAK.

Supervisors must complete outstanding evaluations on the soon-to-be-retired PAT platform by Sunday, June 30, 2024. Access to the platform becomes view-only throughout July and August. Prior evaluations are not migrating to the new platform but will be automatically transferred to personnel files. Local HR must approve all evaluations that they want automatically transferred, including all previous years. Instructions on how to do this can be found in this PAT Admin Guide under the "approving multiple." Evaluations that are not through the approval stage will not be transferred. Employees do not need to sign their evaluations for them to be moved to the new platform. 

ELR created a new resource available to the HR community to provide resources for uncommon situations HR professionals may manage. The webpage shares steps to take if an employee has not reported to work and may need a wellness check. Additional topics will be added to the page as resources are developed. 

The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) released final regulations under the PWFA. The new regulations take effect June 18, 2024. This article summarizes many of the changes. Please contact the DRC or the ELR team with specific employee situations requiring guidance.

We will post the following information on the OHR site today.

During the 2024 Legislative session, several changes were made to The Public Employment Labor Relations Act (PELRA) that specifically impact the University and go into effect on July 1, 2024. The changes include:

• The expansion of the definition of a public employee.
• Employee groups represented by the same or different unions may now participate in joint bargaining.
• The deletion of Civil Service (Unit 12), Civil Service Supervisors (Unit 13), P&A (Unit 11), and Twin Cities faculty (Unit 8) as mandated bargaining units. 
• The ability for groups of employees to petition the Bureau of Mediation Services (BMS) to determine appropriate units for future bargaining.  

Employees in deleted PELRA units will continue to be governed by existing Civil Service Rules, P&A Policies, and Tenure Code. The terms and conditions of their appointments remain unchanged. 

The legislation is available online with the relevant information beginning in Article 8

The Minnesota Legislature passed changes to the Public Employee Labor Relations Act (PELRA) on May 19, 2024. The changes can be found starting on page 720 of the super omnibus bill. These updates take effect on July 1, 2024. We are working with the Office of the General Counsel to understand the impact of the changes on employees and OHR. We will provide updates in the weeks ahead.

Take a moment to review the new Professional and Administrative Employee Group (P&A) resources on the OHR website. The page contains links to commonly referenced policies affecting P&As as well as guidance and procedures that impact this employee group. Of note, you can also review the Guidelines for Non-Renewal of P&A Employees and Planning for a Non-Renewal Meeting on the site.

This training is designed to equip HR community participants with important information about understanding union grievances and the processes at the University of Minnesota.

The following topics will be covered:

• responding to step I grievances
• facilitating step II and III union grievance hearings
• preparing hearing officers for union grievance hearings
• preparing management representatives to preset at union grievance hearings
• resources

The trainings are offered on the following days:

• June 24, 2024 from 1:00 to 3:00 p.m. in person at Donhowe 
• June 26, 2024 from 9:00 to 11:00 a.m. via Zoom 
• July 24, 2024 from 9:00 to 11:00 a.m. via Zoom (new session)

Register today.

This training is designed to equip HR community participants with important information about understanding and supervising in a union environment at the University of Minnesota.

The following topics will be covered:

• PELRA
• union basics
• obligations and rights
• coaching and corrective action

The training is August 19, 2024 from 1:00 to 3:00 p.m. in person at Donhowe

Register today.

This training covers important information about the University's approach to corrective action, fundamentals of effective performance management and feedback, corrective action for probationary and continuing employees, just cause and due process basics, the specific corrective action steps for each employee group, documentation, and channels for disputing corrective action.

The trainings are offered on the following days:

• Tuesday, June 4 from 9:00 to 11:00 a.m. via Zoom
• Tuesday, June 11 from 1:00 to 3:00 p.m. in person, Donhowe Room 210

Register today.

HR at the U is an opportunity for NEW HR practitioners to gain an understanding of HR policies, principles, and practices at the University of Minnesota as well as network with other HR professionals from across the system.

The training will consist of two half-day sessions held in person in Donhowe, room 210 (participants are asked to attend both days):

• Tuesday, July 30 from 1:00 to 4:30 p.m. and
• Wednesday, July 31 from 8:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. 

Register today.

Take a moment to review the new Professional and Administrative Employees (P&A) resources on the OHR website. The page contains links to commonly referenced policies affecting P&As as well as guidance and procedures that impact this employee group. Of note, you can also review the Guidelines for Non-Renewal of P&A Employees and Planning for a Non-Renewal Meeting on the site.

This training is designed to equip HR community participants with important information about understanding Union Grievances and the processes at the University of Minnesota.

The following topics will be covered:

• responding to step 1 grievances
• facilitating step II and III union grievance hearings
• preparing hearing officers for union grievance hearings
• preparing management representatives to preset at union grievance hearings
• resources

The trainings are offered on the following days:

• June 24, 2024 at 1:00 to 3:00 p.m. in person at Donhowe 
• June 26, 2024 at 9:00 to 11:00 a.m. via Zoom 

Registration is now open.

This training covers important information about the University's approach to corrective action, fundamentals of effective performance management and feedback, corrective action for probationary and continuing employees, just cause and due process basics, the specific corrective action steps for each employee group, documentation, and channels for disputing corrective action.

The trainings are offered on the following days:

• Tuesday, June 4 at 9:00 to 11:00 a.m. via Zoom
• Tuesday, June 11 at 1:00 to 3:00 p.m. in person, Donhowe Room 210

Registration is now open.

This training covers important information about the University's approach to corrective action, fundamentals of effective performance management and feedback, corrective action for probationary and continuing employees, just cause and due process basics, the specific corrective action steps for each employee group, documentation, and channels for disputing corrective action.

The trainings are offered on the following days:

• Tuesday, June 4 at 9:00 to 11:00 a.m. via Zoom
• Tuesday, June 11 at 1:00 to 3:00 p.m. in person, Donhowe Room 210

To RSVP, please fill out the Registration Form.

Dave Fuecker is no longer the Chair of ETAT. OHR is working with senior leaders to determine the best ETAT structure for the University and will keep you informed. In the meantime, if you have an immediate need, please contact UMPD. If it is not an immediate need, contact Senior Consultant Laura Larson (lars2765@umn.edu). She will work with you and leverage University resources and partners (including Dave) to determine appropriate next steps to manage the situation. 
 

Please remind recruiters and hiring managers in your college or unit to request motor vehicle records (MVR) checks when hiring for any position that requires a valid driver's license. You can order the candidate's MVR check along with the background check. If you have any questions, please reach out to your college's or unit's assigned Talent Acquisition consultant. 

To ensure compliance and consistency across the institution, ELR developed a process for HR Leads to request a MOU or grievance settlements about applicable union/collective bargaining agreements.  As a single employer, it is extremely important we adhere to a centralized process for such requests to mitigate risks and ensure awareness of contractual obligations. For questions, please contact ELR@umn.edu.

• Grievance and MOU Process Flowchart
• Grievance Settlement Template
• MOU Template

We want to thank colleges, campuses, and units who are ensuring that new labor-represented employees are attending New Employee Orientation (NEO). Not only are you helping new employees transition smoothly into their roles, you are also helping the University comply with PELRA. Unfortunately, we continue to receive concerns from AFSCME, Teamsters, and GLU-UE that some colleges, campuses, and units are not complying with the NEO requirements. Here is what we have been told: 

• HR is not informing the union of when NEO will take place
• HR and/or supervisors are telling employees that NEO is optional
• Supervisors are not sending employees to union NEO
• HR points of contact for NEO are not responding to union outreach in select campus, college, or units

As a reminder, the University must comply with NEO requirements under PELRA. New labor-represented employees are expected to attend NEO, it is not optional since it is a part of their orientation. The Minn. Stat. Sec. 179A.07, Subd. 9 law allows unions to have in-person access to new employees in the bargaining unit for 30 minutes of paid time within 30 days of starting employment. If new employee orientations are being held, the applicable union(s) should be notified by local HR at least 10 days in advance. HR shall work with the union(s) to ensure compliance with this requirement which apply to all unions at the University, including LELS, 1-M, 1-B, IBEW, Trades Council(s), Teamsters, AFSCME, UEA-D, UEA-C, and GLU-UE. Local HR is also responsible for ensuring all supervisors understand the NEO requirements and their role in making sure new employees attend NEO with their unions. Thank you for your attention to this matter.

Additionally, please remember that the following resources are available to the HR community to help ensure compliance with the new law. 

• Link to List of Union Representatives
• Reporting Tools and New Employee Orientation Meetings
• Guide to New Employee Orientation
• Minn. Stat. Sec. 179A.07, Subd. 9
• Campus, College, Unit NEO contacts  (Unions utilize this list to know who to contact.)

Please email ELR@umn.edu when updates need to be made. 

Beginning Monday, May 13, all benefits-eligible employees can adjust their benefits in MyU within 30 days of a qualifying life event—like marriage, divorce, birth or adoption of a child, a change in eligibility, or another life event. This means benefits-eligible employees can make important benefit changes when it’s convenient for them. MyU also provides better data security and quicker service times, so employees will see their changes sooner. OHR has prepared a communications toolkit to help you share this update with your teams.

The transition to the modernized Performance Appraisal Tool (PAT) is less than two months away. If you have not already done so, please review the PAT Toolkit for HR Leads and the suggested timeline for when to share communications with supervisors. The toolkit includes email templates HR Leads can use to provide information to people impacted by the transition. Additional information is coming soon. Contact Shannon Luloff (smacdon1@umn.edu) with any questions.

Next week an email will be sent to all UMN retirees reminding them to ensure their benefit contact email information is updated to a non-University email address. This is due to the changes to U of M email and Google Workspace offerings for employees who retire from the University. We bring this to your attention as you may be contacted by retirees unsure of how they will be affected or by retired faculty who are unsure if they hold emeriti status. Google Workspace offerings for  emeriti faculty are not affected by the changes.

ELR is offering Corrective Action and Discipline Training for HR Professionals (non-labor represented). This training covers:

• the University's approach to corrective action,
• fundamentals of effective performance management and feedback,
• corrective action for probationary and continuing employees,
• just cause and due process basics,
• the specific corrective action steps for each employee group,
• documentation and channels for disputing corrective action.
   

HR professionals interested in attending can select from two options:

• Wednesday, May 22 from 9:00 to 11:00 a.m. in person, Donhowe Room 210
• Tuesday, June 4 from 9:00 to 11:00 a.m. via Zoom

Complete this form to register.

Language outlining an employee’s responsibility to return equipment purchased with University funds has been added to all hiring letter templates hosted on the OHR website. Equipment must be returned within five business days or a bill will be sent to the employee. A link to the policy is also included in the letter.

The OHR Talent Acquisition team has updated the SkillSurvey reference process to require three references, including one from a manager/supervisor. Previously, SkillSurvey required five references. Hiring managers can still add more than three references if needed. Learn more about SkillSurvey on the OHR website.

Please remind supervisors to share with any of their graduating student workers that their access to University applications like Gmail and Google Workspace, Zoom, and Microsoft 365 will change. The Leaving the University self-help guide describes what will change and the timeline. The guide also outlines the changes faculty and staff can expect when leaving the University.

Faculty emeriti will retain access to Gmail and Google Workspace as per University policy. 

Effective immediately, the University’s unemployment vendor, Experian, has changed over to encrypted emails for processing Unemployment Claims to protect the claimant’s SSN. 

The designated UI contact at the College/Unit will receive the encrypted email and will need to log on to a secure portal to view and complete the claim. To access the claim, click on "Read the message" and then click on "Sign in with a One-time passcode". An email will be sent to you with the code. Please reply directly in the encrypted message with the information and documentation regarding the separation of the employee.

Please contact  elr@umn.edu with any issues or questions regarding this change.

We are delighted to announce that after thorough and constructive negotiations, an agreement has been reached with the University Education Association (UEA), which represents University of Minnesota Crookston and University of Minnesota Duluth faculty.

Next, UEA members will vote to ratify the three-year contract for both campuses. If ratified, the contract will then be considered by the University of Minnesota Board of Regents.

Our sincere appreciation to everyone involved in the negotiation process, including members of the Duluth and Crookston management teams, UEA leadership, Bureau of Mediation Services, and our dedicated Labor Relations team. 

The ELR Roles and Responsibilities chart has been updated to reflect our new team members. You can find it on the “Who We Are and How We Help” page on the OHR site Home>HR Community>Who We Are and How We Help.

Join other Twin Cities colleges and units in the first Diversity Career Fair organized by the OHR'S Talent Acquisition team. The fair will be held on Thursday, May 30, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m, at the McNamara Alumni Center. Twin Cities colleges, units, and departments are invited to host tables at the fair, which will be advertised widely throughout the Twin Cities metro area.

This fair will be an opportunity for job seekers to learn more about the broad array of full- and part-time jobs available at the University, from researchers to finance professionals to maintenance workers. This fair is a great venue to promote your college or unit work environment to diverse job seekers, even if you do not have many jobs open on May 30.

If you would like to participate, please reach out to your HR Lead to learn more. Signing up is free and commits you to at least one table at the event. You can also request multiple tables for multiple departments. A total of 50 tables will be available–claim your free table(s) now while space is available! Reservations are due April 30.

The Vietnam Era Veterans’ Readjustment Assistance Act (VEVRAA), originally passed in 1974 and updated in 2014, is a federal law which prohibits discrimination against returning veterans. In addition to Vietnam-era veterans, this law also includes several other categories of veterans, called protected veterans:

• Disabled veterans
• Recently separated veterans
• Active duty wartime or campaign veterans
• Campaign badge veterans
• Armed Forces service medal veterans

Requirements

List all employment openings with the appropriate employment service delivery system with the state workforce agency job bank (Minnesotaworks.net). The opening must be posted in conspicuous places available to employees and applicants for employment and in a way that will allow that system to provide priority referrals of veterans protected by VEVRAA for that job vacancy.

“All employment openings” includes all positions except:

• Executive and senior management
• Positions filled from within an organization where no consideration is given to persons outside the organization (e.g. student workers, graduate assistants)
• Positions that the contractor proposes to fill from regularly established “recall” lists (e.g. priority hire)
• Positions lasting three days or less
   

This is from the VEVRAA Code of Federal Regulations.

Key Considerations

To comply with VEVRAA, all positions at the University, including temporary and casual positions, must be posted. OHR has updated the Hiring Faculty and Staff administrative policy to reflect the job posting requirements.

All teaching positions must be posted, this includes lecturers, adjunct faculty etc. 

Consider posting continuous (evergreen) requisitions for positions you know you will fill throughout the year.

Temp Casuals, as listed in the union contract, must be posted. 

Roles and Responsibilities

Below are the roles and responsibilities of OHR, Local HR, Supervisors, Staffing Operations, and Talent Acquisition.

FAQ

Do we need to post post-doc positions? 

Postdocs are not considered students; they are employees with benefits. Therefore, their positions should be posted. 

Do I have to post temporary positions? 

Yes.

Do I have to post lecturer positions? 

Yes. 

Do I have to post student positions? 

No. Currently, there is no posting requirement for student positions.  

Do I have to post temporary positions for seasonal work?

Yes. We suggest placing continuous postings. 

Do I have to post a position for a returning lecturer? 

No, as long as this person applied to the position before and is returning to the same position within one year. 

How long do I need to post a position? 

Every position must be posted for a minimum of 7 calendar days. 

Can I hire a recently graduated student worker into a temp casual position without posting it?

Yes, you can hire them for up to 3 months.

Do I have to post a paid internship? 

It depends. If it is an internship part of a student's study, then no, you do not need to post it. If it isn't, then you do need to post the position.

Do interim roles need to be posted internally and externally?

​No.

Do I have to post a position when the person is going on a short work break (SWB) and coming back as a part-time employee for the summer? 

No.

Additional Questions or Clarifications

Please reach out to your TA contact.

The Talent Strategy team is in the final stages of modernizing the University’s Performance Appraisal Tool (PAT) and has created a PAT Toolkit for HR Leads. The toolkit includes training information, a suggested timeline for communications to supervisors, and templates for HR Leads to use to prepare their units/college. The refreshed platform will launch in June and will provide a more intuitive user experience and resolve current pain points. A special thank you to Megan Ferden, Lynda Flores, and Jordan Denney for reviewing the toolkit. Contact Shannon Luloff (smacdon1@umn.edu) with any questions.

Laura Larson will be joining the ELR team on March 18, 2024. She has 20 years of HR leadership experience in the College of Veterinary Medicine and has been a strong partner with OHR. We are excited to have her be a part of our team. Please help us welcome Laura to OHR. An updated ELR Roles and Responsibilities chart will be available soon.

HR @ the U is an opportunity for NEW HR practitioners to gain an understanding of HR policies, principles, and practices at the University of Minnesota as well as network with fellow HR professionals from across the system. 

We will host HR at the U on the following dates:

March:

• Tuesday, March 19 from 1:00 to 4:30 p.m. and 
• Wednesday, March 20 from 8:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.

Location: Donhowe Building, Room 210

To RSVP, please fill out the registration form by Monday, March 11.

A new letter template is available to designate Essential and Back-Up Essential Employees for Campus and Building closures or a declaration of Reduced Operations.  This is saved as an appendix under the University State of Emergency: Human Resources Implications policy.

 It is expected that all Essential and Back-Up Essential Employees be notified of their role in writing.  This completed letter shall be saved in the employee’s personnel file. 

We periodically receive questions on what job codes fall under the GA bargaining unit.  Please see below for a summary.  During bargaining with GLU-UE and the maintenance of status quo, terms and conditions of employment should not be modified for staff in these codes.   

HR Lead
OHR is hiring an HR Lead (job code: 9351GT) to shape and execute HR strategies and activities for OHR and its departments, including overseeing the PEAK Office. The ideal candidate will have at least six years of experience; a commitment to promoting equity, diversity, and inclusion; and strong analytical, problem-solving, and communication skills.

Priority consideration will be given to internal candidates through March 14, 2024. Please share the job posting (job ID: 359858) with anyone you think may be interested. 

Classification Analyst
OHR is also hiring a classification analyst (job code: 8182HR). Successful candidates have a combined total of at least six years of education and experience, enjoy working at the University, and are interested in job classification. Experience with job classification is a plus but not required. Please share the job posting (job ID: 359894) with anyone who may be interested.

The 2024 HR Summit will be on Tuesday, October 8, 2024, at Huntington Bank Stadium. It will be an all-day event and all HR professionals systemwide will be invited. We will share more information as planning progresses. Please share this information with your teams.

The Data Access and Privacy Office created a slide deck to help new employees understand data practices and records and data management at the University. Please include the slides in your new employee onboarding plan. Contact Susan McKinney (mckin018@umn.edu) with any questions.

HR at the U is an opportunity for NEW HR practitioners to gain an understanding of HR policies, principles, and practices at the University of Minnesota as well as to network with other HR professionals from across the system. 

We will host HR at the U on the following dates:

March

• Tuesday, March 19 from 1:00 to 4:30 p.m. and
• Wednesday, March 20 from 8:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.

• Tuesday, July 30 from 1:00 to 4:30 p.m. and
• Wednesday, July 31 from 8:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.

• Tuesday, December 3 from 1:00 to 4:30 p.m. and 
• Wednesday, December 4 from 8:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.

At the request of the Graduate School, we are sharing a new and free resource available to recruit exceptional candidates for your open postdoc positions. The University of Minnesota has joined a coalition of postdoc offices from 17 institutions to create the Postdoc Opportunities Board to promote postdoc recruitment. This email will be sent out to faculty who supervise postdocs, and research associate deans. Please direct your questions to the Graduate School. 

Thursday, February 22, 2024, 10:00–11:00

If an employee is interested in attending U of M Day at the Capitol, the supervisor would need to support it, and the employee will need to take vacation time to attend (whether exempt or non-exempt). Additionally, employees are encouraged to sign up to be a U of M advocate.

As a reminder, the new Minn. Stat. Sec. 179A.07, Subd. 9 law allows unions to have in-person access to new employees in the bargaining unit for 30 minutes of paid time within 30 days of starting employment. If new employee orientations are being held, the applicable union(s) must be notified by local HR at least 10 days in advance. Please work with the unions to ensure compliance with this new requirement which apply to all unions at the University, including LELS, 1-M, 1-B, IBEW, Trades Council(s), Teamsters, AFSCME, UEA-D, UEA-C, and GLU-UE. 

The following resources are available to the HR community to help ensure compliance with the new law:   

• Link to List of Union Representatives  (Note: there is a new email address for GLU-UE outreach.)  
• Reporting Tools and New Employee Orientation Meetings
• Guide to New Employee Orientation
• Minn. Stat. Sec. 179A.07, Subd. 9

We recently presented to the Graduate Program Coordinators regarding appointment letters. Please see below for the points covered. You may copy the reminder below and disseminate it to applicable staff who are involved in GA appointment letters. 

As a reminder, campus, college, or units should not engage in the following:
 

• Unilaterally change GA terms and conditions of employment, including compensation because that is a subject of bargaining. 

• Engage in discussion with GAs regarding subjects of bargaining.

The following is language to incorporate into your appointment letters:
 

• The University is currently in collective bargaining with the graduate assistant union (GLU-UE) and compensation amounts are subject to change pending the outcomes of bargaining.

Relocation or lump sum payments need to involve unit human resources who will then email the request to pay GA relocation or lump sum payments to elr@umn.edu (as communicated in the November 10, 2023, ELR Connection). 

Additionally, as part of the maintenance of status quo, departments should not unilaterally change the substance of their appointment letters.  Appointment letters are a subject of bargaining.  

Once we have reached a tentative agreement with GLU-UE, Employee and Labor Relations will offer training on various contract provisions, including appointment letters.  For any questions, please contact Coy Hillstead, Sr. Labor Relations Consultant, OHR Employee and Labor Relations (chillste@umn.edu).  

Effective today, ELR Liaison Staci Darling will be the UReport Coordinator. In this role, she will review, assign and ensure UReports are completed in a timely manner. We will be rolling out a standard UReport process and timeline in the near future to all HR Leads. In the meantime, please make sure your HR staff who are involved in investigations complete ELR’s Investigation at the U training.

This is a reminder that employees whose positions are designated as “Essential” (pertaining to a University state of emergency) need to be informed of such status in writing. Below is an excerpt from the University policy that defines this requirement in greater detail.

Departments/units are responsible for identifying Essential positions and individuals who may be in back-up positions to those designated as Essential, and notifying these individuals of their role. Central administration, through the senior administrator, may also designate certain positions as Essential. The senior administrator for a campus, college, or administrative unit has the authority and responsibility to determine which employees are designated as Essential for particular types of emergency, and will inform such employees in writing. Any position may be designated as Essential at any point during a University State of Emergency, even if not designated Essential or alternate for an Essential position prior to the University State of Emergency, depending on the type of emergency. Employees may be designated as Essential on a situational basis, (e.g., in the event of an emergency) or for a defined period of time.

For questions or clarification, please contact ELR@umn.edu.

The University and the University Education Association (UEA) remain actively engaged in negotiations working towards a new collective bargaining agreement covering the represented faculty at Crookston and Duluth. The most recent round of negotiations happened last week with the next mediation session scheduled for March 18, 2024. 

A new Checklist for GA and Non-Service Fellowship Codes is now available to assist campuses, colleges, and units to use when distinguishing between GA and non-service fellowships, or similar non-service positions such as the 9584 Intern classification.

As of January 1, 2024, Minnesota employers, including the University of Minnesota, cannot ask about a job candidate's current salary or salary history per a law that passed during the 2023 legislative session. This applies to internal and external candidates, which means that it is also illegal to look up a candidate's salary in PeopleSoft. You may still ask a candidate's salary expectations. 

Learn more about this change, and view the full statute (see the pay history addition under Subd. 8).

Exceptions
For union position hires, the law will not be applicable to employees covered by a contract effective January 1, 2024, until a subsequent agreement is negotiated. The University also has rules on promotional increases for both union and non-union employees that reference an employee's current salary. We are working with the Minnesota Department of Human Rights on updating these, and we will let you know how to proceed with increases once we have more information. 

PAT is being modernized and is expected to be ready in June 2024. This is the final year using the current version and colleges, departments, and units will begin using the new platform in July 2024.

Talent Strategy will provide additional details, including a training and communications plan at the February HR Leads meeting. Please contact Shannon Luloff (smacdon1@umn.edu) with any questions.

Please note there are limitations with respect to publishing information on departmental websites regarding GA employees. Recently, we were informed that some departments have websites and/or directories that include items such as the GA’s University email address, a phone number, etc. According to the Board of Regents policy, these items are not “directory information.” They are “limited directory information.” Therefore, such GA information should not be posted for public view. We have followed up with the HR Leads of those specific areas but have not completed a comprehensive audit of all GA websites.  

Please see below for what is directory information in accordance with the policy and remind your campus, college, or unit regarding these requirements.  

"For students appointed as fellows, assistants, graduate, or undergraduate hourly employees, directory information shall also include their title, appointing department or unit, appointment dates, duties, and percent time of the appointment.”

If a department has inadvertently posted private or limited directory information regarding their GAs without the GA’s consent, the department should report the error via the procedures outlined in the security breach policy.  

I am excited to announce the newest member of the Employee and Labor Relations team. Staci Darling will be joining our team as an ELR Liaison on Monday, December 11. She has more than 10 years of HR experience at HealthPartners and the University. She most recently served as an HR Business Partner at the Office of Academic Clinical Affairs. As ELR Liaison, Staci will work closely with OHR Contact Center leadership and HR leads to provide guidance on University policies, labor contracts, HR processes, and procedures. If you have not already reviewed ELR’s revised roles and responsibilities structure, please take a moment to do so.

As a reminder, the new Minn. Stat. Sec. 179A.07, Subd. 9 law allows unions to have in-person access to new employees in the bargaining unit for 30 minutes of paid time within 30 days of starting employment. If new employee orientations are being held, the applicable union(s) should be notified by local HR at least 10 days in advance. Please work with the unions to ensure compliance with this new requirement which apply to all unions at the University, including LELS, 1-M, 1-B, IBEW, Trades Council(s), Teamsters, AFSCME, UEA-D, UEA-C, and GLU-UE. 

We wanted to spotlight what a couple of campus, college, units are doing to ensure compliance with the new law.

• Extension: Due to a dispersed geographical workforce, Extension arranges remote new employee orientation meetings between the employee and AFSCME.
• CSE: The College of Science and Engineering has arranged monthly meeting times for the GA union (GLU-UE) to meet with new GAs hired into their college.

Additionally, please remember that the following resources are available to the HR community to help ensure compliance with the new law.

• Link to List of Union Representatives
• Reporting Tools and New Employee Orientation Meetings
• Guide to New Employee Orientation
• Minn. Stat. Sec. 179A.07, Subd. 9

Updates
We have now passed our second month of bargaining with the graduate assistant union (GLU-UE). We are currently bargaining non-economic items. We anticipate, sometime in early 2024, we will begin bargaining economic items. 

Reminders
As a reminder, please continue to remind leaders in your campus, college, or unit not to engage in the following:

1. Unilaterally change GA terms and conditions of employment.
2. Engage in discussion with GAs regarding subjects of bargaining. 

Compensation and Appointment Letters for Incoming GAs – Fall 2024
Pertaining to compensation and appointment letters of incoming GAs for fall 2024, we have received the following questions and have included responses below. 

Q1: Can we increase salaries of new GAs for Fall 2024?

A: No. Campuses, colleges, and units shall offer the same amount as those incoming during fall 2023 but inform GA (via the language below) that we are in negotiations and this amount is subject to change. The following is language you will need to incorporate into your appointment letters:

The University is currently in collective bargaining with the graduate assistant union (GLU-UE) and compensation amounts are subject to change pending the outcomes of bargaining. 

Q2: Can we offer relocation or other funds outside of the stipend?

A: No. Under no circumstances should any campus, college, or unit begin a new compensation program or initiative. However, if the department or campus, college, or unit, has a practice of offering funds outside of stipends, they will need approval prior to continuing to do so. Please follow the process for approval below. 

Email the GA campus, college, or unit relocation or other lump sum payment plan to elr@umn.edu with the following information:

• Which department in the campus, college, or unit is offering this form of compensation to incoming GAs. 
• Which departments in the campus, college, or unit do not offer this form of compensation to incoming GAs. 
• For those that do offer this benefit, please include:
  • How many years has this been in effect,
  • Whether it is offered to every new incoming GA,
  • The amount offered and any other relevant details. 
• Supporting documentation in the way of policies, procedural documents, etc.

If you wish to meet and discuss any questions or seek clarification to the process, you can reach out to Coy Hillstead, Sr. Labor Relations Consultant (chillste@umn.edu).

Reporting Tools and New Employee Orientation Meetings

To ensure that the University meets our requirements with the new employee orientation meetings, we recently shared a report that campuses, colleges, and units can pull to view new hires. In addition to the reporting information we shared, there is another report (Personnel Basic Information) available to help with pulling reports for labor-represented personnel by individual union(s). You will need to enter your college code and employee class code to run these reports. 

The employee class codes by individual bargaining units are noted below:   

• AFSCME Clerical: LRC
• AFSCME Technical: LRT
• AFSCME Healthcare: LRH
• Teamsters: LRS
• Trades: LRR
• GLU-UE: GRD
• Police: LRP
• UEA: FTD
   

It is imperative that HR provide a 10-day notice to the union if they conduct new employee orientation. An updated union contact list is available for your reference.

Due to recent Minnesota state legislation, a $34 million appropriation to the Minnesota State Retirement System (MSRS) pension plan will reduce employee contributions from 6% to 5.5% for two years (July 1, 2023–June 30, 2025). Employer contributions will remain at 6.25%. 

The first paycheck that will be affected by this change will be July 26, 2023. 

Additionally, the vesting period will change from five years to three years for any Civil Service or Labor-represented employees who are active as of July 1, 2023, or hired after this date.

Learn more on the MSRS website (under “General Plan/Unclassified Plan”) and contact MSRS directly with any questions.
 

HireRight is the official background check provider for the University of Minnesota. To ensure timely and seamless service, the OHR Talent Acquisition team has created a new form to fill out to request access for a new user or help with an existing account. 

For more information about HireRight, please see this OHR Hiring Resources webpage.