May 2008 - EMPLOYEE
FOCUS
Parking and Transportation Services
Announce Changes in
Faculty/Staff On-line Parking Registration
Several changes have been made to the
faculty/staff on-line parking registration
system. The first one you’ll notice is that
the login screen has changed and now uses
your PeopleSoft Employee ID and your date of
birth.
We’ve also added options for selecting
disabled and motorcycle parking. Individuals
who currently have disabled parking will now
be able to renew that permit on-line. Those
needing disabled parking authorization will
still need to visit the Center for Student
with Disabilities.
Those currently parking in gated lots will
notice yet another change. Most of you will
be pre-approved for the lot in which you
currently park. All you will need to do is
select the RENEW option from the parking
options list. If you wish to change parking
lots, you will need to renew your current
selection and then register on the wait list
for your preferred parking lot.
In order to avoid overselling and to allow
for the addition of summer new hires,
promotions, and transfers, gated lot
assignments for 2008-2009 were capped at 80%
- 90% of the assignment capacity. The larger
parking lots were capped at 90% and smaller
lots at 80%. Current gated lot parkers who
were not pre-approved will need to select an
ungated parking option and then register for
their preferred lot on the wait list. Wait
list assignments will be issued after
on-line registration closes and will be
based on employee pay grade.
Teaching Fellows and Teaching Assistants may
register for faculty/staff ungated parking.
They must be listed as such in the
PeopleSoft HR system. All other graduate
students must register as a student using
the student MyUH system. Any graduate
student wishing to park in gated parking
should send an e-mail request to parking@uh.edu.
Please type WAIT LIST in the subject line
and provide your name, student id
(PeopleSoft) and your preferred lot choice
in the body of the e-mail.
Parking and Transportation encourages all
faculty and staff to enroll in payroll
deduction to pay for their parking permit.
Deductions are pre-tax and avoid you the
trip to the Parking office. If you choose to
pay with cash, check or credit card,
remember that you will need to make a full
payment by June 30, 2008 at the parking
office.
Registration is currently open and runs
through June 30, 2008. Permits will be
distributed to the departments the first
week in August. If you have any questions
you can e-mail us at parking@uh.edu or call
ext 3.1097 and speak to a parking
representative.
Click here to register now!
Who’s Who on Campus
We’ve got a lot of great people
on campus, and we thought you’d like to get
to know more about them. These individuals
have been selected by their colleagues as
people you should know on campus.
CLICK HERE TO
NOMINATE NOW!
Who:
Jessica Robertson
Communications Manager
Years of UH Service:
Almost 8 months in my current position
1 year as a student worker in the UH Writing
Center
Department:
C. T. Bauer College of Business, Office of
the Dean
How to Contact Me:
713-743-4348 or
jnrobertson@uh.edu
Where to Find Me:
Melcher Hall, Room 305
When to Call Me (What you do):
Contact me if you have news related to Bauer
College that you think should be publicized.
The communications team at Bauer is
responsible for all internal and external
communication and media for the college,
which includes our website, college
newsletters, advertisements, print pieces,
press releases, media inquiries and video
projects, among other things.
Helpful Hint:
Take advantage of everything the university
offers you as an employee, in terms of
professional development, recreation and
on-campus activities.
What I Like Best About My Job:
Every day, I get to interact with some of
the most energetic, inspiring people on
campus - the students, staff and faculty at
Bauer College. I love that I have the
opportunity to tell their stories through my
job, so that the rest of the world can see
what an amazing college and university this
is. Also, as an alumna of the University of
Houston ('06), I'm so proud to see the
university grow and to be part of this
exciting era for UH.
Performance, Communication & Development (PCD)
General Employee Information
Why Do We Conduct Performance Evaluations?
Provides feedback about performance via
2-way communication.
Encourages performance improvement.
Motivates/Boosts morale.
Allows opportunity to set and measure goals.
Encourages coaching & mentoring.
Identifies training and development needs.
Establishes a written performance record.
What Employees Expect from an Evaluation
Clear expectations on their performance.
Interest in their professional development,
goals and discussion of future
opportunities.
Recognition of their good performance and
accomplishments – be specific!
The opportunity to provide input.
Honesty combined with tactfulness.
For negative comments, specific supporting
examples and specific suggestions on how to
improve.
What are the EMPLOYEE’S responsibilities
during the evaluation?
*Prepare. *Be open. *Be realistic and
objective. *Listen. *Speak. *Give input.
*Plan for the future.
During a scheduled formal discussion
Listen to feedback and ask for clarification
as needed.
Identify needs and offer suggestions.
Jointly problem-solve.
Participate in summarizing the conversation.
Adjust performance and/or behavior based on
agreement.
If applicable, follow performance plan to
completion.
Performance, Communication & Development (PCD)
Ratings
Meets (Achieved) Expectations:
Performance meets job expectations; employee
accomplished the agreed upon objectives and
effectively demonstrated the agreed upon
tasks.
Exceeds Expectations:
Performance consistently exceeded
expectations for the year; employee
demonstrated and sustained exceptional
performance; tasks were consistently
completed ahead of schedule and always at a
high quality.
Needs Improvement:
Performance below minimum expectations;
employee did not meet some of the agreed
upon objectives and/or did not demonstrate
some of the agreed upon tasks; immediate
improvement is required.
Refunds and Termination of TRS Membership
When a full-time employee drops to part-time
employment, questions frequently arise about
the employee’s eligibility to terminate TRS
membership in order to receive a refund.
Under TRS Rule 27.2, a member may not
terminate TRS membership and may not
withdraw contributions until all employment
with a TRS-covered employer ceases.
Employment has not ceased if one of the
following conditions exist: 1) the member is
still employed in any capacity; 2) the
employee has applied for future employment
with a reporting entity; or 3) the employee
has a promise or contract for future
employment with a TRS-covered employer.
If an employee has earned a year of service
credit for the school year and then drops to
a position that is not eligible for
membership, the employer is required to
continue to report and make contributions
for the employee for the remainder of that
school year. If an employee is still serving
the non-eligible position when the new
school year begins and has no other
employment with a TRS-covered employer, the
employee may not terminate membership and
receive a refund until all employment with
every TRS-covered employer ceases.
For more Information regarding TRS
termination please contact Linda Leggett at
(713) 743-5743 or via email at
lleggett4@uh.edu.
Work/Life Balance Program
Presently, in conjunction with the
University of Texas, Employee Assistance
Plan, many work/life programs are offered
and readily available to University of
Houston faculty and staff. A few of the
services offered through this program
include legal and financial assistance,
personal counseling, work-related
counseling, and smoking cessation,
consultation and referral services for
childcare, adoption, education, wellness,
elder care, and daily living issues.
Work/life programs have been around since
the mid 1990s and those companies, who have
stayed the course, have provided research to
back-up just how valuable the programs are.
There is evidence that when the right
programs are in place, and aligned with the
business goals of the organization, employee
satisfaction increases thereby increasing
productivity and improved
customer service. Recognizing people for who
they are and what they do is a necessary
response to the realities of the current
marketplace. It is becoming evident that
time is as valuable as money; work/life
effectiveness is becoming a vital entity of
proactive people strategies such as total
rewards and becoming an employer of choice.
Additionally, on and off-the-job stresses
drive down productivity. The work/life
function is a highly collaborative endeavor
that helps connect many human resource
efforts and can serve to drive the
University to superior outcomes.
A survey was distributed earlier this month
to determine what additional work/life
initiatives are of interest to University
faculty and staff. Those other initiatives
may include transportation issues, flextime
scheduling, and telecommuting. The results
of this survey will be available shortly.
In the near future watch for communications
and marketing efforts to promote our
work/life programs for the University, and
please visit us at the Benefits Fair 2008, Benefit Elections for Balancing
Work and Life, taking place in July.
If you have questions regarding the
Work/Life Balance Program, please contact
Cody Pelletier at
cpelletier@uh.edu or (713)
743-5915.
May Training Schedule
CLICK HERE FOR DIRECTIONS ON
HOW TO REGISTER FOR COURSES
CLICK
HERE TO LOGON ON TO PASS TO
REGISTER
If you
have questions please contact:
hrtraining@uh.edu
|
Date |
Course |
Course Code |
Session
Number |
Time |
Location |
|
May 14 |
PCD
(Performance
Communication and
Development) |
HRPCD |
4 |
2:00-3:00 |
McElhinney Hall
341 |
May
14
|
I-9
Training |
PSH008 |
5 |
9:00-11:00 |
McElhinney Hall 341 |
|
May 16 |
PCD
(Performance
Communication and
Development) |
HRPCD |
5 |
10:00-11:00 |
McElhinney Hall
350 |
|
May 16 |
Professional
Courtesy: Etiquette in the
Workplace |
HRBUET |
0005 |
9:30 - 12:00 noon |
McElhinney Hall
341 |
|
May 20 |
PCD
(Performance
Communication and
Development) |
HRPCD |
6 |
10:00-11:00 |
McElhinney Hall
341 |
|
May 21 |
Dealing
Effectively With Conflict |
HRCC |
0008 |
1:30-4:00 |
McElhinney Hall
341 |
|
May 22 |
PCD
(Performance
Communication and
Development) |
HRPCD |
7 |
2:00-3:00 |
McElhinney Hall
350 |
|
May 27 |
PCD
(Performance
Communication and
Development) |
HRPCD |
8 |
2:00-3:00 |
McElhinney Hall
350 |
|
May 28 |
Coaching,
Discipline & Documentation |
HRCDD |
3 |
8:30-11:30 |
McElhinney Hall
341 |
|
May 29 |
PCD
(Performance
Communication and
Development) |
HRPCD |
9 |
2:00-3:00 |
McElhinney Hall
350 |
|
May 29 |
Time
Management,
(Part 2) |
HRTME2 |
0005 |
1:30-4:30 |
McElhinney Hall
341 |
Energy Star Sales Tax Holiday
Memorial Day Weekend
May 24 – 26, 2008
During Memorial Day weekend, Texas shoppers
get a break from state and local sales and
use taxes on purchases of certain energy
efficient products. The 2008 Energy Star
sales tax holiday begins at 12:01 a.m. on
Saturday, May 24, and ends at 11:59 p.m. on
Monday, May 26 (Memorial Day).
The products qualifying for the exemption
are:
• air conditioners priced under $6,000 (room
and central units)
• clothes washers (but not clothes dryers*)
• ceiling fans
• dehumidifiers
• dishwashers
• light bulbs (incandescent and fluorescent)
• programmable thermostats
• refrigerators priced under $2,000.
* Because most dryers use similar amounts of
energy, Energy Star does not label clothes
dryers.
Qualifying products will display the Energy
Star logo, which may appear on the
appliance, the packaging or the Energy Guide
label. Energy Star is a joint program of the
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the
U.S. Department of Energy. Earning the
Energy Star
means a product meets strict
energy efficiency guidelines set by these
two federal agencies.
There is no limit on the number of
qualifying items one can purchase during
this sales tax holiday, and an exemption
certificate is not required.
Internet and Catalog Sales
The tax-free holiday also applies to
Internet and catalog sales of eligible
products, provided that (1) the items are
both paid for and delivered to the purchaser
during the exemption period; or (2) the
purchaser orders and pays for the item and
the retailer accepts the order during the
exemption period for immediate shipment,
even if delivery is made after the exemption
period.
The retailer accepts an order when the
retailer has taken action to fill the order
for immediate shipment. Actions to fill an
order include placement of an "in date"
stamp on a mail order and issuing a
confirmation verifying the date the seller
accepted the order. An order is considered
"for immediate shipment" even if delivery or
shipment may be delayed because of a backlog
of orders or because an item is temporarily
out of stock or on back order by the seller.
Layaway Plans
Layaway plans can be used to take advantage
of the sales tax holiday. Layaway sales of
eligible products qualify for the exemption
when either the final payment on a layaway
order is made and the merchandise is given
to the customer during the exemption period,
or the item is selected by the customer and
the order is accepted into layaway by the
retailer during the exemption period for
immediate delivery upon full payment, even
if delivery is made after the exemption
period.
Delivery Charges
Delivery, shipping, handling or
transportation charges connected to the sale
of a qualifying item purchased tax free
during the sales tax holiday also qualify
for the exemption. Such charges are included
as part of the sales price of qualifying
products sold during the holiday whether
separately stated or not. For example,
assume a retailer sells an Energy Star-rated
dishwasher tax-free during the sales tax
holiday and charges the customer an
additional fee for delivery. The entire
amount billed to the customer for the
purchase and delivery of the qualifying
appliance is exempt from tax, even if the
delivery charge is separately stated or
billed after the sale.
Shipping and handling charges must be
properly allocated when a package or
delivery contains both exempt and taxable
items. For example, assume a retailer sells
an Energy Star-rated clothes washer tax-free
during the sales tax holiday. The same
customer also purchases a clothes dryer,
which does not qualify for the exemption.
The retailer charges the customer an
additional fee of $25 per appliance for
delivery. The $25 delivery fee connected to
the delivery of the qualifying exempt
clothes washer is exempt from sales tax, but
the $25 delivery fee connected to the
delivery of the taxable clothes dryer is
subject to tax.
However, if the delivery charge is a flat
rate per package or delivery address and the
amount charged is the same regardless of how
many items are included in the package or
delivery, for purposes of the exemption the
total charge may be attributed to one of the
items in the package rather than
proportionately and separately allocated
between the items. For example, assume a
seller charges a flat fee of $50 per
customer address for delivery regardless of
the number of items delivered to that
address. Assume that during the sales tax
holiday a customer purchases a qualifying
Energy Star-rated refrigerator tax-free, a
taxable stove and a taxable microwave and
the seller charges the customer the flat fee
of $50 for delivery of all three items.
Under these facts, the seller may attribute
the $50 charge for delivery to the sale of
the refrigerator (a qualifying exempt item)
and does not have to allocate the delivery
charge between the refrigerator, stove and
microwave. If the charge is attributed to
the refrigerator, then the entire flat fee
delivery charge qualifies for the exemption.
The sales invoice must clearly identify that
the delivery charges were attributed to the
exempt item and separately state the tax due
on the non-qualifying merchandise.
Installation Charges
Charges for installation of qualifying items
purchased during the sales tax holiday may
qualify for exemption depending on whether
the items are permanently attached to or
installed in real property and whether the
realty is residential or nonresidential.
Items that are free-standing or mobile, such
as clothes washers, dehumidifiers,
refrigerators, portable dishwashers and
window or room air conditioning units are
tangible personal property. If an item
retains its identity as tangible personal
property after installation, then
installation charges billed by the seller of
the item also qualify for the sales tax
holiday exemption - even if the installation
is performed after the holiday period is
concluded.
Items such as programmable thermostats,
central air conditioning units, ceiling fans
and built-in refrigerators and dishwashers
that are plumbed, wired or otherwise
permanently attached to a building structure
are improvements to real property. For items
that are incorporated into realty, the
taxability of the installation labor is
determined by the type of jobsite.
Labor charges are not taxable on new
construction and residential repair and
remodeling jobsites. Therefore, no tax is
due on charges for installing items such as
ceiling fans, programmable thermostats or
central air conditioning units in
residential property or during a new
construction project. See
Comptroller Rule
3.291, "Contractors," for more information.
Nonresidential repair and remodeling is a
taxable service. Therefore, tax is due on
charges for installing ceiling fans,
built-in appliances, programmable
thermostats and central air conditioning
units in nonresidential real property,
regardless of when the installation is
performed. Charges for installation
performed on existing nonresidential real
property should be separately stated on the
invoice from the sales price of the
qualifying Energy Star-rated item. A lump
sum charge for the purchase of an Energy
Star item and installation is subject to tax
as the purchase of nonresidential repair and
remodeling.
A Reminder to Sellers
Sellers may not advertise or in any way
promise to pay or not charge sales tax that
is due on the sale of taxable items. See
Tax
Code Section 151.704. Sellers may, however,
advertise that tax is included in the sales
price of the taxable items that they sell.
For information on how to report tax on
these sales, please visit Reporting Sales
Tax on Tax-Free Items or call us toll free
at (800) 252-5555.
98-836
(01/2008)
2008
VITA (Voluntary Income Tax Assistance)
Program
The large, foreign national student
community at UH has benefited from VITA’s
assistance in preparing their U.S. tax
returns (Forms 1040 NR or 1040 NR EZ) in
accordance with complex tax laws since 1998.
The VITA program is offered by the Houston
Chapter of CPAs in cooperation with the
Internal Revenue Service to assist UH
foreign nationals with preparing nonresident
alien tax returns.
Location: University Center in the
Bayou City Room (# 202) on 2nd floor
Last Help-date Available: April 12
(Saturday)
Times: 9:30AM to 2PM
(Note – The VITA program has partnered
with the Mayor’s Citizens’ Assistance
Office, some financial institutions, and a
few local businesses to “receive the baton”
that was passed from the IRS. The
organization has taken on the name, Houston
Asset Building Coalition (HABC). This
coalition is responsible for all phases of
the VITA program.)
Announcing……
THE UH TOASTMASTERS CLUB
All staff, faculty and students are invited
to join the UH Toastmasters Club.
The UH Toastmasters Club offers instruction
and skill development to help people speak
effectively, organize and conduct meetings
and motivate others.
The club, which will be known as “The Cougar
Pause” will meet on Friday, May 9th at 12:00
noon in The Kiva Room, Farish Hall.
Members represent a cross- section of UH
employees from different backgrounds and
departments.
For more information about the UH
Toastmasters Club, please call:
Althea Neilson, Human Resources (3-5786)
aneilson@central.uh.edu
For more information about Toastmasters
International, please visit
www.toastmasters.org
Skillport Learning Classes
With the price of food and gas on the rise,
it’s as good a time as any to cast a
critical eye on your personal finances. You
don’t need a trip to the bookstore to get
you started: Skillport eLearning has many
personal finance resources to choose from.
Planning your Personal Finances is an
easy-to-use simulation that offers a
practical, everyday approach to managing
both your monthly pocketbook and your
long-term nest egg. The course offers
different scenarios and even links you to
other helpful personal finance courses.
The Personal Finance simulation is available
in both a solo and a couple’s version.
Planning Your Personal Finances Simulation
Lesson Objectives:
• Evaluating your finances and preparing
financial goals.
• Creating a realistic budget.
• Determining your needs for a home.
• Buying a home and obtaining a mortgage.
• Planning for your retirement.
• Saving and investing for your future.
Take control of your personal finances now
at
Skillport eLearning.
Cellular Wireless Discounts Available
The University of Houston Information
Technology Department would like to inform
faculty and staff about cellular wireless
vendor discounts. Cellular vendors such as
Verizon Wireless, AT&T, T-Mobile and
Sprint/Nextel offer discounts off your
monthly bill.
Below is a brief outline, listed in no
particular order, of what the different
cellular vendors offer. For more general
information, please visit
www.uh.edu/cellular.
AT&T
o 15% discount on qualified monthly charges
o Exclusive discounts on select wireless
devices
o Please mention company code 118735
o Existing AT&T customers can go to
www.att.com/wireless/univofhouston and click on Discount Registration
o Or find an AT&T store closest to you,
visit
www.att.com/find-a-store
Verizon Wireless
• Designated rate plans at 20% off for UH
Employees.
• Discounts available for 25% off
accessories
• Promotions and discounts available for
phone purchases
• Go to
www.uh.edu/cellular, or click on the
Verizon Wireless
Discounts Sign-up
UH employees who are considering using
Verizon Wireless can drop by Philip Guthrie
Hoffman (PGH), Room 116, from 9 a.m. to 3
p.m. TODAY while a cellular vendor workshop
is taking place.
T-Mobile
o Monthly discount of 12% for all new lines
o To sign up for new service you can either
call 866-464-8662, option 3 and mention that
you are a University of Houston employee or
o New and existing service can sign up
through
www.uh.edu/cellular
click on the T-Mobile discount link.
Sprint/Nextel
o 15% off employee purchased plan
o New and existing customers can sign up by
visiting
www.uh.edu/cellular,
or click on the
Sprint/Nextel
Discounts Sign-up
Bookstore Items
All Clearance merchandise is an
additional 25% off the lowest price this
Month
Cap & Gown distribution is April 21- May 9
Java City
FEATURED DRINK at JAVA CITY
Strawberry Fruit Javalanche & Strawberry
Green Tea Javalanche
$3.89 each
MAY
CALENDAR
|