TOPICS DISCUSSED
- COUNCIL MINUTES
- EMPLOYEE OF THE MONTH
- PUBLICIST WANTED
- WOMEN'S ICSEW CONFERENCE-REFLECTIONS & VISION
- HEALTH CARE
- PRESIDENTIAL SEARCH COMMITTEE
- PIDs/COLA INCREASE
- DEFFERRED COMPENSATION PROGRAM (DCP)
- COMMUNITY BUILDING PROGRAM
- CLASS ACTION SETTLEMENT/LIFE INSURANCE FUNDS
- SHARED LEAVE
- ADJOURNMENT/NEXT MEETING
COUNCIL MINUTES
Minutes were approved as read. July's minutes will be the last
full distribution of paper copy minutes to all departments. Next
month we will begin utilizing the web site to disseminate minutes.
Paper copies will continue to be sent only to those departments without
100% email access. Try checking out the web site now; the June and
July minutes are posted there. Just go to the CWU home page; click
on Administration, then on VP Business and Financial Affairs, then on Committees
and Councils. From here you will see a chart, and click on
Employee Council. Email minutes will only be utilized for those
departments with 100% access. If the department has mixed access,
everyone will receive a paper copy of the minutes.
Council also discussed the wording regarding attendance for meetings.
We have been listing all alternates and representatives not there as
"absent." There was concern that this implied some laxity on the
part of those alternates. If the elected representative is in attendance,
the alternate is not required to attend the meeting. Alternates whose
representative is in attendance will not be listed as "absent" from the
meeting.
EMPLOYEE OF THE MONTH
The revisions on the Employee-of-the-Month evaluation form were reviewed
and discussed. Ron had e-mailed these changes to council members.
The committee revised the point grading system to keep it more in line
with the format of the nomination form, and to put less emphasis on multiple
nominations. Because there was no selection last month, six
names were submitted, and employees selected for both May and June.
Margaret Taylor, Custodian, was selected as Employee of the Month for May.
She is a person who really goes out of her way to keep her building sparkling.
Kathleen McDaniel, Secretary, in the SeaTac center was chosen for June.
Kathleen is the first person you see when you go to SeaTac and she really
makes the effort to help each person. "Congratulations," Margaret
and Kathleen!
PUBLICIST WANTED
Tina Klampher's term on the Employee Council will end in September.
She has been arranging the employee of the month ceremony, calling the
supervisor, and coordinating the presentation of the award to the astonished
employee. We need one of the newly elected members to volunteer to
take over this task. If no one volunteers, we'll have to have more
discussion next meeting. Please call Tina (3114) if you are interested.
WOMEN'S ICSEW CONFERENCE - REFLECTIONS & VISION
Kim Thomas reported on her attendance at the conference in Wenatchee
in May. She discussed several of the workshops relating to issues
of women state employees. Kim felt it was an excellent conference
and very worthwhile to attend. There will be another held in two
years; watch for it. Staci Layman (2205) is our current representative
to ICSEW.
HEALTH CARE
Rumors that Group Health Northwest is pulling out of Kittitas County
are unfounded. However, as always, we will learn of changes in benefits,
costs, and coverages at the annual Benefit Fair on October 28th, in the
SUB pit from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
NOTICE: Important information from Health Care Authority:
Regence Blueshield will discontinue providing their service to state
employees beginning January 1, 2000. Regence Blueshield is an extended
network of the HMO Regencecare. Regencecare will continue to be available
for HMO coverage only. If you are currently enrolled with Regence
Blueshield, please be sure to read the open enrollment materials that will
come to your HOME in early October. These materials will have the
necessary information for selecting a new medical plan for the year 2000.
The open enrollment will be for only four weeks this year instead of six weeks as in the past, so please be sure to read the open enrollment materials when you receive them. Open enrollment will be from October 16th to November 15th, with an effective date of January 1, 2000.
PRESIDENTIAL SEARCH COMMITTEE
Marilyn Thompson is the classified staff employee on the committee.
She had favorable impressions thus far, reporting that this committee has
many good people with positive expectations who are asking for input.
Larry Sharp from the community has attended as an observer, though not
all meetings will be "open meetings." Jay Rich is the new BOT Vice-Chair
of the Search Committee. The choice of consultants has been narrowed
to two; a review and decision will be made at the next BOT meeting on July
22nd. A sub committee is working on the draft for the position
description. Marilyn says call her (2713) if you have concerns or
input. This committee asks for input, and now is the time to get
involved.
PIDs/COLA INCREASE
Employees whose PID (periodic increment date) is July 1st will have
their "salary increase" taken from the old salary schedule, but their COLA
(cost of living) increase will be posted from the "new salary schedule,"
which will reflect the 3% raise. The raise is effective July 1st
and will first appear on 7/25 paychecks. This is the same date for
the reduction in PERS II retirement deductions.
DEFERRED COMPENSATION PROGRAM (DCP)
The new salary increase and retirement contribution decrease may be
an opportune time to consider utilizing the deferred compensation program
to contribute to your future retirement income. Deferrals reduce
current taxable income. Employees can increase the value of
their retirement future-painlessly. By contributing the difference
in the rate reduction and/or salary increase into a DCP account, employees
will increase their potential retirement income without experiencing an
impact on their take home pay. Participants may defer from $30 a
month to a maximum of $8,000 annually, depending upon their salary.
There are eight investment options with low to high risk/reward potential.
For more information or to enroll in the program call 1-800-423-1425, or
visit the DCP web site at: www.drs.wa.gov/dcp.
COMMUNITY BUILDING PROGRAM
Everyone wants the University to be a wonderful place, meeting students
needs, meeting our needs, with a positive climate for all. But are
you interested in taking concrete action to make this happen, to express
your ideas and build skills in teamwork? Volunteers from a cross
section of the University will be selected to serve on self-directed teams
of 8-12 members to focus on the task of community building and improving
climate at Central. Meetings will begin in October and continue through
May 2000. Call Renee Hanson in Training and Development Office (1209)
for complete information.
CLASS ACTION SETTLEMENT/LIFE INSURANCE FUNDS
During the 1986-1991 period, life insurance funds accumulated in the
State account with Northwestern. When 8.3 million of this money was
returned to the state, it was transferred from the retirement account to
the General Fund. A class action lawsuit was filed on this matter
in 1994. The courts rejected the first settlement. A new settlement
has now been approved, and the action has been defined as including "all
persons employed by the State at some time during the period from July
1,1986 through the present during which they were eligible for state-contract
life insurance benefits." The proposed settlement would have the
State increase the current $5,000 basic life at no cost to the employees
in 5 annual steps, ending at $25,000 in 2004. Retired employees would
also receive increased benefits at no cost. If an employee wishes
to "opt out" and not be bound by this legal action (and so could take legal
action of their own), or if they wish to send written comments or testify
at the hearing they must submit a form to the court NO LATER THAN AUG 13th.
For more information call (360) 357-7791. A form and information
on this will be sent out with the 7/25th paychecks.
SHARED LEAVE
Shared leave may be donated to other employees in need. Guidelines
were listed in the May EC minutes and the June 11th University Bulletin.
When you fill out the form, you may choose to share leave only to a specific
person; if that person is no longer "in need," the leave will be returned
to you. Or, you may share leave with a specific person, and specify
that if that person is no longer in need, your leave goes to the next employee
who is "in need". With a workforce the size of ours, there is nearly
always some employee who is in an emergency situation.
CWU employees may donate leave to a fellow employee who is severely ill or injured or has a family member who is severely ill or injured, who has exhausted his/her own leave reserves, and who is off work. "Severely" is defined as serious or extreme and/or life threatening.
Astrid Simon (University Development-RSVP) is in need of Shared Leave.
Individuals interested in donating leave should request a Shared Leave donation form from Human Resources. Requests must be approved by your supervisor before forwarding the form to Human Resources. Donated leave is also subject to approval by your department head, and Human Resources. Annual leave may be donated in 8-hour blocks. Employees who wish to donate annual leave must retain at least ten days (80 hours) of vacation leave and cannot donate excess leave (that over 30 days or 240 hours) that he/she would otherwise lose at the beginning of the leave anniversary month. Sick leave may also be donated in 8-hour blocks. The donating employee must retain a minimum of 480 hours sick leave balance after the transfer. No more than six days of sick leave may be transferred during any twelve-month period. An employee's personal holiday may also be donated. Forms for leave donation are available from Human Resources, 963-1202.
ADJOURNMENT
The meeting adjourned at 3:00 p.m.
NEXT MEETING
The next meeting is scheduled for August 19th, 2:00 pm, in SUB 209.
All representatives will need to attend. Alternates are always welcome.
Newly elected board members will begin attending meetings starting in September.
Members present:
Paula Moffatt, Business and Administrative Support: Unit B
Kariann Taylor, Instructional Support: Unit A
Ron Aller, Instructional Support: Unit B; Chair
Leona Johnson, Library Services, Secretary
Ernie Wilson, Plant & Facilities
Dorothy Tenney, Plant & Facilities
Tina Klampher, Student Services and SUB: Unit A
Pat Devlin, Plant & Facilities
Kim Thomas, Business and Administrative Support: Unit A
Elaine Long, Business and Administrative Support: Unit A
Marilyn Thompson, Housing & Residential Services
Members absent:
Kevin Gentner, Dining Services
Gloria Wilson, Student Services and SUB: Unit B
Karol Barker, Dining Services
Sheryl Grunden, Student Services and SUB: Unit A
Jeri Francisco-Porter, Plant & Facilities
Karen Simmons, Instructional Support: Unit B
Also present:
Colleen Rose, Human Resources