Northern Arizona University
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The Resource - November 2009

Flexible Spending Account Open Enrollment Ends November 30

Now is the time to enroll for a Flexible Spending Account (FSA) for the 2010 calendar year. There are two types of accounts (pre-tax) available:

  • Health Care accounts allow you to use pre-tax money to pay for out-of-pocket medical expenses for you, your spouse and qualified tax dependents, up to a maximum of $5,000 in 2010. A new feature this year is an optional FSA debit card (Benny Card) that can be used to pay for your eligible medical expenses. The card is a great way to manage your cash flow and may reduce paperwork.
  • Dependent Care accounts are generally used for reimbursing out-of-pocket childcare expenses for dependents under the age of 13. The annual maximum is set at $5,000 per household ($2,500 if married and not filing a joint tax return).

If you are currently enrolled in a medical or dependent care Flexible Spending Account and wish to be enrolled next year, you must re-enroll during the open enrollment period.

If you are not currently enrolled, now is the time to learn how to save money on your federal, state and Social Security taxes through the use of a Flexible Spending Account. The following information sessions are provided to help employees learn more about the value of these accounts:

Thursday, November 5
10:00 – 11:30 a.m. OR  2:00 – 3:30 p.m.
Blome Building (bldg. # 2); Pattea Conference Room.

FSA open enrollment will end at midnight on November 30, 2009.

To enroll, log into LOUIE and go to Self Service > Benefits > Benefits Enrollment and follow the enrollment instructions. For more information on the types of eligible expenses, visit asiflex.com. 

Visit the HR web page for more information on Open Enrollment or the FSA program in general. You may also contact Human Resources at 523-2223 or hr.contact@nau.edu. 
 

 

Don't Lose Vacation Time

NAU employees should take a moment to view their vacation accrual balances and plan for the coming year end. Employees who accrue vacation days can carry one and one-half times their annual accrual rate forward into the next calendar year. Anything over that amount is lost at the end of the pay period that includes January 1, 2010 (the paycheck of January 15, 2010).

For more detailed information about how many hours can be carried forward and how you can calculate whether you might lose vacation time, visit: http://hr.nau.edu/m/content/view/241/256/.

 

Holiday Closure

Northern Arizona University will close for this year's winter holiday break from December 24 through January 3, reopening on Monday, January 4.

The official paid holidays are December 24, 25 and January 1. NAU also will be closed on December 28, 29, 30 and 31, but these are not paid holidays.

Vice presidents will decide which operations must continue during this closure. Staff will be notified by their supervisors of the requirement to work during the winter holiday break.

For any dates during the winter holiday break not covered by holiday pay all regular, benefit-eligible staff will need to make arrangements to report their time off. With department head approval, non-essential services employees may be granted permission to work during this period.

For any dates during the winter holiday break when an employee is not covered by holiday pay and is not working, a supervisor may approve any of the following options:

Use of accrued vacation
Employees eligible to accrue vacation may request to use their accrued vacation time. Vacation is limited to the amount the employee has accrued prior to the end of the last full pay period before the winter holiday break.

Use of accrued compensatory (comp) time: Fair Labor Standards Act non-exempt classified staff employees only
Non-exempt classified staff employees (in job classifications that qualify for overtime compensation) who have accrued compensatory time prior to the end of the last full pay period before the winter break may request to use hours from their existing balance of compensatory time.

Use of flexible work time: FLSA exempt classified staff employees and appointed personnel only
Supervisors may authorize the use of paid release time to exempt employees (in job classifications that are exempt from overtime compensation) who have routinely worked more than their normally scheduled hours throughout the year or during peak work periods. Flexible work time shall not be granted on an hour-for-hour exchange basis, but it may be considered for all or a portion of the winter break according to the criteria found in the Evaluation Tool for Flexible Time Off.

Use of furlough time
Employees who still need to complete furlough requirements may request to take all or some of the winter break days as furlough time.

Use of absence without pay
Employees may request the use of absence without pay during the winter holiday break.

No matter how it’s accounted for, all time not worked must be documented appropriately using record of absence forms, flex time option forms and timesheets (non-exempt employees).

For more information, contact Human Resources at (928) 523-2223 or hr.contact@nau.edu. 

 

Performance Appraisal Deadlines

Completed performance evaluations for classified staff and service professionals were due to Human Resources November 2, 2009. For any questions about appraisals or due dates, employees and supervisors may contact the Employee Relations team member assigned to their department.
 

 

Go Green...With Electronic W-2's

Register now to receive your 2009 tax form electronically. Enrollment is quick, easy and secure.
1. Visit www.getmyw2.com/nau/
2. Create your own personal ID and password, if you have not already done so.
3. Follow the steps on the screen to register for electronic delivery.

The registration process only takes a few minutes. In January you will be notified by e-mail once your tax statement is available for downloading.

If you choose to receive your 2009 tax form electronically, you will not receive a hard copy through the mail. This registration applies to your current and all future tax statements.

If you received your 2008 W-2 electronically last year you do not need to sign up again. However, you may want to log into your account and verify that your email account will be the same or even add additional email accounts to the list (secondary email, spouse, parent, accountant, etc.).

We anticipate that the electronic W-2 will be available on or before January 18, 2010.
 

 

Change Your State Tax Withholding in Self Service

You can now change your Arizona State tax withholding through self service rather than submitting a paper form. To change your state tax withholding, log into LOUIE > Self Service > Payroll and Compensation > A-4 Tax Information.

Contact Human Resources at 523-2223 or hr.contact@nau.edu if you have any questions on how to make changes.