Employee of the Month
December 6, 2011
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Patricia Take, Application Analyst in Information Technology Services, is the recipient of the December Employee Recognition Award. Patty was nominated for the award by Bonnie Sanderson, Administrative Clerk (Records Coordinator) in Academic Advising. Her nomination was endorsed by supervisor Jennifer Vandever, Associate Vice Chancellor for Information Technology and Chief Information Officer.
Patty works with departments across campus to assess their technology needs, research new software products, and help in the implementation of these applications. She is always enthusiastic about exploring new solutions and this translates to her training sessions. Her clients find her stewardship and technical expertise helpful in enhancing learning and easing the anxiety associated with using new technologies. Patty is very responsive to the concerns of faculty and staff, and fully understands the impact the applications she supports have in contributing to our students’ success. “SIUE has been such a huge part of my life. It has been exciting to see the progress that our institution has made since September, 1987, when I enrolled as a freshman”, Patty proclaimed. “As an employee of ITS for almost 17 years, I have been afforded the opportunity to work closely with a wonderful group of people. My co-workers are awesome and so are the clients that I support in the field. Being involved with the GradesFirst project has allowed me to meet so many individuals who are very dedicated to ensuring that our students have everything possible to make their time at SIUE productive”.
Patty will receive a plaque, recognition on the Digital Signages (Monitors) across campus, a $25 Gift Certificate to the Morris University Center Bookstore, and two complimentary lunch coupons to the University Restaurant.
Please join us in congratulating Patricia Take as the Employee of the Month on Friday, December 16, at 10:00 a.m. in Dunham Hall, Room 0210.
Questions or comments should be directed to Oniffe Grizzle at ogrizzl@siue.edu or ext. 3062.
Early W-2s
November 10, 2011
As a reminder, the Early W-2’s will be available through Banner Self Service via CougarNet!
In order to receive an Early W-2 for tax year 2011 you must sign up with an electronic consent. For anyone who has not signed up yet in Banner Self Service, by providing consent you will be able to access and print your W-2 information sooner than if it was mailed to you. The Early W-2’s for tax year 2010 were available by Jan. 15th almost two weeks earlier than waiting for the paper copy to be mailed to you. In addition, once you sign up for this feature, you can view/print W-2’s since the July 2008 conversion to Banner. If you do not provide electronic consent, a paper form W-2 for tax year 2011 will be mailed to you at the end of January 2012.
Also, if you provided consent in the past and have not contacted Payroll to have it revoked it is not necessary to provide consent again.
If additional information is needed please refer to our FAQ’s regarding electronic W-2 that are located on our Web site: http://www.siue.edu/humanresources/faq.shtml
If you have any questions or concerns please email us at payrollhr@siue.edu
Federal Withholding W-4 Form
December 5, 2011
At the end of the year, you may wish to review your federal and state withholding allowances and consider whether or not you need to make changes for 2012. If your filing status - married or single, “EXEMPT” status, or number of exemptions have changed this year, you may need to submit a new W-4 Form. The W-4 determines the amount of income tax Payroll withholds from your pay. It is now possible for you to make changes to your federal W-4’s online through Banner Self Service.
As a reminder, any employee who claimed “Exempt” in 2011 on their Federal W-4 Form must complete a new W-4 Form to claim this again for 2012. Paper forms are only required if you are claiming "Exempt" from withholding. Claiming “Exempt” on a W-4 is only valid for the calendar year in which it was filed. In compliance with Internal Revenue Service (IRS) guidelines, individuals are required to file a new W-4 Form each year by February 15th when claiming “Exempt”. If you claimed “Exempt” in 2011 and do not submit a new W-4 Form for 2012, your tax withholding status will automatically be change to Single with Zero exemptions (the default status), as required by the IRS regulations.
You may be eligible to claim “Exempt” if the following criteria are met:
1. You incurred no federal income tax liability for 2011; and,
2. You anticipate no federal income tax liability to be incurred for 2012.
If you have not claimed “EXEMPT” for the past year and/or you do not need to make changes to your tax status, you are not required to update your W-4.
If you have any questions, please contact Payroll in the Office of Human Resources at 650-2190 or payrollhr@siue.edu.
Meetings Regarding SURS Money Purchase Factor Change
November 10, 2011
As you already know, the factors table used to calculate SURS retirement benefits under the Money Purchase formula will be changing effective July 2, 2012. It is estimated that the monthly annuity benefit paid from the Money Purchase Formula will be reduced on average 7 to 8 percent for employees retiring on or after July 2, 2012. SURS estimates that working employees can recover this monthly reduction by delaying retirement for approximately 10 to 11 months, due to the additional contributions and interest that would be added.
Faculty and staff who are considering retirement should make this decision thoughtfully based on information related to their personal and financial situation. If you are planning to retire in the next 1-2 years, or deciding whether to retire this year or next year, then you will want to carefully consider the impact of the factors change.
To help you understand the ramifications of this important change, the Office of Human Resources will hold the following informative meetings to help you determine if you will be impacted by this change, information about the change and how you can receive more detailed information regarding your SURS benefits. During these information sessions, we will not be able to answer questions regarding individual monthly annuity calculations or any legislative changes. Questions about individual monthly annuity amounts should be referred to SURS since monthly annuity calculations are unique to each employee.
Informational sessions will be in the Morris University Center, Mississippi-Illinois Room on:
Tuesday, 11/22/2011 - 2:00 – 3:00 p.m.
Tuesday, 11/29/2011 - 9:30 – 10:30 a.m.
Monday, 12/5/2011 - 11:30 -12:30 p.m.
Thursday, 12/15/2011 - 11:30 -12:30 p.m.
Employee of the Month
November 2, 2011
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LaVontas Hairston is the recipient of the November Employee Recognition Award. LaVontas, Payroll Manager in the Office of Human Resources, was nominated for the award by his supervisor Jayne Markus, Associate Director in the Office of Human Resources.
LaVontas personifies excellence in his work and personal endeavors. LaVontas’ astute management of his staff ensures that the University’s payroll function is consistently carried out on a timely basis. He readily takes on new challenges and goes above and beyond the responsibilities required by his position. LaVontas’ poised demeanor, creativity and problem solving skills were instrumental in keeping the payroll team task-oriented in processing the FY11 salary increases that went back a full year. Lavontas is supportive of his staff by being an advocate for cross-training and other personal developmental opportunities. He maintains a professional attitude at all times, a feat easily achieved given that he is genuinely a person of character and integrity. LaVontas lauded his University stating that “SIUE is a great place to work. I am grateful to be a part of how the university has grown over the past 11 years of my employment. The university has awarded me the opportunity to further my education and develop a career. I have been blessed to meet some amazing students and co-workers, who have become good friends. I look forward to being a part of what the future holds for SIUE”.
LaVontas will receive a plaque, recognition on the Digital Signages (Monitors) across campus, a $25 Gift Certificate to the Morris University Center Bookstore, two complimentary lunch coupons to the University Restaurant, and up close parking for one month.
Please join us in congratulating LaVontas Hairston as the Employee of the Month on Monday, November 7, at 1:00 p.m. in the Office of Human Resources Conference Room, Rendleman Hall, Room 3210.
Questions or comments should be directed to Oniffe Grizzle at ogrizzl@siue.edu or ext. 3062.
Employee of the Month
October 6, 2011
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Jaci DeClue is the recipient of the October Employee Recognition Award. Jaci, Assistant Athletic Director in Intercollegiate Athletics, was nominated for the award by Lindsey Schmidt, and endorsed by her supervisor Dr. Bradley Hewitt, Director of Athletics.
Each day Jaci comes to campus her goals are simple: improve the college experience of student-athletes, her department and the university. The Athletics Department’s career development program was formed largely as a result of Jaci’s strong commitment to preparing student-athletes for the professional environment after college. Jaci possesses the exceptional ability to readily pinpoint service gaps and immediately brainstorm ways to improve these departmental systems. Jaci always remembers birthdays and never fails to show gratitude to her colleagues for their support. She is always willing to impart her extensive knowledge to help others grow as employees. Likewise, she continues to excel as an employee because she is always open to new ideas from others. Jaci, on being the recipient of the award, said, “As an alum of this university, it has been exciting to watch this university grow and change over the last 11 years. I have been fortunate to work alongside some wonderful colleagues and students who have made my time here very enjoyable and rewarding. I look forward to many more years of serving the SIUE community.”
Jaci will receive a plaque, recognition on the digital signs (monitors) across campus, a $25 gift certificate to the Morris University Center Bookstore, and two complimentary lunch coupons to the University Restaurant.
Please join us in congratulating Jaci DeClue as the Employee of the Month on Tuesday, October 18, at 3:00 p.m. in the Varsity Room, second (2nd) floor of the Vadalabene Center.
Questions or comments should be directed to Oniffe Grizzle at ogrizzl@siue.edu or ext. 3062.
Employee of the Month
September 9, 2011
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Karen Trone, Lead Financial Specialist in the Budget Office and Financial Affairs, is the recipient of the September Employee Recognition Award. She was nominated for the award by her supervisor, Bill Winter, the University’s Budget Director.
Karen has made a significant and invaluable contribution to the Budget Office and University during her 22 years of highly dedicated service. She is a team player who respects the diversity of opinions and backgrounds of other staff members. When process-oriented issues arise, Karen’s ability to create positive working relationships with the staff at the various SIU campuses has resulted in numerous “best practice” solutions. She is always willing to take on new projects and in many instances has committed a great deal of her personal time and resources to travel to other work sites to see these projects through to completion. Karen is responsible for preparing financial and budgetary reports for the Illinois Board of Higher Education, Illinois State Legislators, SIU Board of Trustees, as well as the Chancellor's and President's offices, and has done so ethically with her integrity never in question. Reflecting on her time as a Cougar, Karen declared, “SIUE has been a big part of my life. My work career started at SIUE in the Payroll Office in a farm house. At that time I started taking several accounting courses which culminated in me graduating in a tent on the Mississippi River Festival site in 1978. After graduation I worked in the private sector but would return to SIUE in 1996 to work in the Financial Affairs and Budget area and have since enjoyed another 15-year stint. I have been proud of my University both as an employee and as a student. SIUE has been a part of my first and last jobs. Now I am ready to enjoy my grandchildren.”
Karen will receive a plaque, recognition on the digital signs (monitors) across campus, a $25 gift certificate to the Morris University Center Bookstore, two complimentary lunch coupons to the University Restaurant and up-close parking for one month.
Please join us in congratulating Karen Trone as the Employee of the Month on Thursday, September 15, at 1:30 p.m. in the Chancellor’s Conference Room, Rendleman Hall, Room 3316.
Employee of the Month
August 12, 2011
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Dawn Snyder, Building Service Worker in Morris University Center Administration, is the recipient of the August Employee Recognition Award. She was nominated for the award by Riane Greenwalt, Director of Health Services.
Dawn is a veteran university employee of 16 years who has exhibited excellence, diligence and professionalism in performing her job duties from day one. As an ambassador of the university, she seizes every opportunity that presents itself to assist visitors and students who are unfamiliar with the campus. Dawn maintains that ‘‘employees are here to serve students’’, and as such continuously strives to improve the quality of her work by asking for feedback on her job performance. Her meticulous attention to detail is admired by her peers and clients alike. Dawn is extremely flexible and routinely goes out of her way to meet the needs of faculty, staff and students, whether it means doing additional research on cleaning products to accommodate allergy concerns, or adjusting her schedule to be available as needed. When asked what she would like the campus community to know about her, Dawn responded, “I do my job for the students; I see them as my children and I do my best to answer whatever questions they may ask. I love my children (students) and I am here for them to lean on”.
Dawn will receive a plaque, recognition on the Digital Signages (Monitors) across campus, a $25 Gift Certificate to the Morris University Center Bookstore, two complimentary lunch coupons to the University Restaurant and up close marking for one month.
Please join us in congratulating Dawn Snyder as the Employee of the Month on Thursday, August 18, at 10:00 a.m. in the Goshen Lounge, Morris University Center.
Questions or comments should be directed to Oniffe Grizzle at ogrizzl@siue.edu or ext. 3062.
Employee Discount Update
July 11, 2011
Have you looked at our employee discounts at http://www.siue.edu/humanresources/benefits/discounts.shtml recently? We are continually adding companies that offer discounts to SIUE employees. Our latest addition is Curves! All area Curves facilities including the Edwardsville/Glen Carbon location at 10B Edwardsville Professional Park are offering a waiver of the $99 service fee until September 11, 2011 with new memberships. To receive this discount, you must present your SIUE ID at the facility you wish to utilize.
If you need additional information, please contact Susan Sugg at suggs@papadocs.com.
Employee of the Month
July 8, 2011
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Pat Connaway, Office Support Specialist in Library and Information Services, is the recipient of the July Employee Recognition Award. She was nominated for the award by her supervisor, Laura Scaturro, Office Manager in Library and Information Services.
Pat is deeply committed to the library’s administrative operations and is always eager to further her knowledge about university policies and procedures. She has a positive persona and maintains a high level of professionalism that engages those she works with daily. Pat continues to take initiative on many projects while maintaining Timecentre for student work. The faculty and staff in the Library hold Pat in high regard, and to that end places in her purview the many responsibilities associated with their registration, transportation and lodging needs, as well as those for participants of the symposiums put on by the library. When asked about being recognized as July’s Employee of The Month Pat humbly said, “Prior to employment at SIUE, I was a homemaker, dedicated to raising two daughters. Entering the workforce at forty-seven allowed me to begin a career at a quieter time in my life and the job has been an enjoyable challenge! Co-workers have become very good friends to spend my days with; outside of work, I value time with my family, including my wonderful grandchildren”.
Pat will receive a plaque, recognition on the Digital Signages (Monitors) across campus, a $25 Gift Certificate to the Morris University Center Bookstore, and two complimentary lunch coupons to the University Restaurant.
Please join us in congratulating Pat Connaway as the Employee of the Month on Tuesday, July 19, at 1:00 p.m. in Lovejoy Library, in the Administrative Area, Room 1006.
Questions or comments should be directed to Oniffe Grizzle at ogrizzl@siue.edu or ext. 3062.
Changes to SURS Money Purchase Factors
June 15, 2011
On April 15, 2011 we notified all employees that the factors to the retirement annuity for the Money Purchase formula would be changing. At its meeting on June 10, 2011, the Board of Trustees of SURS set the effective date of the Money Purchase factor changes to July 2, 2012.
As a reminder, when SURS calculates a retirement annuity, it uses both the General and Money Purchase formulas and finalizes the pension amount based on the formula that pays the highest annuity. Based on this change, it is estimated that the monthly benefit paid from the Money Purchase Formula will be reduced on average by 7% to 8% on July 2, 2012.
The actual reduction of the monthly annuity is unique to each individual participant. For this reason, SURS encourages all participants to log on to their account on the SURS Member Website and utilize the Benefit Estimator which will help employees determine how this affects each participant’s personal situation. SURS estimates that it will take active employees 10 to 11 months after the effective date of this change to recover this monthly reduction in annuity benefits.
Please remember that the above change does not affect the retirement annuity of:
For additional details, please refer to the May 2011 edition of the Advocate or contact the SURS office at 1-800-275-7877.
Employee of the Month
June 6, 2011
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Renee Seganfredo, Office Support Specialist in the School of Pharmacy, is the recipient of the June Employee Recognition Award. She was nominated for the award by her supervisor Terri Poirier, Associate Dean and Professor in the School of Pharmacy.
Renee acts in the capacity of an Office Support Specialist for three major areas in the School of Pharmacy, namely, Academic Affairs, Development and External Affairs, and Continuing Education. She is responsible for coordinating and maintaining curriculum records, course evaluations, academic progression data, and academic scheduling. She also facilitates a wide range of logistical functions that makes the myriad of events put on by the School of Pharmacy possible. Renee’s poise brings a calming influence to the members of her group when problem solving issues. Whether interacting with students, faculty or external stakeholders, Renee conducts herself with professionalism and fervor. “I work with a wonderful group of people and that makes it easy to do my job”, said Renee, who really values teamwork. In her spare time, Renee enjoys spending time with her family, reading, and gardening.
Renee will receive a plaque, recognition on the Digital Signages (Monitors) across campus, a $25 Gift Certificate to the Morris University Center Bookstore, and two complimentary lunch coupons to the University Restaurant.
Please join us in congratulating Renee Seganfredo as the Employee of the Month on Tuesday, June 21, at 9:00 a.m. in the Schnuck’s Conference Room, School of Pharmacy at 200 University Park Road.
Questions or comments should be directed to Oniffe Grizzle at ogrizzl@siue.edu or ext. 3062.
Degree Completion Award
May 30, 2011
Laura Koch, Office Support Specialist, is the recipient of the 2011 Degree Completion Award. Laura joined the University in 2003 and currently works in the Department of Student Opportunities for Academic Results (SOAR). She expects to complete her degree in Psychology and graduate Spring 2012.
Laura is known for her professionalism, scholarly integrity, and overall positive attitude towards academia. She has indicated that her work within SOAR has been the most professionally challenging and the most intrinsically rewarding job she has ever had. Laura is honored to be recognized as part of the SIUE community and is extremely thankful for the opportunity to complete her baccalaureate degree under this program.
Please join us in congratulating Laura Koch as this year’s Degree Completion Award recipient on Thursday, June 2nd, at 9:00 a.m. in the Student Success Center, Room 1220.
More information about this award and award criteria can be found at http://www.siue.edu/humanresources/benefits/degree_comp_award.shtml
Final Decision Regarding Managed Care Contracts
May 25, 2011
A final decision regarding the managed care contracts for FY 2012 has been made. The original award as announced on April 5, 2011, has been upheld and the protest was denied. Therefore, effective July 1, 2011 the following carriers will be available:
HMO Illinois: http://www.bcbsil.com/stateofillinois
Blue Advantage: http://www.bcbsil.com/stateofillinois
PersonalCare OAP: http://www.personalcare.org
HealthLink OAP: http://www.healthlink.com
Quality Care Health Plan: http://provider.healthcare.cigna.com/soi.html
Employee and dependent contribution rates for Quality Care, HMO Illinois and HealthLink OAP will be the same as FY 2011 and are available at: http://www.siue.edu/humanresources/benefits/pdf/FY2011StateRates.pdf; however, dependent rates for the new carriers are being developed and will be posted to the CMS Benefits website as soon as they are available. A list of Q&As for members regarding the decision and a coverage map are also available through the following links: http://www.siue.edu/humanresources/benefits/pdf/5-24-11MemberQAState.pdf and http://www.siue.edu/humanresources/benefits/pdf/StateNewMap5-24-11.pdf.
The Benefit Choice Period will remain open through June 17, 2011, for all benefit elections including Flexible Spending. Employees enrolled in any managed care plan that is no longer available must request a carrier change by June 17, 2011, or they will be defaulted to Quality Care effective July 1, 2011. Please note: Members in PersonalCare HMO must make a change to another carrier or they will also default to Quality Care.
Employee of the Month
May 4, 2011
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Roxanne Field, Application Analyst in Information Technology Services, is the recipient of the May Employee Recognition Award. She was nominated for the award by her supervisor Jill Schaefer, IT Manager in Information Technology Services (ITS).
Roxanne has worked in ITS since 1997 and has been an indispensible resource for her fellow analysts and programmers over the years. She has been instrumental in the implementation and continued support of the Banner System, by serving on several inter-departmental committees that research and make decisions concerning new IT solutions on campus. Roxanne is honored to be recognized as part of the SIUE community and is very thankful for the great people she works alongside daily. When asked what drives here to continually excel at her job, Roxanne responded, “The students, I am so proud to be a small part of the process of educating students because it can have a huge impact on someone’s life”. She has many interests outside of work, but right now she spends most of her time with her husband raising their three very busy kids.
Roxanne will receive a plaque, recognition on the Digital Signages (Monitors) across campus, a $25 Gift Certificate to the Morris University Center Bookstore, and two complimentary lunch coupons to the University Restaurant.
Please join us in congratulating Roxanne Field as the Employee of the Month on Thursday, May 12, at 3:30 p.m. in Dunham Hall, Room 0111.
Questions or comments should be directed to Oniffe Grizzle at ogrizzl@siue.edu or ext. 3062.
Employee of the Month
April 5, 2011
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Donna Boyer, Office Support Specialist in the School of Pharmacy, is the recipient of the April Employee Recognition Award. She was nominated for the award by Dr. Teri Kerr, and endorsed by her supervisor William Wuller, the Director of Experiential Education in the School of Pharmacy.
As an Office Support Specialist, Donna is the face of the Office of Experiential Education. She is responsible for conference planning, maintaining budget records and keeping an accurate database of student immunization histories and licenses required for participation in clinical rotations. She is well known for her positive and approachable nature, and consistently assesses and meets the needs of students, preceptors and faculty members. The golden rule that guides Donna’s life and work relationships is “always treat others as you would like to be treated”. Outside of work she values spending time with her family and playing with her grandchildren.
Donna will receive a plaque, recognition on the Digital Signages (Monitors) in the Morris University Center, a $25 Gift Certificate to the Morris University Center Bookstore, and two complimentary lunch coupons to the University Restaurant.
Please join us in congratulating Donna Boyer as the Employee of the Month on Monday, April 11, at 9:00 a.m. in the Schnuck’s Conference Room, School of Pharmacy at 200 University Park Road.
Questions or comments should be directed to Oniffe Grizzle at ogrizzl@siue.edu or ext. 3062.
Employee of the Month
March 2, 2011
Rosie Gogue, Office Support Specialist in the School of Pharmacy, is the recipient of the March Employee Recognition Award. She was nominated for the award by her supervisor and Chair of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Michael Crider.
Rosie will receive a plaque, a $25 Gift Certificate to the Morris University Center Bookstore, and two complimentary lunch coupons to the University Restaurant on Thursday, March 10, at 4:00 p.m. in the Student Learning Center of University Park 220.
Please join us in congratulating Rosie Gogue as the Employee of the Month for March 2011.
Note: Once a person has been nominated for the Employee Recognition Award, their name remains in the pool until selected if they meet the criteria. The nominator does not have to re-nominate the employee each month.
Questions or comments should be directed to Shrylene Langston at sclark@siue.edu or ext. 2155.
Payroll Certification Training
January 28, 2011
Attention Fiscal Officers and Fiscal Officer Delegates
Payroll has added Payroll Certification training information to the Human Resource website. Please see below.
Payroll Certification Guidelines
http://www.siue.edu/humanresources/payroll/pdf/PayrollCertifications.doc
Power Point Overview of Payroll Certifications
http://www.siue.edu/humanresources/payroll/pdf/PayrollCertification.ppt
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQS)
We have also added FAQ’s regarding Payroll Certifications and these may be found under the Payroll FAQ section at http://www.siue.edu/humanresources/faq.shtml#Payroll
If you have a question that is not addressed by the FAQ's please contact Payroll at 618-650-2190 or email at payrollhr@siue.edu.
2011 Income Tax Changes and Withholding Information
January 28, 2011
As you may already know, there have been both federal and state tax changes that may affect your paycheck for the 2011 calendar year. Below is a brief list of these changes.
Revision of the federal income tax withholding brackets. Your withholding bracket is based on a projection of your annual pay and payroll frequency (semi-monthly, bi-weekly).
Change in annual federal withholding allowance. The 2011 withholding allowance for one with- holding is $3,700. In 2010 this amount was $3,650.
Expiration of the Work Pay Tax Credit. This tax credit expired on December 31, 2010. Employees in a lower to mid-range income tax bracket may see an increase in their tax withholding amount, while employees in a higher tax bracket may see a decrease. The tax credits were only built into the lower to mid-range income tax brackets and not the higher tax brackets for 2010.
Elimination of the Advanced Earned income Credit (AEIC): Based on recent changes to the tax law, the Advance Earned income Credit has been eliminated, and Form W-5 discontinued, effective January 1, 2011. Eligible employees may continue to file for earned income credit when they complete their annual tax return, however, they will not see an earned income amount included in their paycheck. Information for claiming the credit is available in IRS Notice 797, at www.irs.gov.
Change in the tax rate for Employee Social Security/OASDI and Medicare: The year 2011 Social Security/OASDI tax rate for employee only has been changed from 6.2 percent to 4.2 percent. This means there is 2% less social security tax deducted from your paycheck and is being referred to as the "Payroll Tax Holiday". The employer rate has remained the same at 6.2% and the maximum wage base remains at $109,800 for 2011. The changes to Social Security do not affect employees who participate in SURS. If you are covered by SURS you do not pay into social security. This change affects Extra Help employees and short term employees.
Increase in Illinois Income Tax withholding rate. The rate for individuals has increased from 3% to 5%, effective January 1, 2011.
You may also wish to review your Form IL W-4 if you are concerned that too much or not enough state tax will be withheld from 2011.
The IRS maintains a calculator at http://www.irs.gov/individuals/article/0,,id=96196,00.html?portlet=4 to help you assess the impact of the new tax rule on your year-end taxes and determine if you will need to submit a revised W-4.
You may make changes to your Federal Form W-4’s online through (CougarNet) Banner Self Service. Paper forms are only required if you are claiming "Exempt" from withholding. You can log into CourgarNet (Banner Self Service) by clicking on the CougarNet icon from the SIUE home page at www.siue.edu. You can also visit the FAQs on the HR website for assistance with changing/updating W-4 information; they are available at http://www.siue.edu/humanresources/faq.shtml#payroll
As a reminder, any employee who claimed “Exempt” in 2010 on their Federal Form W-4 must complete a new paper W-4 Form to claim this again for 2011. Claiming “Exempt” on a W-4 is only valid for the calendar year in which it was filed. In compliance with Internal Revenue Service (IRS) guidelines, individuals are required to file a new Form W-4 each year by February 15th when claiming “Exempt”. If you claimed “Exempt” in 2010 and do not submit a new Form W-4, your tax withholding status will be changed to Single with Zero exemptions; the IRS required default withholding status.
The Office of Human Resources and payroll staff will not be able to answer questions regarding your tax rates, tax obligation or provide any additional information regarding state and federal tax changes. If you have additional questions regarding this information, you may visit www.irs.gov for federal tax information or http://www.revenue.state.il.us/#t=tab1 for state of Illinois tax information. You may also want to contact your tax consultant or preparer for further tax advice.
Quality Care Health Plan Mailing Draft
January 27, 2011
This message is ONLY for employees who participated in the State of Illinois Quality Care Health Plan (QCHP) from August 31, 2000 until June 30, 2004.
If you were covered by a different health care provider during this time, this notice does not affect you.
Employees who participated in the QCHP during the dates listed above have or will be receiving a mailing regarding a class action lawsuit entitled Cummins v State of Illinois. Until July 1, 2004, the State of Illinois Quality Care Health Plan (QCHP) did not provide coverage for prescription contraceptives (includes the pill, IUD, diaphragm, implant, patch, injection, etc.). A class action lawsuit, Cummins v. State of Illinois , challenged the State’s past exclusion (August 31, 2000 until June 30, 2004) of prescription contraceptives from its State Employees’ Health Plan. The matter was certified as a class action lawsuit and includes all female employees who were enrolled in the State Employees’ Group Insurance Program at any time from August 31, 2000 until June 30, 2004.
The class action notification is being mailed to all identified QCHP members beginning January 18, 2011. The notification outlines the steps that the class member must take to make a claim for money for their out-of-pocket expenses incurred to pay for contraceptives which were not covered under their health plan while they were enrolled from August 31, 2000 until June 30, 2004. The mailing includes information about the lawsuit and the necessary claim forms to apply for the member’s expenses.
If you are a female employee and were covered by QCHP during the time indicated and did not receive the mailing from CMS, please visit the websites below.
Additional Information: www.ILclassaction.com
Additional Claim Forms: www.benefitschoice.il.gov, or by calling (800) 610-2091
General Questions regarding the settlement may be directed to: Cummins Class Counsel (314) 542-9999
Employee of the Month
January 7, 2011
Ron Klaustermeier, Distribution Service Supervisor in Purchasing and Central Receiving, is the recipient of the January Employee Recognition Award. Ron was nominated for the award by Shelly Albert, Purchasing Officer in Purchasing. Her nomination was also supported by Ron’s supervisor, Nancy Ufert Fairless, Director of Purchasing and David Heath, Director of Financial Affairs.
Ron will receive a plaque, a $25 Gift Certificate to the Morris University Center Bookstore, and two complimentary lunch coupons to the University Restaurant. The time, date, and location will be announced soon.
Please join us in congratulating Ron Klaustermeier as the Employee of the Month for January 2011.
Note: Once a person has been nominated for the Employee Recognition Award, their name remains in the pool until selected if they meet the criteria. The nominator does not have to re-nominate the employee each month.
Questions or comments should be directed to Shrylene Langston at sclark@siue.edu or ext. 2155.
Southern Illinois University Edwardsville is an equal opportunity employer and will not discriminate against any person on the basis of race, religion, national origin or sex in violation of Title VII.
Southern Illinois University Edwardsville prohibits discrimination against employees, applicants for employment and students on the basis of age, color, disability, marital status, national origin, race, religion, gender, sexual orientation, or veteran’s status.
