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February 2010
What's New, What's Hot
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HR Training for Supervisors
Human Resources will conduct two, ½ day workshops for managers, supervisors, and employees who make employee selection decisions. These workshops will assist in the development of employee selection matrixes.
- Thursday, February 18, 2010, 1:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m., HQ Building-Executive Classroom-Room 302-AA (For supervisors who supervise engineers)
- Tuesday, February 23, 2010 from 1:00 – 4:00 p.m., HQ Building-Executive Classroom-Room 302-AA (For supervisors who supervise non-engineers)
If you are interested in attending or if you have any questions, please contact Sarah Ragona, Human Resources Specialist, (225) 379-1258.
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Civil Service Update
Civil Service has launched a quarterly newsletter, The Bridge. This newsletter seeks to reach all employees, agency administration, managers, supervisors and HR professionals. For additional information, you may visit the following website to view/subscribe (http://www.civilservice.la.gov/newsletter/signuppage.asp).
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Human Resources ... Here To Better Serve You!
Headquarters Human Resources Section has installed an HR KIOSK in Cubicle 301-A of the Headquarters Building (Click Here). Employees may receive hands-on instructions to access LA Careers, Louisiana Employees Online (LEO), and Manager Self-Service (MSS). Employees may also come by and pick up step-by-step instructions or reference materials for HR-related topics! If you have any questions, please contact Lynette Gray-Chambers, Human Resources Supervisor, at (225) 379-1290.
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W-2 Forms
2009 W-2s were mailed January 15, 2010, to employees' mailing addresses on file as of January 6, 2010. If an employee’s address has changed and he/she has an active forwarding service, the W-2 will be sent to the new address. If the W-2 is undeliverable and returned to OSUP due to an incorrect address, agency Human Resources personnel will be contacted to obtain an updated mailing address. Employees may retrieve a duplicate 2009 W-2 through Louisiana State Employees Online (LEO). Any questions regarding W-2s may be directed to Janice Bernard, Human Resources Analyst, (225) 379-1576, or to Cecelia Donald, Human Resources Supervisor, (225) 379-1675.
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Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC)
Louisiana was the first southern state to establish an Earned Income Tax Credit. EITC is a refundable federal and state tax credit for working people who have a low to moderate income. All Louisiana taxpayers who are eligible to claim the federal EITC are automatically eligible for the state EITC. The state's credit amount is 3.5% of the federal credit. Employees who would like to take advantage of "advanced" EITC must submit a new W-5 Form for the 2010 tax year to Human Resources. For additional information, you may visit the Federal EITC website at http://www.irs.gov/individuals/article/0,,id=96466,00.html, the State EITC website at www.dss.louisiana.gov/eitc, or contact Cecelia Donald, Human Resources Supervisor, (225) 379-1675.
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2010 Retirement Financial Planning
To minimize taxes, plan now for this year's earning deductions into savings plans. Please be aware, however, that any monies eligible for rollover received prior to a year in which you reach age 55, may incur an additional 10% federal tax penalty. You may therefore wish to withhold requests for a disbursement of those monies until the year in which you reach age 55, or later. Please also be informed of any changes to 2010 contribution annual plan limits. LA Deferred Compensation plan monies may be rolled over to purchase additional LASERS retirement service credit and/or repay refunded service credit. Please also note that state employees do not contribute to Social Security, but do pay Medicare tax. That is, all employees hired after April 1, 1986, pay Medicare tax and may be eligible for Medicare at age 65. You may obtain additional information from your Human Resources Office or from Ellen Catherine, HQ Rm. 301-F, (225) 379-1229.
The new 2010 LASERS PREP Seminar Schedule is available on the LASERS website: www.lasersonline.org. This seminar is designed to aid LASERS members in making informed decisions about their retirement plans. All seminars will be held from 8:00 a.m. until 3:30 p.m. Topics to be discussed are: Eligibility requirements for retirement, DROP and Initial Benefit Option (IBO), survivor benefits, "Air Time" purchase of service credit, LA Deferred Compensation, Social Security, Group Benefits, etc. Members may register online (www.lasers.state.la.us/projects/SeminarRegis/Registration.aspx?id=3) or download an application (www.lasersonline.org/PDFs/Seminars/PREP%20Application.pdf) to attend the PREP Seminar of their choice. If you have any questions, please contact Ellen Catherine, Human Resources Analyst, at (225) 379-1229.
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2010 DOTD Calendar
The 2010 Calendars are available on the Human Resources Website. These calendars are available in 8 ½" x 11" and 11" x 17" formats. In addition to the regular calendar, ISIS and OSUP Pay Period Charts are available to assist with payroll processing. You may access via the Intranet under http://ladotnet/mgmt_finance/hresources/home.asp?page=downloads$E.
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STARS OF EXCELLENCE - Recognize Outstanding Performance!
New Year - New Resolution! I'm sure we've all thought "Wow, _______ really went above and beyond when they did _______!" Let's make a resolution to truly recognize exceptional performance! One meaningful way you can do this is to nominate a co-worker for a "Star of Excellence" award. This is different than the previous program as we now have many more awards to present! Also, anyone can nominate anyone! To nominate an employee/supervisor for a "Star of Excellence" award Click Here. The nomination form will automatically be sent to the appropriate Award Committee Coordinator. The deadline for Headquarters nominations is the last day of each month. Please note, however, that the deadline may vary among districts. Each award recipient will receive a monetary award of $150, a Stars of Excellence certificate, and a choice of a DOTD T-Shirt or Polo Shirt. For additional information, refer to PPM # 49, contact Rebekah Henderson, Employee Relations Analyst, (225) 379-1241, or contact your District Awards Committee Coordinator.
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Insurance Update
Plan Members with Dependents who are Full-time Students - Dependents who are full-time students need to provide “Proof of Full-time Status” for the Spring 2010 semester. These verification documents should include the student’s name, school name, enrollment status, and semester enrolled. Documents may be faxed to Darlene Bush (Office of Group Benefits-Eligibility Section) at 225-925-4074 or Alanna McCollum (DOTD Human Resources-Insurance Section) at 225-379-1728. (Full-time students may remain dependents on an OGB plan until age 24.) If you have any questions, please contact Alanna McCollum, Human Resources Analyst, at (225) 379-1640.
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HR Train-the-District Trainers Video Conference
Human Resources will conduct a video conference on Wednesday, February 3, 2010, for the District training coordinators. This training session will provide refresher training information on the following Human Resources courses: Preventing Harassment, Violence in the Workplace and Substance Abuse. If you have any questions, please contact Dortha George, Human Resources Specialist, at (225) 379-1669.
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Position Descriptions (SF3s) Update
In accordance with Civil Service requirements and DOTD Policy, all position descriptions for vacant supervisory positions that are older than one year, and position descriptions for non-supervisory positions older than 5 years, must be updated prior to filling. This policy is designed to ensure that all positions are properly allocated and reflect the most current job duties and responsibilities. Please send updated position descriptions (SF-3s) to the Human Resources Compensation Unit. If you have any questions, please contact Toby Comeaux, Human Resources Supervisor, at (225) 379-1291.
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February 2010 Events
| February 2 |
Job Shadow/Career Day |
| February 3 |
Department of Civil Service Commission Meeting |
| February 3 |
HR Train-the-District Trainers Video Conference (8:30 am to 12:00 Noon) |
| February 16 |
Mardi Gras Holiday |
| February 18 |
HR Workshop (1:00 pm to 4:00 pm)-Developing Employee Selection Matrixes |
| February 23 |
HR Workshop (1:00 pm to 4:00 pm)-Developing Employee Selection Matrixes |
| February 23 |
Standing Committee on Human Resources (SCHR) Meeting |
| February 25 |
New Employee Orientation (8:00 am) |
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| **Famous Quote: |
"The achievements of an organization are the results of the combined effort of each individual."
- - Vince Lombardi |
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