UIC SAC Newsletter August 2021

In June, the governance, risk, and compliance audit by the State Universities Civil Service System (SUCSS) began here at UIC. This audit occurs every 2 years for compliance purposes.

The audit typically reviews the following areas:

1. Assignment of Position to Classes
2. Pay Administration
3. Employment and Separation Procedures
4. Examination Procedures
5. Statutory Exemptions
6. General Personnel Program Evaluation

Within these broadly defined areas, compliance activities are conducted based on pre-determined risk factors through a sampling of personnel records and individual contact with both employees and various

human resource office staff members. A significant amount of documentation is reviewed throughout this process, including position descriptions, payroll documents, employee files, employment registers,

suspension and dismissal files, and many other documents. The compliance audit function is designed to be used as a tool to assist the Employer in conforming to the Act, Code and Procedures.

If you feel your position has been misclassified, you may request a desk audit. You or your supervisor can request a review by submitting an email request to deblewis@uic.edu, placing “Desk Audit” in the subject line. A copy of your job description and a current organization chart will be required.

Policies regarding vacation and sick leave will be changing for overtime-exempt employees beginning in the academic year 2021-2022. They are meant to standardize time reporting as well as vacation and sick leave benefits.

The standardization will include:

1.being able to utilize vacation and sick leave benefits prior to accrual instead of only after accrual.

2.having available an additional 13 non-cumulative sick leave days for use after other current year sick leave balances are exhausted.

3.eliminating the requirement to submit biweekly timesheets.

4.recording benefit usage by the method directed by their unit in accordance with university policy.

These changes will allow overtime-exempt civil service employees to be consistent with overtime-exempt academic professional employees.

The Schedule of Approved Holidays for Fiscal Year 2022 has been released. December 29, 30 and 31 have been designated as gift days. December 24 has been designated as a half gift and half excused day.

A gift day is a paid day where use of benefit time is not required. Floating holidays are “designated holidays” by the president and chancellors.

Note that employees of the UI Hospital and Clinics will receive the gift days as additional floating holidays. They may be used any time between December 24, 2021, and June 30, 2022. Supervisor approval is needed to ensure that these units can maintain excellent patient care services.

The full holiday schedule can be found here.

The SAC Professional Development Program (PD) is an educational program at UIC that will provide funding to Civil Service Employees to build their knowledge and skills related to their current job responsibilities.

PD Funding is available for distribution up to $500/person.

Applications are due by Friday, August 27, 2021, at 5:00pm.

Applicants will be notified of their status by September 8, 2021. All costs must be incurred by December 10, 2021.

Beginning August 16^th, 2021, the following enhancements in leave for benefit-eligible employees have been added:

1. Funeral/Bereavement leave will be expanded to allow for five days of leave after the death of an immediate family member. Immediate family members include parents, siblings, spouses and partners, grandparents, grandchildren, etc. For a full list of immediate family members, please visit uillinois.edu/leave/funeral.
2. Parental leave is being expanded to six weeks of paid leave following the birth, or upon placement or legal adoption of a child under age 18. Note, if the birth or adoption occurs between August 1^st and August 15^th, the employee will receive the 6-week benefit opposed to the 2-week benefit.

If you are an employee under a union contract, the collective bargaining process will address these enhancements.

UIC faculty and staff are not required to be vaccinated; however, please disclose your vaccination status by August 1^st on UIC Healthcheck. This is to ensure fall planning is as accurate as possible.

If you are fully vaccinated, at this time participation in UIC Healthcheck and saliva testing are not mandatory. Note: you will receive an email asking you to submit proof of your vaccination.

Students must also disclose their vaccination status by August 1^st and are required to be fully vaccinated if they plan to be on campus.

More information can be found on here.