April 15 through May 14 is Open Enrollment time, that window of opportunity for employees to change their UA Choice selection if they so desire. Statewide Human Resources mailed out a head's up to employees last week, notifying all benefits-eligible employees of some expected changes. READ PDF. Those changes do include an increase in the employee share of plan costs; HR will begin mailing out a detailed communication to employees later this week. The April issue of the Voice will include a wrap-up of changes and costs. Now is a good time to take stock of your plan and consider if your current selection best suits your needs.

Two unions, the Alaska Public Employees Association (APEA) and the Alaska State Employees Association (ASEA), have been actively seeking the opportunity to represent Statewide non-exempt staff for purposes of collective bargaining. Many questions have arisen about union organizing at the university. Labor and Employee Relations has created a web site to help answer some of the questions and concerns that have arisen during the union organizing process. Find FAQs and more HERE.

Unionization efforts of public employees are regulated and overseen by the Alaska Labor Relations Agency (ALRA). ASEA filed a petition for representation with ALRA which is being held in abeyance until April 15. APEA has filed an Intervention petition with ALRA. Copies of these petitions can be found HERE.
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The UA Health in Action program Get the Point, run by WIN for Alaska, began in February. Participate in Get the Point and earn $50 when you enter your biometric data, earn another $50 if you reach the Tier 1 goal level. If you are not participating in Get the Point, but are a member of a gym, you can receive a $100 reimbursement by mailing in proof of your 2010 gym membership and the Health Club Reimbursement Form (doc). Biometric data entry and completion of Tier 1 must be done by Friday, April 30, to earn each $50 incentive. You may receive the incentives or health club reimbursement, but not both.

WIN for Alaska presents the Personal Wellness Profile for those enrolled in the UA health plan. The profile is a brief, online questionnaire that helps identify possible health risks and provides an immediate report to help you lower risks in problem areas. The results are yours and a $100 incentive is offered to participate. The questionnaire will be available Thursday, April 1.

The Statewide Office of Human Resources is sponsoring a variety of classes in April and May for UA employees.� The calendar is posted at www.alaska.edu/hrtraining and identifies the events in date order.

ComPsych Webinars are generally 45 minutes in length and are open to UA employees system-wide.� There is no charge to attend a ComPsych webinar, although supervisory approval is needed if the webinar takes place during the employee’s work hours.�� Employees may join these webinars from their desk, using a computer and toll-free telephone line.� Be sure to register in advance in order to receive the webinar handouts.

The upcoming webinars include:

• April 7th @ 11:00am - Accountability in the Workplace
• April 21st @ 12:00pm - Personal Finance 101
• May 5th @ 11:00 am –Developing Your Creative Side

Supervisory Training:� The following classes for UA supervisors/managers will be offered in the Butrovich Building and other video-conference rooms if available.�

“Supervisor - Safety Training”�

DATE:� April 12, 2010, Monday
TIME:� 1:30 pm – 4:30 pm
PLACE:� Butro 204

"Violent Crimes on Campus - An Awareness Discussion for Supervisors"��
DATE:� April 22, 2010, Thursday
TIME:� 1:30 pm – 3:30 pm�
PLACE:� BOB 205; video-conference in Fairbanks Butro 212B and Kenai Ward Bldg 115


Need Recertification Credits?� SkillSoft Courses Provide an Option

SkillSoft courses may be used as continuing professional education credit for individuals who hold credentials or have achieved certifications associated with various globally-recognized sponsor organizations. Learn more about how SkillSoft's courses can support the professional development requirements of various organizations.�

University employees may find information at the Statewide Human Resources webpage or at SkillSoft.com Info Center on Certification for a thorough explanation of process and requirements, applicable courses and to identify the sponsor organizations or boards which confer certification and have final authority on the acceptance of individual courses for recertification credit.��


SkillSoft E-learning Demonstration:�
April 16, 2010 10:00 am – 11:00 am for University supervisors and managers

If you are a supervisor and have not previously utilized the SkillSoft e-learning materials, this demonstration will help to familiarize you with the available online resources.� This is an opportune time to learn about these training and development resources especially because the MAU campuses are scheduling events for their development day in May, 2010. The SkillSoft e-learning materials are available at no additional charge to your department and provide a convenient and effective way to support your direct reports’ training and development needs.�

This is the last scheduled demo for this fiscal year, although additional demos may be scheduled, if needed.� University employees who register will receive a reminder email 24-48 hours prior to the event.�� To access the demonstration, you will need a computer, the URL address below, the password and a telephone using the toll-free number below.�����

To enter the session, at the scheduled time click the link below or copy the URL into your browser:
http://LIVE.skilldialogue.com/brands/WDG/WDG_WebInterpoint/join.asp?schedID=62318&sTopic=Alaska+Demos&sDateTime=19-Feb-2010%2012%3A00%20PM
Password:��� demo

Call in number: 1-866-955-4255
Call in code: *7360698*

If you have not joined a demo in the past, there is a browser webcheck available to test your computer for compatibility before you join the session.�� Click the link below or copy the URL into your browser:
http://LIVE.skilldialogue.com//webagent/webagent.asp?login_req=no&cust=&brand=WDG_WEBINTERPOINT&proxy=&oldpwdhash=&newpwdhash=&mode=&host=


Campus Development Day
The MAUs are scheduling their annual Development Day on campus.� Current communication indicates events being scheduled on the following dates:�

• UAA – May 13
• UAF – May 19
• UAS – May 21
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If you have any questions about any of these events, please contact Anne Sakumoto at (907) 786-1432 or assakumoto@alaska.edu.
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Keep up-to-date on current wellness benefits and be inspired by healthy lifestyle tips through the UA Health Link. This online newsletter provides monthly updates on IHP programs, wellness breaks, current incentive programs and more. If you missed this month's issue, read it HERE.