Timely Leave Approval Processing
To aid understanding of Kent State University’s proper procedures for using and reporting vacation leave, the following information applies to both supervisors, as leave approvers, as well as vacation-eligible employees. Vacation is earned each pay period according to eligible employees' years of service and job appointment (e.g., classified or unclassified). Eligible employees are expected to use vacation time for rest, relaxation and other personal reasons during the year in which it is earned. A detailed explanation of vacation accrual rates, eligibility and usage is in administrative policy 6-11.7. You can also view the accrual schedule online. According to the policy, both supervisors and employees eligible to earn vacation have certain responsibilities
Supervisor’s Responsibilities
Supervisors are responsible for making sure that employees submit all vacation time that is taken. Supervisors do not have the authority to “give someone the day off” without reporting it as leave.
Supervisors who allow employees to take leave without reporting it may be subject to disciplinary measures. Situations where the employee does not report to work and there is no leave request to document the absence can create legal implications for the university.
Eligible Employee’s Responsibilities
Eligible employees are responsible for scheduling vacation time off in advance with their supervisor, so that the workflow in the department is not interrupted. Employees are encouraged to use their vacation time, and supervisors are expected to approve reasonable requests that are made in advance.
Eligible employees are responsible for accurately reporting the number of vacation hours taken and submitting the time for approval. If an employee has taken previous vacation time and not reported it, time should be submitted for approval immediately. Kent State University employees should report vacation leave through the proper channels (classified employees submit leave through the Empower timekeeping system; unclassified employees and faculty use the Time Reporting channel in FlashLine). The leave should be submitted at the end of the pay period in which the leave was taken.
If you use FlashLine to record and submit leave and need assistance with the process, video tutorials are available in the My HR and My Action Items tabs. Employees have two pay periods (30 days) to enter any vacation, sick or personal leave already taken.
A printable version of the Proper Procedures for Using & Reporting Vacation Leave can be found on the Employee Resources and Records page of the Human Resources website. If you have additional questions, contact Human Resources Records at 330-672-8316 or hr-records@kent.edu.
Wellness Offers Available in July
Supervisors and managers are asked to share this information with your faculty and staff.
Kent State University's Division of Human Resources continues to partner with University Health Services and Be Well Solutions to enhance our commitment to promote the health and well-being of the university community. If you haven’t already scheduled a screening this spring/summer, we have one remaining date still open this month:
Date Time Location
Wednesday, July 29
7:30-10:30 a.m.
Heer Hall - Conference Rm. 107
All full-time, benefits-eligible employees are invited to participate in a free comprehensive wellness assessment. Participants must fast for at least 10 hours before their on-site screening. Results will be provided for the following:
- Glucose
- Total cholesterol, including HDL and LDL
- Triglycerides
- Blood pressure
- Body mass index
Scheduling for a screening appointment must be completed on Be Well Solutions' website at www.bewelldata.com. If an employee is not already registered on Be Well Solutions' website, instructions on how to register can be found on the OneWellU website.
All employees who complete the personal health risk assessment and screening for the first time will receive a free MOVBand, a wrist-worn activity tracker. Employees who complete their second annual health screening will receive a free $25 gift card for Dick's Sporting Goods.
Additionally in July, the Division of Human Resources will offer our very popular lunch and learn on July 21. The lunch and learn will explain how to “make your attitude your greatest asset.” This is sure to fill up quickly so register today at the OneWellU website.
For a complete list of offerings and registration information, employees may visit the OneWellU website. For questions, contact Laura Kenney at 330-672-8368 or lkenney2@kent.edu.
A.L.i.C.E. Training Session Available
Public Safety, in partnership with the division of Human Resources, continues to offer A.L.i.C.E. workshops. The 90 minute long A.L.i.C.E. sessions are designed to give participants insight and response options when encountering an active shooter. A.L.i.C.E. -- Alert, Lockdown, Information, Counter and Evacuation -- is crisis training created by two Texas law enforcement officers.
This highly effective and "common sense" training has been readily adopted by many educational law enforcement institutions in Ohio and throughout the United States. The training is open to everyone, but we are encouraging faculty and staff to take the time to attend one of the sessions. Hopefully you will never have to use the information you will learn, but if a situation does arise in a classroom or in an office, you will have an idea of what you can do to increase your survivability
To register for A.L.i.C.E. training, go to the KSU HR Online Registration site and search on "A.L.i.C.E." (make sure you include the periods after each letter).
If you have questions regarding A.L.i.C.E or any other training, please contact the Human Resources Training and Development Office at 330-672-2100 or hrd@kent.edu.
Plan your Beyond Compliance (BC) Training for the New Fiscal Year
Supervisors and managers are asked to share this information with your faculty and staff.
Beyond Compliance training provides a mix of learning opportunities that are geared toward relevant laws, university policies and violence prevention. While some fulfill annual compliance mandates, all provide a wealth of information designed to heighten awareness and offer prevention solutions.
The Division of Human Resources set a minimum goal for two hours of Beyond Compliance training for all faculty and staff to complete each fiscal year. In fiscal year 2014-15, more than 3,000 hours of training were tracked with webinars being the most popular choice for obtaining training. The employment law series, Green Dot and Step Up and Speak Out webinars were very popular and will be offered again in fiscal year 2015-16.
Human Resources will continue to offer a blend of training options, including webinars, online courses and facilitator-led sessions. To make Beyond Compliance courses more identifiable, those courses are now flagged with the letters BC in front of them along with the number of hours each session satisfies. This will make it much easier to identify the courses in the employee’s training records.
For a list of updated offerings, check out the Beyond Compliance registration site. For additional questions regarding Beyond Compliance, please contact the Human Resources Training and Development Office at 330-672-2100 or hrd@kent.edu.
Dates to Remember
July 14 Walk and Talk: Noon – 1 p.m.
Wellness Health Screening. See the OneWellU website for more information.
July 18 Nelson Mandela’s Birthday
July 21 OneWellU Lunch and Learn. Making Your Attitude Your Greatest Asset. See the OneWellU website for details.
July 29 Wellness Health Screening. See the OneWellU website for details and registration.
Tell Us What You Think
This e-newsletter is designed to keep you, the managers and supervisors, informed. Please take a few minutes to let us know what you think of it, along with any comments or suggestions. You may contact us at managersfeedback@kent.edu. We look forward to hearing from you.
For information about events and programs for university employees, please check out the Faculty and Staff calendar and share the information with your staff.