Source Newsletter – August 2018

In case you missed it, here are the August 2018 HR Source newsletters: Source Newsletter for Support Staff and Source Newsletter for Faculty, Academic Staff and Executive Management.

You can find older editions of the newsletter on the HR website.

Here are the headlines at a glance for this month’s Source:

Support Staff:


  • Welcome to a New Academic Year
  • Ask ALEX about Leave of Absence
  • Introducing MIBlue Skill for Amazon Alexa
  • Use WorkLife Office Resources in the New Academic Year
  • Paycheck Checkup – 2018 Federal Tax Changes
  • Educational Assistance: Proof of Payment for Non-Credit Course
  • New International Travel Insurance
  • Presidential Search
  • Applicant Tracking System Reporting Enhancement
  • Applicant Tracking System Navigation Updates
  • Support Staff Holiday Posting Schedule

Faculty and Academic Staff:


  • Welcome to a New Academic Year
  • Ask ALEX about Leave of Absence
  • Introducing MIBlue Skill for Amazon Alexa
  • Use WorkLife Office Resources in the New Academic Year
  • Paycheck Checkup – 2018 Federal Tax Changes
  • Transport Research Materials Across Campus
  • New International Travel Insurance
  • Presidential Search
  • Applicant Tracking System Reporting Enhancement
  • Applicant Tracking System Navigation Updates

Fresh Starts and New (Academic) Years

This is a guest post written by Dr. Barbara Roberts, Executive Director, MSU WorkLife Office.

Fall has always felt like the real new year to me. The heat begins to abate and cozy fall clothes come out of the closet. Summer flowers make way for the more hearty autumn foliage, and barbecue menus give way to crisp apples. School starts, with new courses, books, apartments and friends, and as faculty and staff, we gear up to meet the new class and a year full of challenges and triumphs shared, both at home and at work.

This fall in particular, many of us look forward to a fresh start, after tumultuous spring and summer semesters. I want you to know that the WorkLife Office is here to help you with all of those transitions, added stresses and busy fall tasks as you start afresh. From relocating to a new home to locating care for children or elders, we can help.

Studies show we are more inclined to spend the same amount of money on objects that don’t provide happiness than on help that would save us time and energy. Turn over a new fall leaf in your favor, and try logging in to Care.com to find the support you need with in-home services like housecleaning, fall garden clean-ups, pet care, errands, etc. Let someone else help so you can do more of what brings you joy in this new academic year.

The WorkLife Office is also committed to helping connect you to the resources you need and connecting you to your community in meaningful ways. We are dedicated to helping you start this new year smoothly, honoring your work and personal lives with fresh approaches.

We encourage you to join our email list to keep updated on the many educational opportunities available to you through our office as well. Stay tuned for information about this year’s Fatherhood Forum, Women’s Networking Association and Academic Women’s Forum schedules, our annual WorkLife Conference – this year’s focus is on “Building Community in a Culture of Change,” and several Lunch and Learn workshops to help set you up for success this year!

Job of the Week 8/3/2018

This week’s job of the week is a Producer/Host Radio II (#523034) for the College of Communication Arts and Sciences. WKAR Public Media, the NPR & PBS affiliate at MSU, is seeking a passionate, experienced and dedicated journalist for its AM/FM broadcasts and digital media.

This person should have extensive knowledge of local, regional and national current events and issues. Responsibilities for this role include researching, reporting, writing and producing multimedia spot and feature stories for WKAR’s air and digital platforms. The candidate must be able to cultivate sources and consistently pitch creative, thoughtful and original story ideas that demonstrate an understanding of the issues facing the communities served by WKAR.

The ideal candidate would possess knowledge equivalent to that which normally would be acquired by completing a four-year college degree program in Telecommunications, Journalism or Broadcast Production; three to five years of related and progressively more responsible or expansive work experience in radio production, broadcast operations, rules and regulations and interviewing; or an equivalent combination of education and experience.

For more details on the responsibilities of this position, and to view all our current postings, visit careers.msu.edu. Internal applicants should access postings through the Careers @ MSU tile in the EBS Portal.

Job of the Week 7-6-2018

This week’s job of the week is a half-time (20 hours per week) Library Assistant IV (517619) position at the Main Library. This position is seeking an individual to coordinate and oversee late night operations (11:45 p.m. – 7:45 a.m. Sunday-Thursday).

Responsibilities include providing information and assistance to library users and staff, responding to health, safety and security emergencies, and safeguarding the collections. Additional duties include overseeing the Patron Services department workflow, supervision/training of student employees, resolving patron complaints, and creating/troubleshooting complex computer records.

The ideal candidate would possess knowledge equivalent to that which normally would be acquired by completing a four-year college degree program; one to three years of related and progressively more responsible or expansive work experience in an office setting; experience with integrated library systems; experience within the last one to two years working a public service desk in an academic library; or an equivalent combination of education and experience.

For more details on the responsibilities of this position, and to view all our current postings, visit careers.msu.edu. Internal applicants should access postings through the Careers @ MSU tile in the EBS Portal.

Questions about taking a leave of absence from work? Ask ALEX.

Have you ever wondered what qualifies as a leave of absence or what steps you should take to apply? Try asking ALEX! ALEX is a new virtual educational tool that guides you through the process of taking a leave of absence from work and provides easy-to-understand guidance for every step along the way.

We understand that sometimes you need to take time away from work due to an illness, injury or adding a child to your family. Find out how much time you’re able to take and if you’ll receive pay during your absence. Whether you’re looking to take a leave of absence now, or just thinking about the future, ALEX is available to assist you.

Click the image below to launch the ALEX educational tool.


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This tool is for educational purposes only; please refer to the FMLA page on the HR website for more information on how to obtain the required FMLA leave notice forms. For assistance using ALEX, or to understand your FMLA options, please contact MSU HR at 517-353-4434 or SolutionsCenter@hr.msu.edu.

New Benefit for Diabetes at No Cost to You

In April, we rolled out a new benefit called Livongo – a diabetes management program completely free to MSU employees, spouses and dependents. If you are living with diabetes, Livongo can empower you to take control of your health.

Enroll for Livongo at any time – it takes less than 10 minutes to sign up. Once you register, you will receive a welcome kit in the mail. The kit contains your own Livongo connect meter, unlimited strips, a lancing device, lancets, a carrying case, and optional coaching by a healthcare professional.

Watch the following videos to learn how people have used the Livongo Diabetes Management Program to improve their health and make living with diabetes easier.

Kendrick Summers Livongo Experience - YouTube     Joyce Perry's Livongo Experience - YouTube

Questions? Visit the Livongo website or call Livongo Member Support at (800) 945-4355.

Want to share your own experience with the Livongo Diabetes Management Program? Get in touch with the MSU HR Communications team.

Job of the Week – 6/15/2018

This week’s job of the week is a Human Resources Professional (#512503) for MSU Human Resources. This position is seeking an individual to lead the reappointment, promotion, tenure and no pay mass update process. The individual will review, approve, and process fixed-term faculty, academic, graduate, and undergraduate human resource personnel actions (hires, reappointments, rehires, terminations, etc.).

The ideal candidate would possess knowledge equivalent to that which normally would be acquired by completing a four-year college degree program in Human Resources Administration, Labor and Industrial Relations, or a related field; three to five years of related and progressively more responsible or expansive work experience in human resources administration, human resource systems, project management, data and/or statistical analysis and/or program development and implementation in a Human Resource area related field.

For more details on the responsibilities of this position, and to view all our current postings, visit careers.msu.edu. Internal applicants should access postings through the Careers @ MSU tile in the EBS Portal.

Try a Flexible Work Arrangement for Summer

This is a guest post written by Lydia Weiss from the MSU WorkLife Office.

The summer months on campus often mean fewer parking headaches, shorter lines at our favorite restaurants, and better weather for enjoying nature. At the same time, the summer also brings with it juggling coworkers’ vacation schedules and shifts in the focus of our work. Whether you’re in grounds maintenance and have to shift to new equipment and maintenance schedules, or are in an academic unit and preparing for summer programs and already busying yourself with fall planning, the summer might be a good time to try a flexible work arrangement.

Many unit leaders are already accustomed to shifting schedules around to maintain coverage while also honoring vacation requests. That means that flexibility is already at the front of the minds of managers and also our coworkers. The summer might be a great time for you and your unit to pilot a flexible work arrangement. That could mean anything from working four 10-hour days to teleworking one day per week, and lots of other options in between. For more information about flexible work arrangements, visit the WorkLife Office website. You could also set up a consultation with someone from the WorkLife Office to consider all of your options.

Need a caregiver, dog walker or odd-job professional over the summer?

Sometimes that summer breeze can also blow in additional challenges for caregiving responsibilities. When kids get out of school for their summer break, finding care for them can prove difficult if you don’t already have something lined up.

Additional projects, such as yard work, can also be time-consuming during the warmer months in Michigan. And vacations, four-day weekends, and days at the beach might cause an additional need for a house sitter or dog walker.

All of these changes and seasonal needs may be resolved by posting a job on Care.com. By signing up with your MSU Net ID, you will receive free access to hundreds of caregivers, dog walkers, and odd-jobs professionals who can help ease these shifts in your summer schedule. Then you can negotiate directly with the provider of your choice on wages, hours, and tasks. Learn more about Care.com here.

If you have any questions about managing your summer work-life needs, please don’t hesitate to contact the WorkLife Office at (517) 353-1635 or worklife@msu.edu. Have a happy and safe summer!

Job of the Week 5/11/2018

This week’s job of the week is a Secretary III (#504817) in the Integrative Biology Department for the College of Natural Science. This position is seeking an individual to provide confidential clerical support to the department chairperson.

Responsibilities for this role include researching and collecting information to provide data requested by the chairperson, coordinating the appointment calendar, maintaining files, preparing agendas, taking minutes, and processing travel for the entire department. This person must be able to complete assignments with frequent interruptions.

The ideal candidate would possess knowledge normally acquired through a high school education; three to five years of related and progressively more responsible or expansive work experience in an academic unit with word processing and spreadsheet software; ability to multi-task and prioritize work to meet deadlines; self-starter whose strengths include problem solving, teamwork, attention to detail and excellent communication skills.

For more details on the responsibilities of this position, and to view all our current postings, visit careers.msu.edu. Internal applicants should access postings through the Careers @ MSU tile in the EBS Portal.

Source Newsletters – March 2018

In case you missed it, here are the March 2018 Source newsletters.

There is a Source Newsletter for Support Staff and a Source Newsletter for Faculty, Academic Staff and Executive Management.

You can find older editions of the newsletter on the HR website.

Here are the headlines at a glance for this month’s Source:

Support Staff:

  • Business Inclusion Supplier Exposource-ss
  • Spring Forum: Achieve Growth! Personal Branding, Professional Development and Networking
  • Manage Your WageWorks Account Anytime, Anywhere
  • Equal Pay Day: Raising Awareness
  • Register for Financial Workshops in April
  • Work Smart Salary Negotiation for Women
  • Retirement Plan Fee Credits for Legacy Accounts
  • Nominations for the Simmons Chivukula Award for Academic Leadership
  • New I-9 Scam: What to Watch For
  • Enhancement to Equifax I-9 Management

Faculty/Academic Staff:

  • Business Inclusion Supplier Exposource-fas
  • Groups & Teams in the Classroom: Maintaining an Inclusive Learning Environment
  • Equal Pay Day: Raising Awareness
  • Manage You WageWorks Account Anytime, Anywhere
  • Register for Financial Workshops in April
  • Retirement Plan Fee Credits for Legacy Accounts
  • Nominations for the Simmons Chivukula Award for Academic Leadership
  • Nominations for Excellence Award in Interdisciplinary Scholarship
  • Changes to Criminal Background Check Policy
  • New I-9 Scam: What to Watch For