Tag: benefit

Answers to Your Questions About Vacation/Personal Paid Time Off (PTO)

Published on by Megan MacGregorLeave a comment

Do you have a plan for using your vacation/personal paid time off (PTO) this year? According to this  Forbes article, “American workers are notorious for being workaholics. Since March of 2020, an overwhelming majority of U.S. employees have shortened, postponed, or canceled their vacation time.” While most of us are aware that time away from work is crucial to maintaining mental health and supporting our relationships, we sometimes have a hard time truly disconnecting. 

While it may seem harmless to check in a couple of times while you’re away, to really benefit from a vacation you need to disconnect entirely. Review these tips for setting boundaries so you can get adequate rest and reset. Having a plan for setting boundaries with your team before, during, and after your vacation will help reduce pre- and post-vacation stress. 

We encourage everyone to work with their supervisor to schedule a well-deserved break. And don’t forget, employee discounts for travel are available through MSU Benefits Plus and the HR website. 

Your Top PTO Questions 

The following are the most common questions HR receives regarding PTO and answers vary based on the employee’s personal details. These answers are only applicable to regular, benefit-eligible employees working half-time or more. Please make sure to reference the appropriate policy page for further details: support staff, faculty and academic staff, librarians, and MSU extension. 

  1. How do I find out how much PTO I currently have? 
  • Log into the EBS Portal and select My Time & Payroll from the top navigation, then select the Time Quota Balances tile. For support using the application, please review the Time Quota Balances help page. 
     
  1. How do I find out how much PTO I have used? 
  • Log into the EBS Portal and select My Time & Payroll from the top navigation, then select the Time Quota Usage Monthly Report tile. For support using the application, please review the Time Quota Usage Monthly help page. 
     
  1. How do I enter my PTO in EBS for supervisor approval? 
  • Login to the EBS Portal and select My Time & Payroll from the top navigation, then select the Time Entries & Statement tile. Enter the number of hours in the cell for the correct date in the row with the appropriate absence type. For support using the application, please review the Time Entries and Statement help page. 
     
  1. What is the difference between personal leave, personal observance days, and vacation PTO? 
  • Eligible support staff are granted both personal leave and vacation PTO. Eligible faculty and academic staff are granted vacation PTO.  
     
    For support staff, up to 24 hours of personal leave PTO is granted each fiscal year (July 1 – June 30). The amount granted is proportional to the employment percentage. You may not carry these hours over to the next year, so make sure you use this PTO before the fiscal year ends. Please review the support staff personal leave policy page for more details. Please note: POAM employees should review the POAM union contract for their unique personal leave policy. 
     
    Vacation PTO is granted to eligible employees and varies based on employee type, union affiliation, employment percentage, length of employment, and new hire status. Please review the appropriate policy for further details: support staff, faculty and academic staff, librarians, and MSU extension. 

Personal Observance Days are two additional days (16 hours, prorated based on the start date and percent time) of personal time that eligible faculty, support, and academic staff employees will be able to use each calendar year. As of January 2024, employees will be able to use the two additional days of personal time between January 1 and December 31. Please refer to the Personal Observance FAQ page for further details. 
 

  1. I’m a new employee. Do I have access to my vacation PTO immediately? 
  • This depends on your employee type. Eligible faculty, academic, and support staff have access to vacation PTO after 6 months of service. Eligible librarians and MSU Extension employees have access immediately upon employment. Please review the appropriate policy for further details: support staff, faculty and academic staff, librarians, and MSU extension. 
     
  1. If I leave the university – such as through retirement or termination – what happens to my unused PTO? 
  • Employees will receive payment for unused vacation PTO when they leave the university. Support staff will not receive payment for unused personal leave PTO. 
     
  1. How much vacation time can I use at once? 
  • It is up to each department to determine what is an appropriate amount of vacation time to be taken at once. Departments should make sure to consistently approve vacation requests fairly.  
     
  1. For Time Entry Roles Only: What are the absence and attendance codes? 
  1. Support Staff Only: How do I accrue vacation days? 
  • Eligible support staff accrue vacation days monthly. The amount accrued depends on union affiliation, employment percentage, and length of employment. Please review the support staff vacation time policy page for more details. 
     
  1. Support Staff Only: Is there a maximum amount of vacation PTO I can accrue? 
  • Yes. The maximum amount eligible support staff can accrue depends on union affiliation, employment percentage, and length of employment. Please review the support staff vacation time policy page for more details. 
     
    Support staff cannot earn vacation time beyond the accrual limit. You are encouraged to use your PTO so you don’t lose out on valuable vacation time. 

More information about PTO for eligible employees can be found on the HR website (support staff and faculty/academic staff). We encourage you to review the appropriate policy pages thoroughly to help answer any questions you may have. If you need further assistance, please contact the HR Solutions Center at SolutionsCenter@hr.msu.edu or 517-353-4434. 

Don’t forget your MSU employee discounts this holiday season!

Published on by Megan MacGregorLeave a comment

As a benefits-eligible MSU employee, you have access to various discounts and savings that can help you find the perfect holiday gifts. Through MSU Benefits Plus, you can find discounts and special offers on products such as electronics, toys and more!

To access all the discounts, visit MSU Benefits Plus and sign-in using your ZPID number (located on your Spartan Card ID badge), or you can find the number in EBS. If you haven’t used MSU Benefits Plus previously, you’ll need to sign-up using your ZPID number to access the discounts.

The following are a few of the deals you can find through MSU Benefits Plus:

  • Apple – Enjoy employee pricing on most Apple products such as select iPhones, AirPods, MacBooks, Apple Watches and more when you shop through this exclusive link.
  • Amish Furniture Company – Receive a 10% discount on all purchases using coupon code EDU10% during check out (may request proof of MSU affiliation).
  • Best Buy – Save 20% on select cell phone accessories including OtterBox, LieProof, Mophie, Speck, Kate Spade NY, Under Armour, and more when you use promo code 20percentoff at checkout.
  • Calm – Get 57% off* the #1 app for meditation and sleep through this link.
  • HP Gaming Gear – The HP Employee Purchase Program (EPP) offers HP consumer products at discounts typically up to 10% – 50% off starting prices through this exclusive link.
  • Kiwi Crate – Inspire the next generation of scientists and engineers, and save 35% off your first month’s box when you use this exclusive link!
  • Magazine Advantage – get up to 90% off the most popular magazines offering titles such as People, Better Homes & Gardens, Entertainment Weekly, Southern Living, Martha Stewart Living & more! Buy for yourself or send as a gift through this exclusive link.

The HR website also offers other deals you can find on-campus through the MSU Tech Store, MSU Bakers, and the Kellogg Hotel & Conference Center, among others. You can check out some of those deals at MSU HR Website.

For more information on discounts through MSU Benefits Plus, visit the HR website. If you have any questions about the discounts, please call MSU Benefits Plus at 888-758-7575.