2023 HR Insider Newsletter Summer edition

Summer 2023

Insider Human Resources Creativity | Collaboration | Integrity | Stewardship | Professionalism | Science-Based

Summer Edition 2023

Benefits Annual Open Enrollment Beneficiary Designations Human Resources Trakstar Notes

W-4 Update EAA Badges

Training Third Quarter Training Schedule Wellness ACI Health &Wellness Webinar Wellness Newsletter Retirement Mission Square Upcoming Webinars Mission Square Retirement Seminar

Records

IE Tab for Chrome

Recruitment Medina Valley High School Career Fair Summer Intern/Work Study Students Current Vacancies

New Hires

Important Dates Deadlines; Anniversaries; Birthdays and Events

CLICKABLE LINKS:

MEDICAL DENTAL FSA/DCAP/HRA

LIFE/AD&D/LTD

RETIREMENT

MISSION SQUARE

Summer 2023

Benefits

Take NOTES in Trakstar Have you taken notes in Trakstar regarding your performance? Taking notes is an important performance man - agement tool that alleviates the stress of remembering projects/tasks completed throughout the year. It also allows you to efficiently assess your performance come evaluation period. If you need assistance navigating Trakstar, please reach out to Margaret Ross. H ere’s how to take notes in Trakstar: 1. Select My Notes from the Homepage - You can find ‘My Notes’ tab on the left-hand side of your screen. Human Resources

2023 Annual Open Enrollment is Starting in August!

2. Input Your Note - Enter your note in the text box and select a privacy setting to determine if the note will be visible to your manager. Select a competency that this note is related to. If no com - petency is selected, your text will be placed in the General Notes section. You may also attach a file (Customer Letter, Certificate etc.). Save by clicking Add This Note. Alternatively, you can add notes directly to each competency on the evaluation. From your Dash - board, Click View Review. Your evaluation will open. Navigate to the competency you wish to add a note. Click Add Note and designate the visibility settings. Click Save.

Enroll, drop or change benefits August 15, 2023 – September 13, 2023. Open enrollment is your once-a-year opportunity to change your benefit elections for the coming year, unless you have a qualifying life event, such as getting married or having a child. As in previous years, when logging in to ADP on the first day of open enrollment, you will be greeted with a pop- up message asking you to start your Open Enrollment session. You will be able to review each of your elections and will be given options to keep, drop or add benefits. Join our live virtual Open Enrollment webinar on August 15, 2023, at 9:00 a.m. Speakers will include representa - tives from our various benefit plans. Be on the lookout for an email from HR in August with more details about the plans and the calendar invite with the Zoom link for our Open Enrollment webinar. Important Reminder: Review and Update Beneficiary Designations Have you reviewed your beneficiary designations lately? It’s essential to keep those up to date for your life in - surance and retirement savings. Life-changing events like marriage, divorce, having a child, or death can make a significant impact. That’s why it’s crucial to regularly review your beneficiary designations and ensure they’re current. Depending on your per - sonal and financial situation, you may need to change beneficiaries. Make sure to make any necessary updates and changes promptly to ensure your benefits are distributed according to your wishes. To update your beneficiary designations, please complete the Beneficiary Change Form available in NeoGov.

View and Update your Federal Tax Withhold (Form W-4) in ADP All taxpayers should review their federal withholding each year to make sure they’re not having too little or too much tax withheld. Employees, retirees and self-employed individuals can use the IRS Tax Withholding Estimator to help decide if they should make a change to their withholding. This online tool guides users, step-by-step through the process of checking their withholding, and provides withholding recommendations to help aim for their desired refund amount when they file next year. To update your Federal Tax withholding, log in to ADP. Navigate to the Myself tab, select the Myself tab, and navigate to Tax Withholdings under Pay.

EAA Badges Coming Soon H uman Resources will be issuing new EAA Badges in the next few weeks. Stay tuned for an email from Human Resources on when to swap out your current badge for an updated one. In the meantime, if you have any questions or need assistance with your EAA badge, please reach out to Valerie Diaz.

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Summer 2023

Retirement Mission Square Retirement Upcoming Education Webinars

Retirement

Mission Square Retirement Seminar (onsite) A deep dive into retirement considerations such as working during retirement, income planning, health care costs, long-term care, accounting for inflation, tax implications, Social Security ba - sics, and more. Join us to find out more on in - come planning during retirement. This training will be held in-person at the EAA Recharge room Wednesday, September 27th 10:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m.

Maximizing Your Investments: Ensuring Your Reti- rement is on Track Wednesday, July 12th - The best investing strategy is a carefully planned and prepared approach to managing and accumulating money to help meet your short-term, mid-term, and long-term financial goals. Investment planning requires discipline and patience, but it doesn’t have to be difficult. Effective Estate Planning: Protecting Your Assets for the Future Wednesday, July 19th - An effective estate plan can help ensure your family’s financial needs will be taken care of, and that your personal wishes will be carried

ment, including Medicare and Long-Term Care consi - derations. Social Security: Understanding Your Retirement Benefit Options Wednesday, August 30th - As you near retirement, one of the biggest financial decisions to make is when to begin receiving Social Security benefits. With pensions disappearing, Social Security remains the major sour - ce of guaranteed lifetime retirement income for most Americans, so it’s important to explore your options and make an informed decision. Roth IRA: A Flexible and Tax-Efficient Way to Save for Retirement

I nc ome P l a n n i ng

10 Best Foods To Eat Wednesday, August 30th, 10:00am - 11:00am While a healthy diet consists of eating a variety of healthy foods, there are some that have more health benefits than others and are considered “super foods”. Join us to find out more about the 10 best foods to include in your diet. CLICK to HERE to register. Once registered, you’ll receive an email con- firmation and link to add the event to your calendar. Wellness ACI Health & Wellness Webinar

out in the event of your death. Quarterly Economic Overview Wednesday, July 26th - Join Missi - onSquare Retirement for an upda - te on the financial markets for the most recent quarter. Retirement 101: A Comprehen- sive Overview

Wednesday, September 6th - Roth IRAs have become popular retire - ment savings vehicles because if certain conditions are satisfied, dis - tributions are free from federal in - come taxes. Is a Roth IRA right for you? The answer is complicated and depends on your situation, including whether you believe you’ll be in a higher tax bracket in the future. The Importance of Long-Term Care Planning in Retirement Wednesday, September 13th - Accor -

Wednesday, August 2nd - Most of us imagine retirement as a happy time — a reward for a lifetime of hard work, full of possibilities. With Americans living longer, re - tirement will make up a full third of many people’s lives. This makes planning for it es - sential. Women & Money: Preparing for future finances Wednesday, August 9th - More women than ever are responsible for their financial well-being and that of their families. No matter what life stage they’re in, they need to know how to save, invest, and plan for the fu - ture. How Health can Affect Your Wealth in Retire- ment Wednesday, August 16th - An in-depth look into the many different aspects of planning and preparing for unexpected (and expected) healthcare costs in retire -

ding to the federal government, a majority of people over age 65 will need some type of long-term health care, with a significant number of people needing care in a nursing home. Learn how you can plan for this expense. The Medicare Puzzle: Understanding Your Medica- re Options Wednesday, September 27th - There are many pieces to the Medicare puzzle you need to be aware of. Gain insight to Medicare and the importance of knowing just when you need to apply. All webinars are held from 12:00 - 1:00 CST. Register HERE for all webinars.

WELLNESS NEWSLETTER Click HERE to explore wellness tips, resources, and reci pes in our monthly wellness newsletter.

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Summer 2023

Training

HARASSMENT AWARENESS & DIVERSITY/INCLUSION TRAINING

September 6, 2023

MANDATORY FOR ALL EAA STAFF TIME: MULTIPLE SESSIONS LOCATION/PLATEFORM: VIRTUAL/ZOOM This mandatory training will be facilitated by Kemp Smith via Zoom. In the event an employee is unable to attend this training, they must contact Human Resources for alternate training arrangements Morning Non-Supervisory Session 9:30 a.m. - 11:30 a.m. A meeting invite via Outlook has been sent to those designated to attend. Please plan accordingly. Afternoon Supervisory Session 1:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m. A meeting invite via Outlook has been sent to those desig - nated to attend. Please plan accordingly. On the day of the event, click the link provided on your Outlook calendar to join the discussion. Once the training has been completed, staff will be assigned the Harassment Awareness & Diversity/Inclusion Training Acknowle - dgement via NeoGov.

3rd Quarter Training/Events

SERVICEDESK PLUS TRAINING

July 20, 2023

TIME: 10:00-11:00 LOCATION/PLATEFORM: VIRTUAL/ZOOM

This training will provide training for end-users of ServiceDesk Plus. Topics include: Access to ServiceDesk through Global Protect Portal, navigation and review of ServiceDesk categories, and how submit/view a request in ServiceDesk Plus.

Click to JOIN ZOOM on Day of Event ADD to your Outlook Calendar (.ics) Meeting ID: 826 6448 7409 Passcode: 768619

PROCUREMENT, CONTRACTING & CONTRACTORS

September 19, 2023

ACTIVE SHOOTER AWARENESS & RESPONSE TRAINING

July 25th & 27th, 2023

TIME: 10:00-11:00 LOCATION/PLATEFORM: VIRTUAL/ZOOM

MANDATORY FOR EAA STAFF TIME: 10:00 - 12:00 LOCATION/PLATEFORM: THE RECHARGE ROOM/IN-PERSON

It is the policy of the EAA to secure the highest quality goods and services for EAA funds available. This inclu - des awarding contracts to those vendors that provide the most advantageous goods capable of meeting the needs of the organization. This session will review the EAA Procurement Procedures, Contractor Best Practices & the EAAM/WBE Program. Topics include: Procurement thresholds and types; Procurement Methods; Contracts and Agreements; Dealing with Contractors & M/WBE Program and Goals CLICK to JOIN ZOOM on Day of Event ADD to your Outlook Calendar (.ics)

Active shooters continue to strike American workplaces on a daily basis. While every attack is different, there are commonalities - including confusion. This mandatory training will discuss simple survival skills and techniques that can save your life in the event of an active shooter attack. This training will be facilitated by Deputy Adam Turberville with ALERRT . The ALERRT Center at Texas State University was created in 2002 as a partnership between Texas State University, the San Marcos, Texas Police Department and the Hays County, Texas Sheriff’s Office to address the need for active shooter response training for first responders. In 2013, ALERRT at Texas State was named the National Standard in Active Shooter Res - ponse by the FBI. Two sessions are available: Tuesday, July 25th and Thursday, July 27th from 10:00-12:00pm. Seating is limited to 45 people/session. Registration is required via Eventbrite. In the event an employee is unable to attend this training, they must contact Human Resources for alternate training arrangements. Click HERE to register via Eventbrite.

OPEN ENROLLMENT PRESENTATION 2023-2024 PLAN YEAR

August 15, 2023

TIME: 9:00 - 11:00 LOCATION/PLATEFORM: VIRTUAL/ZOOM

Open enrollment is your once-a-year opportunity to change your benefit elections for the coming year, unless you have a qualifying life event, such as getting married or having a child. Join our live virtual Open Enrollment webinar on August 15, 2023 at 9:00 a.m. Speakers will include representatives from our various benefit plans.

Click to JOIN ZOOM on Day of Event ADD to your Outlook Calendar (.ics) Meeting ID: 869 6204 1475 Passcode: 715958

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Summer 2023

Records Internet Explorer Tab for Chrome

Recruitment On May 11, 2023, Human Resources participated in the Medina Valley High School Career Fair. Interested sophomores, juniors and seniors visited the EAA booth asking questions and exploring opportunities for career paths. Medina Valley High School Career Fair

Internet Explorer was retired on June 15, 2022, and has since been permanently disabled on certain versions of Windows. However, some internet sites and functions – i.e. the Open with explorer function in SharePoint – still require the use of the Internet Explorer engine. The IE Tab for Chrome Extension can be used to still utilize these functions. Instructions to install and use the extension can be found HERE. If the extension requests a license key, please submit a ServiceDesk request to IT to receive one.

Human Resources will continue to participate in additional re - cruiting events throughout the next couple of months as they become available.

While using the IE Tab extension, you might encounter the following screen. This occurs when trying to use the IE Tab extension on a Modern Experience ver - sion of SharePoint. By default, some SharePoint document libraries may open in the modern experience. Use the following steps, to change the default to open in the Classic experience. 1. Go to the document library.

Welcome Summer Intern/Work Study Students

Two students from the Ambassador Summer Internship Program are working at the EAA’s Education Outreach Center. The internship program is for cur -

rently enrolled college students and is spon - sored by the City of San Antonio. The program exposes students to professional opportunities

2. If in the classic experience, go to the library tab and click on Library Settings. If in the modern experience, click on the settings cogwheel and click on Library Settings. Then click More library settings. 3. Under General Settings, select Advanced Settings 4. Scroll to the bottom of the page. For List experience, select Classic experience. Click OK.

and innovative career paths through paid internships, professional de - velopment workshops, and networking opportunities. Program partic - ipants are placed with government entities, non-profit agencies, and private organizations to gain experience in high-demand occupations in an effort to attract San Antonio’s graduating professionals to career opportunities within the local community.

Gabriela Bocanegra University of Texas San Antonio

Mitch Lurtz University of North Carolina

Promotion

The Youth Summer Internship Program, hosted by Family Service Associa - tion of San Antonio Inc., is an annual program that prepares and places young interns in pro - fessional job settings each summer. The pro - gram is open to youth between the ages of 14- 17 who live within San Antonio’s city council

We are pleased to announce that Hakan Basagaoglu has been promoted to Associate Director, Modeling effective June 24, 2023.

Hakan began his employment with the EAA on Jan - uary 28, 2019, as a Sr Modeler and previously held the position of Principal Modeler. In his new role, Hakan will serve as the technical lead where his re -

districts 1-8. Our IT department is currently hosting and mentoring two high school students.

Jasiah Ramirez CAST Tech HS

Lillian Escobedo Health Careers HS

sponsibilities will include overseeing intricate groundwater investiga - tions that involve computer-based models. These models will be used to simulate and optimize the flow, quantity, and quality of both groundwa - ter and surface water. Hakan will also prepare budgets for the programs necessary to maintain and develop the EAA’s computer-based modeling efforts; work alongside staff to make recommendations, deliver presen - tations, and prepare technical reports related to modeling; and play a key role in establishing goals for modeling and aquifer science research. Hakan holds a Ph.D. in Civil and Environmental Engineering from UC Davis and has over 20 years of experience in geologic and hydrologic data modeling.

TheAlamo on the Job Program through Alamo Colleges District, places quali - fied students with top-rated businesses within the Greater San Antonio Area and students receive paid on-the-job training to succeed in

CURRENT VACANCIES Aquifer Sustainability Supervisor Electronics Tec hnician I Stay up to date with the latest job vacan - cies and scheduled career fairs by visiting the Calendar of Events directly on the EAA Careers page. Once you’ve subs - cribed, you will receive updates to vacan - cies as they become available.

their chosen field of study. The duration of an internship can last up to 9 months, and the interns are able to work up to 20 hours per week. Currently, we have one student working at the EOC with our Communications department.

Drew Pemelton Northeast Lakeview College

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Summer 2023

New Hires Savannah Finger Regulatory Inspector I Savannah joined the Regulatory

We would like to recognize and congratulate our 3rd quarter 2023 EAA employee anniversaries. Thank you for your dedicated service and we wish you many more successful years ahead! Anniversaries

Patricia Mick Administrative Assistant I Patricia “Trish”

Matthew Schwarz Geoscientist I

Name

Date Of Hire Recognized at Board Years of Service

Sandy Haglund

6/15/1998

7/11/2023 7/11/2023 7/11/2023 7/11/2023 8/08/2023 8/08/2023 9/12/2023 9/12/2023 9/12/2023

25 Years 10 Years 5 Years 20 Years 5 Years 5 Years 5 Years 15 Year 5 Years

Matt joined the Data Management department on May 1st. Matt re - ceived a Bachelor of Science degree and a Master of Science degree in

Jennifer Adkins-Schudrowitz 6/24/2013

joined the Human Resources depart - ment on May 30th. Trish comes to the EAAwith 12 years of experience in providing admi-

Kristy Smith Earl Parker

6/25/2018 7/07/2003 7/16/2018 7/30/2018 8/13/2018 8/25/2018 8/27/2018

Affairs depart - ment on April 17th. Savannah received a Bache- lor of Science de- gree in Environ-

Laura Hernandez

Michael De La Garza

Hilda Campos Marc Friberg Scott Storment

Environmental Science from the Uni- versity of Texas at San Antonio. Matt comes to the EAA with 8 years of ex - perience in data collection, analysis, and field equipment maintenance. Matt will be responsible for performing data collection and data analyses activities designed to carry out the mission of the EAA.

nistrative support to employees and managers. She will be responsible for providing high level administrative su - pport to the EAA staff. Mariel Nelson Aquifer Science Intern Mariel joined the EAA on May 31, 2023. Mariel is pur - suing a Ph.D. in Geological Sciences from the Universi- ty of Texas – Austin with an expected gra - duation date of May 2025. Don Coleman Environmental Science Don joined the EAA on June 5, 2023. Don is a student at Sam Houston High School and will be a junior this upcoming school year. Elizabeth Gamboa Environmental Science Elizabeth joined the EAA on June 5, 2023. Elizabeth is a student at Sam Hous - ton High School and will be a junior this upcoming school year.

mental Science from the University of Houston. Savannah comes to the EAA with 2 years of experience in environ - mental and water regulation. Savan - nah will be responsible for coordina- ting and performing work activities related to the continued development and implementation of regulatory programs to carry out the mission of the EAA.

Deadlines and Events

Birthdays Omar Garcia July 14 Sarah Eason July 17 Matthew Rogers July 19 Amjad Rashid July 31 Scott Storment August 7 Molly McKinney August 13 Chris Morgan August 13 Felix Marquez II August 15 Mariah Bonham August 16 Jose Barela August 17 Ann-Margaret Gonzalez August 18 Nichelle Cunningham August 22 Mark Hamilton August 26 Taylor Bruecher August 27 Mariel Nelson September 1 Erica Cubillo September 2 Shelly Hendrix September 10 Raquel Garza September 13 Gizelle Luevano September 15 Nikki Young September 16 Marcus Gary September 21 Natasha Ponce September 21 Kristina Tolman September 23 Gera Hinojosa September 24 Valerie Diaz September 30

July 04 July 07 July 13 July 14 July 20 July 21

Fourth of July Holiday - Office Closed

Timesheets Due Staff Meeting

Payday

ServiceDesk Plus Training

Karen Mendiondo - STEAM Outreach Educator I

Timesheets Due July 25 & 27 Active Shooter Awareness & Response Training July 28 Payday August 04 Timesheets Due August 10 Staff Meeting August 11 Payday August 15 Open Enrollment Presentation August 18 Timesheets Due August 25 Payday August 30 ACI Health & Wellness Webinar September 01 Timesheets Due September 04 Labor Day Holiday - Office Closed September 06 Harrassment Awareness & Diversity Training September 08 Payday September 14 Staff Meeting September 15 Timesheets Due September 19 Procurement, Contracting & Contractors September 22 Payday September 27 Mission Square Retirement Seminar September 29 Timesheets Due

Karen joined the Communications & Development depart - ment on June 24th. Karen received a Bachelor’s degree and a Master’s degree in Geology from the University of Texas–San Antonio and is currently pursuing a Ph.D. in Environmental Science and Engineering from the same university. Karen comes to the EAA with over 5 years of experience in education and research. Karen most recent -

ly held the position of Intern for Communications & Development and will be working full-time in the same department. Karen will be responsible for creating, managing, and implementing education strategies and programs in support of the EAAmission to promote and support STEAM-based learning in the Education Outreach Center, and in outreach to targeted organizations and populations.

Molly McKinney - Groundwater Protection Intern

Molly joined the EAAon May 31, 2023. Molly is pursuing a Bachelor of Science degree in Environmental Studies from Texas A&M University – College Station with an expected graduation date of December 2023.

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