2024 HR Insider Spring Newsletter
Spring 2024
Insider Human Resources Creativity | Collaboration | Integrity | Stewardship | Professionalism | Science-Based
Spring Edition 2024
Benefits
HRA Rollovers Uniform Reimbursement Allowance
Human Resources Alarm System Code Take Notes in Trakstar
Retirement Mission Square Upcoming Webinars TCDRS Webinars
Training 2024 Training Catalog
Records Open Records Request Activity Wellness YMCA Membership Rate Increase Information Technology EAGIS Technology Upgrades Spanning Backup Endpoint Central Cloud Cyber Security Uptime IT 2024 Roadmap for Enhancements
S p r i n g w i l d f l owe r s a t t h e Nu e c e s r i v e r
Recruitment Anniversaries
New Hires
Important Dates Deadlines; Anniversaries; Birthdays and Events
CLICKABLE LINKS:
MEDICAL DENTAL FSA/DCAP/HRA
LIFE/AD&D/LTD
RETIREMENT
MISSION SQUARE
Spring 2024
Benefits
Reminder: Alarm System Code Human Resources
HRA Rollovers The run-off period for the Health Reimbursement Ar - rangement (HRA) concluded on March 31, 2024. Any remaining funds, up to $2500, will roll over to your 2024 HRA plan. Any HRA funds beyond $2500.00 will be rolled over to your Retirement Health Savings (RHS) account. You can anticipate the rollover of your funds to reflect in your Proficient account by the end of April. The HRA rollovers will occur as follows: PPO Plan – Under the PPO Plan, a maximum of $2500.00 will carry over to your 2024 HRA. These funds are designated for covering medical, dental, and vision expenses. HDHP Plan • Medical HRA – up to $1500.00 of your medical HRA will rollover and be combined with your 2024 medical HRA. • Dental and Vision HRA – up to $1000.00 of your dental and vision HRA will rollover and be combi - ned with your 2024 dental and vision HRA. Uniform Reimbursement Allowance The EAA provides a uniform reimbursement allowance for eligible employees whose duties require field work on
I f you’ve forgotten your alarm system code, remember that it’s simply the last four digits of your Position ID number in ADP. To find this number, log in to ADP > Myself Tab > Profile under My Information > Position
Reminder: Please be advised that after your dental and vision HRA is exhausted, you cannot utilize your medical HRA for dental/vision expenses, and vice versa. Employees eligible for the first-time rollover of funds to an RHS account will be contacted by Hilda Campos to complete an enrollment form.
ID will be listed on the top banner next to your photo. See the example below. You may also reach out to Hilda Campos if you can’t remember your code.
Take NOTES in Trakstar With the new year comes new projects and new goals! Start the year off right by taking notes in Trakstar. Tak - ing notes is an important performance management tool as it alleviates the stress of remembering projects/ tasks completed. It also allows you to efficiently assess your performance during the evaluation period. If you need assistance navigating Trakstar, please reach out to Margaret Ross.
HERE’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.
a regular basis. Human Resources is responsible for approving and processing all requests for uniform reimburse - ments. Eligible employees can submit their request by completing a Uniform Expense Reimbursement Form in Neogov. The form is located under your Neogov Dashboard and accessible by clicking on Forms > Quick Links > View all. All requests must include a copy of the receipt and include a description of the items. Al l owance Amount s : Pants/Shorts: For positions that perform field work on a daily basis, reimbursement is limited to $125 per calen- dar year for the purchase of pants/shorts or cargo pants/shorts with flat side pockets that are required as per the nature and course of their job with the EAA. For positions that require some field work, the EAA will reimburse $75 towards the purchase of pants/shorts every two years. Boots: The EAAwill reimburse eligible employees up to $125 per year for the purchase of work boots when it becomes necessary due to wear and tear. Boots must be steel toe or composite toe. All reimbursable amounts are taxable as income and will reflect on your paycheck. For more information regarding the Uniform Expense Reimbursement, refer to the Uniform Allowance Policy in ADP & SharePoint .
Input Your Note - Enter your note in the text box and select a privacy set - ting to determine if the note will be vis- ible to your manager. Select a compe - tency that this note is related to. If no competency is selected, your text will be placed in the General Notes section.
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You may also attach a file (Customer Letter, Certif - icate etc.). Save by click - ing Add This Note.
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Spring 2024
Retirement Mission Square Retirement Upcoming Education Webinars
WEBINARS TAILORED TO MEMBERS
How Health can Affect Your Wealth in Retirement Wednesday, April 17th - An in-depth look into the many different aspects of planning and preparing for unexpected (and expected) healthcare costs in retire- ment, including Medicare and Long-Term Care consi- derations. Market Update Workshop Wednesday, April 24th - Join MissionSquare Retire - ment for an update on the financial markets including popular topics such as: economic overview, inflation/ raising interest rates, and much more! Roth IRA: A Flexible and Tax-Efficient Way to Save for Retirement Wednesday, May 1st - Roth IRAs have become po - pular retirement savings vehicles because if certain conditions are satisfied, distributions are free from fe - deral income 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. Women and Money: Preparing for future finances Wednesday, May 8th - More women than ever are res - ponsible 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 future. 10 Questions for a Successful Retirement: A Guide for the Retiree Wednesday, May 15th - Transitioning into and throu- gh retirement can be rewarding and challenging. So having a plan is important. We’ll focus on 10 key qu - estions you should ask, from saving, to Social Secu - rity and Medicare, and managing your investments, withdrawals, and taxes. Making the Most of Social Security - Retirement Income Enhancing Strategies Wednesday, May 22nd - Understand the basic ele- ments of the Social Security program and focus on
strategies that can help make the most of the benefits you receive. Financial Planning Basics: How to Set and Achieve Your Goals Wednesday, June 5th - Everyone can benefit from a financial plan that is tailored to individual needs and circumstances. A financial roadmap can motivate you to save money, help you meet your financial goals, and improve your overall financial security now and in the future. Effective Estate Planning: Protecting Your Assets for the Future Wednesday, June 12th - 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 out in the event of your death. Navigating the Next Chapter: Preparing for Your Retirement Wednesday, June 18th - If you’re retiring soon, you probably have many questions about your retirement accounts. Learn what you should consider next. The Medicare Puzzle: Understanding Your Medi- care Options Wednesday, June 26th - 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 p.m. - 1:00 a.m. Register HERE for all webinars.
SOCIAL SECURITYADMINISTRATION Your TCDRS benefit may be your only part of your overall retirement picture. Join TCDRS as they host speakers from the Social Security Administration. Get an overview of Social Security and have a chance to ask your ques - tions live with a Social Security Representative. Wednesday, May 8th, 12:00 - 1:00 p.m. Click HERE to register. PREPARING FOR A SUCCESSFUL TCDRS RETIREMENT Retirement is not just about the money. If you are thinking about retiring in the next five years, join TCDRS for a webinar about how to plan for a successful retirement. We’ll not only talk about the financial aspect of retirement, but the emotional transition as well. Plus, we’ll walk you through the steps for processing your TCDRS retire - ment. 2 Sessions - Friday, May 10th, 9:00 - 10:00 a.m. and Tuesday, June 11th, 9:00 - 10:00 a.m. Click HERE to register. HOSTED BY THE ASSOCIATION OF FINANCIAL EDUCATORS - 457s & IRAs Retirement planning is more than just understanding your TCDRS benefits. Join TCDRS as we host speakers from the Association of Financial Educators to provide you with additional information related to budgeting, saving, and other financial resources to help you plan for retirement and the unexpected on your road to retirement. Wed- nesday, May 22nd, 12:00 - 1:00 p.m. Click HERE to register. WELCOME TO TCDRS If you’re a new hire and have questions about your TCDRS benefit, this webinar is for you! You’ll learn how TCDRS is unique and how it helps you save for your future. You’ll also find out why it’s important to designate a beneficiary and register for your online account. Then we’ll show you all the resources TCDRS offers to help you retire with confidence. Friday, June 7th 9:00 - 9:30 a.m. Click HERE to register. ENVISION YOUR FINANCIAL FUTURE
Retirement planning begins on day one. Join TCDRS for a webinar to review how your TCDRS retirement plan works and how life changes can impact your benefits. We’ll also discuss the importance of saving outside your TCDRS plan. The earlier you start saving for retirement, the more options you’ll have when you are ready to take that next step. Wednesday, June 10th, 12:00 - 1:00 p.m. Click HERE to register.
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Spring 2024
Training 2ND QUARTER TRAINING EVENTS
NEOGOV Cyber Security MANDATORY Training
JUNE 6, 2024
TIME: NA LOCATION/PLATEFORM: VIRTUAL/NEOGOV
Local government entity employees who have access to a local government computer system or database and elected officials must take a DIR-certified cybersecurity course as required by Texas Government Code Section 2054.5191. This training will be assigned by Human Resources via NEOGOV on June 6th. Staff will receive an email notification of enrollment and will have 14 days to complete this mandatory training. Since NEOGOV maintains Certificates of Completion in the employees’ profile, staff does not need to forward these to human resources.
Procurement, Contracting & Contractors
APRIL 17, 2024
TIME: 10:00 - 11:00 LOCATION/PLATEFORM: VIRTUAL/ZOOM
This session will review the EAA Procurement Procedures, Contractor best practices and the EAA M/WBE Program. Topics include: Procurement thresholds and types, procurement methods, contracts and agreements, dealing with contractors and M/WBE program goals.
YMCA Presentation: Managing Your Stress
JUNE 13, 2024
Click to JOIN Zoom on Day of Event ADD to your Outlook Calendar (.ics)
TIME: 10:00 - 11:00 LOCATION/PLATEFORM: RECHARGE ROOM/IN-PERSON
Field Safety Protocols Training
MAY 9, 2024
This seminar is designed to provide participants with valuable insights and practical strategies for effectively han - dling stress in their lives. This seminar covers components to help attendees gain a comprehensive understanding of stress management. Lunch for this presentation will be provided. If you’re planning to attend, please email Valerie Diaz, no later than June 10th. A gift for attending will also be distributed at the end of the presentation.
TIME: 10:00 - 11:00 LOCATION/PLATEFORM: VIRTUAL/ZOOM
This training will discuss common EAA working envi - ronments and safety protocols for those who perform du- ties out in the field. Topics include situational awareness, slips/falls prevention, lift/ladder safety, proper use of field equipment, vehicle inspection, driver safety, and person - al protected equipment. While this training is open to all staff, it is mandatory for field personnel. Field personnel who are unable to attend, must reach out to Human Re - sources as soon as possible for alternate arrangements. Click to JOIN MS Teams on Day of Event ADD to your Outlook Calendar (.ics)
TCDRS Retirement Seminar & Individual Counseling
MAY 22, 2024
TIME: 10:00 - 11:00 LOCATION/PLATEFORM: VIRTUAL/ZOOM
Join us for a webinar about EAA’s retirement benefits plan through TCDRS. We’ll cover how the plan works, ben - eficiary details, survivor benefits, vesting and eligibility requirements, account growth if you leave employment, retirement payment options, and much more. Click to REGISTER Registration is Required. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.
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Spring 2024
Information Technology EAGIS
Endpoint Central Cloud Y ou may have encountered this pop-up before. Our IT department has success - fully implemented the ManageEngine Endpoint Central Cloud Agent. This agent ena - bles us to maintain your computer’s up-to-date status and offer remote assistance to our users, whether they are working from home, in the field, or at the office
C y b e r S e c u r i t y
Pro t e c t your s e l f and t he EAA by l e a rn i ng t o t r a ck down t he s e s i gn s o f ph i s h i ng ema i l s ! My s t e r i o u s Me s s a g e s Phishing emails often appear to come from someone you know or trust. But they can also come from unknown senders. Always check the sender’s email address U r g e n t D e m a n d s Phishing messages often direct you to take action immediately, implying that something negative will happen if you don’t. These messages are meant to get you to react before you think. Always stop and think before taking action. Does the request make sense? S n e a k y L i n k s One of the most common signs of phishing is the request to open an unexpected link or attachment. Malicious links or attachments can be used to steal your login info or other data. Never open links or attachments from unknown or suspicious senders. If you need to sign in to a website, go directly to the known, legitimate address. B e f o r e t a k i n g a n a c t i o n , s t o p , l o o k , a n d t h i n k ! Does i t seem suspicious , out of place, or just strange? Then report the message and delete i t immediately! U p t i m e
T he IT department has suc- cessfully completed the latest iteration of EAGIS Enhancements based on valuable user feedback. Below are the key updates:Reports Module: Reports can now be generated based on the unique ID within the mail merge section. 1. Quick Entry Tab: The Quick Entry tab is now seamlessly linked to the meter readings notes tab in the Meters module. 2. Email Functionality: We have added email functionality to the workflows in the Well
Page, Well Construction Page, and Enforcement Page. 3. Secondary Contact: The Con - tact tab on the entity page now includes a secondary contact field. 4. Notes Tab: Anew Notes tab has been introduced on the contact page. 5. POU Primary Entity Check - box: In the POU modules’ en - tities tab, you’ll find a primary entity checkbox for streamli - ned management. 6. NIFC Tab: The POU Page now features a dedicated NIFC (No -
tice of Intent to Finish Out a Crop) tab for crop details. Ac - tive meters are automatically populated into this tab. 7. Enhanced Search Filters: We’ve added additional search filters to the pages for wells, well construction, permits, and meters. Your input matters! If you have any further ideas or suggestions for im- proving the EAGIS permitting sys - tem, please share them with us at itgroup@edwardsaquifer.org.
Technology Upgrades IT is pleased to inform you that our IT staff is currently in the process of upgrading laptops and monitors. We are replacing existing equi - pment with precision workstations and Dell curved monitors. As of year-to-date, we have successfully completed 28 installations. Please be on the lookout for emails from the IT department regarding your specific equip - ment upgrades.
S p a n n i n g B a c k u p
In the event of lost emails, our IT department has im- plemented Spanning Bac- kup to facilitate the restora -
I T h a s t o o l s i n p l a c e t h a t c a p - t u r e t h e y e a r l y p e r c e n t a g e o f u p t i m e . I n 2 0 2 4 t h e a v e r a g e u p t i m e o f a l l s y s t e m s w a s a b o v e 9 9 % . I T s t r i v e s t o e n s u r e a l l s y s - t e m s a r e a l w a y s a v a i l a b l e .
tion of deleted messages. You can find Spanning in your Office 365 apps grid. Notably, Spanning empowers both end-users and administrators to swiftly locate and restore data to its original state with minimal effort. Whether it’s accidental deletion, sync errors, or other issues, Spanning streamlines the restoration pro - cess
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Spring 2024
Information Technology
Records Open Records Request Activity – NOT SPAM
IT 2024 Roadmap for Enhancements
Wellness
When records necessary to fill an open records request need to be retrieved from an EAA em - ployee, Records staff will assign the employee an Activity via
the Open Records Center. The employee will receive an email from “EAA Open Records Cen - ter
the email pictured below. When records necessary to fill an open records request need to be re- trieved from an EAA employee, Records staff will assign the em - ployee an Activity via the Open Records Center. The employ - ee will receive an email from “EAA Open Records Center
Follow this link to to view this month's news- letter including tips on the benefits of wal - king, tips for allergy season, and the Medi - terranean Diet. Click here to view last month's newsletter include tips from the YMCA on eating out, important functions of protein, and National Sleep Awareness Month. We l lnes s News l e t t er
YMCAMembership Rate Increase Effective April 1, 2024, there will be an increase to the EAA’s monthly membership rates. Please refer to the table below and the flyer available in SharePoint for details on the new pricing.
Recruitment CAST Senior Hiring Fair 03/21/2024 H ilda Campos attended the CAST Senior Hiring Fair on March 21, 2024, aimed at connecting graduating seniors from CAST Tech High Schools with career and intern - ship opportunities. With 200 seniors in attendance, the fair pro - vided a platform for students to present their skills and resumes,
College and Career Fair On March 27th, Human Resourc - es participated in the Sam Houston College & Career Fair. The fair is aimed to provide students with valu- able information about the various
careers and re- sources a v a i l - able to them.
while also allowing the EAA to provide valuable information about intern- ships.
Current YMCA enrollees were notified via email on March 7, 2024.
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Spring 2024
New Hires
We would like to recognize and congratulate our 2nd quarter 2024 EAA employee anniversaries. Thank you for your dedicated service and we wish you many more successful years ahead! Anniversaries
Jacob Goldstein Information Technology Intern
Patrick Havard Accountant I
Name
Date Of Hire Recognized at Board Years of Service
Sarah Valdez Raquel Garza
5/3/2004 6/1/1999 6/29/2009 6/29/2009
5/14/2024 6/11/2024 7/9/2024 7/9/2024
20 Years 25 Years 15 Years 15 Year
Jacob joined the EAA on January 22nd. Jacob is pursuing a Bachelor of Business Administration degree in Computer Information Systems from Texas A&M University-San Antonio with a graduation date of May 2024.
Patrick joined the Financial Ser - vices department on February 5th. Patrick received a Bachelor of Science degree inAccounting from the University of Phoenix. Patrick comes to the EAA with over 20 years of experience in hospitality,
Anastacio Moncada
Brent Doty
Deadlines and Events
budgeting, purchasing functions, and vendor relations. Patrick is responsible for coordinating and performing daily accounting, finance, and budgeting functions for the EAA.
April 04 Substance Abuse Awareness Training April 05 Payday April 11 Staff Meeting April 12 Timesheets Due April 17 Procurement & Contracting Training April 19 Payday April 25 Timesheets Due April 26 Battle of Flowers - Office Closed May 03 Payday May 09 Field Safety Protocols Training May 10 Timesheets Due May 16 Staff Meeting May 17 Payday May 22 TCDRS Retirement Seminar May 24 Timesheets Due May 27 Memorial Day - Office Closed May 31 Payday June 06 CyberSecurity Training June 07 Timesheets Due June 07 ServiceDesk Plus Training June 14 Payday June 13 Staff Meeting June 13 YMCA Presentation: Managing your stress June 19 Juneteenth - Office Closed
June 21 June 28
Timesheets Due
RavenWeitzenhoffer Communications & Development Intern
Payday
Raven joined the EAA on January 22nd. Raven is pursuing a Bache - lor of Arts degree in Environmen - tal Studies from Trinity University with a graduation date of May 2024.
2nd Quarter Birthdays
Chinedu Okoro Data Analyst II
Chinedu joined the Data Mana - gement department on April 1st. Chinedu received a Bachelor of Science degree from the Universi- ty of Texas at San Antonio. Chine - du comes to the EAA with 7 years of experience in database manage -
Anna Heikes Groundwatrer Protection Intern
April 4 April 7 April 14 April 16 April 24 April 27 April 30 May 18 May 20 May 21 May 30 May 31 May 31 May 7 May 8 June 9 June 9 June 19 June 25 June 25 June 25
Margaret Ross Anna Heikes Tamauj Thomas Martin Hernandez Ben Urbanczyk Richard Gonzalez Walker Cagle Nayeli Esquilin Javier Hernandez Derek Hausmann Earl Parker II Chad Furl Alyssa Balzen Jose Tovar Anastacio Moncada Thomas Marsalia Adrian Lopez Roel Loera
Anna joined the EAA on January 24th. Anna is pursuing a Bachelor of Science degree in Environmental Geosciences from Trinity Universi- ty with an expected graduation date of May 2026.
ment and IT systems analysis. Chinedu is responsible for performing analysis of EAA collected environmental data in support of scientific investigations and research of the Edwards Aquifer and its contributing watersheds in support of the mission and values of the Edwards Aquifer Authority.
Zoe Frausto Field Inspection Intern
Zoe joined the EAA on January 22nd. Zoe is is pur - suing a Bachelor of Scien- ce degree in Environmental Geosciences from Trinity University with an expec - ted graduation date of May 2025.
Chinedu Okoro Patrick Havard Paul Aton
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