HR Insider Newsletter Winter 2022

Winter 2022

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

Winter 2022

Winter Edition 2022

Benefits

Health Reimbursement Account T-Mobile Work Perks Discount Human Resources HR Video Tutorials Internship with Carlos Cortes

Retirement

TCDRS

Training

Online Training & Development First Quarter Training Schedule

Wellness

BCBS Blue 365

Records Virtual Visits from BCBS New Year, New Folders

Recruitment

UTSA Mock Interviews New Hires

Important Dates

Deadlines; Anniversaries; Birthdays and Events

Photo Credit: texashillcountry.com

CLICKABLE LINKS:

MEDICAL DENTAL FSA/DCAP/HRA

LIFE/AD&D/LTD

RETIREMENT

ICMA-RC

Winter 2022

Human Resources

Benefits

NEW Human Resources Video Tutorials

Health Reimbursement Account Run Off Period

In Human Resources, we get asked questions … lots of them. Check out our new video tutorials to answer your most frequently asked questions. We will add video tutorials as the need arise, therefore, if you have an idea for our next video, send these to Human Resources. We are here to help! Available Tutorials: How to NeoGov – Course Catalog Search How to NeoGov – Forms Complete and Submit

T-Mobile Work Perks Discount Connect app. HDHP Plan If you are enrolled in the HDHP plan, up to $1500.00 Your 2022 HRA funds became available on January 1, 2022. Your 2022 HRA amount is tied to the medical plan you selected during open enrollment or as a new hire. See the table below for contribution amounts. 2022 HRA Contribution BCBS HDHP BCBS PPO Medical $3,499.99 $1,000.00 Dental & Vision $1,000.00 NA You can view your balance by logging in to your Pro- ficient account at ProficientConnect.com . If you have a balance in your 2021 HRA account, your funds will rollover mid-April to your 2022 account after the 90- day run-off period has ended. The deadline to submit for reimbursement for expenses incurred in 2021 is March 31, 2022. To submit a reimbursement during the run-off period, submit your claim through Profi - cientConnect.com or by downloading the Proficient

of your medical HRA funds will rollover to your 2022 medical HRA. Up to $1000.00 of your dental and vi- sion HRA funds will over to your 2022 dental and vi- sion HRA. Any remaining funds will roll over into a Retirement Health Savings (RHS) account. PPO Plan In you are enrolled in the PPO plan, up to $2,500.00 of your 2021 HRA funds will rollover to your 2022 HRA funds. Any remaining funds will roll over to your RHS account. Retirement Health Savings Plan Overview RHS is mandatory and employees may not choose to opt out of this program. At separation from employ- ment, employees who are enrolled in the RHS and meet the vesting period of five years of consecutive full-time service will be eligible to receive funds from their RHS account to pay for medical expenses. You can view your balance by logging in to your Mission- Square account and clicking on plan #801871.

How to NeoGov – Transcripts and Certificates View/Print How to SharePoint – Accountabilities Check Out & Check In How to SharePoint – Job Descriptions Check Out & Check In

Human Resources Internship with Carlos Cortes The transition from IT to HR was surprisingly quick and easy. I was shown my new office space, intro - duced to the whole team, and it was skills and translated them into this internship and really my whole life, which allows me to balance a lot of things at once and still be able to get

cords pages. Along with that, I also helped research and found required training courses for the staff to fa - cilitate the process for HR when picking the courses. I also helped to update the Health & Wellness page, the Human Resources Folder in SharePo- int to make sure that it stayed relevant and up to date. Lastly, probably the most challenging one was to cre- ate learning videos and gifs for staff relating to NeoGov. Those videos and gifs inclu- ded how to complete forms, search through the training catalog, and how to find your certifications and transcript. I am about halfway done with this great opportunity, and I want to thank everyone that has he- lped me along the way. I am excited to see what is still left in store for me for the remainder of my time here at the EAA.

go time. I was slowly assig- ned projects which I was given instructions on what to do along with a due date and pretty much left alone. The projects kept coming, but with great mentors and good time management ski- lls, I was able to complete them on time and with high quality. It has almost been 2 months with the HR team and time has really gone by quickly. I have stayed very busy and been able to learn and prac- tice a lot of needed skills

Through T-Mobile, EAA employees are eligible to save 15% on the Magenta MAX plan which offers premium un - limited talk, text, and data. New and existing customers are eligible for this discount. If you are a new T-Mobile customer, call 855-570-9947, and ask to speak with a work perks representative. State that you are with the Edwards Aquifer Authority and would like to to setup your dis- count. If you are a current T-Mobile customer, you are only eli- gible if you carry the Magenta MAX plan. If you currently do not have this plan, you will have to change to the Magenta MAX plan and add a line to your account to receive this discount. Additional features when switching to T-Mobile include a free Netflix membership, 40 GB of high-speed mo - bile hotspot date, Scam Shield Premium, and free promotions on T-Mobile Tuesdays. To take advantage of this promotion, call 855-570-9947 or visit www.t-mobile.com/workperks. Existing T-Mobile customers can call 877- 334-7099.

and knowledge in the workplace. One of those has been my time ma- nagement skills, since high school I have been involved in a lot of clu- bs and organizations so managing my time properly was very crucial. I took those prior experiences and

everything done on time and exce- llent work. Some of the projects that I was able to accomplish were to help update and add to the current “How To Ca- talogs” for SharePoint and the re-

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Winter 2022

We strongly encourage you to setup your online access to your TCDRS account. Registering allows you to monitor your retirement savings, address updates, and beneficiaries. Please Visit www.TCDRS.org to register. Retirement Texas County District Retirement System (TCDRS) MissionSquare Retirement Upcoming Education Webinars Investing for Retirement Basics Tuesday, January 11th & Tuesday, March 8th

Intacct Refresher: Requisitions, Purchase Orders and Reimbursements Thursday, January 27th, 10:00am -11:00am This training will discuss the process for requisitions, purchase orders and staff expense reimbursements through Intacct. Topics include: How to submit a requi- sition, How to upload documentation, How to monitor your own expenses. Join Zoom Meeting Meeting ID: 830 1428 1819 Passcode: 133999 B|A|M The Hybrid Leader Wednesday, February 23rd, 9:00am -12:00pm With teams working remotely, and employees request- ing a hybrid workplace moving forward, managers will be required to master crucial skills and best practices for leading remote teams. This workshop provides insights and strategies for leading an innovative, engaged, & collaborative virtual team to ings and prevent virtual burnout. • How to coach employee’s on their performance. • Track productivity & raise lev- els of self-accountability. • Generate a culture of innovation, engagement & collaboration. • Mentor future leaders. Registration details will be provided at a later date. EAA Cyber Security & Response Thursday, March 17, 2022 10:00am -11:00am Cyber Security Attacks are on the rise. Do you know the EAA reporting and response procedures? Learn awareness and how to act quickly if you’re a victim of a cyber-attack. Topics Include: • Reporting a cyber security incident to security@ed- wardsaquifer.org • Reporting phishing emails with the Phish Alert button • MFA overview • Identifying Phishing emails • Identifying Smishing (SMS Phishing) text • Identifying Vishing (Voicemail phishing) • Antivirus client overview • Social engineering CURRENT VIRTUAL EVENTS ensure future success. Actionable Takeaways: • How to run effective virtual meet -

• Password policy overview • Using VPN for security purposes Join Zoom Meeting Meeting ID: 895 8669 4056 Passcode: 563733 New Horizons Microsoft Excel Part II for Office 365 Friday, March 25th, time TBD This full-day course builds upon the foundational knowledge presented in the Microsoft® Excel® for Office 365™ (Desktop or Online): Part 1 course and will help start you down the road to creating advanced workbooks and worksheets that can help deepen your understanding of organizational intelligence. The abil- ity to analyze massive amounts of data, extract action- able information from it, and present that information to decision makers is at the foundation of a suc- cessful organization that is able to compete at a high level. This course covers Microsoft Office Specialist Program exam objectives to help you prepare for the Excel Associate (Of- fice 365 and Office 2019): Exam MO-200 and Excel Expert (Office 365 and Office 2019): Exam MO-201 certifications. Substance Abuse Awareness Training (Mandatory) Wednesday, March 30, 2022 , Time TBD Substance abuse directly affects the user’s health, per - sonality, and ability to function safely in a workplace. It can also decrease productivity, create a hostile work environment and damage a company’s reputation. This mandatory training will discuss the hazards of sub- stance abuse, how employees can avoid them and what they can do to help keep their workplace drug and al- cohol-free. On March 30th, staff will receive an external email from NeoGov Learn indicating a learning assignment has been activated. Staff may click the link in this email to be directed to the NeoGov login page. Once logged in to NeoGov, navigate to the Learn Dashboard > Train - ing Tasks. Training must be completed within 60 days of enrollment. Since NeoGov maintains Certificates of Completion in the employees’ profile, staff does not need to forward these to human resources. Labs: Working with Functions, Working with Lists, Analyz- ing Data, Visualizing Data with Charts, Using Pivot Tables and Pivot Charts. Registration details will be provided at a later date.

Transitioning into and through retirement can be rewarding and challenging. So having a plan is im- portant. We’ll focus on 10 key questions you should ask, from saving, to Social Security and Medicare, and managing your investments, withdrawals, and ta- xes. When Should You Begin Receiving Your Social Se- As you near retirement, one of the biggest financial decisions you’ll need to make is when to begin re- ceiving your Social Security retirement benefits. With pensions disappearing, Social Security remains the major source of guaranteed lifetime retirement inco- me for most Americans, so it is important to take the time to explore your options and make an informed, well-reasoned decision. Register HERE for all webinars. All webinars are held from 12:00 - 1:00 CST. curity Retirement Benefits? Wednesday, February 23rd

Whether you’re just starting out in your career or need a refresher, this seminar serves as a discussion point for your retirement portfolio. It introduces ba- sic investing concepts, including risk, asset allocati- on, diversification, rebalancing, market timing and dollar-cost averaging. Are You Thinking About Investing in a Roth IRA? Wednesday, January 19th & March 16th Roth IRAs have become popular retirement savings vehicles because if certain conditions are satisfied, distributions from Roth IRAs are completely free from federal income taxes. Is a Roth IRA right for you? The answer is a complicated one, and depends on your particular situation, including whether you believe you will be in a higher tax bracket in the fu- ture. 10 Question Retiree Guide Wednesday, January 26th

Training ONLINE TRAINING & DEVELOPMENT

We encourage all employees to sign up for webinars as they become available and continue to explore online tra- ining resources. Check out our HR Training/Events Calendar in SharePoint for upcoming virtual events designed for the EAA.

In addition, online training is available thru Fred Pryor, Neo- Gov, TML, and New Horizons. Please contact Margaret Ross if you have any questions or have difficulty logging into these portals.

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Winter 2022

Wellness Blue Cross Blue Shield Blue 365 Blue365 is just one more advantage of being a Blue- Cross and BlueShield member. With this program, you

New Year, New Folders Records

Below are some of the ongoing deals offered to Blue365 members.

It’s 2022! Which means it’s time to start adding new 2022 folders into your records and active areas in SharePo- int. Click HERE for step-by-step instructions on creating a new folder in SharePoint.

• Fitbit - Members receive a 20% discount on Fitbit devices plus free shipping. • TruHearing, Beltone, Ame- rican Hearing Benefits – Members could get savings on hearing tests, evaluations, and hearing aids.

may save money on health and wellness products and services from top retailers not covered by insuran- ce. There are no claims to file and no referrals or preauthorization’s.

What is a SharePoint Site Owner? – A Site Owner is a user who has Full Control permissions over their given SharePoint Sites. What can a Site Owner do? – A Site Owner can create a new subsite, edit the look of a site, edit a sites navigation, manage a site’s permissions, etc. Why is a Site Owner needed? – Your Site Owner is your first point of contact when it comes to issues regarding your Active Working Sites in SharePoint. Before contacting IT or Records, please consult with your Site Owners first. Official Site Owners (by department) Executive: Sandy Haglund Board - Jennifer Wong-Esparza Administrative & Financial Services: Financial Services - Destiny Acosta, Jessica Dycus HR Services - Margaret Ross, Hilda Campos Do you know who your Site Owner is?

Once you sign up for Blue365 at blue365deals. com/bcbstx, weekly “Fea- tured Deals” will be emai- led to you. These deals offer special savings for a short period of time. Virtual Visits from BCBS Getting sick after hours or on weekends used to mean a lengthy, costly trip to the emergency room or urgent care center. But with your virtual visits benefit, provi - ded by BlueCross and BlueShield of Texas (BCBSTX) and powered by MDLIVE allows you to consult with a doctor without having to leave the comfort of your own home. Virtual visits allow you to consult a doctor 24/7 for non-emergency situations by phone, mobile app or online video anytime, anywhere. Speak to a doctor or schedule an appointment at a time that works best for you. Virtual visits doctors can treat a variety of health condi - tions, including allergies ear problems (age 12+) , pink eye, asthma, fever (age 3+), rash, cold/flu, nausea, or sinus infections Activate your account or schedule a virtual visit • Go to Blue Access for Members or MDLIVE.com/ bcbstx. • Download the MDLIVE app • Call MDLIVE at (888) 680-8646. • Text BCBSTX to 635-483. (MDLIVE’s online assis - tant Sophie will help you activate your account.)

• Jenny Craig, Sun Basket, Nutrisystem – Members can save on healthy meals, membership fees, nutritional products and services. Upcoming Wellness Webinars BCBS Wellness Benefits Webinar Wednesday, 02/09/2022, 10:00am - 11:00am As we are kicking off a new year, we would like to pro - vide a refresher on the many wellness perks that are offered through our medical carrier, BlueCross Blu - eShield. Wellness programs from BCBS include the Well on Target Fitness Program, the Blue 365 Discount Program, and Catapult Health Checks. Join Zoom Meeting Meeting ID: 891 4316 8161 Passcode: 180706

IT Services - Victor Hutchinson Records - Nichelle Cunningham Aquifer Management Services:

Aquifer Science - Gizelle Luevano and Brent Doty Aquifer Protection - Matthew Rogers, Thomas Marsalia Data Management - Newfel Mazari, Bryan Anderson Modeling - Brent Doty

ACI Webinar: Stress & Heart Disease Thursday, 02/17/2022, 10:00am - 11:00am

Field Inspection - Natasha Ponce, Jose Barela Intergovernmental Affairs - Javier Hernandez Permits - Omar Garcia Recharge Zone Protection – Kyle Craig Threatened & Endangered Species: Olivia Ybarra All EAA Records Sites: Nichelle Cunningham

Chronic stress can greatly increase the risk of heart disease, also known as the “silent killer.” Learn how different personalities are affected by stress and acqu - ire the skill sets necessary to reduce the risk of heart disease. Register HERE in advance for this meeting:

Communications and Development: Ann - Margaret Gonzalez, Sarah Valdez

External & Regulatory Affairs: Conservation - Isabel Martinez Compliance - Jorge Paramo

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Winter 2022

We would like to recognize and congratulate our 1st quarter 2022 EAA employee anniversaries. Thank you for your dedicated service and we wish you many more successful years ahead! Anniversaries

Recruitment On November 15, 2021, Human Resources participated in Group Mock Interviews for Environmental Science students at UTSA. During the mock interviews, students were asked questions and then given constructive feedback on their responses. This event helps students prepare for real interviews and also gives them the opportunity to improve on their soft skills. UTSAMOCK INTERVIEWS UPCOMING RECRUITMENT EVENTS Wednesday, February 2, 2022, 2 p.m.- 6 p.m. UTSA S.T.E.M Virtual Career Expo Wednesday, February 9, 2022, 2 p.m. - 6 p.m. UTSAAll Majors Virtual Career Expo Thursday, February 24, 2022, 11 a.m. - 1 p.m. San Antonio Job Fair at the Norris Conference Center New Hires Richard Gonzalez - Groundwater Protection Coordinator

Name

Date Of Hire

Recognized at Board

Years of Service

Newfel Mazari

03/27/2017

04/12/2022

5 Years

January 07 Timesheets Due January 13 Deadlines and Events

Jessica Quintanilla January 04 Bryan Anderson January 09 Mike De La Garza January 16 Destiny Acosta January 20 Charles Bradshaw January 20 Jessica Dycus January 30 Mounika Dereddy January 30 Emily Thompson February 07 Jamie Childers February 16 Sandy Haglund February 17 Joe Gonzales February 18 Roberto Esquilin February 23 Joseph Sterzenback February 26 Newfel Mazari March 03 Paul Bertetti March 03 Kristy Smith March 05 Elizabeth Posada March 07 Jennifer Wong March 11 Isabel Martinez March 17 Laura Hernandez March 21 Robin Tremallo March 22 Maggie Veliz March 26 Sarah Valdez Match 30 Birthdays

CURRENT VACANCIES Stay up to date with the latest job va- cancies and scheduled career fairs by visiting the Calendar of Events directly on the EAA Careers page. Once you’ve subscribed, you will receive updates to vacancies as they become available.

EAAVirtual Staff Meeting via Zoom

January 14 January 17

Payday

MLK Day - Office Closed January 19 Confederate Heroes State Holiday January 21 Timesheets Due January 27 Intacct Refresher Training January 28 Payday February 09 BCBS Wellness Benefits Webinar February 04 Timesheets Due February 10 EAAVirtual Staff Meeting Via Zoom February 11 Payday February 17 ACI Webinar: Stress & Heart Disease February 18 Timesheets Due February 21 President’s Day - Office Closed February 23 The Hybrid Leader Workshop February 25 Payday March 02 Texas Independence State Holiday March 04 Timesheets Due March 10 EAAVirtual Staff Meeting via Zoom March 11 Payday March 17 Cyber Security & Response Training March 18 Timesheets Due March 25 Payday March 23 New Horizons Excel Training March 30 Substance Abuse Awareness Training

Richard joined our Groundwater Protection department on November 1, 2021. Richard comes to the EAA with over 3 years of experience. He received his Bachelor of Science degree in Geology from the University of Texas at San Antonio. Richard is responsible for a wide variety of aquifer protection activities including coordinating and/or performing work acitivites related to regulatory programs.

Erica Cubillo - Finance Associate Erica joined our Financial Services department on November 15. 2021. Erica comes to the EAA with over 7 years of experience in banking and financial procedures. Erica is assis - ting in performing standard and rou- tine accounting procedures such as reviewing invoices, maintaining accounting files, pre - paring IRS tax forms, etc.

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2021 Employee Appreciation And Holiday Open House

In honor of Deana Watson and Teresa Montez Gutierrez, the Administration and Financial Services team will be purcha- sing and placing a bench in the EAA courtyard. Remembering our Friends

The courtyard is open to all Staff who want to take a break to eat, rest, or reflect.