Friday, July 12 2019
The memo below is being sent to the MList listserv and the UCPath listserv. Thank you for serving as one of the representatives for your department to receive this memo. Please distribute this message to the appropriate colleagues in your department.
TO: Department Heads, Directors, Managers and Supervisors
FR: Cynthia Señeriz, Director, Human Resources
RE: Merit Program Administration Instructions for Non-Represented (Policy-Covered) Staff (FY 2019-20)
The Merit Program for eligible non-represented staff will be implemented using locally generated Excel spreadsheet rosters distributed via Box (ucsb.box.com). This is the first time in many years that UCSB will not be using PPS WebMerit to run the annual merit program. The following instructions represent our best estimate of how the process will unfold. Please know that some unknown challenges may arise and we will keep you informed in the event that any of our instructions change.
Box Access:
Ensure that Box access has been granted to the individual(s) who will be responsible for reviewing the preliminary and final rosters for your department, cluster, division, etc. Box access was granted to all users during the preliminary test roster review in May. However, if you are still in need of access and have been appointed by your department head or control point to have access, please send an email request to kathy.moore@hr.ucsb.edu as soon as possible.
UCPath Data Review and Clean-up (July 12 – July 15):
To ensure that the merit rosters contain the correct population and the most updated information for each eligible employee, please review the appointment details of your active policy-covered career staff (using the “Jobs by Group” report in Data Warehouse EZ Access) and ensure that:
• Job (Employee) status = Active
• Job (Employee) Class = Career (2) or Partial Year Career (7)
• Job Expected End Date = blank or a date that is later than the merit effective dates (6/30/19 for BW and 7/1/19 for MO)
• If you have already entered comp rate or job code changes in UCPath that are effective on or after the merit effective dates (for merit eligible employees), we have been advised that you will need to re-enter those actions into UCPath after the freeze period has been lifted. Instructions for re-entering these actions into UCPath and advice on making adjustments to the comp rates to reflect the merit increase will be forthcoming from HR.
UCPath Freeze Period (July 16 – August 26):
• Do not enter any changes in UCPath during the freeze period that are effective prior to the merit effective dates and which might affect comp rate or job code for merit eligible employees. Changes to fields such as fund source are okay to continue entering.
• We are hopeful that the freeze period will be lifted much earlier than August 26, it will depend on how quickly the mass upload process in UCPath is completed.
Roster Distribution Dates and Deadlines (July 17 – July 30):
• July 17 - The final roster will be distributed by HR to departments and control points via Box (ucsb.box.com).
• July 23 (by 5pm) - The deadline for departments to enter merit increases and performance ratings into the Box spreadsheet.
• July 24 - HR will consolidate department rosters into divisional rosters.
• July 25 - Divisional rosters will be distributed by HR to Control Points via Box (ucsb.box.com).
• July 30 (by 5pm) - The deadline for Control Points to make final changes and approve the roster in Box (type in approval in designated approval section at top of roster).
Roster Review and Update Instructions (July 17 – July 30):
1. Locate the merit roster (Excel spreadsheet) for your department or division in Box (ucsb.box.com). Documents are named according to your department ID code or other merit grouping. Merit “groups” were created for departments containing multiple department codes (i.e. HDAE, DFSS, ETS, etc.). Merit groups were also created for divisions and sub-divisions (i.e. AC, AD, ST, L&S, EVC, etc.)
2. ***DO NOT remove the roster from Box or change the document name.***
3. Open the roster using Microsoft Excel Online. This will open the file in your browser and allow you to edit in real-time along with all shared users of that Box. Do not select the option “Open this file on your desktop” to update the merit roster.
4. Ensure that all eligible career, non-represented staff have been included on the roster. Notify Kathy Moore by email at Kathy.moore@hr.ucsb.edu of any eligible employees missing from the roster or of any employees incorrectly included.
5. Ensure that any recent UCSB employee who has transferred from another UC location with no break in service, and who meets the eligibility criteria, has been included on the roster.
6. Enter the most recent performance evaluation rating for each eligible employee directly onto the roster in Box using the drop-down list in the Performance Rating cell.
7. Enter the merit increase percentage for each employee directly onto the roster in Box and the spreadsheet will auto-calculate the new pay rate.
8. Ensure that merit spending does not exceed merit budget (see roll-up summary at top of roster).
9. All salaries after the merit increase must fall within the new salary range (e.g. no increase is to result in the final salary exceeding the range maximum and no salary is to fall below the range minimum).
10. All other requests for change to the rosters should be emailed to Kathy.moore@hr.ucsb.edu. Only HR has the ability to unlock the rosters and make corrections, additions, and deletions.
11. Omissions from the roster that require the merit increase to be processed outside of the UCPath mass upload process require consultation with Human Resources. Specific questions should be directed to Amy Arnold at amy.arnold@hr.ucsb.edu or extension 4068.
Balancing to the Merit Fund Pool:
• The merit fund pool (located at the top of each merit roster) will be calculated at 3% of the payroll base of career non-represented staff.
• Ineligible non-represented career staff will appear on the merit roster if hired between January 3 and May 1, 2019, or if recently retired.
• The reallocation of the merit funds from ineligible employees requires approval from divisional control points who may determine the need to re-allocate these funds within their division.
• The sum of all salary increases must not exceed the merit fund pool. In addition to ensuring the sum of all salary increases do not exceed the merit fund pool, the 3% control figure for “Core” funds cannot be exceeded. The control figure for “Non-Core” funds can be exceeded, however this would require a decrease in the amount of Core funds to be used since the sum of all salary increases cannot exceed the 3% merit fund pool calculation. The funds available from Core and Non-Core sources is also indicated at the top of each merit roster.
• At the top of each merit roster is a roll-up summary of the merit budget total and the merit spend.
Upload of Increases and Ratings to UCPath:
• HR will centrally manage the upload process with the UCPath Center.
• Departments are NOT responsible for entering merit increases and ratings directly into UCPath.
• The mass upload process begins August 6. HR will notify departments when the process has been successfully completed.
Performance Evaluation Audit:
This year’s Merit Program will require the submission of completed performance evaluations for audit purposes. An electronic copy of the signed performance evaluation form for all career non-represented staff receiving a merit increase will need to be submitted via an email drop box using the following steps:
• Scan each signed performance evaluation individually and save as a PDF with a unique document name that includes the LAST NAME, FIRST NAME, and DEPT CODE (e.g. “SMITH_JOHN_CHEM”)
• Attach the PDF copy of the signed performance evaluation to an email message
• Enter the DEPARTMENT NAME and EMPLOYEE NAME on the email subject line (e.g. “CHEM - JOHN SMITH”)
If attaching multiple PDF documents to a single email message, enter “MULTIPLE” on the email subject line and list the employee names in the body of the email message
PLEASE DO NOT SCAN MULTIPLE EVALUATIONS INTO ONE PDF DOCUMENT
• Send your emails to: smo-ucsbeval@ucsbconnect.onmicrosoft.com (this is a secured site that has been set up for HR to receive and store electronic copies of the performance evaluations)
The deadline for the submission of the signed evaluation forms is Friday, August 30, 2019.
Additional Questions:
Merit Program FAQs will be available on the HR website at https://www.hr.ucsb.edu/compensation/salary-increase-programs/merit-program-policy-covered. If you have any additional questions regarding the merit process or instructions, please contact one of the following employees in Human Resources:
• Kathy Moore, Compensation Manager, ext. 7137, kathy.moore@hr.ucsb.edu
• Amy Arnold, Senior Human Resources Analyst, ext. 4068, amy.arnold@hr.ucsb.edu
• Linda Broen, Senior Compensation Analyst, ext. 4832, linda.broen@hr.ucsb.edu
• John Ibach, Compensation Analyst, ext. 4459, john.ibach@hr.ucsb.edu
• Andrea Dittman, Compensation Analyst, ext. 4661, andrea.dittman@hr.ucsb.edu
• Cynthia Señeriz, Human Resources Director, ext. 8137, cynthia.seneriz@hr.ucsb.edu