COVID-19 and Health Screening Update!

HR/LR Policy #1446, COVID-19 Proof of Vaccination and Testing, was rescinded effective May 24. As a result, employees are no longer required to provide proof of testing or vaccination. 

However, those employees working on-site, will be required to continue to complete and pass a mandatory health screening prior to entering the workplace for potential exposure to COVID-19 and symptoms of COVID-19. 

Minnesota Management and Budget, in consultation with the Minnesota Department of Health, continues to monitor changes in the pandemic, including the appearance of new variants, and will respond with updated policies and procedures as needed.

State agency employees are encouraged to follow Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidelines regarding masking, vaccinations, and boosters and, if they have been exposed to someone who has tested positive or if they have COVID-19 symptoms, to get tested.

Employees who feel ill should notify their supervisor.

Minnesotans can find vaccination and testing resources at mn.gov/covid19.

For more information, including how to get tested for COVID-19: 

You can access information about COVID-19 testing here or find information about community test sites here. You can order free at-home rapid tests at this link.

RETIRING FROM STATE SERVICE

By Christine Johnson-FMLA Coordinator

I have my retirement date, now what do I do?

Employee provides a letter of intent to retire within 30 calendar days, prior to retirement date. This is a simple note employee provides to Designated Department Representative (DDIR) Chris Johnson via email: christine.m.johnson@state.mn.us

After receiving the employee's letter of intent to retire, the Designated Department Insurance Representative (DDIR) will mail a formal retirement notice along with the necessary applications to continue benefits on a post retirement basis via USPS to the address on file. Current rates will also be included for eligible benefits to continue on post-retirement basis.  Employee will have 30 calendar days from the date of retirement to complete the forms and return to DDIR to the address on the letter. The DDIR will review the forms prior to submitting the forms to the State Employer Group Insurance Program (SEGIP) for processing.

 When can I add new dependents to my insurance coverage?

Life takes many twists and turns. Some of these experiences are considered a Qualifying Life Event, which allows you to make changes to your employee benefits. The changes you can make must be consistent with your life event. This section explains the options that may be available due to a Qualifying Life Event.

Summary of life event change: https://mn.gov/mmb/assets/life-event-grid_tcm1059-326120.pdf

Application to change coverage:  https://mn.gov/mmb-stat/documents/segip/application_to_change_insurance_coverage_current.pdf

Application for Optional Coverage:  https://mn.gov/mmb-stat/segip/doc/optional-application.pdf

Links to help plan:

Plan your retirement:  https://mn.gov/mmb/etd/retirement-seminars/

Retirement planning resources: https://mn.gov/mmb/segip/retirement/

Minnesota State Retirement Systems (MSRS): https://www.msrs.state.mn.us/

Contact number: 651-296-2761 or 800 657-5757

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I have medical issues and/or need to care for a family member with medical issues.  How do I apply for FMLA?

Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) 

To be eligible for the FMLA, every state employee must meet the eligibility requirements of:

• Must have worked 12 months prior to the request AND
• Must have worked 1,250 service hours prior to the request

FMLA can be taken intermittently or on a continuous basis.

Refer to FMLA Statewide policy: HR/LR Policy #1409, Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) (mn.gov)

Requests for FMLA can to be sent to HR.leavemgmt.dps@state.mn.us by the employee or supervisor as soon as possible. Paid leave banks need not be exhausted prior to requesting the FMLA.

The FMLA request must include:

• Who the request is for (employee, spouse, child, parent)
• Nature of request – surgery (surgery date) Chronic medical, birth of child

Notice of FMLA eligibility will be provided to both supervisor and employee.  FMLA is not approved until the FMLA medical certification of Health Care provider has been received and reviewed.  Notice of approval will be sent to both the employee and supervisor. 

I don’t qualify for FMLA.  What are my other leave options?

• Medical Leave – state employee may request of medical leave for their own medical situation for up to 1 year by providing medical documentation to substantiate absences.

• Personal Leave- leave may be granted to an employee for personal reasons upon request. A supervisor approves the personal leave and sends the approval to leavemgmt.DPS@state.mn.us.  The personal leave is entered into the payroll system by the HR transaction team. The employee will be responsible for paying the entire cost of benefits (COBRA) which will be billed directly to the employee monthly.

UNION JOB POSTINGS IN YOUR EMAIL BOX!

By Cathy Schaefer, Office and Administrative Specialist

Great News!

You can now receive union job postings directly in your email. Just make a request to MNIT and you will begin receiving the job postings as soon as the same day.  To be on the list, follow the direction below.

Please open a Minnesota Service Hub

ticket   -  https://mn-itservices-myit.us.onbmc.com

Indicate which union email group(s) you would like to be part of:

AFSCME, MAPE, MMA or MGEC.

READY, SET, REGISTER!

By Jordan Groebner, Training Director

DPS HR Training offerings are available year-round and are FREE for Public Safety employees to attend. However, specialty trainings offered by MMB and other external agency trainings, typically have a registration cost. MMB’s Manager and Supervisor Core Programs and Pre-Planning and State Retirement Seminar sessions are examples of fee-based courses. 

It is important to follow all agency fiscal policies before registering for fee-based courses.  Check with your supervisor and your purchaser to ensure that all agency fiscal steps, including fund encumbrance, a purchase order, and Special Expense Form (if applicable) have been completed prior to enrollment. A Special Expense Form is needed if a training cost is $500 or above, and the form is signed off on at the division level, by the Accounting Officer, and the Commissioner’s Office.

For free, Public Safety learning and development options, use the Interactive Training Event Calendar to view courses, dates and session times. View the DPS Annual Training Bulletin for information about the HR Training Program, and visit the HR Training and Development Information Hub for additional training solutions.

MMB Policy Acknowledgements—completion deadline is July 15, 2022

MMB recently updated three statewide compliance policies (see below.) These policies help us to better serve Minnesotans across the state.  ALL DPS employees are required to complete the policy acknowledgements directly within the ELM (Enterprise Learning Management) system.  These updated acknowledgements do not replace annual compliance requirements which will be announced in the Fall of 2022. 

We are committed to maintaining public trust by acting with the highest standards of honesty, integrity, and ethical behavior. These standards include acting impartially in our jobs, avoiding conflicts of interest, and ensuring that state resources are used for state purposes. The updated, three key policies help us comply with these standards. 

Be sure to set time aside to complete these acknowledgments before the deadline. Thank you in advance for dedicating time to complete these important and required trainings:

• Code of Ethical Conduct
• Appropriate Use of Electronic Communication and Information Technology
• Mobile Device Use

Contact Jordan Groebner at: jordan.groebner@state.mn.us for training questions or assistance. 

EAP WORK/LIFE COUNSELING

By Victoria Schwab, Assistant HR Director

At some point in our lives, each of us needs a little extra help. Our work/life counselors are ready to support you and your family right now. As part of your benefits, we provide free, confidential help through our Employee Assistance Program so you can get the support you need when you need it.

Take advantage of free and confidential services

• Six counseling sessions. You and your family can receive six free counseling sessions per person, per year, per topic. If you previously redeemed these sessions through Deer Oaks, your session count will start over fresh with LifeMatters. 
• Culturally sensitive counselors. If it is helpful, you can request a counselor who identifies as a person of color, shares their sexual orientation, gender, and more. This customized service helps provide a safe space where you and your family members feel valued and get meaningful support.
• Free well-being webinars. Attend webinars to support your well-being, work, and life. Check out upcoming webinars.
• Specialists for law enforcement and first responders. A team of specialists can assist you with the unique challenges and situations you may encounter based on your role. 
• Childcare and elder care search assistance. Get assistance finding available care, including referrals matched to your specific search criteria. 
• Get legal and financial assistance. Receive free consultations on legal, financial, and identify theft concerns.

Get in touch now

Access our work/life counselors anytime by calling 651-259-3840 or 1-800-657-3719. You can also visit the online resource library with password stmn1. 

Counselors are ready to talk with you and develop a plan to support you. You can also get connected to resources in your community, get referrals, and recommendations to other services.

Services are confidential

All interactions are confidential and will not be shared with anyone (including your workplace or supervisor) without your written consent. However, counselors are required by law to notify authorities if they have serious concerns regarding someone’s safety. Anyone may use EAP anonymously. Learn more about confidentiality.

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Preferred Name Change

A preferred name (sometimes known as a chosen name, a nickname, or a name-in-use) is a name, usually a first name, that a person wishes to be known by and is different from the person’s legal name.  Except when a legal name is required by law or business needs, employees are able to use their preferred name in external and internal communications applications.  This includes, but is not limited to, applications in the Microsoft Office Suite (e.g., Outlook and Teams).  DPS is committed to creating a respectful and inclusive work environment.

Employees must continue to provide a legal name in SEMA4 or other human resource systems of record for which a legal name is required, including but not limited to payroll, taxes, group health insurance, and healthcare spending accounts (HSA), flexible spending accounts (FSA), life insurance, and retirement benefits.  New employees can submit their preferred name through the onboarding process.

Preferred names must be appropriate to the workplace setting.  Appropriate preferred name formats include, but are not limited to:

• A shortened version of a name (eg., Christine to Chris)
• First and middle initials (eg., Michael John to M.J.)
• A middle name instead of a first name
• A name that honors an employee’s gender identity

Current employees who wish to use a preferred name should click on the Preferred Name Change Form  to fill out the form and send to their appropriate Human Resources representative. HR will then submit the request to the MNIT help desk, which will implement the preferred name request.