A Message from Our New Director
I have always valued the work and passion of public servants, and am excited to once again be part of the amazing Commonwealth of Virginia workforce after serving at the local level in Hanover County. Some of you know that I also worked for ABC. As the new DHRM Director, I look forward to working with each of you to address the many HR challenges we face in state government.
Because of the pandemic, planned projects have been delayed, and many work environments have changed. But today is a new day, and together we can work to develop solutions to address our challenges.
I will be working closely with the administration within the next 90 days to identify priorities and develop an action plan. Part of that effort includes meeting in-person or virtually with all HR directors to discuss specific resource needs and all agency heads to discuss HR's role in supporting their agency. My objective is an action plan that aligns the administration's priorities with agency goals and needs. Together we can identify and implement statewide HR priorities and programs to enhance leadership skills and support a high-performing workforce.
Let's get started!
If you have questions or concerns, please let me know. My email address is janet.lawson@dhrm.virginia.gov.
Janet L. Lawson
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Workforce Management
PageUp Awarded Recruitment Management System Contract
DHRM is excited to announce that PageUP has been awarded the VITA contract for the Recruitment Management System (RMS)! Watch for the Implementation Project kickoff with our new supplier later this month. We will keep you apprised of our progress as we move to the next phase of the project.
Add Supplemental Question to Postings for Alternative Hiring Process
Just a reminder that the Alternative Hiring Process (AHP) for the employment of persons with a disability was added as a supplemental question for all new job postings.This question needs to be added so that DHRM can track and analyze how this employment opportunity is being utilized in the Commonwealth of Virginia. Earlier guidance outlined how to add the supplemental question to all other postings created from a previously used posting.
FY 2023 Mercer Benchmarking Platform Data Coming Soon
Mercer Benchmarking Platform FY 2023 data is expected to be available in mid-August. Agencies leveraging the platform for compensation data should see updated MOA and invoices for the FY23 soon. Please note, DHRM must receive payment in order for agencies to be able to access FY23 data in the Mercer Database. New agencies that want more information on the Mercer Benchmarking Platform and participation costs, please contact Chris Kinney.
Look for the Second Workforce Planning Template Rollout
DHRM is diligently working on the next Workforce Planning template for agency use. We anticipate that the Agency Strategy template and written instructions will be available to agencies in the coming weeks.
Last month, DHRM held a webinar providing an introduction to our holistic approach to workforce planning and the overall philosophy behind the design of the Agency Profile template and Identifying Critical Roles tool. A recording of the webinar can be viewed here.
Though agency plans are due to DHRM by September 30, 2022, we encourage agencies to begin to familiarize themselves with the type of information and reflective exercises within the templates. See more...
Civil and Work Related Leave Policy Revised for Officers of Election
The Civil and Work-Related Leave (CWRL) Policy will be updated later this month to include the use of CWRL by Election Officers who are required to attend post-election meetings of their assigned Electoral Boards. These meetings are normally scheduled in the first few days following the election and may require attendance for recounts or certifications. Officers of Election may charge CWRL (for the meeting time up to 8 hours) and submit any payments from the locality to their agency OR they may charge personal leave for the time off and accept the locality payments.
Public Service Loan Forgiveness Waiver Offered
Are there full-time state employees at your agency with federal student loans? If so, have you considered informing them about the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program (PSLF) that can reduce and eliminate student debt? Have you encountered problems interacting with that program?
The PSLF Program forgives the remaining balance on federal Direct Loans after making 120 qualifying payments while working full-time for a qualifying employer. The U.S. Department of Education (ED) recently announced a temporary, but significant waiver to PSLF program rules. The waiver, called the “Limited PSLF Waiver,” allows those borrowers who had the wrong type of loans or repayment plan to get credit for those past periods. All full-time employment with a state agency counts as a qualifying employer. See more and customized language to share with employees.
Save the Dates for DHRM/DARS Windmills Training
Windmills is a disability awareness training that uses participation and discovery as learning vehicles to understand the culture of disability in the workplace by:
- Helping to change attitudinal barriers & creating new perspectives on the unique abilities of individuals.
- Increasing awareness of the role that attitudes play in the employment of people with disabilities.
- Encouraging the employment and advancement of persons with disabilities.
As a reminder, DARS and DHRM are collaborating to offer Windmills training for the HR Community in July and August. See more...Register here.
Rewards
No Change to Total Premiums for Statewide Health Plans
A proposed FY 2023 employee premium increase in the original state budget for the statewide Commonwealth health plans was not included in the final budget.
Total premiums remain the same as in FY 2022 for COVA Care, COVA HDHP and COVA HealthAware. For the Optima Health Vantage and Kaiser Permanente HMO reginal plans, the total premium contributions in the original 2022 Spotlight newsletter are correct, although the employee premium declined slightly.
Here are the final premiums:
2022-23 Employee Premiums – Cardinal Agencies
2022-23 Employee Premiums – BES Agencies
Empower Employees to Take Charge of Their Health with Easy-To-Access Digital Tools
In July, we are promoting Sydney Health app registration and will be providing information from other vendors in the future. Use the resources below to spread the word about app features that can help employees save time and money.
When employees in COVA Care and COVA HDHP have questions about their health plan, it’s important that they find the information as quickly and as easily as possible.
The SydneySM Health mobile app serves as a concierge and works seamlessly with anthem.com to connect employees to everything they need to know about their plans — all in one place. In addition, the interactive chat feature makes it easier to find answers to their questions in real time. Anthem members with emails in the Commonwealth’s system will receive an email with additional information about Sydney Health on July 11. See more...
Engagement
Plan a Picnic in July!
Summer is here, and July is a great month for picnics! During National Picnic Month, a variety of local fruits and vegetables are reaching peak ripeness and Virginia has an abundance of natural settings to dine alfresco. While everyone appreciates a good meal, enjoying one in nature can provide many health benefits. Getting outside for a picnic can boost mood, increase energy, and decrease stress. The health perks are further increased when physical activity is involved, and picnics pair perfectly with nature walks, games, sports, and exercise. More...
Comings and Goings...
Employment Dispute Resolution: With a fond farewell, we bid adieu to Patrick King, who has been with DHRM for more than nine years. Patrick joined the EDR team as a consultant and later took on the role of Hearings Program Director. Although he has been a dynamo behind the scenes driving EDR's work over these many years, Patrick's demeanor and personality will be missed most by his teammates and colleagues. Best of luck, Patrick! If you need to contact EDR for hearings matters, please reach out to Rebecca Lightle or Arian Fisher.
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Finance and Administration: Best wishes to Muhammad Zahir Panahi. Zahir joined DHRM last year and is moving on to greener pastures. Transitioning from state to local government, Zahir has accepted a full-time opportunity with the City of Richmond as an Accountant in their Department of Public Utilities. At DHRM, he has learned a great deal in a short amount of time. Cheers to Zahir and we wish him well!
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Welcome to Marjorie Robertson, our new Senior Procurement Specialist! Marjorie is a certified Virginia Contracting Officer who comes to DHRM with a wealth of knowledge pertaining to Procurement. She has years of private industry experience and considerable experience with Virginia state government, working for agencies such as Virginia Commonwealth University, contracting for the Office of the Attorney General, and most recently employed at the Virginia Department of Education. Marjorie, we are glad to have you join us!
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Workforce Engagement: We say goodbye to Warren Storrs, who has served as Administrative Officer specializing in paralegal support for the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Unit since mid-2020. During his time at DHRM, he demonstrated his excellent project management and customer service skills. Warren, we wish you the best! |
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