Edmund Haspett from TIAA will be on campus for individual consultations with Buffalo State faculty and staff members between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. in Cleveland Hall 416 on the following dates:
Visit TIAA to schedule an appointment or call 1-800-732-8353 between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. weekdays. Sign up today as space is limited.
Discuss your financial situation with an experienced TIAA consultant to help you plan for your future and pursue your financial goals. Take this opportunity to review your retirement savings or to increase or start a tax-deferred annuity. Get answers to these questions and more:
The SUNY Telecommuting Program, previously set to expire on December 31, 2022, has been extended to June 30, 2023. All parameters and constraints of the SUNY-wide program remain in place. While the SUNY program will continue through December, extensions of telecommuting arrangements for Buffalo State employees are not automatic. Employees must request extensions of their existing plans, or apply for new plans. All telecommuting arrangements must be reviewed and approved by the employee’s immediate supervisor or manager, the department head or dean, the division leader, and senior campus leadership. [more]
Posted in The Daily 12/23/2022
Preview 2023 health insurance rates and the Health Insurance for Choices 2023 Booklet.
The annual Option Transfer Period—the time to choose the health insurance option you want for 2023—opened Thursday, December 1, and closes Friday, December 30. The New York State Health Insurance Program (NYSHIP) offers employees the choice of the Empire Plan or a NYSHIP-approved health maintenance organization (HMO) serving the area where they live or work.
If you are considering changing your health insurance option for 2023 or wish to review your current option, the "Choices" booklet explains the available NYSHIP options. You can find the "Choices" booklet and other option transfer publications on the NYSHIP Online website. Select your group and plan when prompted, then select Health Benefits and Option Transfer, and choose Rates and Health Plan Choices for the most up-to-date option transfer information.
A limited number of Health Insurance for Choices 2023 Booklet are also available in the Benefits Office; please call 878-4821 if you wish to receive a paper copy. Rate information will be sent directly to enrollees' homes. Information is also available on the Buffalo State Benefits website.
Copies of the Summary of Benefits and Coverage for individual health plans can be obtained by calling 877-769-7447 or by visiting the Employee Benefits Division website to print or view a copy yourself.
If you have coverage under another employer-sponsored health insurance program, you may be eligible to opt out of NYSHIP coverage in exchange for an incentive payment. If you are interested in participating in the Opt-Out Program for 2023, please contact the Employee Benefits Office. It is no longer necessary to re-enroll in the Opt-Out Program each year. No action is required for current Opt-Out enrollees who are still eligible and wish to remain in the program for 2023.
Except under limited circumstances, you cannot change options outside the annual Option Transfer Period, which ends on December 30, 2022.
Other changes permitted during the Option Transfer Period without a qualifying event:
To change your health insurance during the Option Transfer Period, please return the completed and signed Health Insurance Transaction Form to the Employee Benefits Office (Cleveland Hall 403) by 5:00 p.m. Friday, December 30. You may also change your option online using MyNYSHIP. All changes will be effective Thursday, January 5, 2023.
No action is required if you wish to keep your current health insurance option.
We are pleased to announce that the New York State Office of Employee Relations has reached agreements with the unions to further extend the annual vacation accrual expiration for all bargaining units and Management/Confidential employees. All unused excess vacation/annual leave can now be carried through December 31, 2023. These changes will automatically be reflected in the SUNY Time and Attendance system; no action on your part is necessary.
Employees may e-mail the Payroll Office with any questions.
Election Day 2022 is Tuesday, November 8. Classes are in session. Election Day has been designated as a floating holiday for UUP, M/C, and classified employees. UUP-represented employees observe Election Day on the day after Thanksgiving. Employees who are scheduled to work on the holiday and are eligible for leave accruals will be credited with a floating holiday and may arrange with their supervisors to use the credit before the holiday recurs. Election Day will be observed as a fixed holiday for Security Services Unit (SSU) employees who are eligible to observe Election Day. When SSU employees are required to work on these holidays, their benefits will be determined in the same manner as is currently followed for other holidays on which they are required to work.
Veterans Day 2022 is Friday, November 11. Classes are in session. Department heads and supervisors should communicate to their classified and professional employees whether they will be required to work on that day. Department heads and supervisors are encouraged to make every effort to consider requests to have the holiday off from employees who are veterans.
For employees who are required to work, the following state attendance rules will apply:
Classified employees who work on November 11 will be compensated according to their holiday waiver status. Those who have not elected to waive additional money for holiday work will receive holiday pay per their bargaining unit agreements. Employees have who waived additional money for holiday work will receive compensatory time off instead of additional holiday pay. Classified employees who wish to inquire about their current holiday waiver status may contact the Payroll Office at (716) 878-4124.
UUP-represented and M/C employees who are eligible to observe holidays and are required to work on November 11 will be granted a compensatory day off. The compensatory day off should be scheduled at a time agreeable to the employee and his or her supervisor within one year of the holiday.
Employees who are not required to work on November 11 do not need to charge leave accruals for that day.
The enrollment period for the 2023 Productivity Enhancement Program (PEP) is now open and runs through Monday, December 12, 2022. PEP allows eligible CSEA, PEF, UUP, and M/C employees to exchange previously accrued vacation or personal leave for a credit toward their biweekly New York State health insurance costs. Sick leave credits cannot be exchanged under this program.
Employees who participated in PEP for 2022 must file a new election form to enroll in the 2023 program.
To participate, eligible employees must file an election form with the Human Resource Management Office, Cleveland Hall 403, by close of business 5 p.m. on Monday, December 12.
For program details, please select your bargaining unit:
Open enrollment for the 2023 NYS Flex Spending Account (FSA) begins Tuesday, November 1st, and ends at 11:59 p.m. Monday, December 12th. The program helps eligible state employees save money on necessary health- or dependent-care expenses because the money they set aside in their accounts is not subject to federal, state, or Social Security taxes.
The Flex Spending Account offers three benefits:
For complete information, visit Flex Spending Account. If you wish to take advantage of this benefit, submit your application for enrollment online or by telephone at 800-358-7202. You will need your NYS EMPLID number, which is located on your paystub, to complete your application. Please be sure to enroll by December 12th.
If you are enrolled for the 2022 plan year, you must re-enroll to continue your benefits in 2023.
Important note: Employees who do not work for 26 consecutive pay periods should consider electing a shorter time frame for their deductions so they do not lose coverage while off the payroll. For example, faculty members who are not paid through the summer should elect to have all deductions taken in the spring semester to have coverage for all of 2023.
The deadline for 2023 enrollment is December 12, 2022, at 11:59 p.m. ET and is strictly enforced.
The New York State and CSEA Partnership offers 2022-2023 Tuition Benefits Program for eligible CSEA-represented NYS employees. Review the catalog and application and here’s what you need to know about the program:
In addition, the NYS & CSEA Partnership for Education and Training offers a Skills for Success catalog. Live, instructor-led courses and webinars provide CSEA-represented employees with the knowledge, skills, and tools needed to meet their personal and professional development goals. The Skills for Success catalog contains course and webinar descriptions, dates, and times. There are over 80 courses and webinars scheduled from September through December 2022. Employees may enroll through the Statewide Learning Management System or by completing the Partnership’s application form located in the catalog or online at https://nyscseapartnership.org/skills-success.
CSEA-represented employees are urged to take advantage of these valuable training opportunities. For more information, please contact the Partnership at 1-800-253-4332 or learning@nyscseapartnership.org.
Posted in The Daily on 9/27/2022
Under the terms of the 2016–2022 UUP contract, 2022 discretionary awards will be additions to base salaries rather than one-time lump-sum payments.
The contract provides for a pool equal to 1 percent of the total basic annual salaries of UUP employees as of June 30, 2022. One half of that pool will be available for discretionary awards, and one half is to be used to address salary equity, compression, and inversion.
Discretionary salary increases will appear in paychecks dated December 21, 2022. For the portion of the 1 percent pool that is to be distributed at the discretion of the president, the campus will follow guidelines used for past discretionary awards. For the portion of the 1 percent pool that is to be distributed to address salary equity, compression, and inversion, the campus will continue to follow State, SUNY, and UUP guidelines and methodology.
The following documents are available on the Human Resource Management website:
Please note that eligible employees may self-nominate for a discretionary award by completing a Nomination Form and submitting it to their department chair, director, associate vice president, or other direct supervisor by September 28, 2022. Self-nominations and nominations initiated by supervisors and department heads will continue to be forwarded through all appropriate approval levels. Please refer to the process outline for eligibility requirements.
Employees will not be notified of the recommendation at each level. There will be an opportunity to appeal after the president has made her decisions and sent out letters to employees informing them of their awards. Award letters will be sent on November 2, 2022. A brief period to submit appeals will follow the distribution of award letters.
Please contact Jamie Warnes, interim associate vice president of human resource management, with questions.
Posted in The Daily on 9/14/2022
The SUNY Telecommuting Program, previously set to expire on August 31, 2022, has been extended to December 31, 2022. All parameters and constraints of the SUNY-wide program remain in place. While the SUNY program will continue through December, extensions of telecommuting arrangements for Buffalo State employees are not automatic. Employees must request extensions of their existing plans, or apply for new plans. All telecommuting arrangements must be reviewed and approved by the employee’s immediate supervisor or manager, the department head or dean, the division leader, and senior campus leadership. [more]
Posted in The Daily 8/23/2022
Human Resource Management is pleased to announce a Phased Retirement Program for eligible academic and professional employees. The program provides an opportunity for a phased approach to retirement, allowing employees to transition into retirement gradually, with a reduction in workload or obligation and commensurate reduction in pay. The program is voluntary and optional.
Program details, including eligibility requirements, the application, and the intent to resign for retirement template letter, are available on the Human Resource Management website.
Eligible employees should discuss the program with their chair or head of their department. Participation in the program is subject to review and approval of the President.
Please contact Human Resource Management with questions.
Posted in The Daily 5/2/2022
As we prepare our individual and departmental annual reports for 2021–2022, I am taking this opportunity to remind supervisors that annual performance evaluations for all professional and civil service employees are required by university, SUNY, and state civil service policy as well as all collective bargaining unit agreements... [more]
Please be mindful of the importance of communicating our availability over the following upcoming holidays:
Memorial Day, Monday, May 30: This is an official state holiday, and all offices are closed. Juneteenth, Sunday, June 19: This is an official state holiday. Under the attendance rules, when a holiday falls on a Sunday, it is observed on the following Monday.
Juneteenth 2022 will be observed on Monday, June 20, and all offices are closed.
Independence Day, Monday, July 4: This is an official state holiday, and all offices are closed.
Please post notices in advance in your offices (if applicable) and on your website, use out-of-office automatic email replies, and change voice mail recordings so that students and other employees are aware that the office is not available. These messages should provide information on whom to contact in case an issue requires immediate attention.
For more information on holidays, please visit the Human Resource Management website.
Please contact Carey Seneca, interim manager of human resources, 878-4822, with questions.
Posted in The Daily 5/13/2022
2/2/2022 Update
IT Services corrected the page refresh issue in the online campus directory. New faculty and staff members will appear, while separated faculty and staff members will not. The navigation issue is still present. We will report when that has been corrected.
If you have noticed some inconsistencies with the Buffalo State online directory, please know that Information Technology, Human Resource Management, and Marketing and Communications are aware of the problems. New faculty and staff members may not be added, and separated faculty and staff members may continue to appear. Additionally, colleagues have reported difficulty in navigating between pages. IT is working on the problems. While it may be some time before the issues are resolved, we will keep you posted via the Daily Bulletin.
Posted 1/27/2022 in The Daily by Melissa J. Miszkiewicz
Lincoln’s Birthday - Saturday, February 12
The Governor’s Office of Employee Relations has designated Lincoln’s Birthday, Saturday, February 12, as a floating holiday for all state employees except those represented by PBANYS. Employees eligible to observe the holiday will be credited with a floating holiday and may arrange with their supervisors to use the credit on a date of their choice before the holiday recurs. For Security Services Unit employees who are eligible to observe holidays, Election Day and Lincoln's Birthday will be observed as fixed holidays. When such employees are required to work on these holidays, their benefits will be determined in the same manner as is currently followed for other holidays on which they are required to work.
Washington’s Birthday - Monday, February 21
No classes are scheduled on Monday, February 21, and the Washington’s Birthday holiday will be observed on this date. All offices are closed.
Questions regarding state holidays should be directed to Human Resource Management, (716) 878-4822.
Posted in The Daily 1/25/2022
We are pleased to announce the New York State Office of Employee Relations (OER) has approved an extension of the SUNY-wide telecommuting program.
The extension runs to June 30, 2022, for M/C employees and all bargaining units, except for PEF. The extension for PEF employees runs to March 31, 2022. The parameters and conditions of the program remain unchanged from the policy.
We remind employees that the telecommuting program is not an entitlement and may not be possible for all areas or all positions. Decisions on telecommuting remain at the discretion of the university. Proposed schedules or plans must be discussed with your supervisor and require approval by the divisional vice president.
Supervisors will be responsible for ensuring that work articulated in the plan is being met and that operational needs are supported properly within the plan(s) approved. Supervisors must take into consideration the operational needs of their area, the constituents they serve, and whether employees currently meet or exceed performance expectations.
Instructions for requesting an extension or update to existing telecommuting plan, or requesting a new plan:
Employees who are interested in requesting an extension of their telecommuting plan must discuss their request with their supervisor and complete a new SUNY Telecommuting Program Application and Work Plan, checking the application for renewal box. While the request is being reviewed for approval, their existing plan remains in effect until confirmation is provided from Human Resource Management.
Employees who are interested in applying for the telecommuting program must discuss their request with their supervisor and complete the SUNY Telecommuting Program Application and Work Plan. Telecommuting work arrangements shall not commence until it has received written final approval. HR will provide confirmation to the employee to begin arrangement.
Posted 12/23/2021
We are pleased to announce that the Health Care Spending Account (HCSA) and Dependent Care Advantage Account (DCAA) have adopted carryover. You will be able to use up to $550 of monies remaining in your 2021 Health Care Spending Account (HCSA) towards eligible expenses incurred during the 2022 calendar year as long as you had an account as of December 31, 2021. In addition, you will now be able to use the remaining balance in your 2021 Dependent Care Advantage Account (DCAA) towards eligible expenses incurred during the 2022 calendar year. You can check your 2021 HCSA and DCAA balance at participant.wageworks.com/nysfsa or by calling 1-800-358-7207.
Health Care Spending Account Carryover for Plan Year 2021
Employees will now be able to use up to $550 of their remaining 2021 Health Care Spending Account (HCSA) towards eligible expenses incurred during the 2022 calendar year. Employees must be enrolled as of December 31, 2021 for carryover to occur. The last day to submit claims is March 31, 2023.
Dependent Care Advantage Account Grace Period Extended
The grace period for the 2020 Dependent Care Advantage Account (DCAA) plan year has been extended. The 2020 plan year now covers expenses incurred between January 1, 2020 through December 31, 2021. Employees may seek reimbursement for children who turned 13 during the 2020 plan year. The last day to submit DCAA claims is January 31, 2022 for expenses incurred January 1, 2020 through December 31, 2021 from 2020 DCAAs.
If you have any questions, please e-mail fsa@goer.ny.gov or call WageWorks/Health Equity at 1-800-358-7202.
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