FY24 Coffee Corner
October 23, 2023
Welcome to the Coffee Corner!
And just like that BAM it's October is almost over! IMPORTANT COFFEE CORNER Highlights:
1. Important video showing you how to access your paystubs. You will also be able to change your W-4 tax info, sign up for direct deposit or update your direct deposit info, update your mailing address and more through the Tyler Employee Access Center
2. Annual Insurances Open Enrollment has begun! THIS IS MANDATORY THAT EVERYONE LOGS INTO THEIR BERNIE PORTAL AND MAKE YOUR SELECTIONS. THAT MEANS: STAYING THE SAME, WAIVING ANY OR ALL COVERAGE, MAKING CHANGES TO PLANS, ETC.
3. Alternative Health Care Stipend paperwork due by 10/31/2023 - Form is below Benefits and You section (You MUST fill this out annually to receive the incentive)
HOW TO LOG INTO YOUR TYLER EMPLOYEE ACCESS CENTER
Instructions
We are excited to launch the Tyler Employee Access Center!
You should have received an email that will have a web address that is linked to your specific district. Please click on the link that is listed in that email. (note all districts will have it's own separate log in) (emailed to teamwnesu@wnesu.com on Wed, Oct 11, 6:00pm and again on Mon, Oct 16, 1:57PM)
Your username is your WNESU email address
Your access is basically tied to your google single sign on information, which means less passwords to remember.
The first time you enter the portal you will be asked to enter the following
Last 4 of your SSN
Date of Birth
Mailing Zip Code
*Please double check this information before contacting the business office to double check your credentials as this is tied to your personal information. It is easy to transpose or mistype something.
Once you are logged in you will be directed to the dashboard! From there you have access to:
View direct deposits/paystub receipts
View/edit your profile information
Update your direct deposit information or add direct deposit information (note you cannot use a percentage when setting up multiple direct deposits)
ex. 10% to account ABC, Net to DEF (this will not work)
Correct entry: $150 to ABC, Net to DEF
View your W-2's when published
Below we have created a helpful video that walks you thru this step by step.
We've included a helpful video shown below to help you view instructions over and over.
A copy will also be uploaded on the WNESU.org website.
HUMAN RESOURCES
Open Enrollment is now here!
Dates of Open enrollment: COUNT DOWN IS ON TIL OPEN ENROLLMENT CLOSES! 1 WEEK LEFT TO GO
Start: Monday, October 2
End: Monday, October 30, 2023
Effective: January 1, 2024 effective start date.
PARTICIPATION IN OPEN ENROLLMENT IS MANDATORY EVEN IF YOU ARE NOT MAKING ANY CHANGES OR IF YOU ARE WAIVING OUR COVERAGE.
Site: https://app.bernieportal.com/en/login
User name: Should be your WNESU email unless you changed your email under your user preference when you were setting up or updating information.
Password: There is an option to reset your password if you forgot your password from last year.
Once logged in you will see a blue button [BEGIN ENROLLMENT] Click the button and follow the instructions.
Please let me know if you have any questions or issues.
Short Term Disability and other stuff outside of our benefits
We are sorry that the 100% employee sponsored STD has been removed from our offerings directly through our group plan. However, you can go to 802 Plans 4 Me and sign up for an individual Short Term Disability Plan and all kinds of other great benefits for you and your family. It is like a shopping mall for benefits that you may not qualify for as a part time or seasonal employee or that we do not currently offer.
Alternative Health Care Stipend
- This is an ANNUAL sign up. You can sign up now through October 31 for the FY24 payout. This allows the board time to plan the budget for who they are paying out funds too. PLEASE FILL OUT THE ATTACHED IF YOU QUALIFY AND RETURN TO ME BY OCTOBER 31ST.
ALTERNATIVE HEALTH CARE FORM
BENEFIT GUIDES
Sick Leave Procedures
Benefits and you! Make the MOST of your benefits!
Medicare Annual Disclosures
Using Your HSA Funds After Age 65
If you've got an HSA-qualified high deductible health plan (HDHP), you may already know that you can put money in an HSA. But you might not know just how much flexibility you have in terms of what you can do with that money in the future.
HSAs have a "Triple Tax Benefit." Meaning you don't pay taxes on the money you put in your HSA, and you can invest it in stocks or bonds, or put it in an interest-bearing account, with tax-free growth. You can also withdraw money at any time to pay for qualified medical expenses, without having to pay taxes.
But what if you don't need to use the money for medical expenses? In 2023, you can contribute up to $3,850 to an HSA if you have coverage for just yourself under an HDHP. If you have HDHP coverage for yourself and at least one other family member, that number goes up to $7,500.
If you stay fairly healthy, you might have a lot less in medical expenses during an average year. So, if you contribute to an HSA year after year, you could end up with a nice amount of money in the account after a while.
Remember, you have to stop contributing to your HSA once you enroll in Medicare Part A and/or Part B, which happens at age 65 for most people. But your HSA can continue to provide benefits long after you enroll in Medicare!
EAP is here for you!
The Employee Assistance Program is here 24/7/365
If you have an issue they want to know about it. From Legal advice, to self-assessments, financial guidance, and short term counseling, they offer it all! Best of all it is confidential and accessible to everyone in your household.
- Need assistance? Immediate clinical line: 1-866-660-9533
Please make sure to set up your online account. https://www.investeap.org/
District Password is: VSBIT
Be well everyone!
Appointments Encouraged
I realize your time is super precious and I want to make sure you get my full attention to your needs. In order to help everyone in the districts I have created a link to my calendar for ease of setting up an appointment to meet with me.
PAYROLL CORNER
Payroll Processes Information
FIRST AND FOREMOST WE HAVE MOVED TO A PAYROLL TICKETING SYSTEM LIKE TECH SUPPORT. PLEASE SEND ALL PAYROLL ISSUES DIRECTLY TO PAYROLL@WNESU.COM AND NOT DIRECTLY TO JASON.BISHOP. PAYROLL RELATED ISSUES SENT DIRECTLY TO HIS PERSONAL EMAIL WILL NOT BE ANSWERED. ALL PAYROLL TICKETS WILL BE ANSWERED IN THE ORDER THEY HAVE BEEN RECIEVED. Thank you
1. Direct Deposits and how they work with the new system
For those wishing to enroll into direct deposit and/or make changes to their direct deposit accounts this pertains to you! (below section is a pdf downloadable dd form for your convenience)
All direct deposit forms should be submitted to payroll via email, interoffice mail, mail or drop off at the main SU admin offices.
Email: payroll@wnesu.com
Interoffice; Payroll | Business Office
Mail: PO Box 92, Westminster Stn, Vermont 05159 attn: Payroll
Drop Off: 5111 US Route 5, Westminster Stn, VT 05159
When your form is dropped off it will be processed by the payroll office. Deadlines for forms follow the same deadline as timesheets (see below payroll schedule to see dates). Any forms received after this deadline will not be processed until the next pay run.
Your first pay with the new direct deposit information will be pre-noted. This means the information is entered into your profile and is sent to the bank as a "ping". If the ping is returned back successfully that means the account is good to go and is accepting our file. If the ping does not there is an issue. This could be routing, account, account type, etc. This is why it is so important to add a voided check or letter from your bank with the proper information's on it. This pay run you will still receive a paper check. We will correct the info and set the account up to pre-note again with the new data.
If the 'ping' is good, then the following pay run the pre-note will be removed and the direct deposit will be active to be sent to your bank.
2. Leave Banks
We are still working on the merge over from the other system and are aware the leave banks are not all correct. We ARE honoring previous banked leave and the current leave that is given this year. We are working on getting these updated as quickly as possible and our goal is to inform everyone by November 1 what their totals are. Again we appreciate your support and patience.
3. Union Dues (Those who have signed up for the Union)
Such dues shall be deducted in 18 substantially equal installments from each paycheck during the school year (Starting 10/27/2023), unless you are a new employee, in which event the amount will be deducted in substantially equal amounts from each remaining paycheck (for those starting after 10/20/2023). (Support CBA FY21-25)
- Those who have not filled out their Union Dues Authorization and Assignment Form please contact kate.kane@wnesu.com for a form or more information on joining.
4. Timesheets will be changing
- REMINDER: We are moving away from Substitutes Online and are moving to Frontline. Sub's Online ceased on 9/15/2023. More info will be coming soon!
- We are still in the early stage and will let you know when the actual change over will take place.
- For now continue your normal routine.
5. New Time Clock is coming!
- More details to come, our hope is for a November roll out
- Please continue your normal routine for now.
Timesheet quick links:
Regular Timesheet:
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/15QzlRfdkS5H2fuPUnM1dI98QFJyZqUqTRx0cwU__x4I/template/preview
Grant Funded Employees:
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1_8WreOGMYSh63PGNEi2Ml42MdRNAqvegJ3C1SzI_3Vg/template/preview
Transportation:
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/16v00WdonzMvWvIAI0j7dUze08NoFYqdT3tmpisSNorU/template/preview
Below please find a copy of our Current Payroll Schedule along with Timesheet Submission dates. If you have any questions do not hesitate to reach out to Jason in payroll at payroll@wnesu.com.
Any payroll related questions? Contact payroll@wnesu.com. During payroll weeks please allow 48-36 hour response time to emails. If it is an emergency please contact the Central Office at 802-463-9958.
PAY RUN SCHEDULE - DUE DATES FOR TIMESHEETS AND PAY DATES
FY24 Calendars
See below for the Administration Office, Bus Drivers, Support Staff Holidays for FY24
PAYROLL - BLANK W4'S AND DIRECT DEPOSIT FORMS
HEALTHY YOU!
PATH - Wellness and YOU!
Who wants to earn a $100 LL Bean Gift Card?
PATH has updated their website portal. You will see a new dashboard this year when you login.
The leaders will be attending a Fall Meeting soon where they announce this years amazing challenge that will start in January. Stay Tuned!
For those who would like to try one of the past adventures you can do so through the Self Adventure Portion of your dashboard.
Don't forget there are many ways to reach your goal of 200 points to collect your LL Bean Gift Card.
Entering your progress for
Keeping Fit
Quizzify
Self Paced Adventures
Online Courses
Healthy Life Survey
Know your Numbers
SMILE
Progress Coaching
and signing up for the Annual Online Adventure
Instructions for Know your Numbers or Smile - Download below forms, have your physician or dental hygienist sign off on the forms and return to your building leader for points submission.
Path Building Leader Contact List
Building Leaders:
Athens Grafton School
Desirae Wilbur
Bellows Falls Middle School (Welcome to our new leaders for FY24)
Sierra Patterson
Jessica Illingworth
Bellows Falls High School (Welcome to our new leader for FY24)
Whitney Patterson
Central Elementary
Peter Lawry
Saxtons River Elementary School
Coleen Gillam
Westminster Center School
Patricia Gomez
WNESU
JoEllen Barton
Quick Link: https://secure.tomypath.com/wndnesu/dashboard/default
PATH Forms
CURRENT CBA COPIES
Where can I find benefit information??
I have compiled a whole library of information for you accessible at anytime through our google drives.
Look here: G:\Shared drives\WNESU HR SHARED FORMS
For example you can find:
Employee Payroll Forms (W-2's, Direct Deposit forms)
School Calendars (past and present)
Collective Bargaining Agreements (past and present)
Benefit information (Dental, Health Care, Vision, Life, Retirement)
Employee Benefit Guides
Medicare Info
Job Descriptions
Path and Wellness
Sick Leave info
Workman's Compensation and Student Injury Forms
AND MUCH MORE!
FY24 Mandatory Trainings
** NOTE: This will remain open until the end of the month. There are employees that still need to complete these mandatory trainings!
From: Andy Haas
Sent to: Teamwnesu@wnesu.com
On: Wed, Aug 23, 3:08 PM
Every staff member will get an invite to a Google Classroom for the Mandatory Trainings. We are NOT using Vector this year for our annual trainings. Once you get the invite, you will need to go into the classroom and view the slide decks. Once you have completed all the slide decks, there is a quiz that must be taken. Once you have taken the quiz and PASSED with 100%, you will be emailed a certificate later.
Every staff member (custodian, bus driver, para, food services, central office, teacher, administrator, admin assistant) MUST complete the trainings by the end of Sept.
Thank you,
Andy
VECTOR SOLUTIONS - STILL AVAILABLE FOR ADDITIONAL NON MANDATORY TRAININGS
To any staff that would like to explore additional training on their own time, we do still have this resource available.
FY24 ARCHIVED NEWSLETTERS
Social Media Links for Schools
Windham Northeast Supervisory Union: https://www.facebook.com/wnesuvt
Saxtons River School: https://www.facebook.com/sresvt
Bellows Falls Middle School: https://www.facebook.com/BellowsFallsMiddleSchool
Central Elementary School: https://www.facebook.com/rockinghamcesvt
Bellows Falls Union High School: https://www.facebook.com/bfuhsvt
Grafton Elementary School: https://www.facebook.com/GESVermont
Westminster Center School: https://www.facebook.com/westminstercenterschool/
802-463-9958 x 114
802-460-1472 direct
802-460-0405 fax