Dialog, UA Faculty and Staff News

HRD Training

Building Community
Communication
Computer Courses
Continuous Quality Improvement
The Management Project
Personal Safety
Policy and Procedures
Professional Development Series
Job Openings

Benefits Update

Open Enrollment
Annual Pre-Retirement Seminar
RSA Retirement Seminars
TRS Counseling

Building Community -- Human Relations for the 21st Century.

Human Relations for the 21st Century is designed to develop human relations skills, heighten awareness of others and foster a sense of community throughout the UA campus. Workshops that bear the Building Community logo are available to UA employees.

The Fish Philosophy -- HRD Team, Nov. 18, 8:30-10 a.m.
How Would You Like to be Treated -- HRD Team, Nov. 19, 9-11 a.m.
The Diversity Experience -- HRD Team, date TBA
Sexual Harassment Awareness and Prevention -- HRD Team, date TBA

Communication

Advanced Connections -- Moving Quality Service Beyond the Basics -- HRD Team, date TBA

Computer Courses

The Libraries' Guide to the Internet -- Brett Spencer, Nov. 15, 3-4:30 p.m.

Continuous Quality Improvement

CQI Leadership Seminar Series. CQI workshops are part of the Leadership Seminar Series designed for people in academic and administrative organizations, such as deans, department chairs, directors, managers, assistant and associate directors and faculty who lead projects, or plan on moving into leadership roles. All workshops will be facilitated by John Dew, director for Continuous Quality Improvement. Contact the CQI Office at 348-9831 to schedule workshops, which are designed for 2-4 hours.

Problem Analysis Workshop -- Nov. 14, 1-4 p.m.

The Management Project

Contact HR Development now to reserve your space on the Spring 2003 waiting list.

Personal Safety

Right to Know -- Janie Fowler, Health and Safety, Nov. 19, 1-1:30 p.m.
Proper Use of Fire Extinguishers -- Janie Fowler, Health and Safety, Nov. 11, 1:30-2 p.m.

Policy and Procedures

Independent Contractor Procedures -- HRD Team, Nov. 19, 1:30-3:30 p.m.
Purchasing Procedures -- Susan Petty and Judy Voss, UA Purchasing, Nov. 14, 9-11 a.m.
On-Line Purchasing System Procedures -- Susan Petty and Judy Voss, UA Purchasing, Nov. 20, 1-4 p.m.
Effective Affirmative Action Recruiting Strategies -- Shirley Darr, Auxiliary Services, date TBA
Conducting Legal Interviews -- HRD Team, date TBA

Professional Development Series

Teamwork and Partnership -- HRD, Nov. 15

Job Openings

The University of Alabama is an affirmative action/equal opportunity employer. For the latest employment information, call the UA job line at 348-7780 or visit the Employment Office web site. Remember that office, technical, clerical, maintenance and service positions stay on the Job Line only five days. Faculty positions are listed under the appropriate college or school.

Open Enrollment

Open enrollment for UA's group medical, dental and BAMAFLEX plans continues through Nov. 27. During this annual open enrollment period, UA employees may make changes in those plans, which will take effect Jan. 1, 2003. During this period employees may add or remove dependents, may cancel coverage, or may join or re-establish a flexible spending BAMAFLEX account. Necessary forms for the medical, dental, vision and BAMAFLEX plans are available in the Human Resources Service Center in G-69 Rose Administration building or may be downloaded from the Web site at http://bama.ua.edu/~hr/benefits/.

MEDICAL

UA's group medical plan is carried by BlueCross/BlueShield of Alabama, and bi-weekly or monthly premium payments are paid by payroll deduction a month in advance. Employees who wish to continue with the same level of coverage need not fill out any forms. Medical plan payroll deduction increases for 2003 follow.

Current Salary of $26,000 or Less

Single coverage -- bi-weekly from $3.69 to $4.15; monthly $8 to $9
Family coverage -- bi-weekly from $69.23 to $76.15; monthly from $150 to $165
Husband and wife, both UA employees and eligible, with dependent(s) -- bi-weekly from $35.08 to $38.31; monthly from $76 to $83

Current Salary Above $26,000

Single coverage -- bi-weekly from $7.38 to $8.31; monthly $16 to $18
Family coverage -- bi-weekly from $79.85 to $87.69; monthly from $173 to $190
Husband and wife, both UA employees and eligible, with dependent(s) -- bi-weekly from $35.08 to $38.31; monthly from $76 to $83

DENTAL

UA's dental carrier has changed from Concordia to Mutual of Omaha. The benefits remain the same. Employees who wish to continue with the same level of coverage need not fill out any forms. Bi-weekly or monthly premium payments are paid by payroll deduction a month in advance. Dental plan deduction increases for 2003 follow.

Single coverage -- from $19.18 to $20.14
Family coverage -- from $53.92 to $56.62
Employee plus 1 dependent -- from $37.40 to $39.27

VISION

Employees currently enrolled in the Spectera Vision Plan will continue to be covered with the same payroll deductions a month in advance. Canceling or changing the Vision Plan coverage requires completion of the change form.

BAMAFLEX

Participants in the BAMAFLEX program must complete a new election form for 2003, regardless of 2002 participation, by Dec. 31. Otherwise, participation will end.

BAMAFLEX Guidelines

You may join or re-establish a flexible spending account
Medical Spending Account minimum election is $100; maximum election is $5,000 for year 2003
Dependent Care Spending Account minimum election is $100; maximum election is $5,000 for 2003
Eligibility for the Medical Spending Account includes Regular Full-time and Regular Part-time employees
Eligibility for the Dependent Care Spending Account includes Regular Full-time and Regular Part-time employees

PRESCRIPTION REMINDERS

The co-pay cost for a brand name prescription if a generic substitute is available only if the doctor does not prescribe or allow a generic substitute, is $40
The co-pay cost for a brand-name prescription when no generic is available is $20, and for a generic substitute, $10
Lower co-pay costs are offered with the mail order option (see information below)

Mail Order Copay for Maintenance Prescriptions

1-31 day supply -- generic $3; brand name $15; brand name with generic equivalent $20
32-60 day supply -- generic $6; brand name $25; brand name with generic equivalent $40
61-90 day supply -- generic $9; brand name $35; brand name with generic equivalent $60

Annual Pre-Retirement Seminar

The annual pre-retirement seminar will be held Nov. 18-19 in the Moot Court Room in the UA School of Law at 6 p.m. each night. Representatives from Teachers' Retirement System, TIAA/CREF and the Social Security Administration will be on hand to answer questions. The DEADLINE FOR REGISTRATION with the HR Development office is Friday, Nov. 15. Call 348-9700, fax to 348- 2072, or e-mail dharbin@bama.ua.edu.

RSA Retirement Seminars

The Retirement Systems of Alabama (RSA) will hold a free full-day seminar to help members plan for retirement on Thursday, Nov. 21. These RETirement PREParation Seminars are for members within two years of retirement eligibility, which is defined as having at least 23 years of service credit at any age or being 58 years old with at least eight years of service credit. Attendees must take a leave day and be registered. The registration form is available from the UA Benefits Office, G-69 Rose Administration, or by going to the Web site at http://bama.ua.edu/~hr/ and clicking on the link to "forms." Forms must be sent to the RSA, P.O. Box 302150, Montgomery, AL 36130-2150. Faxes are not accepted.

For more information, contact Judy Price Guy at 1-800-214-2158, ext. 617, or Sue Fussell, ext. 509. Topics to be covered will include Social Security and Medicare, health insurance, retirement options and DROP. More information is on the RSA Web site at www.rsa.state.al.us.

TRS Counseling

Counselors from the Teachers' Retirement System of Alabama (TRS) will be available to counsel members Nov. 14-15, from 8 a.m.-5 p.m., at the Tuscaloosa County Board of Education at 2314 9th Street in downtown Tuscaloosa. Counselors will discuss retirement benefits and other information in a 20-minute appointment. Appointments will be booked at the earliest time and date.

For more information, contact RSA at 1-800-214-2158 or visit the RSA Web site at www.rsa.state.al.us. Click on the link to Speaking of Retirement.