HRD Training

• Building Community
• Diversity
• Communication
• Computer Courses
• Continuous Quality Improvement
• Management Project
• Personal Growth and Development
• Personal Safety
• Policy and Procedures
• Professional Development Series
• Job Openings
• New Employee Orientation

Alabama Credit Union News You Can Use

Healthful Hints

Building Community

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.

• Sexual Harassment Awareness and Prevention -- HRD Team, date TBA. HRD encourages employees to look at the on-line opportunity for training in this topic: www.newmedialearning.com/psh/ua/.
• Understanding the Role Personality Types Play at Work -- HRD Team, Oct. 27, 1:30-3 p.m.
• How Would You Like to Be Treated -- HRD Team, Oct. 28, 1:30-3 p.m.

Diversity

The Diversity HRD presentations are part of the "Building Community" program.

• The Diversity Experience -- HRD Team, date TBA

Communication

• Advanced Connections -- Moving Quality Service Beyond The Basics -- HRD Team, call to schedule a workshop
• Assertiveness Skills and Communication -- Dr. Lee Keyes, Oct. 14, 1-3 p.m.
• Written Communication -- HRD Team, Oct. 22, 2-4 p.m.

Computer Courses

• Front Page -- Oct. 14-15, 9 a.m.-noon
• Intermediate Access -- Oct. 28-29, 9 a.m.-noon
• Dream Weaver I -- Oct. 21-22, 9 a.m.-noon

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.

• Consensus-Based Decision Making for Faculty and Staff -- Oct. 15, 1-4 p.m.

Management Project

• Employment Law and UA Policy -- Oct. 15-16, time TBA

Personal Growth and Development

Training and development opportunities are available through UA's Employee Assistance Program.

Personal Safety

• Right to Know -- Janie Fowler, Health and Safety, Oct. 23, 8:15 a.m.

Policy and Procedures

• Conducting Effective and Legal Interviews -- HRD Team, date TBA
• Effective Affirmative Action Recruiting Strategies -- Shirley Darr, Auxiliary Services, date TBA
• Personnel Action Procedures -- Patty Kelly, Human Resources, date TBA
• Purchasing Procedures -- Susan Petty and Judy Voss, Purchasing, Oct. 22, 10 a.m.-noon

Professional Development Series

• Legal Issues and Workplace Safety -- HRD Team, Oct. 30, 9 a.m.-3 p.m.

Job Openings

The University of Alabama is an affirmative action/equal opportunity employer. For the latest job updates, call the UA job line at 348-7780. For a full line listing of available positions, visit http://hr.ua.edu/employment/empl_oppor.shtml. 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.

New Employee Orientation

New Employee Orientation introduces all new UA employees to campus life and provides them and employees with a status change (regular, part-time or temporary) an opportunity for benefits advisement and enrollment. New employees and employees with status change must pre-register and attend a New Employee Orientation session within the first 30 days of employment to be eligible for health insurance. Sessions are offered every Monday.

Three ways to register and to check out training material:

• Call 348-9700
• Fax to 348-2072
• E-mail Daphne Wright at dharbin@bama.ua.edu

Human Resources Development training sessions will be conducted at G54 Rose Administration building unless otherwise stated. Persons with special needs should contact Daphne Wright.

The Training Resource Center (TRC) offers videos for a staff development "lunch and learn" program. The TRC accommodates six to eight people.

Alabama Credit Union News You Can Use

Sign and Swipe to Avoid Fees, Gain Added Security Protection

If you currently use the PIN option with your debit (also called VISA ATM/Check card) in a merchant check-out line -- like the grocery store, you may soon incur a fee for doing so -- and you are waiving added security protections for unauthorized transactions. Instead, you may insist on choosing the "credit" option at the point-of-sale terminal. "Choosing 'credit' option doesn't change your transaction from one that quickly clears your checking account to a credit card, or 'charge card', transaction," said Kayce Bell, chief operating officer for Alabama Credit Union. "Instead, it gives you the opportunity to sign the receipt and invisibly changes the way the electronic transaction is routed to your checking account."

Your signature is important, according to Bell, because it provides additional chargeback rights for the consumer when a transaction is disputed (i.e., merchandise returns, unauthorized transactions, etc.). During the investigation of a dispute, the financial institution is required to replace your funds -- if only temporarily -- while the dispute is being resolved. PIN-based transactions do not afford consumers the same privilege, according to VISA processing rules.

As a result of the landmark Wal-Mart settlement, the fee income to financial institutions was reduced for PIN-based transactions. Many financial institutions are expected to charge fees to consumers who use their debit cards. "Alabama Credit Union prides itself in charging fees only when absolutely necessary, and keeping the cost of those fees as low as possible. We currently have no plans to assess a fee for PIN-based debit transactions, but encourage members to insist on signing transaction receipts when using their debit cards at point-of-sale. It helps the credit union control expenses, and that benefits all members." Bell also pointed out that newer point-of-sale terminals are configured to make it difficult for consumers to find the 'credit' or signature-based option, and some terminals force consumers to choose the 'credit' option more than once before the transaction is completed. For questions about using your Alabama Credit Union VISA ATM/Check ("debit") card, call 348-3873 or 888-817-2002.

Healthful Hints

by John Kasberg, Risk Analyst

Brand Name Drugs Whose Patents Expired in 2003

Listed below alphabetically are eight brand name drugs whose patents expired in April and May 2003 according to the Food & Drug Administration and are therefore FDA approved to be manufactured as generics. Although these drugs are eligible to be marketed in generic form under their chemical names, the switch has not occurred yet. However, those who are part of UA's BC/BS of Alabama's health care program can watch for their generic distribution at some point in the future. Generic drugs cost less than brand name drugs. Also generic drugs have a lower prescription drug co-payment under UA's BC/BS of Alabama group employee health plan. Using generic drugs can help keep health costs lower. Also see the University's webpage listing the 2003 BC/BS health insurance and prescription drug benefits in more detail at http://hr.ua.edu/benefits/.

Remember the above listing is informational only. You should always consult your doctor and/or pharmacist before taking or changing any prescription drugs.

* 2003 Drug Topics® RED BOOK was referenced to obtain the spelling of the chemical names for these brand name drugs.

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