Breeonne Baxter
New employee handbooks for Executive Administrative staff and Non-Union Technician & Research Assistants
UBC Human Resources is pleased to announced that we have updated the handbooks for Executive Administrative staff and for Non-Union Technician & Research Assistants. The handbooks contains information about the University of British Columbia’s existing terms, conditions, practices, and procedures as they relate to employees in these groups.
The new handbook can be downloaded from the HR website:
- Executive Administrative: http://www.hr.ubc.ca/wp-content/uploads/HR_ExecAdmin_Handbook.pdf
- Non-Union Technician & Research Assistants: http://www.hr.ubc.ca/wp-content/uploads/HR_TRA_Handbook.pdf
If you have any questions about these handbooks, please feel free to reach out to your HR Associate.
All UBC handbooks and collective agreements can be found online.
HR Memo: Statutory holiday compensation for hourly student employees (June 13, 2019)
We have issued a memo regarding the guidelines for statutory holiday compensation for hourly student employees. To read the memo, please visit http://www.hr.ubc.ca/memos/statutory-holiday-compensation-for-hourly-student-employees-june-13-2019/.
Visit our calculating statutory holiday pay page for full information.
If you have questions regarding calculating statutory holiday pay, please contact your HR Associate.
Reminder: UBC Staff Pension Fair: June 20
The Staff Pension Plan (SPP) Pension Fair will take place on Thursday, June 20, 11:30 a.m. – 1:00 p.m at the Robert H. Lee Alumni Centre. This event is a great opportunity for members to learn more about the SPP and gain some pension knowledge. Similar to past years, we will have information tables hosted by UBC Retirement and Survivor Benefits, UBC Investment Management Trust, UBC Employee and Family Assistance Program, and more.
Registration is not required and you are encouraged to drop in at any time that is convenient for you. For more information, please visit https://staff.pensions.ubc.ca/pensionfair/
The Pension Board, management and staff look forward to meeting you and answering your questions.
New PD workshops this August
HR is hosting two professional envelopment workshops this August:
Discovering Personal Effectiveness: Aug. 8 (9:00 a.m. 4:00 p.m.)
Self-awareness is at the heart of professional growth and development. By understanding ourselves, we are able to better connect with others, create meaningful relationships at work, improve our personal leadership and be more effective in our communications.
- Cost: $375
- Register online
Practical Project Management: Aug. 21-22 (9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.)
Many people are finding projects an increasing part of their workload, yet still have their ‘day job’ responsibilities. Getting your project off to the best possible start is essential for success and tackling today’s project focused environment requires a straightforward, down to earth approach. This two-day workshop provides practical, effective tools and proven processes that ensure your projects get off to a clear and solid start, ensuring they stay on track, and your deliverables are achieved on time and on budget.
- Cost: $550
- Register online
If you are interested in these workshops, you may be able to use your professional development funding. Please visit the page for your employee group to learn more.
Rehearsing Conflict workshop performance: June 20
You are invited to attend Conflict Theatre‘s performance on Thursday, June 20, 11:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m., at the Dorothy Somerset Studios.
The plays are created and performed by UBC faculty and staff participating in the Rehearsing Conflict workshop series (June 13-20). Members of the UBC community have come together to share and act out stories of conflict in order to find solutions, challenge assumptions, and build understanding.
Our free workshop performance will involve reflection on the difficult conversations we can face in the workplace, and there will be space for interactive community dialogue. As a forum theatre performance, there will be an invitation to audience members to take part in the action if they choose, but all participation is voluntary. Together, we will consider how we can move through blockages to authentic and productive communication during workplace conflict.
Please RSVP at http://bit.ly/JUNE20PERFORMANCE and email any questions to conflict.theatre@ubc.ca.
Positive Space workshop: June 18
Are your working, learning and living environments welcoming to LGBT2SQIA+ students, staff and faculty? Would you like to learn more how to improve and positively impact the climate for sexual and gender diversity?
The Positive Space foundational workshop covers current language, issues, resources, and best practices in an interactive and experiential learning environment. Participants will gain relevant knowledge and skills to use in their academic, work and campus life.
Upcoming workshop
- June 18: 1:00 – 3:00 p.m.
Sign up on the UBC Equity & Inclusion Office website.
Call for input on search for new Vice-President, Human Resources
This week, UBC launched the search for a new Vice-President, Human Resources. The announcement included a call for input from faculty, staff, students and alumni on the following questions:
- What do you see as some of the key opportunities and challenges ahead of the Human Resources portfolio in the coming years?
- What experience and personal qualities would you want an ideal candidate to bring to this role?
- Any other comments that might be useful to the committee?
- Any suggestions of potential candidates for this role?
You are invited to submit comments by June 7, 2019, to the search firm Caldwell at drailton@caldwellpartners.com or acotterall@caldwellpartners.com. All responses will be kept confidential.
Read the full announcement at https://faculty-staff.ubc.ca/2019/05/29/search-for-a-new-vice-president-human-resources/.
2019 merit-based salary increases for AAPS, Executive Administrative, Farmworkers, and Non-Union Technicians & Research Assistants
Compensation has distributed departmental spreadsheets to administrators who have staff eligible for this year’s merit-based salary increases in the following employment groups: AAPS, Executive Administrative, Farmworkers, and Non-union Technicians & Research Assistants. To be eligible, staff members must have passed their probationary period and be at or above the midpoint of their salary range as of June 30, 2018.
Please visit the merit web page for information on the following:
- Instructions for completing your department spreadsheet
- Step-by-step instructions for implementing merit
- Merit FAQs
Inquiries about your spreadsheet can be directed to Sabrina Basra (604-827-2464 or sabrina.basra@ubc.ca).
2019 Annual Welcome Back Staff BBQ: Updated contacts needed
This year’s Welcome Back Staff BBQ at UBC’s Vancouver campus will be held on Wednesday, Sept. 11, 2019, 11:30 am – 1:30 pm. Registration/RSVPs will open Monday, June 11.
Department Contacts Confirmation
To help ensure all staff who wish to attend don’t miss out this year, we need your assistance with updating the list of department contacts responsible for coordinating the Welcome Back BBQ Registration/RSVPs.
Check the spreadsheet attached to this week’s HR Network News email for the name of your department contact, and then contact Kailey Patton (kailey.patton@ubc.ca) to either confirm if your contact person is correct, or to let us know the new contact name. The contact person does not need to be an HR Network member, but we do need their name and email address to provide them with important information about the BBQ.
Please note that smaller departments are often grouped together to limit the number of overall department contacts. If you don’t see your department on the spreadsheet, look for the next department into which your unit rolls up.
If you have questions, please contact Kailey Patton at kailey.patton@ubc.ca or 604-822-8985.
IRP HR session June 4: Overview of Workday Security Roles
The next IRP HR Call-In session will be on June 4, 9:00-10:00 a.m., and will provide an overview of Workday Security Roles. Human resources practitioners at the Vancouver and Okanagan campuses are invited to join.
Agenda
- Integrated Renewal Program (IRP) Update
- HR Work Stream Update – what has the team been working on and what is planned for the next 30 days
- Overview of Workday Security Roles
RSVP
If you are interested in participating in the call, email integrated.renewal@ubc.ca to RSVP. A member from the IRP team will follow up with an event invite.
IRP HR Call-In Session Recordings
A recording of all previous IRP HR Call-In sessions are available on the IRP Website under HR/Payroll Workstream Resources. To obtain the password to view the IRP HR Call-In session recordings, please email integrated.renewal@ubc.ca.
Reminder to register by June 12 for the Pick Your Peak Stair Challenge
If you’re looking for opportunities to bring team wellbeing activities into your workplace this summer, the 2019 Pick Your Peak Stair Challenge begins June 17.
This four-week program is open to all UBC staff and faculty in Vancouver and the Okanagan, no matter your level of motivation or ability. You can participate as an individual or register as a team. Weekly random prize draws, photo challenges and meet-up events will help give you the boost you need week-to-week.
Sign up by June 12 at 4:00 p.m. by visiting the Stair Challenge webpage
Reminder: QPR Suicide Intervention Training: June 12
QPR Suicide Intervention Training is an internationally recognized suicide intervention program designed to help you question, persuade, and refer. UBC offers free QPR Training for students, staff, and faculty to help them recognize suicide warning signs, approach someone who may be at risk, persuade the person to seek appropriate health services, and connect the person to resources that will help resolve crises. QPR acts as an emergency mental health intervention designed to save lives much like CPR or other methods of emergency medical intervention.
Our next QPR training session is June 12, 9:00-11:00 a.m.
At this training, you will learn:
- How to get help for yourself;
- Common causes and warning signs of suicidal behaviour;
- Tools and skills on how to intervene;
- How to Question, Persuade, and Refer someone at risk;
- How to get help for someone in crisis; and
- Familiarity with referral resources both on and off campus.
Congress: June 1-7
Congress 2019 takes place at the Vancouver campus next week. Running June 1-7, Congress is the largest interdisciplinary conference in Canada. There are a number of free events open to the UBC community. You are encouraged to visit https://www.congress2019.ca/calendar to see the full schedule, or check out some of the special programming:
Big Thinking lecture series
The free Big Thinking series is held each day throughout Congress. This year’s series will feature the arts as a platform to engage with scholarship in the humanities and social sciences. More information about the Big Thinking series can be found at https://www.congress2019.ca/program/big-thinking.
Performances, exhibitions and featured events/talks
From soundscapes and visual art to literary readings and musical performances, there will be plenty of free performances and exhibitions to attend during Congress. Featured Talks will see UBC faculty and speakers from around the world discuss key issues in the humanities and social sciences. More information about University programming can be found at https://www.congress2019.ca/program/university.
HR memo: Changes to Minimum Wage in British Columbia Effective June 1, 2019 (May 16, 2019)
HR has issued a memo regarding the upcoming increase in the provincial minimum wage. Effective June 1, 2019, the new minimum wage will be $13.85/hour.
Please visit http://www.hr.ubc.ca/memos/changes-to-minimum-wage-effective-june-1-2019-may-16-2019/ to read the full memo.
Staff salary scales will be updated on the Compensation website in advance of June 1.
New guidelines available for the use of preferred names for faculty and staff
As part of UBC’s commitment to create a welcoming, inclusive and nondiscriminatory environment, Human Resources and the Equity & Inclusion Office have created guidelines regarding the use of preferred names for faculty and staff.
Whether for professional, personal or privacy reasons, a number of faculty and staff use names other than their legal names to identify themselves at the university. For trans and non-binary faculty and staff who are protected on the grounds of gender identity and gender expression in BC Human Rights legislation, the use of preferred names can be especially important to ensure safety and privacy. Addressing a person’s preferred name and gender has been recognized by human rights tribunals as best practice for non-discrimination.
These new guidelines provide you with background on the importance of preferred names, their use at the university, and the few legal limitations of using preferred names. We encourage you to review the guidelines: http://www.hr.ubc.ca/administrators/managing-staff/hr-guidelines-preferred-names/.
Thank you for your support in helping to create a respectful and nondiscriminatory environment for our colleagues.
Stat holiday alert: Victoria Day is May 20
This year’s Victoria Day statutory holiday is May 20.
If you have questions about calculating stat holiday pay for your employees, see our Calculating Statutory Holiday Pay guide.
See the full list of UBC Statutory Holidays.
June 20: UBC Staff Pension Fair
The Staff Pension Plan (SPP) Pension Fair will take place on Thursday, June 20, 11:30 a.m. – 1:00 p.m at the Robert H. Lee Alumni Centre. This event is a great opportunity for members to learn more about the SPP and gain some pension knowledge. Similar to past years, we will have information tables hosted by UBC Retirement and Survivor Benefits, UBC Investment Management Trust, UBC Employee and Family Assistance Program, and more.
Registration is not required and you are encouraged to drop in at any time that is convenient for you. For more information, please visit https://staff.pensions.ubc.ca/pensionfair/
The Pension Board, management and staff look forward to meeting you and answering your questions.
June 10: Equity and Inclusion at Canadian Universities: How Do We Get There?
Academic institutions have embraced principles of equity as a core value underpinning their mission. But what do we mean by equity and diversity?
Can we have diversity but neglect inclusion? Do we have any blind spots on who we embrace under the equity, diversity and inclusion tent? How do we know who we have missed if our ability to measure diversity is varied? How do we inspire and sustain broad support for initiatives in this area?
You are invited to Equity and Inclusion at Canadian Universities: How Do We Get There?, a mini-symposium on June 10, 2019, 10:00 a.m. – 12:30 p.m., at the Robert H. Lee Alumni Centre. This event is co-sponsored by the UBC Office of the Provost, the Faculty of Science, and the Equity & Inclusion Office.
Please share this invitation with your faculty and staff colleagues involved with faculty hiring, tenure/promotion, or graduate advising for a conversation on how we inspire and sustain broad support for initiatives in the area.
Visit https://equity.ubc.ca/events/howdowegetthere/ to learn more and to register. A livestream will also be available on the day of the event.
Reminder: HR Network News: User feedback survey
HR Network News is produced by the Department of Human Resources for the purpose of delivering timely, relevant information to the Human Resources community of practice at UBC’s Vancouver campus.
It has been a while since we made any changes to the content/format of the newsletter, and we want to take this opportunity to ask for your feedback and if you have any suggestions for how we can improve communications on HR matters to you and your teams. The survey will be open until the end of day Friday, May 17.
You can access the survey at https://ubc.ca1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_5jQa70WGlegC7m5.
If you have any questions or other comments on this matter, please feel free to email us at communications@hr.ubc.ca.
Coaching@UBC: New coaches and coach interns
Coaching@UBC has added a number of new coaches to their roster:
Internal Coaches
- Mina Phaisaltantiwongs – (2018 Coach Intern)
- Shannon Remillong (2018 Coach Intern)
External Coaches
- Rebekah Bansback
- Jennifer Dowdeswell
- Andrea Fruhling
- Elizabeth Froese
- Tomomi Iwashina – Tomomi is able to provide coaching in Japanese and English.
- Carol Poon – Carol is able to provide coaching in Mandarin and English
Visit http://www.hr.ubc.ca/coaching/get-a-coach/community-of-coaches/ to learn more about all of UBC’s available coaches, and to sign up for coaching services at UBC.
The recipients of the 2019-2020 Coach Internship program are:
- Dr. Lisa Loutzenheiser – Curriculum and Pedagogy (EDCP)
- Allison Mander-Wionzek – Student Development & Services/Centre for Student Involvement and Careers
- Catalina Policzer – Human Resources
- Patrice Steinmann – UBC IT
Also congratulations to the following Coach Internship recipients who have recently become certified Coaches. You will be able to find them on our list of Internal Coaches in the very near future.
- Deborah Chen – Centre for Teaching, Learning & Technology
- Lily Gu – UBC Extended Learning
- Sukhbir Kaur – Psychology
Thank you to everyone who had expressed interest in our Coach Internship Award. We will open applications for the next round of the Coaching Internship Awards in October. To learn more about the program, visit http://www.hr.ubc.ca/coaching/become-a-coach/coaching-internship/.