Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Human Resources and Diversity Administration
Benefits and Retirement
Compensation and Classification
Compliance, Diversity, and Equity
Employee Records
Employment and Development
Payroll
Staff and Program Development

Human Resources and Diversity

• Are we going to lose our ½ days off on the summer Fridays, Spring Break, Winter Break and/or Thanksgiving Break?
  
  This has not been discussed at Valencia.
   
• What is the best vehicle to communicate Human Resources’ policies to the college body?
  
  CJI/East Campus suggestions:
  Work shops, staff councils, make deans responsible for telling their faculty/staff, and tell Faculty Senate president, Bulletin, Human Resources newsletter, and Human Resources website.
  
  West Campus suggestions:
  College wide emails, Human Resources notes, Human Resources website, workshops, annual notes, and training through departmental workshops.
  
  Osceola Campus suggestions:
  Copy the "professional development" plan being used by the Student Services department, Human Resources notes (but only a few people get them), enlarge the Human Resources notes list to include more lower level people, send out college wide emails and let folks know information is on the Human Resources website.

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Benefits and Retirement
 

• Will we ever have to pay for our health insurance?
  
  This has never been suggested. The college traditionally has paid for employees’ health insurance.
   
• Is retirement information sent to those employees nearing retirement?
  
  Yes. Information is sent to those who are about 2 years away from retirement. At this time, the suggestion is made to these employees to make an appointment with the Human Resources Retirement Coordinator to review the options available.
  
  Retirement Planning Seminars are given throughout the year. Watch Leadership Valencia for offerings and information.
   
• My health care provider is not in the new plan. What should I do?
  
  Providers are being added daily. Check on-line for information several times prior to fall or call the benefits department. “Blue Choice” is the current plan and your provider should still be listed. “Network Blue” is the new plan.
   
• I am covered on my husband’s insurance and also on Valencia’s Plan C. I keep having problems with insurance denials because of dual coverage. What do I need to do?
  
  If you are on Valencia’s Plan C, you are NOT on Valencia’s health insurance. At some point in your doctor’s visit, you may have inadvertently indicated that you have Valencia’s health insurance (again, you do not) and that is the problem. Retrace your steps with your healthcare providers and see where this may have been indicated incorrectly. Contact the Benefits Coordinator for further explanation and/or assistance.
   
• What do we do with part-timers who leave our employment for the military service?
  
  We are required by law to reinstate them to the same and/or equal job as they had when they left. This means the same money and the same position but can be on a different campus.

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Compensation and Classification

• How can I get my job reclassified?
  
  Fill out the classification paperwork and submit to your immediate supervisor for review, signature and approval. Once this step has been completed, your immediate supervisor will submit the completed packet to the next administrative level for review, signature and approval. The Vice President then in turn will review and decide whether to approve and/or deny request. If the Vice President approves the request, it will be submitted to Human Resources for review. Human Resources prepares the reclassification list and takes to the College Operations Council for approval. At any step in this process, the reclassification packet can stop and the reclassification would go no further.
   
• Who notifies the requestor (employee)?
  
  The denying supervisor should be the one, but unfortunately this is not always the case. There are times the Vice President will say that the requestor should not know who stopped the process to avoid conflicts.
  
  Remember we “reclassify” a position and not a “person”. All like positions impacted by this reclassification request must be reviewed and considered.
  
  The Professional staff group will be reviewed this year. The Career Service employees will follow with the Administrative employees being reviewed last. This information is on the Human Resources website under the Compensation link for those interested.
   
• What is the reclassification cycle - every 10 years?
  
  Currently, there is not an established reclassification cycle time frame. Ten years is really too long, perhaps five years would be better.
   
• Should a “title change” go through the reclassification process?
  
  Yes.
   
• If my job description does not reflect what I do, what should I do about it?
  
  There might be a need for an “update in duties” which is not the same as a “reclassification”. The first step is to approach your immediate supervisor to start such a process. Remember that the “person” is not being reviewed in these cases; it is the “position”.
  
  If the position is indeed different, this will initiate a reclassification review of the position.
  
  Vacant positions are reviewed automatically by Human Resources prior to advertisement.
   
• Is there compensation for professional staff who work over 40 hours per week?
  
  No. According to Section 13(a)(1) of the Fair Labor Standards Act as defined by Regulations 29 CFR Part 541, professional staff is considered "salaried" employees. They must receive their full salary for any workweek in which they perform any work without regard to the number of days or hours worked.
  
   
• How much will our raise be?
  
  Don’t know yet, but you will have a raise after Board approval. The expense for each 1% raise is approximately $850,000 in college dollars and these funds have to be "new money" and not from the college’s operating funds (e.g. electric, water, etc.).

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Compliance, Diversity, and Equity

• We need assistance with the EAEO representatives for interview committees. Where do we get names? Will there be training? We need to know the diversity issues.
  
  The EAEO Committee (established 25 years ago) is now the Diversity Committee and is co-chaired by Ty Johnson and Silvia Zapico. Under review is the committee structure, how to utilize membership (some serving as workshop facilitators, others serving on interview committees), college wide representation, rotation of membership, charge, how to align with the learning goals of the college, etc. A list of volunteer names has been given to Ty Johnson and Silvia Zapico for review. Training will take place in the future.
  
  You no longer have to be on the Diversity Committee to be a diversity representative for an interview committee. An auxiliary committee is being considered to assist during the surge of hiring each year.
   
• Will outdated policies ever be reviewed?
  
  Yes, (with the hire of Joe Nunes), the policies are under review with the evaluation process and grievance procedures first.
   
• Is anyone working on the evaluation process?
  
  Yes, Joe Nunes is reviewing our policy and process. Carolyn McMoran is also reviewing the time line of the entire evaluation process.
   
• Is there "mandatory" training for supervisors with "mandatory" the key word? (Promoting someone does not make them a good supervisor).
  
  No, but we agree it should be. Those new to and in position of leadership need training regarding their new responsibilities.
   
• What happens if a supervisor is given training and still is not a good supervisor?
  
  We do not have a process in place. We all agree that some people do a great job, we "promote" them to supervisor and they do not know how to "supervise". We do need consequences and a process.
   
• Is there an evaluation process for administrators?
  
  Yes, at one time we did have a form for "other administrators". Don’t know if it is still being used or not.
   
• Do I have to sign my evaluation?
  
  No, but signing one’s evaluation simply means that you acknowledge receipt of the evaluation; it does not mean you agree with the evaluation.
  
  You can attach a response to your evaluation and both will go into your personnel file.
   
• If someone files a grievance against you, how do you know about the complaint, how do you know it has ended, and how do you know the results?
  
  All grievances go to Dr. Martha Williams and she will inform those parties who need to know. Contact her office for particulars.
   
• If I want to hire a disabled person who needs accommodations, when do I notify Human Resources?
  
  Hire and we will accommodate. Discuss with your Provost, Vice President and then with Human Resources.
   
• Can I take classes during my work hours, during lunch?
  
  You can take classes during work hours if those hours are made up with documentation and approval from your supervisor. Same holds true for your lunch hour.
  
  SPD policy (which pays for most employee classes) will not pay for classes during work hours.
   
• What are "normal working hours"?
  
  That question is being addressed as "normal working hours" varies from department to department and from job to job.
  
  Our policy is not consistent. Policies are currently under review by Joe Nunes our new Coordinator, Policy and Program Compliance.
   
• What does 9-80 refer to?
  
  Eighty (80) hours in nine days. In some instances, this is the nature of the job and the needs of the students must be the top priority. It is assumed that supervisors will allow flex time to cover these situations.
  
  Human Resources is not going to establish a rule in the 9-80 situations.

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Employee Records

• If you work for Valencia part-time and also teach adjunct what is your status?
  
  You are considered an adjunct faculty.

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Employment and Development

• Why does the hiring process take so long?
  
  Incomplete paperwork, background check issues and missing signatures on forms.
   
• Can we negotiate salaries with new hires?
  
  Not for pay grades 1-9. Yes, to some degree for pay grades 10 and above, but Human Resources must look at all individuals in that specific pay grade prior to negotiation.
  
  Human Resources cannot negotiate salaries after hire date.
  
  Only Human Resources makes the job and salary offers.
   
• I have now completed additional education and/or training and want to apply for upper level jobs. As an in-house person how do I get considered?
  
  The hiring process is the same for inside or outside folks. You have to apply and present yourself on paper in a manner that will catch the eye of the paper screening committee, (i.e. sell yourself on paper).
  
  Probably the best way to be "seen" by your colleagues as an upper level candidate is to volunteer for all kinds of projects, studies, etc. Work with your colleagues in different capacities and let folks "see you in action".
   
• If we have a part-time vacancy, do we always have to have an interview committee?
  
  An interview committee is not needed unless you recruit for the position. However, the interview committee is designed for our (Valencia’s) protection and for yours.
   
• When career service people are hired, is compensation ever given for education or experience?
  
  Depends on the pay grade and job requirements.

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Payroll

• Will we "see" the raise this year?
  
  Yes, this year we will have 26 pay checks. The first pay check will be on July 14th and you will notice your raise.
  
  It will be 11 years before we repeat the 27 pay checks and have the problem that we just encountered.

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Staff and Program Development

• Will SPD dollars ever cover books and materials?
  
  No.
  
  The college no longer has to put 2% of budget into SPD funds; therefore it is up to the college as to how much money is made available for SPD purposes.

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