In this April 2019 issue:
As you are filing your 2017 taxes, now is a perfect time to think about your preferred delivery method for your 2019 W-2 form. All UNK employees can now enroll for online delivery of their 2019 W2 tax statement by logging into Firefly>Employee Self Service>W-2 & W-4 Tax Forms>Enroll for W-2 Online Delivery.
Follow the on screen steps to designate your preferred tax statement delivery method. By opting for online W-2 forms, not only will you save paper but you will also have accessibility to your W-2 form at any time through Firefly. The forms are also available online at least a week before the paper forms are sent out to those users who do not designate their W-2 delivery method or who opt for a paper W-2 form.
You do not need to enroll again if you already opted for the online delivery as your selection carries forward each year. If you do not log into Firefly and make an election, you will receive a paper W-2 form by default.
If you have any questions, please contact Payroll at 865-8182.
Allocation of tuition remission credits for Summer and Fall Semester can be entered beginning April 1. Final submission for Summer is June 1 and for Fall is September 13. Allocate credits via Firefly/ESS, under Benefits, click “Employee & Dependent Scholarship”. For employees utilizing KSC forms, please visit the link below.
Benefits at a glance
When making a direct bill reservation to a Kearney hotel for non-employees, candidates, speakers, or a group of individuals, please give the reservation desk your department name and phone number. This will help when Procurement & Payment Services receives the invoice. If you have any questions, please contact Kim Christensen at 865-8525.
Loper Dollars make a great gift for a high school graduate who will be attending UNK next fall. Loper Dollars can be used at all campus dining locations, the Nebraskan Welcome Desk, and select copiers and printers. Remember, purchases at campus dining locations using Loper Dollars are discounted 20% automatically! Contact the Finance Office for more information at 8012.
There will be two opportunities for you to attend an Informational Meeting on Fiscal Year-end Procedures. Topics to be covered include budget encumbrances and balances carried forward, accrual adjustments, payroll processing, AP parked document processing, procurement card processing and more. Please contact Chris Moran at 8785 or Carrie Stithem at 8865 if you have questions.
Thursday, April 18, 10:00-11:00 AM, Ockinga Auditorium Register
Monday, April 22, 2:00-3:00 PM, Copeland 140 Register
Training on the financial reports that are available in SAP and Firefly is available upon request. The training can assist departments in managing their budgets and demonstrate how to read and understand financial reports. Please contact Chris Moran at 8785 if you have questions.
Financial Report Training - available upon request Register
In April, departments will receive a current listing of major equipment (cost $5,000 or greater or any licensed vehicles) for the department as recorded in the University’s fixed asset system. Departments are expected to confirm the inventory of equipment by physically inspecting the equipment, verifying the accuracy of the recorded information, and indicating the condition of the asset on the confirmation. If there is equipment held by the department with an original cost of $5,000 or more or any licensed vehicles (regardless of cost) that are not listed, please add the equipment information to the confirmation. Departments with no major equipment will be sent a confirmation asking them to confirm they do not have any equipment with an original cost of $5,000 or more or any licensed vehicles.
In addition to a listing of major equipment, departments will also receive a separate list of current objects on loan for the department as recorded in the University’s HR system. Departments are required to record laptop computers and other mobile electronic devices such as iPads, tablets, cell phones, and external hard drives as objects on loan if assigned to an individual or taken or kept off campus. Laptops and other mobile electronic devices held for general department use and kept on campus are not required to be (but can be) tracked through objects on loan. However, each department is responsible for its equipment and should track these items in some way. Desktop computers, printers, or fax machines that are taken home or off campus are also required to be recorded on objects on loan. Departments, at their discretion, may include other specific items such as cameras, iPods, research equipment, or other equipment on an individual’s objects on loan. Accessories to these items such as a laptop docking station, keyboard, case/cover, etc. do not need to be recorded as separate items, but may be included in the description of the main item if desired. Departments are expected to confirm the inventory of objects on loan by physically inspecting the equipment and verifying the accuracy of the recorded item information and employee assignment. Equipment that meets the requirements but is not listed should be added to the confirmation before returning it to the Asset Records Manager.
Please assist in the physical inventory of UNK equipment by completing the steps and returning the confirmations to the Asset Records Manager by the due date indicated on the confirmation.
Employees can review items assigned to them in SAP objects on loan by navigating to Firefly > Employee Self Service > My Employment > On Loan.
Departments can review information for all employees in their department by running a report in SAP. See instructions at Firefly > Sapphire > Reference Guides > UNK > Finance Office > SAP Objects on Loan Report Instructions. To update Objects on Loan information in SAP, contact your IT Coordinator or go to Sapphire > Business Forms > UNK > Finance Office > Objects on Loan Update Form and send the form to Ross Pierce, Asset Records Manager, WRNH 135
Personal use of University property is prohibited, except where allowed by Board of Regents policy. University property includes any items purchased with University funds including grants, contracts, awards, gifts, and Foundation funds as well as donated items.
When University property is removed from a department for off-campus work-related activities, the department must maintain written documentation of the department head’s authorization for such use, specifically identifying the equipment removed, reason for the removal, location, and dates removed and returned. When equipment is mobile in nature and assigned to an individual for work use on a long term basis, departments are encouraged to record that equipment as an “object on loan” on the employee’s personnel record in SAP. Departments are required to record laptop computers and other mobile electronic devices such as iPads, tablets, cell phones, and external hard drives as objects on loan. Desktop computers, printers, or fax machines that are taken home or off campus are also required to be recorded on objects on loan. Contact Ross Pierce at piercerl@unk.edu or 8007 with any questions.
The University of Nebraska is putting together a Disaster Recovery Coordination Committee to assist those affected by the recent flooding and blizzard. Watch for further information to be posted.
In the meantime, storm-affected individuals and businesses are encouraged to report damage to their county emergency management officials. It is important for county emergency management officials to have the most complete pictures of the impacts, as the data is then provided to state emergency management and ultimately, validated in conjunction with officials from FEMA. As this validation process continues, more counties can be designated for Individual Assistance.
Also more information can be found at:
https://nema.nebraska.gov/#nebraskastrong
https://flood.unl.edu/
April is National Distracted Driving Awareness Month.
To prevent tragedies due to distracted driving, motorists are urged to:
All pedestrians and bicyclists should focus on their surroundings and not on their electronic devices.
Employees and Departments/Groups of Employees can be nominated for different awards. The awards are presented monthly during the Staff Senate meetings.
Please consider nominating a staff member or group who has demonstrated excellence. It’s time to show our colleagues how much we appreciate what they do and why we’re so very proud to be Lopers!!
Employee Achievement Awards