News to Use – September 2022
News to Use is a monthly summary of HR information for all employees of McMaster University.
Pre-Hire MacID eForm – The new pre-hire MacID form will expedite the process for obtaining new employee MacID’s during the ‘pre-hire’ stage. Department administrators, hiring managers, recruitment coordinators and HR teams now have the ability to obtain a new MacID through an automated self-service eForm solution. The eForm can be used for all employee groups, with the exception of Teaching Assistants, Active Students, and Employees in the Work/Study Program, as these employees already have their MacIDs provisioned via their student record in Mosaic Campus Solutions. More details and resources on the Pre-Hire MacID eForm are available on the HR eForms Webpage, including an overview, job aids, FAQs and more.
For further questions regarding the eForm email hr.mcmaster@mcmaster.ca or call 905-525-9140 x222-HR (47).
University Health Insurance Plan (UHIP) Update – The University Health Insurance Plan (UHIP) provides affordable insurance for all eligible McMaster University students, employees, short-term visitors, and dependents who do not have OHIP coverage. Effective September 1, 2022, UHIP has moved from being provided by Sun Life to Manulife Financial and Cowan Insurance Limited.
There is no change in the services covered or the premium rates charged for UHIP coverage. Any expenses incurred prior to September 1, 2022, must be submitted to Sun Life for reimbursement prior to October 31st, 2022. For any treatment required on or after September 1, 2022, you can present your Cowan card at the clinic, hospital or lab and claims can be submitted to Cowan for reimbursement.
Applicable claim forms can be found here.
For further information on UHIP, please visit https://uhip.ca/ or contact your HR Representative.
Pension Portal upgrade for Salaried Pension Plan Members – McMaster’s Pension Portal is supported by Aon, who is making a platform upgrade for all their clients. As a result, there will be a new look and feel to the Pension Portal, but no changes to the pension information. The upgrade will occur on the morning of September 27, 2022, at which time the Pension Portal will be unavailable. The new changes will be in effect by noon. For assistance with navigation and to answer any questions you may have, please review the new guide posted on the HR Website.
The Ontario Provincial Government has prescribed an increase to the general minimum wage from $15.00 to $15.50 per hour effective October 1, 2022.
Minimum Wage Increase – October 1, 2022 – The Ontario Provincial Government has prescribed an increase to the general minimum wage from $15.00 to $15.50 per hour effective October 1, 2022. Employee salary records in the HRIS with a current hourly rate of less than $15.50 will be automatically updated to reflect the new minimum wage rate effective October 1, 2022 and the change will take effect on the October 7, 2022 staff pay deposit (202220-SAM). Please also note any interim/temporary employment contracts commencing on or after October 1, 2022 should include $15.50 as the new minimum rate
If you have any questions, please contact HR Operations at hr.mcmaster@mcmaster.ca or call 905-525-9140 x222-HR (47).
Sun Life Benefit Claim Deadline – For health and dental claims, the benefit year runs from July 1st to June 30th. Claims that were incurred in the prior benefit year (July 1st 2021 – June 30th 2022) must be submitted to Sun Life prior to September 30th to be eligible. Claims received after this date will be denied. Claims can be easily submitted online or through the Sun Life mobile app. More information on how to submit claims online or via the app can be found here.
Unifor Unit 1 – Resume Screening Tool (RST) Reminder! – As part of our hiring processes for Unifor Unit 1 represented positions, we wanted to remind the community of the requirement to complete a Resume Screening Tool (“RST”) for the top 10 Unifor Unit 1 applicants to a competitive process. This tool provides your scoring of applicant resumes (Unifor staff) and in accordance with the collective agreement, is provided to Unifor at the conclusion of a competitive process in support of addressing any questions from employees that may be raised.
If you are in need of a sample RST template that may be customized to your needs, or have any questions on how to complete this, please contact your HR partner or Employee / Labour Relations lead. Once you have completed the RST, please submit it to rst@mcmaster.ca. This RST must be sent to Unifor in advance of proceeding with an offer of employment. The HR team will coordinate sending this and notify you of your ability to proceed as soon as possible.
Mosaic Rapid Release – Learn about all the MRR advancements for the month of September, including the latest updates to the external tuition bursary application eForm in September 2022 Mosaic Rapid Release – Human Resources. For any questions regarding HR eForms, please contact hr.mcmaster@mcmaster.ca.
Managing September Stress – With the long-awaited return of our campus community, September is an exciting month for McMaster faculty, staff, and students! However, it is often one of our busiest months of the year, which can lead to understandable stress. Please visit our Employee well-being webpage for resources and information on workload management, positive affirmations, and steps to improve your psychological well-being. Best of luck, we’re all in this together!
Annual Pull4Mac Bus Pull – The McMaster United Way Campaign gives employees the opportunity to actively participate through fundraising initiatives such as the Pull4Mac Bus Pull, Online Auction and personal donations, ultimately while becoming more engaged in the local community. The McMaster Community Engagement Committee invites you to participate in the 7th Annual Pull4Mac Bus Pull. This event is open to all staff, faculty, students, and alumni in the McMaster Community!
Teams will consist of 10-12 members. Teams are encouraged to register, raise money, and work together to pull a McMaster Shuttle Bus 100 feet to the finish line to kick off the McMaster United Way Campaign. The cost for this event will be minimum $300 per team, or $30 per individual registration.
Life@Mac – Make sure to review our upcoming events webpage and view the Multicultural Calendar
Questions? Call Human Resources at extension 222-HR or email us at hr.mcmaster@mcmaster.ca. You can also visit our website: https://hr.mcmaster.ca/
