Happy Labor Day to all of our hard-working employees! This year has brought us a lot of challenges but you have all risen to the challenge. Thank you for all you do for our patients and your peers.Your hard work does not go unnoticed.

2020 Employee Voice Survey
We are at 72% participation with the 2020 Employee Voice Survey. This is AWESOME! The national average for participation is 70-75%. Our goal is 80% and we can get there with just a few more surveys! The survey feedback is really important to leadership. Our goal is for URMC to be a great place to work and your feedback helps us to know what we do well, and where we may need a little work. All survey information is confidential. Although the comments will be shared verbatim, there is no way to know who said what. If you haven’t already taken the survey, get yours done today! The link is on the main Employee Portal page. If you print or take a picture of your survey receipt, bring it to HR to receive your gift!

Open Enrollment
Open Enrollment is just around the corner! We are working to make your open enrollment experience smoother than ever! This year, we hope to have easier SmartBen log in with new, easier to remember User ID’s. Also, we are in discussions with our insurance broker to finalize the selections for the 2021 plan year. We hope to keep changes minimal and encourage your participation in our programs. It’s not too late to participate with Bright Dime, our financial wellness tool. It’s free to use and many employees have already reaped the benefits of better financial health. It’s also not to late to sign up for pet insurance through Nationwide. Keep Fido healthy with a cost saving insurance plan! Stay tuned for more information on Open Enrollment! COMING NOVEMBER 2020….

Partial Unemployment Claims
Most departments have resumed their regular work schedules and have stopped using a reduction in hours based on COVID. Partial unemployment claims will eventually phase completely out as business volumes return to a more normal level. We will continue to monitor the situation and follow the guidance of the Georgia Department of Labor.

Tax “Holiday”
On August 28, 2020, the IRS announced guidance that employers may participate in a “tax holiday” to lessen the tax burden for employees who meet certain criteria. This “tax holiday,” set to begin September 1, 2020, is only a deferral of certain payroll taxes and must be paid back beginning in early 2021. For employees, this would mean that their tax obligation would likely double until the monies that were deferred are paid back in full. At this point, the guidance suggests that it is voluntary for employers to participate in this “tax holiday.” Until guidance for participation and repayment becomes clearer, URMC has elected not to participate in this “tax holiday.”