On January 5, 2025, a law entitled the “Social Security Fairness Act” was enacted. This law may provide a significant financial benefit to certain eligible Massachusetts public employees when they retire. , Background, Massachusetts public employees, including UMass employees, pay into the Massachusetts State Employee Retirement System (MSERS) or the Optional Retirement Plan (ORP). The time that they work for the University counts toward their eligibility for a pension from MSERS or in ORP. Massachusetts public employees do not pay Social Security taxes and their employment with the University does not…
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Important Health Insurance Coverage Information - Form 1095-C , The University is no longer required to automatically provide you with the Form 1095-C, which gives information about your health insurance coverage for the tax year. If you wish, you may access the form by logging into HR Direct/Employee Self Service and clicking on, View Form 1095-C, . , Please note that the Form 1095-C will not be ready until the end of February., To request a copy of your Form 1095-C, please contact us via any of the following options: , Email: , HRPO@umassp.edu, Mailing Address:, University of Massachusetts President’s Office, 50 Washington Street, Westborough, MA 01581, ATTN: Human Resources , Phone Number:, 774-528-0201 We will furnish you with a copy of Form 1095-C via secure email within 30 days of receiving your request. , Important:, Form 1095-C is not required for tax purposes. With the elimination of the individual mandate, the ACA Form 1095-C is for information purposes only. IRS does not require taxpayers to include it with their tax returns. This message will also be posted on the HR website at www.umassp.edu/hr .
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Harvard Pilgrim has reached an agreement with both St. Vincent Hospital in Worcester and MetroWest Medical Center in Framingham and Natick. Employees in the Harvard Pilgrim Quality HMO and Harvard Pilgrim Explorer POS plans will be able to continue to see their providers at these hospitals. The contract runs through December 31, 2028. Employees may call Harvard Pilgrim at 844-442-7324 or…
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February 2025 DEIA Calendar, The DEIA Communications team keeps a calendar of upcoming diversity awareness months and days recognized either nationally or internationally due to their cultural, historical, or religious significance. , Month-Long Events, Black History Month, Date-Specific Events, Friday, February 7: National Girls and Women in Sports Day Wednesday, February 12: Māgha Pūjā (Buddhism) Saturday, February 15: Parinirvana Day Friday, February 28: The Carnival of Brazil Friday, February 28 - Wednesday, March 19: The Nineteen Day Fast (Baháʼí) Friday, February 28 - Sunday, March 30: Ramadan (Islam), Additional Communications , The DEIA Communications team is sending communications around the following topics in February: Black History Month Event Communications Upcoming Event Committee Volunteer Opportunities , Interested in Joining the DEIA Team?, Please contact Cheryl Millett .
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In April 2024, the Department of Justice (DOJ) issued a rule requiring public entities to make their digital content accessible by April 24, 2026. This rule applies to all public web content, mobile apps, and course materials. The following reflects UITS project team efforts so far:, Completed Activities, The Digital Experience team has completed the development of four self-paced digital accessibility training courses: Develop and Deliver Accessible Presentations, Write Accessible Emails, Create Accessible Social Media Posts, and Create Accessible Excel Spreadsheets. The first course on Write Accessible Email was rolled out to UITS in late January. Developed a Digital Accessibility Compliance…, In Progress Activities, Migrate all web content remediation tasks to the Accessibility Tracker Review existing PDFs on the website and work with departments to identify PDFs that can be converted to HTML content, native file formats, or web forms Establish testing timeline for high-impact products, What to Expect Next, The third-party product testing strategy will be shared with leadership and product owners in the next month. The evaluation process for the Document Remediation RFP is underway, with the selection of the bidder expected to be finalized within the next month. Digital Experience team will work with General Counsel and Administration and Finance (A&F) to define an accessible procurement…
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Following two successful supplier roadshows,, UPST is headed to Amherst!, In collaboration with the, Massachusetts Higher Education Consortium, and campus leadership, we’re bringing together UMass buyers and preferred, Maintenance, Repair, and Operations (MRO) suppliers, to strengthen connections, showcase resources, and enhance procurement processes across the UMass system. The event is open to UMass faculty, staff, and students but will have a special focus on our MRO approved suppliers and their usual buyers. , MRO Roadshow – UMass Amherst , 📅 Date: Monday, March 3, 2025 🕚 Time: 11:00 AM – 2:00 PM 📍 Location: Campus Center Auditorium, UMass Amherst 🔗 Learn more: https://www.umassp.edu/node/30306 Stay connected—, follow, share, and engage with UPST on LinkedIn, to stay updated on upcoming events and initiatives!
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On November 10, 1775, the U.S. Marine Corps (USMC) was officially set up by the Second Continental Congress to raise two battalions of Continental Marines to support and strengthen U.S. naval forces in the Revolutionary War. Although they succeeded in the war, they were no longer needed. And when the war ended so did the Marine’s first tenure. On July 11, 1798, Congress ordered the creation of…
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Thursday, November 14, 12:00 p.m. - 1:00 p.m. Virtual Event via Zoom Dear UMass President’s Office Colleagues, On Thursday, November 14 at noon, the DEIA Team will host a Zoom only event in honor of Veterans Day. Participants will hear welcoming comments from President Meehan and then watch a brief video about the history of Veterans Day. After that, four UMass President’s Office employees…
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On November 21, 2024, the Fall Management Labor Conference brought together labor, legal, and human resources management leaders to discuss critical issues shaping the future of university unions. A key focus was the impact of online learning on faculty unions, as the post-pandemic shift to digital instruction has redefined teaching responsibilities. Panelists explored how universities are…, Keynote Speaker:, The Honorable David Lowy, UMass General Counsel, Panelists:, Joseph Ambash, Outside Counsel, Fisher & Phillips LLP Michael Eagen, Associate Provost for Academic Personnel, Amherst Mickey Gallagher, Executive Director of Labor and Employee Relations, Boston Brian Harrington, Director of Labor Relations, Amherst Dave LaChappelle, Senior Director ER/LR and HR Compliance, Chan Matt Lyford, Director of Employee and Labor Relations, Chan Eliza Mina, Labor…, Facilitators: , Marsophia Ducheine, Associate Counsel – Labor, Office of the General Counsel Alexcia Gayle, Senior Director of Labor Relations, Amherst Jacquie Kittler, Director of Employee and Labor, UMPO, Welcoming and Closing Comments: , Marie Bowen, Vice Chancellor of Human Resources, Boston Lisa Calise, Senior Vice President for A&F
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