IT Help Desk is now MySupport@UNC

As part of our continuing service improvement, we are excited to announce the IT Help Desk transformation from a finite service window over to a 24-hour clock continuous operation. In addition to providing support during all hours, the ticket management tool enabling the effort will be MySupport@UNC provided through Service Now.

On Monday, May 8th, 2023, we will take a large step in our continued efforts to standardize services with UNCHCS. In order to better share support responsibilities with the combined ISD (Information Services Division) team, we will be migrating to the enterprise ticketing tool with MySupport@UNC. As part of this change, we will also be adopting the standard ISD procedures for handling incidents and requests, and you will have access to the self-service portal. We will also adopt the change control process in MySupport@UNC in the upcoming weeks.

What does this mean for you? You will continue to call 828-266-2483 for any support needs but the communication you receive on tickets will come from MySupport@unchealth.unc.edu starting May 8th. Both the self-service portal and Help Desk will be open 24×7, and supported by the combined ISD team, making support and timely resolutions more accessible to staff. New incidents and requests can also be entered on the MySupport@UNC Service Now web portal at https://unchc.service-now.com. As a result of this initiative of the IT Help Desk, ticket creation via emails or voicemail will no longer be necessary and subsequently retired. This means emails sent to itservicedesk@apprhs.org or support@apprhs.org will no longer be available to create tickets starting on May 8th.

You will be able to access the MySupport@UNC portal using your U Number to enter Help Desk requests or you may still call the Help Desk directly at 828-266-2483; 24×7. If you do not yet have a UNCH login, please reach out to your manager or supervisor so that they can request a UNCH account for you. The UNCH account is a different account than your ARHS account. This is commonly referred to as your ‘U Number’. It will begin with a U, and this U number will be your access to the new self-service portal for MySupport@UNC, LMS, and eventually Epic@UNC. If you have received an email containing the information for your UNCH account, please make sure you have followed the instructions to reset your password and setup for remote access to UNCH systems by May 8th, 2023.

If you opt to continue calling the Help Desk at this time, it is important that you know your U number as you will be asked for it.

PTO Cap and Cash Out Options

Effective May 14th, 2023, ARHS is reinstating the PTO cap as outlined in the ARHS Policy Paid Time Off. The cap was lifted during the pandemic, and now it is time to return to our standard policy. Employees who currently have PTO balances above the PTO cap in the policy will be allowed to keep those balances for future use. However, you will not continue to accrue over the PTO maximum accrual limit.

Additionally, ARHS is offering a PTO Cash Out option that will allow employees to Sell Back a portion of their PTO quarterly, in line with the PTO Cash Out Policy.

Each quarter employees who have completed one year of employment and have at least 80 hours of banked PTO will be eligible to cash out PTO at a 75% cash value. At least 80 hours must remain in a person’s PTO account following the cash out. PTO hours up to 100 hours may be cashed out per our policy. Payroll will deduct taxes on all PTO cash out.

Please refer to the PTO policy on submitting any cash out requests.

Quarterly cash out Periods:
• February (paid in March)
• May (paid in June)
• August (paid in September)
• November (paid in December)

The PTO cash out program will roll out in two phases.

Phase 1 – May 14, 2023, will be the first opportunity to cash out PTO. For the initial rollout of the PTO cash out, we will start with employees who have exceeded their capped amount (Paid Time Off v.4 (policytech.com). We will begin with the pay period starting May 14, 2023, with a pay date of June 2, 2023. Only those employees who exceed their banked PTO maximum accrual can elect to cash out up to 100 hours of PTO. If an employee has hours over the accrual limit, they will not lose those hours if they choose not to cash out

Phase II – On June 11, 2023, the second opportunity to cash out PTO will begin. This option will be open to all qualified employees with over 80 hours of PTO and over one year of employment. This will be pay period starting June 11, 2023, with a pay date of June 30, 2023.
Future payouts will follow the quarterly schedule outlined in the PTO policy.

PTO Cash Out Example
An employee, Pink Panther, has an hourly pay rate of $20 per hour and a PTO accrual balance of 160 hours posted as the available balance on the pay statement immediately before the sell-back paycheck.
Suppose Pink Panther submits the sell-back election to the Payroll office during the quarterly election period, requesting to sell back 80 hours. In that case, Pink Panther is eligible to receive the following:
Since the cash value of the eligible sell-back hours is 75%, the following payout would occur: 80 (hours) x $20 (rate of pay) x.75 (75%) = $1,200 distribution (less taxes).

The resulting PTO accrual balance in Pink Panther’s account following this distribution would be 80 hours, using the following calculation: 160 (starting balance) – 80 (eligible sell-back hours at 100%) = 80 (ending balance).

Lastly, we will upgrade our HRIS system in mid/late 2024. During the system upgrade, we will review our benefits and how well they align with UNC and consider all opportunities to improve the benefits we offer to our staff.

Employee Appreciation Video

Employee Appreciation Video

Happy Employee Appreciation Day!
Your relentless commitment has inspired all of us to do our best regardless of the challenges we face. We would like to thank each of you, not just today on National Employee Appreciation Day, but every day, for your contribution and dedication to our community, each other and our patients.

 

 

Help co-workers through E2E

Each pay period, ARHS employees may opt to have a designated amount deducted from their paycheck go toward Employee to Employee (E2E). With this fund, a team of volunteers are able to provide assistance for employees who are experiencing a hardship.
Most recently, this committee organized the Families Helping Families Christmas Gift drive. While many employees give various amounts each pay period (from $1 – $45), after all the needs were met in 2022 (totaling more than $32,000), the E2E funds have been significantly depleted and they fear they won’t be able to keep up with the requests for assistance in 2023.
If you aren’t currently contributing to E2E, please consider helping your co-workers through this simple gesture.  None of us ever know when we may need a little help. Any amount can help make a big difference – even $1 per payday.

Some of the requests for assistance include:

• Fell behind on rent and had no money for food when they had to divert money to pay for towing out of the snow.
• Flat tire; threadbare. No money for groceries after paying light bill.
• Marital separation and was left with unpaid bills. Asked for help with house payment and groceries.
• Rent deposit to get out of an abusive home environment for her and her children.
• Wife had surgery and family was down to one income. Late on mortgage payment. Added grocery money.
• Inflation on food, gas and Kerosene. Does not have the money to purchase Kerosene for heat and is behind on mortgage because had to pay for car repairs.

Currently, employees are giving a total of $591 per pay period to this fund. In 24 pay periods, that does not come close to raising what E2E has distributed in the past year.
So they have set a goal to increase these contributions from $591 to $2000 by the end of the first quarter of 2023. If every employee gives a few dollars each pay period that can happen.

At the end of the quarter, if the goal has been met, E2E will host an ice cream social to celebrate. In addition, each person who commits to contribute at least a $1 per pay period, will have their name entered for a prize drawing that will be held on April 1st. If you are already contributing to E2E, you may be entered to win by simply increasing your contribution by as little as $1.

Click here to start contributing to E2E or to increase your contribution.

Do you ever wonder if the money that you contribute each pay period to the Employee 2 Employee Fund is going to someone who really needs it? Following are some testimonials from fellow employees who have experienced firsthand what it means to work for an organization whose employees’, through regular donations to the E2E fund, continuously embody the organizational values to serve with Compassion, Integrity and Excellence.

Employee #1
“Never believe that a few caring people can’t change the world.” – Margaret Mead
“At a time when I felt my world had been turned upside down, the caring people that I have the honor to work with every day helped turn my world right side up again. The people that so selflessly give to the E2E fund do so without a second thought. For me, the Employee 2 Employee fund helped ease the stress of making ends meet at a time when I wasn’t sure how the next meal would be provided for my family, much less how we were going to afford an electric heating bill in the middle of a cold, snowy winter or pay a mortgage payment to keep a roof over our heads. I am so grateful that we have employees that are willing to give whole-heartedly to others. It exemplifies our integrity as a compassionate organization. E2E is one way that we can lend a hand to a fellow coworker and shows how we are Making Life Better at ARHS. Every dollar that is given by those who care will change the world for an employee in a time of need – it certainly did for me. Thank you for all you do and what you give back to ARHS!”

Employee #2
I will forever be grateful to Employees to Employees. I am a single mom with a son who is an Insulin dependent diabetic and a large portion of my check goes to sustain his medical needs. I have had the opportunity to be assisted by this funding on two separate occasions when I needed help with my propane and electric bills. We never really know the life situations of the people we work next to. The employees who contribute to this fund are involved in a great service to their fellow employees. I started contributing a meager amount to this fund to try and give back what was so freely given. Even five or six dollars a pay period can make a difference and is rarely missed. I hope that someday I may also help someone in need and ease their financial stress.

Employee #3
Recently I was diagnosed with cancer. I had to have surgery and found myself out of work for several weeks while recovering. I am the sole provider for my family and sadly, during this already difficult time, I fell behind on my electric bill; I really didn’t know what to do. I finally went to my supervisor for help and advice. She was very supportive of me and called HR to see what could be done to help me. HR was able to obtain money from the E2E account. Thanks to this great program, I was able to keep my electric turned on and stay warm during a very cold month! This program has helped employees in similar situations. It is a wonderful program that is funded by employees through a simple payroll deduction. It is such a great way to show support for each other and a simple way to help one another. If I had not had access to this money, my family would have suffered during my illness. I am proud to donate to this program and I thank my fellow employees for donating as well. This is one perfect example of how we can all help each other.

 

 

Families Helping Families 2022

For employees needing help this holiday season

If you or a co-worker has been affected by a hardship and will be facing a difficult holiday season, your work family at Appalachian Regional Healthcare System would like to help by providing gifts for those living in your household. An application is attached to this email and also available at employee.apprhs.org

Complete and email your application to kfarris@apprhs.org or you may print it and bring it to the Human Resources office by Friday, November 18th. Applications are confidential and no names will be shared with employees outside of E2E. Click here to download an application.

Click here to download the application. 

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For employees who want to help

If you or your department would like to participate in Families Helping Families this year, please email Kathy Farris at kfarris@apprhs.org by Friday, November 18th. Wrapped gifts must be turned in to the ARMA Administration Office during the week of December 5th – 9th.

COVID Vaccines & Boosters for Employees

ARHS has received Pfizer Bivalent COVID-19 Booster Vaccines (original and omicron BA.4/BA.5) and will offer the BOOSTER vaccine to all employees that meet the following pre-requisites*:
• At least 12 years and older
• Must have completed a COVID-19 primary vaccine series (Moderna, Pfizer, J&J, or Novavx) at least 2 months prior to receiving the bivalent booster
• No known allergies to COVID-19 vaccines or vaccine components
• SARS-CoV-2 Infection: Consider delaying the vaccine for 3 months from the date of onset of symptoms or testing positive for COVID-19

If you were not able to make one of the previous vaccine clinics and would like a COVID vaccine (primary series or booster), you can go to AppFamily Medicine or Baker Center to one of their scheduled COVID/Flu vaccine times for a COVID vaccine. Just bring your employee ID. Appointments are preferred.

(Employee flu vaccines are not given at these clinics. They are only provided through Occupational Health)

AFM: Call 828-386-2222
to schedule an appointment
Wednesdays 1 PM – 6 PM
Saturdays 8 AM – 11:30 AM

Baker: Call 828-737-7711
to schedule an appointment
Thursdays 10 AM – 4 PM
Saturdays 8 AM – 11 AM

*Please review the vaccine information fact sheet for additional details.