PROFESSIONAL & ADMINISTRATIVE STAFF COUNCIL
P&A General Meeting 9/15/11
Present: Erica Arnold, Karen Barrett, Gayle Berry, Ronald Boczarski, Barbara Brown, Vicki Clark, Susan
Cutler, Katje Foster, Tara Fountain, Christine Frascatore, Karen Fuhr, Peggy Jarvis, Carrie LaBarr,
Jennifer LaPointe, Katherine Lewandowski, Tina Martin, Jessica McPherson, Anne Moomey, Kelly
Rathbun, Janessa Scott, Robyn Seifert, Lindsay Soule, Pat Thompson, Jennifer Townsend, Peg Walrich,
Susan Wood, Jill Yanus
Called to order – Election Meeting: 10:05 AM
1. Election for Secretary and Vice-Chair Started
a. Carrie LaBarr spoke for herself for the position of Secretary
b. Carrie LaBarr spoke for Vanessa DeShane who was traveling for the position of ViceChair
c. Jennifer LaPoint spoke for herself for the position of Vice-Chair
d. Jill Yanus spoke for herself for the position of Vice-Chair
e. Votes collected by Ron Boczarski
f.
Votes tallied by Paul DeShane
g. Paul announced winners: Carrie LaBarr for Secretary, Jill Yanus for Vice-Chair
Meeting Adjourned 10:18AM, Jessica McPherson motioned, Pat Thompson seconded
Called to order – General Meeting 10:19AM
2. Marilyn Ardito answered pre-submitted questions. Questions and Answers below:
Adjourned: 11:11AM, Motion by Tina Martin, Seconded by Peg Walrich
Council members:
Chair – Ron Boczarski
Secretary – Carrie LaBarr
Parliamentarian –Paul DeShane
Vice Chair –Jill Yanus
Treasurer – Vicki Clark
PROFESSIONAL & ADMINISTRATIVE STAFF COUNCIL
1. Explanation about when and how the POMCO VISA card is supposed to be used. It says
flex benefit in the upper right: is that to be used only for those who are participating in the
flex benefit program or for any POMCO related expenditure?
POMCO Visa cards are part of the Flex Plan program and can be used for any medical related expense,
for example doctor’s office co pays and prescription drug cost. If you received a card and are not in the
flex plan, let HR know as there may be a mistake.
2. How do we use our flexible health account when the health vender does not accept Visa
cards?
You will pay for the service and submit the receipt for reimbursement. The form and the process to
submit expenses are posted on SmartBen or in the HR office.
3. I just worked with Amy over several days regarding a prescription drug. There was a time
frame where our list of drugs by tier was inaccurate. Although it is resolved now, I think
Marilyn should be aware that it happened. I learned that our list of acceptable drugs is
shorter than the list that was posted. For my prescription, it was a difference of paying $73
or $29 a month. Why does Clarkson have a shorter list?
We have negotiated a program with the vendor and made choices on the amount of money that CU has
available to support a prescription program. The negotiated program was determined on usage, volume
and cost.
4. The sick leave policy posted on the HR website has not been updated to reflect the 12 days.
Going before the Administrative Council in the later part of Sept. It is reflected in the Union contract that
is being printed. The policy will be posted shortly in the revised Ops Manual.
5. What is the status of reviewing job levels (benchmarking).
Next big one on the list – want to get benefits completely sound and accurate.
6. The University experienced a number of changes to our benefits package last year. What
(benefits) changes will be next?
Vision benefit and prescription drugs starting in Sept/Oct. We had hoped for August but we had more
work on getting electronic exchange between SmartBen, PeopleSoft and the vendors accurately talking to
each other. We just about have all things sorted out.
7. I attended the Forum on Child Care on 8/31. What is the current status on this project?
We had a call this week and fine tuned the list of possible sites to explore. Bright Horizons will be giving
us a list of pros and cons of each site with associated costs. We are also benchmarking the tuition cost of
our competitor universities. Both sets of data will help us determine the size and location of a site and will
allow us to continue the conversation on Campus and with the Board.
8. Exempt staff are able to sign up for classes to further their education. Some have been told
they have to make up the time they are gone by working extra hours when others do not
have to make up the time. It is a morale problem. Please clarify.
Exempt employees are not required to make up the hours, they are required to make sure that their
responsibilities and tasks are completed. Having said that, it is the employee’s responsibility to work out
with their supervisor the arrangement for what making up the work looks like. If the supervisor
determines that the work of an individual taking classes must be done during normal working hours then
that is what will happen. Supervisors do have the authority to set work hour standards and it can vary by
individual. That is a discussion between you and your manager.
Council members:
Chair – Ron Boczarski
Vice Chair –Jill Yanus
Secretary – Carrie LaBarr
Treasurer – Vicki Clark
Parliamentarian –Paul DeShane
PROFESSIONAL & ADMINISTRATIVE STAFF COUNCIL
9. In keeping track of sick time, when the 12 days have been used up, what happens? Some
areas don't have to keep track so is this up to each department?
It is the responsibility of the manager/supervisor to track the employees time and we know this may or
may not be happening – all about increasing accountability and getting more structure in the process.
Honest people will do the right thing around tracking hours.
10. With the old Pomco plan, when you had a pap smear or mammogram done, it was not to be
repeated until 1 year and 1 day had passed. Is it still that way with the new plan or is it 1
visit per plan year? For example, if you had a mammo in Feb. 2011 and the dr. needs
another one done in August, is it covered?
Preventative care has two thresholds: plan year and screening per your age. If your preventative schedule
is yearly then you are covered for one pap in the plan year. If the preventative schedule for your age is
every 2 years then it is every 2 years within the plan year. Preventative care is by plan year not date.
11. We have a worker that routinely comes in late and leaves early (around 3) each day when
everyone else is working the required 8-4:30 hours. Once in a while can be tolerated but this
has been going on for years and no one does anything. It obviously is ok with her supervisor
but not by other employees. Another moral problem.
There are several items at play here. The first is that this is not your business as you do not know how the
person is paid, if they have a special arrangement agreed based on a family need or that they work some
number of hours at night. And you do not know if they are on a performance improvement plan and half
out the door. A good manager will not share that information with you.
Any amount of energy you spend focused on someone else is time that you are not focused on doing a
good job in your own role.
If you are really concerned about favoritism or lack of supervisory accountability, go to your supervisor
or their manager or up the chain to make your views know. Concerns are not ignored and are looked at –
just a word of caution is you may not have all the detail on what is going on.
12. Why is the University promoting hourly staff to exempt status when we were told by HR
that a number of exempt staff positions would be re-evaluated and returned back to hourly
employees?
Not sure what or who is being referred to here but exempt is determined by federal guidelines and if a
person was promoted they may have new duties – manage a person, run an office or have assumed
responsibility that falls within the exempt realm.
13. Can an out of network dental office set it up so that Clarkson employees will not have to
pay out of pocket the day of their appointments?
The payment for services for an out of network dental offices is up to the dental office, they can chose to
have the employee pay the day of service or wait until the employee is reimbursed by Delta dental.
14. If a person goes from exempt to non exempt, will they get a sick pay-out?
As of July 1, 2011, sick time has not cash value except for non-exempt employees who have had their pre
July 1, 2011 sick bank frozen. All employees now get 12 sick days on July 1st of each year.
Council members:
Chair – Ron Boczarski
Secretary – Carrie LaBarr
Parliamentarian –Paul DeShane
Vice Chair –Jill Yanus
Treasurer – Vicki Clark