Author Archives: Mackenzie White

Newsletter #18: April 27, 2022

Employee Recognition

Wow! The response to the Spotlight Awards was, yet again, phenomenal.  Thank you to all who submitted a nomination. This year we received a total of 51 nominations. It is important to continue recognizing each other for the great work we all do.

Please save the date – Wednesday May 4, 1 p.m. – 3 p.m. at Frost, and Sutherland campuses for this year’s 2022 Spotlight Awards celebration. More details to come this week!

Planning to Retire in June?

The end of June tends to be a common retirement date for College employees.  CAAT advises that you should start the process three months in advance to ensure a smooth start to your pension.  Please access the links below for more information, and feel free to reach out to benefits@flemingcollege.ca with any questions or to initiate the process.

Fleming College Retirement
CAAT Pension Plan – I’m Ready to Retire

Newsletter #17: March 10, 2022

Spotlight Awards Nominations

Shine a light on a deserving colleague or team here at Fleming! The spotlight awards are open for nominations. Please consider nominating your colleagues or teammates to shine a light and recognize each other for the great work we all do across the College.

The nomination link is live – Nominations can be made until end of day on Monday, March 14.

Spotlight Awards Nomination

 

Payroll Updates

By now you may have seen your T4 online, posted to evolve. Follow the instructions below to download yours:

T2200 – Declaration of Conditions of Employment. The CRA has posted information on a number of employment-related issues, including working from home expenses, form T2200, and employment benefits.

For any questions regarding your T4 or to request a T2200, please email, CRArequest@flemingcollege.ca

 

Employee Pulse Survey

Please note that the second Employee Pulse Survey “My Job” will now run from March 14 – March 27, 2022.

The first pulse survey results that ran in Fall 2021 are available here.

 

Employee & Family Assistant Program (EFAP)

As unsettling world events unravel, we know that this may be a difficult time for our students and staff. Fleming College is here to support our community.

LifeWorks provides professional, confidential support services including counselling, programs for help with common life issues and resources to employees and members of their immediate families. Please remember that the immediate and confidential Employee & Family Assistance Program (EFAP) services are accessible 24/7/365. To get started please visit our EFAP webpage.

Further resources and links are available here.

Newsletter #16: February 18, 2022

Employee Pulse Survey

Have five minutes?  The week of February 22, Fleming College employees will be invited to complete the second short survey on “My Job”.  Last October we ran our first employee pulse survey, those overall results are available here.

Stay tuned – Spotlight Awards

It is important to recognize each other for the great work we all do. We ask you to begin thinking about your colleagues and teammates around the college. Do you work with someone that excels in everything they do? How about a colleague or team that makes outstanding contributions to Fleming College by helping us move closer to our Strategic Goals? Or what about a co-worker that consistently displays one or more of Fleming’s five values? Do you know anyone who empowers our students in a unique way? If you answered yes to any of these questions, nominate this person for a Spotlight Award.

Stay tuned, further information on how you can nominate a deserving colleague and team for this year’s Spotlight Awards, will be distributed to all staff next week!

Job Opportunities

Have you been on our career page lately? Check out our internal job opportunities available to you here!

Newsletter #15: January 31, 2022

Student Hiring
It’s time to start thinking about summer student hires. As part of the overall student experience, Fleming College provides paid employment opportunities to its students, funded by the College or paid for by the associated department. Further details regarding the student hiring process can be reviewed on our Student Hiring webpage.

Additional details of opportunities for recruitment will be distributed to leaders in the weeks to come. If you have questions in the meantime, please email HR@flemingcollege.ca.

Reminder – Benefit Rate Change
New 2022 benefit rates take effect on February 1, 2022. New rates can be found on our Benefits webpage.

Unbalanced?
This time of year, it’s common to feel a little less balance, and for some people it may be Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD). SAD is seasonal depression that occurs annually in the same season – typically during fall through winter when our sunlight exposure is reduced. One way that may help you to ease symptoms is by increasing exercise and spending more time outdoors – even if that means shoveling your driveway! For more tips and information take a look here.

Newsletter #14: January 21, 2022

Reminder – Application for Professional Development Leaves 2022-2023

The deadline to submit applications for Professional Development Leaves is quickly approaching. Application forms, guidelines, and relevant information can be found here. Applications must be submitted to Human Resources by your Dean or Director by no later than Monday, February 14, 2022.

Happy New (Payroll) Year
Please note:

  • If you reached CPP and EI maximums last year, those deductions have restarted for the new calendar year. The maximum CPP contribution for 2022 is $3,499.80 and the maximum EI contribution is $952.74.
  • If you need to change your TD1 personal income tax deductions beyond the basic personal deduction, you will need to submit a new form to Payroll – the form can be found here.
  • Minimum wage has increased to $15 per hour – students will see this change for hours worked after January 1, 2022
  • T4s for 2021 will be issued electronically in Evolve before the end of February deadline. If you require a paper version to be mailed instead, the instructions for submitting this election in Evolve can be found here.
  • The release of additional details on the T2200 and home office expenses will simplify the rules for you. The release includes helpful tools, including a comprehensive calculator, guidance and forms, and a redesigned T777S form. If you require a T2200, you will need to submit to CRArequest@flemingcollege.ca by March 18, 2022.

For more information, please check here.

Benefit Change Effective February 1, 2022
New 2022 benefit rates can be found here.

CAAT Pension Portal Registration

Did you know that you can easily access your pension information online it’s easy to register for My Pension, the CAAT Pension Plan portal – all you need is your Member ID. Your Member ID can be found on a past pension statement or by emailing benefits@flemingcollege.ca.

Using the portal, you can:

  • Get an estimate with retirement planning tools
  • Access your Annual Statements online
  • Easily manage your contact information
  • Securely communicate with the Plan using the Message Centre

 To get started, verify your identity with your Member ID and email address and get immediate access to your pension information. Watch the video for instruction on how to access My Pension.

My Job – The Time is Now!  

Have you completed your My Job Discussion Guide and had a conversation with your manager about your job satisfaction yet? If not, what better time than now? This is an opportunity for job enrichment, taking on a special project, undertaking some learning, or finding creative ways to re-balance your job duties. Find more information here.

We Want to Hear from You

Ask your questions, share your thoughts, tell us what you’d like to see in the next issue!  Let us know!

 

Newsletter #13

Employee & Family Assistance Program (EFAP)

Fleming offers an Employee and Family Assistance Program (EFAP) offered through LifeWorks. LifeWorks provides professional, confidential support services including counselling, programs for help with common life issues and resources to employees and members of their immediate families.

Find solutions for a wide range of life’s challenges, such as:

  • Emotional and mental health
  • Relationships and family
  • Work-life balance and stress
  • Addictions
  • Physical health and nutrition
  • Your career
  • Child and elder care
  • Legal and financial matters

Learn more about LifeWorks here.

Professional Development Leaves

Professional Development Leaves provide an opportunity for individuals to refresh, develop and grow in different ways. They are a mechanism through which refreshed work experience can occur, increased academic credentials can be pursued, or professional qualification can be acquired/improved upon.

We are now accepting applications for PD Leaves for the 2022/2023 fiscal year (April 1, 2022 – March 31, 2023), in accordance with the College’s established guidelines, collective agreements and terms and conditions of employment. This is an open invitation for full-time support staff, academic, and administrative employees who have completed at least 6 years of full-time service.

In completing your application, please ensure that you provide the required details of your PD leave request including specific activities, timing, as well as learning outcomes and anticipated benefits of the leave. All application forms, guidelines, and relevant information (including how vacation, salary and benefits are handled during a PD leave) can be accessed through our HR website here.

Priority consideration will be given to applications that align with the College’s strategic direction.

Deadlines:

  • You must have your completed application submitted to your Supervisor/Chair for initial approval, no later than Monday, February 14, 2022.
  • Your Director/Dean must forward received applications to Human Resources no later than Monday, February 28, 2022.

If you have any questions on this process, please don’t hesitate to contact pd@flemingcollege.ca.

CAAT Pension Webinars

Plan Overview – November 24, 9:00 a.m. – 10:00 a.m.:

This webinar offers an easy-to-understand overview of the CAAT Pension Plan and provides information on both DBprime and DBplus.

Members will learn about:

  • How the value of members’ pension will exceed the contributions they pay
  • All their retirement options, including flexible early retirement options
  • Other valuable features of the Plan, like survivor benefits, and inflation protection

Click to register

DBprime Purchases – November 30, 9:00 a.m. – 10:00 a.m.:

Introduces this valuable option to increase your pension, including the types of purchases, the costs, and processes.

If you have eligible periods to purchase, such as periods of employment before enrolling, breaks in employment, or if you earned a benefit from a previous employer’s pension plan, you may have an opportunity to make your CAAT Plan pension even more valuable by making a pension purchase.

You should attend if: You’re a member of the CAAT Pension Plan, and you want to know if a purchase may be right for you. This webinar is for members of DBprime. If you’re not sure which Plan design you contribute to, check your annual statement.

Click to register

DBplus Purchases – November 30, 11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.:

Introduces this valuable option to increase your pension, including the types of purchases, the costs, and processes.

If you have eligible periods to purchase, such as periods of employment before enrolling, breaks in employment, or if you earned a benefit from a previous employer’s pension plan, you may have an opportunity to make your CAAT Plan pension even more valuable by making a pension purchase.

You should attend if: You’re a member of the CAAT Pension Plan, and you want to know if a purchase may be right for you. This webinar is for members of DBplus. If you’re not sure which Plan design you contribute to, check your annual statement.

Click here to register

Retirement Planning – December 1, 9:00 a.m. – 10:30 a.m.:

Answers the most common questions we hear from members as they prepare for retirement.

You should attend if: You’re a member of the Pension Plan and thinking about retiring. It’s never too early or too late to attend a retirement planning session. The session is for all members, whether contributing under DBprime or DBplus.

Click here to register

If you are unable to attend the sessions scheduled as above, please visit the CAAT Pension Plan’s website for a list of additional sessions available.

Domestic & Family Violence Awareness

Recognizing this issue helps bring attention to support victims with the ongoing crisis of domestic and family violence. One in four Canadians has experienced domestic or family violence. With the emotional and financial impacts of the pandemic, domestic and family violence continues to rise.

By educating and shining light on this important topic, we support victims and strengthen families. Coming together in unity – to raise awareness, break down the myths, and destigmatize the topic of domestic and family violence within our community.

For more information, confidential supports and resources please visit National Family Violence Prevention Month.

To find family violence supports or programs in your area, please call 211 or visit this Government of Canada website.

If you know a minor in need of support, please contact the Kids Help Phone for 24/7 confidential support across Canada, available in English or French. This includes access to professional counselling, information, and referrals. Call 1-888-686-8686, Text 686868, or find more information on the Kids Help Phone website.

We Want to Hear from You

Ask your questions, share your thoughts, tell us what you’d like to see in the next issue!  Let us know!

Newsletter #12

National Day for Truth and Reconciliation

September 30, 2021 marks the first National Day for Truth and Reconciliation.

This day honours the lost children and survivors of residential schools, their families, and communities. Public commemoration of the tragic and painful history and ongoing impacts of residential schools is a vital component of the reconciliations process.

Wear Orange – Both the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation and Orange Shirt Day will occur on September 30th.

Learn more this National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, explore the rich and diverse cultures, voices, experiences and stories of the First Nations, Inuit, and MĂ©tis peoples.

Fleming College respectfully acknowledges that we are situated on Michi Saagiig Anishinaabeg lands and territory. We offer our gratitude to the First Nations for their care of the Earth and our shared resources.

Employee Pulse Survey

Have five minutes?  The week of October 4th, Fleming College employees will be invited to complete a short survey on “My Job”.  Many of you will recognize questions from this section of the 2019 Employee Survey.  Running pulse surveys two to three times a year on specific actionable dimensions of engagement will allow us to respond quickly where opportunities are identified and then re-survey in 60-90 days to assess the effectiveness of interventions.

Code of Conduct 

Look for our new Code of Conduct.  The Code describes the behaviours associated with each of our Fleming Values – Responsiveness, Innovation, Collaboration, Inclusiveness, and Accountability.

Level up with LinkedIn Learning

Upskilling and reskilling is a main priority for learning and development professionals globally this year.

Level up your learning with LinkedIn’s skill building platform. Explore a learning experience fueled by personalized content, community-based learning, and skill development insights.

To learn more please visit our Learning & Development webpage.

The Value of CAAT Pension

The CAAT Pension Plan makes it easy to save for your retirement. While you work, you build stable, secure retirement income.  Watch the video to learn more about the value of a CAAT Pension.

Your Pension Information is at Your Fingertips with My Pension
Did you know that you can easily access your pension information through My Pension, the pension portal created by the CAAT Pension Plan?  It’s easy to register for My Pension – all you need is your Member ID.

If you haven’t registered for My Pension yet, here are some reasons to activate your account today:

  • Get an estimate with retirement planning tools
    My Pension features a pension estimator tool that automatically populates with your most recent data.  You can use it to estimate different retirement scenarios and see how a purchase could increase your retirement income.
  • Access your Annual Statements online
    You can opt in to online-only communications with CAAT at any time, so you no longer receive a paper copy by mail.  All your future Annual Statements and documents will be accessible on My Pension to review anytime you want.
  • Easily manage your contact information
    Have you recently moved or changed your email?  Keep your contact information current so you don’t miss important pension communications.  My Pension makes it easy to change your address, phone number and email.
  • Securely communicate with the Plan using the Message Centre
    When you have a transaction in process, you will be able to easily and securely supply required documentation and share information with the Plan.

Get started with My Pension today!
To get started, verify your identity with your Member ID and email address and get immediate access to your pension information.  Watch the video for instructions on how to access My Pension.

Gender Equality Week

Gender Equality Week became documented in 2018 from the passing of Bill C-309, the Gender Equality Week Act. This legislation has designated the fourth week in September to be Gender Equality Week in Canada.

This year’s focus was Advancing gender equality for all. An opportunity to celebrate the progress Canada has made in advancing gender equality, while reflecting on the work that remains to make sure that everyone, regardless of gender, can reach their full potential.

Gender equality can lead to great health, happiness and economic prosperity. Gender equality can benefit everyone – women, men, non-binary people and people of all gender identities.

Human Rights and Inclusion Change

Please join us in welcoming Kirsten Redmond as our new Director, Equity, Diversity, Inclusion & Organizational Development. Kirsten’s key priority in September & October will be supporting the EDI Council in developing a sustainable, meaningful multi-year EDI framework.  One of the things we’re most excited about with this new role is the opportunity to put all of our initiatives and programs, policies, etc. through an EDI lens up-front to build inclusivity in at the front end.

We Want to Hear from You

Ask your questions, share your thoughts, tell us what you’d like to see in the next issue.  Let us know!

Newsletter #11

Career Forward
What are you doing to build your resume?  Whether you’re interested in a new career opportunity in the short-term or not, it’s important to continue to grow, to hone existing skills and develop new ones, and to demonstrate both commitment and ability to learn.  The pandemic gave all of us lots of opportunity to learn new skills and, as painful as it was at times, we did.  So, what’s next – how do we continue our learning journeys?

One way is to take advantage of our Staff Tuition Program – many of our courses are available at an employee rate of $20 per course, plus books and fees.  Not sure if you’re eligible?  Check here, where you can also find and download the Staff Tuition Fees Policy and Form.

Considering additional post-secondary credentials?  Check out our Tuition Rebate Program here.

Bereavement Leave Update
Employees who lost family members during the past year and a half were often unable to attend funeral or memorial services, or to be with geographically dispersed families during a difficult time.  In some cases, this meant that employees chose not to take bereavement leave at the time of the loss of their family member.  In these cases, employees are able to take bereavement leave at a later date (notionally by the end of the current fiscal year), in order to take advantage of lessened pandemic restrictions to visit with family or otherwise commemorate their loss.

Explore the Kawarthas
As we sink into the final weeks of summer, there’s still plenty of time to get out and explore our local communities. The Kawartha lakes and surrounding areas have lots to offer.

Paddle or take a hike at the Eels Creek Canoe Park:  this popular recreational area offers hiking trails and a canoe launch into Eels Creek. After a daring hike or upstream paddle, take in the picturesque High Falls.

Catch a live drive-in concert at the Peterborough Memorial Centre as the PTBOLive Concert Series continues through the month of August.

The Whetung Ojibwa Centre features a wide variety of Indigenous art, sculptures, crafts, jewelry, leather work, art cards, and more for purchase, as well as a museum housing a spectacular collection of Indigenous art and crafts from the Curve Lake Reserve as well as Indigenous artists from across Canada.

For more information on these and other activities within our local communities, visit 50 Things to Do This Summer in Kawarthas & Peterborough.

Have other fun activities you did this summer? Tell us what you have been up to.

Job Opportunities
Have you been on our career page lately? Check out our internal job opportunities available to you here!

Recommendations
We want to hear from you. Ask your questions, share your thoughts, tell us what you’d like to see in the next issue!  Have a favourite recipe? Share it! Favourite binge-worthy podcast? Let us know!