Uplift Your Benefits to be required for all new state employees
In her January 11, 2023, letter to agency leaders, Gov. Tina Kotek delivered a set of new expectations that outlines her vision for moving Oregon state service forward.
Among the expectations is a requirement for all agencies to enroll new employees in an Uplift Your Benefits (UYB) workshop within the first 30 days of hire:
All agencies will ensure that every new employee participates In Uplift Oregon’s benefits workshop within 30 days of hire, so that the education supports employees to make fully informed decisions when choosing their benefits. Agency onboarding systems will incorporate time for each employee to access a virtual, two-hour training ideally within 14 days of hire, or before an employee completes their benefits enrollment documents. Agencies will comply by June 1, 2023. DAS will provide quarterly performance reports.
As you know, Uplift Your Benefits is a workshop designed to help new state employees make the most of their benefits. After attending this two-hour session, employees come out with a greater level of confidence in making decisions around their benefits, and a deeper sense of satisfaction with their overall compensation package. Employees realize the most benefit from the workshop by taking it prior to making decisions about their benefits.
We are very excited to continue partnering with you to support all state employees in making the most of their benefits! If you are a new leader, or if you would like a refresher on what UYB covers and how you can help your employees enroll, please join our next UYB overview on February 23.
Uplift Your Benefits overview for leaders
Thursday, February 23, 9:00-10:00 a.m.
With Uplift Your Benefits a new requirement for state employees, we wanted to give agency leaders, HR business partners, and hiring managers an opportunity to learn more about what UYB covers, and how they can direct new employees to the workshop BEFORE they enroll in benefits. Brandy Meng from DAS will also be at this session to help answer questions.
If you are not able to join us this month, please keep your eyes on your inbox for other opportunities; we will be hosting periodic overviews until the requirement goes into effect on June 1.
A note on invoicing: Oregon Unions State Worker Training and Education Trust
In recent weeks, several payroll personnel have reached out with questions about invoicing from Uplift Oregon. We hope the following information is helpful with further questions that arise. If you would like additional information, please contact Kelley Weigel, director of Uplift Oregon.
RISE Partnership is the administrator for the Oregon Unions State Worker Training and Education Trust, better known as Uplift Oregon. As Workday comes online as the payroll system, and RISE Partnership has shifted its invoicing format, and staff transition within agencies, not all invoices are paid for 2022. This Trust was bargained in 2019 and remains in the Collective Bargaining Agreement between the State of Oregon, Service Employees International Union 503, and the American Federation of State, County, Municipal Employees Council 75.
If you have had changes to your invoicing systems or management, please notify Uplift Oregon of the appropriate staff person and email address to direct the invoices. Email us at [email protected].
The Trust exists to provide training and education to all state employees on their benefits package, wellness, and equity. Uplift Your Benefits, the introductory overview of benefits for state employees, is offered five times weekly and can be accessed through Workday. Additional workshops can be viewed on the Uplift Oregon website. These workshops are paid for by agency contributions calculated at .02 cents per hour, per employee, as calculated by DAS on submitted payroll.
RISE Partnership sends the invoice to your agency after we receive the data from DAS, usually the 25th of the month for the previous month’s payroll. Payment is due upon receipt.
If you would like to view your agency’s contribution, or if you have other questions about programming offered by Uplift, feel free to reach out to Uplift Oregon Director, Kelley Weigel.