What are the Top 5 things your HR teams wish more UNC employees knew? We asked Kathy Bryant, Senior Director of HR Communication and Talent Development, to share. We’re passing the answers on to you, with some extra links with more information.
- What benefits do I have?
Know which coverage level of the State Health Plan you’re enrolled in, as well as your retirement plan and other benefits. You can find this information through ConnectCarolina—which should look familiar from Open Enrollment. If you don’t know your premium rates and co-pays, you can look those up by finding your plan through ConnectCarolina, or you can go directly to your provider’s website, such as the State Health Plan for Teachers and State Employees.
- How does my retirement work? When can I retire? Can I borrow from my retirement plan?
There is a wealth of information online about both Teachers and State Employers Retirement Program (TSERS) and the Optional Retirement Plan (ORP), or you can reach out to our Benefits Consultants for assistance.
The NC Department of State Treasurer also has a lot of information, including a great Frequently Asked Questions section. For employees with ORPs, both Fidelity Investments and TIAA-Cref provide free services from financial advisors to guide you in making your selections and long-term strategy.
- Am I saving enough for retirement?
Take advantage of resources through both TSERS and the ORP (depending on your enrollment) to find out how much you should be saving. UNC also offers several supplemental retirement plans that can help.
The Social Security Administration also provides an online Retirement Planner, and CNN Money outlines an “Ultimate Guide to Retirement“, answering questions like “How much money will I need in retirement?” and “How much should I save?”
- How can I access professional development opportunities?
OHR offers free courses that are available to all permanent employees. To see the list of current courses, visit http://hr.unc.edu/training-talent-development/upcoming-courses/. There are also many programs available to employees who wish to take college courses. For more information on these programs, including the Tuition Waiver program, see http://hr.unc.edu/benefits/work-life-programs/educational-programs/.
And don’t forget to check out earlier Career Corner articles!
- How can I get current information on my benefits, see my paystub, enroll in training courses, and change dependent elections?
All of these can be done through ConnectCarolina’s self- service functions. Log in and click Self Service. There are also a number of great tutorials in the Resource Center for ConnectCarolina– including a web tutorial about accessing your paystub (link opens in registration page for tutorial).
If you have any other questions for HR, leave them in the comments!