Here are updates from the October 5, 2022 Staff Senate general session:

Drug and Alcohol Workplace Regulation

AVC Tim Danielson shared updates on the progression of the university’s Drug and Alcohol Free Workplace Regulation, as required by the State. 

This new regulation seeks to affirm NC State’s commitment to a drug and alcohol free workplace and to comply with the Office of State Human Resources’ Drug and Alcohol Free Workplace Policy, the Drug Free Workplace Act, the Drug-Free Schools and Communities Act, as well as other requirements in various contracts with federal funding agencies.  It also puts in place processes to notify employees of the consequences of using/being under the influence of illegal drugs or alcohol while on the job and the misuse/abuse of prescription medication while on the job; and to define the scope of drug and alcohol testing (reasonable suspicion and post-accident) for employees. 

The regulation provides for a structured Reasonable Suspicion Testing Checklist when initiated by the supervisor, which involves trained witnesses and provides options for corrective action in the event of a positive test result.

Annual Enrollment

Kaprina Mitchell shared information about the current Annual Enrollment period for employee benefits – go.ncsu.edu/annualenrollment. 

This year’s Annual Enrollment (AE) period for benefit plan changes is October 10-28, 2022. Changes made during the AE period will become effective January 1, 2023, for the plan year January 1, 2023 – December 31, 2023. Great news for the upcoming year; many plan costs are remaining the same, while providing the same or enhanced benefits!

Annual Enrollment is your opportunity to review your benefit elections and make changes in plans and/or eligible dependents for the upcoming 2023 plan year. All members of the State Health Plan (SHP) must take action during Annual Enrollment since all SHP members will be defaulted into the Base PPO Plan (70/30). The employee must actively enroll in the Enhanced PPO Plan (80/20) and answer the question regarding tobacco use to eliminate the $60 monthly tobacco surcharge. If you respond that you are a tobacco user, you must complete a free tobacco cessation session no later than November 30, 2022 AND attest regarding tobacco use during Annual Enrollment to eliminate the monthly surcharge for 2023.

Newly, as a University employee, there are two enrollment platforms you will use when enrolling for benefits for 2023, depending upon which benefit you are enrolling in. You can link to both of the enrollment platforms via the MyPack portal.

Next Meeting

Please join us for the next Staff Senate general session on November 3, 2022  from

10 a.m.- 12 p.m. via secure Zoom or in-person in Talley Student Union. General Sessions are open to all NC State staff.  Contact your staff senator for the Zoom meeting link as we draw closer to the meeting date. 

We are happy for the opportunity to serve you in the Staff Senate. If you should have any questions or concerns you would like Staff Senate to address, please feel free to contact your District Staff Senators: https://staffsenate.ncsu.edu/about/find-your-senator/ 

Please click here to watch the recording for October.