All RCUH Human Resources online systems will be down on Saturday, 05/27/23 at 5:00 AM (HST) to 10:00 AM (HST) for system maintenance.

The maintenance will include:

• Human Resources Portal
• Employee Self Service (ESS)
• Careers/Recruiting
• New Hire Documents (EHS)

Please see below for the tentative System Down Schedule for 2023:

Date	Time
May 27, 2023 (Saturday)	5:00 AM (HST) – 10:00 AM (HST)
June 24, 2023 (Saturday)	5:00 AM (HST) – 10:00 AM (HST)
July 29, 2023 (Saturday)	5:00 AM (HST) – 10:00 AM (HST)
August 26, 2023 (Saturday)	5:00 AM (HST) – 10:00 AM (HST)
September 30, 2023 (Saturday)	5:00 AM (HST) – 10:00 AM (HST)
October 28, 2023 (Saturday)	5:00 AM (HST) – 10:00 AM (HST)
November 25, 2023 (Saturday)	5:00 AM (HST) – 10:00 AM (HST)
December 30, 2023 (Saturday)	5:00 AM (HST) – 10:00 AM (HST)

We apologize for any inconveniences this may cause. This schedule is subject to change and a current announcement will be posted when the downtime is scheduled.

If you have any questions, please contact Taylor Sumi at (808) 956-6318 or [email protected].

In an effort to streamline the RCUH HR Employee/Independent Contractor Review process, new procedures and forms are being implemented to empower our research projects to use their discretion to determine if their engagement falls under one of the defined Non-Employee Designations. Although the RCUH Human Resources Department still handles reviews, if your engagement fits one of the Non-Employee designations, no RCUH HR Review is necessary!

Introducing NEW Form: Attestation of Exception to RCUH HR EIC Review (Form ICQ-01) (no RCUH HR Review needed)

When to use: If the Principal Investigator can attest to the nature and scope of the engagement and apply it to one of the Non-Employee designations as defined below (see Policy 3.225 for explanations of Non-Employee designations).  The completed and signed form should be attached to payment documents as needed.

• Non-Employee: Guest Speaker
• Non-Employee: Non-Compensated Project Support (previously Master EIC)
• Non-Employee: Off-Duty Special Duty Police (previously Master EIC)
• Non-Employee: Research Study Participant (previously Master EIC)
• Non-Employee: Independent Contractor – One-Time/Short-Term Engagement

Updated Form: Independent Contractor Questionnaire (ICQ-02): Request for RCUH HR Review

When to use: If the project determines that none of the defined Non-Employee categories are appropriate for their engagement. Completed forms should be submitted to RCUH Human Resources (via RCUH HR Portal eUpload or email to: [email protected]) along with the required supporting documentation no less than 7-10 business days prior to the start of the engagement:

• Hawaii General Excise Tax: Proof of Account (ONLY for individuals completing work in Hawaii)
• Proof of business (i.e. website, CV, etc.): Documentation to prove the individual is set up to provide specialized services
• Scope of Services: Outlining deliverables (OPTIONAL – but highly recommended)

Once the RCUH ICQ-02 Form is submitted, RCUH HR will complete the review within five (5) business days and provide the project with a final determination of one of the following:

• Employee
• Independent Contractor
• Non-Employee/Other

This determination should be uploaded with the applicable purchase order or payment document. Legacy forms/memo requests will still be accepted during this transition period until further notice.

RCUH HR will not provide retroactive determinations.

RCUH Documents and Forms:

Policy 3.225 RCUH Employee Independent Contractor Review

Document Library: Human Resources: Employee/Independent Contractor (EIC)

Attestation of Exception to EIC Review (No RCUH HR Review needed) – Form ICQ-01

Independent Contractor Questionnaire (ICQ): Request for RCUH HR Review – Form ICQ-02

References:

IRS: Independent Contractor (Self-Employed) or Employee?

Department of Labor: Misclassification of Employees as Independent Contractors

 Please contact Tana Staub at (808) 956-7055 or Email: [email protected] with any questions or concerns regarding the RCUH Employee/Independent Contractor Review Policy 3.225 or procedures.

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All RCUH Human Resources online systems will be down on Friday, 06/10/22 at 5:00 PM (HST) to Sunday, 06/12/22 11:00 AM (HST) for system maintenance.

This will include:

• Human Resources Portal
• Employee Self Service (ESS)
• Careers/Recruiting
• New Hire Documents (EHS)

We apologize for any inconveniences this may cause.

If you have any questions, please contact Taylor Sumi at (808) 956-6318 or [email protected].

All RCUH Human Resources online systems will be down on Saturday, 05/21/22 at 5:00 AM (HST) to 10:00 AM (HST) for system maintenance.

This will include:

• Human Resources Portal
• Employee Self Service (ESS)
• Careers/Recruiting
• New Hire Documents (EHS)

We apologize for any inconveniences this may cause.

If you have any questions, please contact Taylor Sumi at (808) 956-6318 or [email protected].

Friday, April 29

ATTENTION:  Principal Investigators & Regular-Status employees at 50-100% FTE

RCUH is now coordinating one-hour Individual/Employee Retirement (GRA/SRA) Plan Advisory Sessions with TIAA via virtual meetings July 12-14. Regardless of your current status – whether you are a long-time employee, just hired, or somewhere in between – it is never too early or too late to consider retirement planning. During these personalized sessions, you will be able to discuss your personal financial/retirement goals with a TIAA Financial Consultant on a free and confidential basis.

Because these sessions are being held during normal business hours, all employees must notify their PIs and supervisors if they would like to attend. We encourage Principal Investigators to allow their employees to attend the TIAA Advisory Sessions, if requested. 

For employees unfamiliar with the SRA (Supplemental Retirement Annuity) plan, please note that unlike the GRA (Group Retirement Annuity) plan, there is no 12-month waiting period and you may enroll or make changes to your election at any time during the year. The SRA plan with TIAA is considered a 403(b) tax-deferred annuity plan which allows an employee to make contributions via payroll deduction from his/her pre-tax earnings over and above the amount being accumulated under the RCUH basic retirement plan (GRA). 

For more information about the GRA and SRA plans, please review Policy 3.560 RCUH Retirement Plans.

We have reserved the following dates and times for individual sessions:

Dates	Location
Tuesday, May 3	Virtual
Wednesday, May 4	Virtual
Thursday, May 5	Virtual

https://shared.tiaa.org/public/publictools/events/meetingAndSeminar?employerId=1-8RJV-16

If you have questions or are unable to schedule an appointment online, please call TIAA’s Service and Scheduling Group at (800) 732-8353 Mon-Fri 6am – 3pm Hawaiʻi Standard Time.

Relevant Forms and Documents:
TIAA-SRA Supplemental Retirement Annuity – Agreement for Salary Reduction Form (B-6)

Meetings are accessible for individuals with disabilities.  Individuals who require special needs accommodations may request assistance in writing to [email protected] prior to the scheduled meeting.

TO:                 Principal Investigators and RCUH Employees
FROM:           Nelson Sakamoto, Director of Human Resources

SUBJECT:   Suspension of the RCUH Mandatory Vaccination Policy – Effective March 26, 2022

Effective March 26, 2022 the RCUH will be suspending its RCUH Mandatory Vaccination Policy.  The suspension of the RCUH Mandatory Vaccination Policy is consistent with the University of Hawaii’s suspension of their COVID-19 Mandatory Vaccination Policies.  Commencing March 26, 2022 the following changes will occur:

• No Weekly COVID-19 Testing:  No further weekly COVID-19 testing for partially vaccinated or employees who were granted by the RCUH a medical or religious accommodation. No further uploading weekly tests results to your RCUH My COVID-19 Data App (or UH LumiSight App).

• (For employees working at a UH campus) No need to do your daily health screening on LumiSight.  For all other employees follow your work location’s healthcare screening rules.

• No Masking Requirement (both indoor and outdoor) unless your work location requires the use of masks or if you are returning from an isolation or quarantine period.

Work Site Specific Rules:  Even with the suspension of the RCUH and UH COVID-19 policies, RCUH employees may still need to comply with specific work/location rules.  UH, State, Federal and other project work locations may still have COVID-19 related rules remaining in effect beyond March 26, 2022.  All RCUH employees must follow any applicable rules that apply to their work location.  Example:  RCUH employees working for a UH Principal Investigator must follow any work site rules applicable to that UH work location. Principal Investigators should inform their RCUH employees of any ongoing work location specific rules that may remain in effect past March 26, 2022.

As needed, the RCUH will provide you with additional guidance.  The RCUH appreciates everyone’s cooperation and understanding throughout the past two years of this pandemic. 

Questions:  If you have any questions contact me at [email protected].