
NEW CAMPUS LOCATION FOR HUMAN RESOURCES
University Human Resources has moved! All HR employees — including benefits staff — are now located in 201 General Academic Building. 
The HR reception area is accessible using the stairs off the main building entrance on the south side. When directing employees to HR, please advise them of the new location and that the building elevator is not in service. Accessible meeting space is available for those with mobility concerns.
If you or an employee need to meet with an HR staff member, please contact them for an appointment. For urgent needs, call 405-744-5449.
CHANGES TO STAFF SICK LEAVE POLICYThe OSU Board of Regents recently approved changes to the Sick Leave Policy for Staff, effective June 14, 2024.
Significant policy changes include:  Further defined illness to include mental health.  Added foster children within the definition of immediate family and a sick leave provision of up to six weeks (240 hours) for placement/adoption purposes. Removed application for five days of sick leave; replaced with utilization of sick leave upon completion and approval of FMLA paperwork. Added that employees with a sick leave balance of 960 hours may use it as credit toward one year of OSU service in relation to OSU retirement criteria.  Clarified that staff should contact University Human Resources for FMLA paperwork. 
Review the full policy here. For more information, please contact your Human Resources Consultant.
MONITORING EMPLOYEE LEAVE BALANCESNow is a great time to review your employees’ leave balances and make note of those that are low. It’s also important to note those who are in danger of forfeiting leave and encourage them to use it. For many employees, the summer season is an ideal time to utilize annual leave as an opportunity to rest and recharge!
PILOT LAUNCH OF PAID MEDICAL LEAVE POOLOklahoma State University recently announced the pilot launch of a Paid Medical Leave Pool, effective Monday, July 1. 
The Paid Medical Leave Pool supports OSU employees by providing pay when they are impacted by catastrophic medical occurrences and have exhausted their available accrued leave. It will provide up to twelve weeks of continuous paid leave, contingent upon available central funding. It is not an option for employees to donate their leave to the pool.
The leave may be used for the employee, or for caring for a qualifying dependent with an extreme, life-threatening illness, injury, impairment, or physical or mental condition.  
Those approved for Paid Medical Leave Pool benefits will be in paid status and, with the exception of leave accruals, continue to receive benefits equal to those received before the start of the leave.
Employees with two or more years of continuous OSU service are eligible to apply for this benefit. Additional information and FAQs are available.
For any questions, email absence@okstate.edu or call 405-744-7401.
BACKGROUND CHECK CHARGESBudget is allocated by OSU administration to cover required background checks for full-time staff, all faculty types, graduate research assistant and graduate teaching assistant positions. Effective Thursday, Aug. 1, background check requests outside of those required employment types — including part-time student employees and temporary employees — will incur a $60 fee.
Please conduct appropriate conversations in your areas to determine the feasibility and necessity of carrying out background checks where they are not required. It is recommended that where there is a determined business need for positions to undergo background checks, they will continue to take place. Again, there will be no change to required background checks. 
As a reminder, background checks should be conducted post offer acceptance and pre-hire. It is not necessary to add the education verification for GRA/GTA positions, as that is confirmed through the OSU admittance process. Check out more detailed information on background checks.
Departments should continue to use the Background Check Request Form for any searches conducted outside of Cornerstone, OSU’s applicant tracking system. Beginning Thursday, Aug. 1, when one of the non-required employment types is selected, the form will ask for account number information so that a CVI can be processed following the request.
If you have any questions, please email jobs@okstate.edu or call 405-744-2909.
DEPENDENT TUITION WAIVER FORMS DUE AUG. 16Dependent children of OSU employees are eligible to receive a 100% undergraduate student resident tuition waiver for OSU-Stillwater and OSU-Tulsa courses.
This benefit applies to OSU-Stillwater (including OSU Cooperative Extension, OSU Experiment Station, Natural Resource Ecology and Management Extension, and ROTC personnel), OSU-Tulsa, and OSU Center for Health Sciences employees. As long as the employee and dependent meet the qualifications, the waiver will renew for up to five years.
 
All forms and required documents are due Friday, Aug. 16. Learn more here. 
RECRUITMENT UPDATESThe OSU Talent Development & Recruitment team has seen an increase in job applicants. In April, full-time staff positions at OSU-Stillwater averaged 20 applicants per posting. This is more than double the average applicants from fiscal year 2023!
In addition, TDR is working with the OSU IT department to integrate full-time staff positions on the OSU job site to OKJobMatch. For this integration, Cornerstone users should note two new fields in the job ad template. Minimum Education Level is a field detailing the education level listed in the minimum qualifications. Driver’s License Type if Required is a field that applies only to positions requiring a specific motor vehicle license essential to performing job duties (not the ability to get to and from work).
It should also be noted that the current turnaround time for background checks is averaging around three days. This time of year, the National Student Clearinghouse for Transcripts could take six to eight weeks to verify education for recent graduates. To expedite the process, please encourage new hires in the background check process who received a degree in the Spring 2024 semester to email their transcript(s) to jobs.okstate.edu. Transcripts must include degree title and date received. 
DIFFICULT CONVERSATIONS: EMPLOYEE PERFORMANCEReviewing the employee performance of someone who isn’t meeting expectations can be difficult. While this may be challenging to discuss with them, there are ways to have a productive conversation.  - Using open dialogue, work together to define what their success looks like. Collaborating to create a shared goal can help your employee feel supported through what may be an uncomfortable situation. 
- Encourage them to reflect on their past performance. Asking questions like “How do you feel you’ve met your goals?” and “In what ways would you like to improve?” can lead to meaningful discussion. 
- Provide constructive feedback with clear and specific examples. When doing this, be sure to maintain empathy and avoid judgement. This will allow a safe space for your employee to share their perspective. 
- Incorporate positive reinforcement in the conversation. Acknowledge their strengths and let them know you feel they are capable of growth and improvement. 
- Create an action plan to move forward successfully. Be sure to clearly communicate your expectations and confirm your employee understands their next steps. 
Approaching this conversation with preparation and understanding can offer the opportunity to strengthen the manager-employee relationship, despite the complex subject matter. 
This tip was adapted from “When an Employee Isn’t Meeting Expectations” / Harvard Business Review
DATES TO REMEMBER
July 4 | OSU Closed for Independence Day
July 5 | Administrative Leave Day |