This memo is designed to guide you as we work through

payroll events of the next two weeks.

October 6 - 17

October 6 – Open Enrollment Information Meeting - Don’t forget to mark the informational meeting on your calendar – October 6, 2008 at the Department of Roads Auditorium beginning at 1:00 sharp.  The agenda is full and the meeting will last until 5:00.  Please note that since this is the auditorium, there will be no tables, so bring a clipboard or something to write on.

October 7 – 8    Open Enrollment Lockout  -  Remember that NIS will be locked Tuesday and Wednesday of next week to allow Benefits to set up the data file for Open Enrollment. 

a. The NIS Team will remove the Pay Cycle Workbench menu item, located in the Payroll folder, and the Basic Compensation and Employee Information menu items located in the Employee Maintenance folder from the NIS menu for those 2 days.   This will occur at the start of business on Tuesday (probably about 6:30 A.M.) and restored at start of business on Thursday, October 9^th.

b. Employees will be able to use self service features of the system throughout the lockout. 

c. Payroll on the 8^th will not be affected.

d. Address changes given to you by employees from October 7^th through approximately the first week in December 2008 must be held and NOT entered into NIS until the go ahead is given by Benefits.  If entered into NIS during this time, the old data will override the recent changes when Open Enrollment files are updated to live tables.  Benefits will notify agencies when personal address changes are available.

e. The Benefits team has sent out the Checklist for Open Enrollment.  If you have not received it, contact Janet Hansen or Susie Voecks in Benefits.

October 6 & 9 – The only 2 days that the full NIS system will be available to the payroll staff.  State Accounting will be able to process interims on those 2 days only so please submit your interims to us as soon as possible.

October 10 – 12 – NIS tools upgrade – NIS will be unavailable starting at 4:00 a.m. on the 10th to install a new system tools package.  We will be testing the tools over the weekend.  The system will be available on October 13^th.

October 13^th – Columbus Day Holiday – Monday is Columbus Day and a holiday for state employees.

October 13 – 16 – Bi-Weekly payroll -   The pay period end date for the 22^nd pay cycle is Sunday, October 12^th.  Since NIS will be unavailable on Friday and Monday is the Holiday, State Accounting has extended the certification time for this payroll from Thursday, October 16^th, at 1:00 to Friday, October 17^th, at 1:00 to give everyone a little more time to prepare and process payroll.  Please make every effort to have your payroll certified by the deadline on Friday.