myOCHR Newsletter: Start 2024 Strong

A Note From Our HR Director

Happy New Year – 2024!

It’s that time of year when we reset and start fresh. Didn’t reach your fitness goals? Never finished the book you started? Postponed that dream vacation? Delayed starting that hobby or taking that class/training? Well, guess what…it’s not too late. 2024 begins a new chapter in the book of YOU. Dream BIG, think BIG and make it happen. Too often we get caught up in the ‘shoulda’, ‘woulda’, and ‘coulda’, but didn’t. Why? Fear? Step out on faith and believe that you are truly deserving of all the world has to offer. Let no one dim your light. And if they try, get a higher wattage bulb and keep shining. You got this!

Now with that being said, your HR team is here to help. We’ve refreshed our in-house training curriculum to give you more options with more flexibility. Need to advance your education by completing a degree or starting a new one? Then our tuition reimbursement program is designed especially for you. And why spend money on a gym membership when you have access to free county gyms? Not sure where to start with your fitness goals, then this publication is just for you. We have all sorts of resources for your health and wellness. Keep reading…

In 2023 HR’s word was ACCOUNTABILITY and for 2024 it is COMMITMENT. The list is long for what the staff in the division have committed to for 2024, but I will tell you that we are all committed to improvement.

Last year when we kicked off our newsletters, we promised you fresh content each month with a chance to get to know HR a bit better. If you missed a month all newsletters are archived on the intranet. This year as we move to a quarterly publication, we still want to hear from you. Thank you for your kind words and kudos throughout the year, but more importantly, thank you for your candid (and sometimes harsh) feedback on things we need to improve. We hear you, I hear you and I am listening. If you did not get a chance to share your feedback, please do so by completing the HR survey that closes this Friday, January 12.

Human Resources continues on its path of transformation where the status quo is challenged and new ways of operating efficiently have been discovered. As my national champion alma mater’s football team states, “Those who stay will be champions”! Those who continue to support HR will reap the benefits of being a part of the building of a best-in-class strategic function of the organization. Claiming it! I said it before, but it is worth repeating - HR continues to seek ways to support the business by looking for opportunities to improve, make us the employer of choice, and consistently challenge how we operate. Nothing personal, just business. 😊

Throughout 2024 consider each month as a new chapter in your book. Focus on a different part of you – health/wellness, family/friends, finances, learning, leisure, you name it. At the end of the year, you will truly marvel at your novel and be proud of all that you have accomplished. Remember, success looks different for everyone and does not have to be grand. Even a small win is a win.

We hope you enjoy this issue’s content. Thank you for all you do. The BEST is still yet to come 😊

Sincerely,

Yvette M. Best, EdD, CCP, SPHR/SHRM-SCP

Set Your Performance Goals

E-Performance and Performance Management

The performance cycle is from September 16 - September 15 each year.

Check out this resource that you and your supervisor may use as you continue to work on your goals in the E-Performance tool located in myOCPortal.

Based on employee feedback, enhancements were made to the e-performance functionalities and features. So be sure to check them out.

For more information, please contact OD.Training@ocﬂ.net or your HR Business Partner.

Professional Development Opportunities

One of the benefits of being an Orange County employee is the access to free professional development training. Employee training helps our workforce learn and grow.

Besides self-paced courses in myOCLearn Learning Management System (LMS), you can enroll in the Passport Series. There are four Passport Series – Message in a Bottle, Path to Success, Compass and Navigator.

Click here to find out more about the series and our recommended path for the Passport Series.

Great news! You can now complete a series in one year. We are excited to offer this new opportunity for learning and professional development and look forward to your participation. A certificate of completion will be provided upon the successful completion of the series.

Check out the schedule for all the Passport series.

We are committed to investing in the development of Orange County employees, and we hope that you take advantage of this opportunity. To enroll in the Passport Series go to myOCLearn.

Tuition Reimbursement

Are you considering going back to school?

Degree-seeking coursework contributing to the completion of a degree of higher education that will enhance an employee’s job performance and future potential will be reimbursed.

Eligible non-bargaining employees that are active on payroll can apply for reimbursement after completion of the six-month initial hire probationary period, and successful completion of coursework. Full-time employees are eligible for $2,500 and part-time employees are eligible $1,250 per fiscal year. To apply, click here.

In addition, professional certifications or licensure programs can be budgeted for by your department.

Make Your Health and Wellness A Priority

Making New Year's Resolutions Count

The New Year brings an opportunity to take a fresh look at issues we've been wrestling with and a chance to tackle them again. Click here for some suggestions for achievable goals for the new year.

Learn how food affects the body and your mental health with this digital toolkit .

myOCWellness

Please ensure you complete your Health Assessment again for the new program plan year (10/1/23-9/30/24) as it is still a requirement to unlock your points! Check your points and new opportunities to earn points on myCigna.

Wellable

The start of a new year is the perfect time to focus on making healthy, positive changes! Join the New Years Solutions challenge to stay physically active, learn about setting S.M.A.R.T. goals (Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, and Timely), and create at least one goal to work toward.

Participating in a Wellable challenge can earn you 20 myOCWellness points! To join the challenge, register for Wellable here.

Help Us Serve You Better in 2024!

Human Resources Client Satisfaction Survey

The HR Division takes great care to provide you with outstanding support and guidance. The quality of our service is a top priority, and we welcome your feedback on how well we are serving you - employees / internal customers. We would greatly appreciate it if you would take the time to complete this survey. Please feel free to suggest improvements in any area.

Refer a Friend and Earn $400

Eligible Referring Employees who refer new applicants to the County who are successfully employed for a specific requisition can earn a $400 Referral Incentive. Remember to advise your referral to include your name and your Orange County email address as their referral source. Once this is done the Referring Employee will need to go into their self-service account and confirm the referral. Please refer to the Referral Step by Step Guide on how the full referral process works.

There are certain classifications of employees such as Human Resources and Appointed positions (not full list) that are not eligible for the Referral Incentive. Click here to learn more.

Have Money in your 2023 FSA Account? Use it or Lose it!

The time to spend it is now! Did you know you have an FSA grace period ending March 15, 2024?

HealthCare (FSA), Limited Purpose FSA (LPFSA) and the Dependent Care Spending Account (DCSA) account holders have additional time to incur FSA-eligible expenses beyond the plan year end date. As long as you were still participating in the FSA on December 31, 2023, you’ll have until March 15, 2024 to use your Health Care and Dependent Care FSA funds. This gives you big tax savings, plus a GRACE PERIOD of 2.5 months to help you spend every penny of your 2023 FSA funds. The deadline is soon approaching. Spend your money now!

Trivia Time

The first employee to email [email protected] with the correct answer to the following trivia question will receive a prize.

What is the Passport and name the four series?

Need More Information?

For general HR questions, email [email protected], call 407-836-5661 or visit www.ocfl.net/HR.

We highly recommend that you do NOT unsubscribe from Orange County Government Human Resources emails as this will also unsubscribe you from important information about benefits enrollment, required training, etc.