The recipe Human Resources would like to share for the month of May was submitted by:

Cindy Snell – Ilegieuno, Office of Human Resources

Fresh Fruit Kabobs (Desserts, pg. 60)

1/2 fresh pineapple, peeled and cubed

6 large strawberries

1/2 medium cantaloupe, peeled and cubed

1/2 medium honeydew melon, peeled and cubed

2 kiwi fruit, peeled and thickly sliced

1/2 lb. green, red, black grapes

12 large blackberries (optional)

Alternate pineapple, grapes, strawberries, cantaloupe, honeydew melon, kiwifruit and blackberries on about 6 bamboo skewers, lightly sprinkle sugar (optional). Serve with vanilla or lemon yogurt. ENJOY!!

TIAA-CREF offers a full range of financial services, including retirement plans, IRAs, 529 college savings plans, mutual funds, brokerage services, and life insurance.

A financial consultant from TIAA-CREF, Michael Pascucci, will be offering one on one counseling sessions for employees Tuesday, May 15, 2012 at Loser Hall, room 120 and Wednesday, June 13, 2012 at the Library, room 123. 

For all employees interested in scheduling an appointment, please contact the TIAA-CREF Financial Office at 1.800.842.8412.

The College of New Jersey will once again conduct an Energy Savings Program for eligible employees during the calendar year 2012. This program supports the College’s commitment to sustainability and energy savings by allowing this closure of College offices during non-academic periods. The program includes energy closures on eleven (11) Fridays during the summer months and the week of winter break. Please review the following information for details about the program.

Designated 2012 Energy Holidays

The following seven (7) holidays are designated as energy holidays for 2012:

Martin Luther King, Jr. Day                                                  Monday, January 16th

Lincoln’s Birthday                                                                    Monday, February 13th

President’s Day                                                                        Monday, February 20th

Good Friday                                                                              Friday, April 6th

Columbus Day                                                                          Monday, October 8th

Election Day                                                                              Tuesday, November 6th

Veteran’s Day                                                                            Monday, November 12th

Eligible employees who work all seven energy holidays will earn 10.50 days of Energy Savings Program leave time ( 1 1/2 energy leave days earned for each energy holiday worked).

Summer Closure

There will be five (5) designated energy Friday closures during the summer plus six (6) four-day work weeks with Fridays off. During the first five (5) weeks of energy Friday closures, employees will work their regular work schedule and have the Energy Friday off. During the two (2) weeks that include Memorial Day and the July 4th holiday, employees will not use an energy day but will have off on the official holidays. During the six (6) four-day work weeks, employees will work an extended schedule Monday through Thursday. An extended day would typically be eight (8) hours and forty-five (45) minutes for employees on a thirty five (35) hour per week work schedule and ten (10) hours per day for employees on a forty (40) hour per week work schedule.

Summer Work Week Schedule (link provided at bottom of page)

The summer energy program will start on Monday, May 14, 2012. Employees will work their regular schedules for the start of the program. During the four-day work weeks, employees will work an extended schedule Monday through Thursday.

1. Memorial Day – The College will be closed on Monday, May 28th in observance of Memorial Day. During this week, there will be no Energy Friday closure, and employees will work a regular workweek schedule.

2. Independence Day – The College will be closed on Wednesday, July 4th in observance of Independence Day. During this week, the Wednesday closure will be a regular holiday closure, and employees will work a regular workweek schedule.

Winter Closure

The winter break will commence on Monday, December 24, 2012 through Tuesday, January 1, 2013. Five (5) of the energy days earned by working the holidays noted are sufficient to cover the winter break (12/24/12, 12/26/12, 12/27/12, 12/28/12, and 12/31/12). The holidays will be 12/25/12 for Christmas Day and 1/01/13 for New Year’s Day. Employees who did not work on the designated Energy Savings Program holidays may choose to apply vacation, administrative leave, or other earned compensatory time to the designated summer and winter Energy Savings Program closures. Please note that all earned energy leave days must be utilized within the 2012 calendar year.

Should you have any questions regarding the implementation of the Energy Savings Program, please email the Office of Human Resources at HR@TCNJ.edu.

2012 Energy & Holiday Schedule

2012 Energy Leave Work Schedule

Human Resources is pleased to announce that the historic first ever TCNJ Faculty & Staff Cookbook is now available in HR! The cookbook has over 100 recipes authored by the many chefs and cosmopolitan food connoisseurs within our community. Be ready for the end of the year festivities by purchasing your copies now! We are located in the Administrative Services Building, room 101 between the hours of 8:30am – 4:30pm. (flyer)

The cookbook is priced at $12.99 with a goal to create an EOF scholarship in the amount of $10,000.00. Please support this project and purchase multiple copies for your family and friends, in support of TCNJ and the EOF Program.

 The College offers its employees several ways to save for their retirement. In addition to the mandatory retirement programs, there are several other vehicles available to assist you in building your retirement nest egg. You may choose to enroll in one or all of the following voluntary plans:  the Voluntary 40(b) Tax-Deferred Savings Program, the after tax Roth 457 Plan, the Prudential Deferred Compensation Plan and/or SACT.

This year, the IRS announced an increase in annual deferral limits for tax-deferred income set aside for retirement purposes. For 2012, state employees under age 50 can tax-defer $17,000. Employees over age 50 can tax-defer an additional $5,500 for a total of $22,500.

Participants can direct voluntary contributions among seven authorized investment carriers. Each carrier provides a selection of investment choices to meet the needs and goals of your retirement planning. Please visit our website at http://hr.pages.tcnj.edu/benefits/ for additional information on the investment carriers.

For more information on the Voluntary Tax-Deferred Savings Program and the IRS Limits access the following link: http://hr.pages.tcnj.edu/benefits/pension-retirement/voluntary-retirement-savings-programs-limits/.

If you plan to retire someday, consider taking advantage of all that the College’s retirement plans have to offer. It is never too early, or too late, to save for your retirement!

For more information or to start or modify your voluntary retirement savings, please contact Floss Johnson at ext. 3306 or email her at johnsonf@tcnj.edu.

The College of New Jersey recognizes that all employees and their family members from time to time experience challenges in their lives. These challenges may include minor issues such as finding appropriate child care or caring for elderly parents, as well as more significant issues but not limited to, substance abuse, marital and relationship conflicts, domestic violence, workplace stress, mental health issues. If unresolved, these personal concerns can have a profound effect on work performance and the employee’s quality of life. TCNJ’s Employee Assistance Program (EAP) provides confidential assistance to employees and their family members through assessment and evaluation of problems, short term counseling, referrals to professional and community resources, support groups, conflict resolution and employee seminars.

To learn more about this program, please visit the Employee Assistance Program’s website.

You now have the opportunity to earn additional professional development credits (HR/PDC) and continue building your professional development portfolio (PDP). Please click here to view additional information on the presentations scheduled. We look forward to seeing you there!

In an effort to encourage healthy lifestyle choices, Horizon BCBSNJ produces a Monthly Wellness Message for NJ DIRECT. The message for May 2012 (click here) is focused on preventions for women.