The HUCTW election for HUCTW Officers, Union Executive Board Positions, and Local Union Representatives will take place on Tuesday, December 10, 2019 at numerous voting locations across Harvard. You need to be an HUCTW member in order to vote and and you must bring a photo ID. You can vote at any ballot location. If you have not yet signed a membership card, you may do so at any time, including at the polls on December 10th.…
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This is a final reminder about the deadline for the Transitional TAP Fund (TTF) application, which is this Friday, October 4. Harvard created the Transitional TAP Fund (TTF) in order to reimburse you 100% for any taxes you owe on Tuition Assistance Program (TAP) benefits for the fall 2019 semester. You must complete and submit the two forms listed on the following webpage by October 4 in order to receive the tax reimbursement. …
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If you submitted a TAP for with your supervisor's signature and if you still had tax withheld in your 9/27/2019 paycheck, Harvard indicates that they will repay you for the tax that was withheld by the next paycheck (10/11/2019) and you will not have any more tax withheld in future paychecks. Additionally, if you are taking Harvard classes that are NOT job related this semester (or if you did not submit a TAP form), Harvard will pay 100% the tax you owe on your TAP benefits if you fill out two required forms.…
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We want to make you aware of two upcoming deadlines (Sept 11 and Oct 1) for those of you who are using the Tuition Assistance Program (TAP) during the fall 2019 semester. As you may recall from an earlier email we sent, Harvard is now withholding tax for graduate-level tuition benefits that meet certain criteria. If you are taking a Harvard class during the fall 2019 semester, please read this entire message as it lists two different ways to for you to avoid owing tax on your TAP benefits this semester.…
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HUCTW members who use Harvard tuition benefit programs recently received a message from the Harvard Benefits Office indicating that in order to ensure compliance with current IRS standards and practices, the University will begin withholding tax on tuition assistance benefits for classes that meet certain criteria. HUCTW is very concerned about this change and we are working hard to better understand its tax implications for members. We have begun working with Harvard administrators to find ways to minimize the impact and identify potential long term solutions. …
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This communication is meant to provide an update on the implementation of the new Harvard-HUCTW policy limiting the use of Temps and less-than-half-time workers (LHTs), which took effect in March. More important, this letter discusses the reasons behind the new policies and how they benefit the members of our community. The intent of the new rules is to ensure that unbenefited employment categories are used only for truly short-term projects, or for tasks that require very minimal weekly hours. Essentially, the revised policy aims to make certain that staff doing regular jobs on a regular basis have the benefits and protections of regular Harvard employment. …
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Everyone needs and deserves time away from work to relax and recharge. Regular vacations make for healthier, happier employees and a more productive workplace. Sometimes members tell us they feel pressure from their supervisor(s), colleagues, or even themselves, not to take time away from work for vacation. Others have indicated that it feels like their vacation requests are regularly denied. An HUCTW organizer can help you navigate these types of situations with your supervisor or colleagues.…
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Do you take the commuter rail from Zone 5 or above or pay to park in the Longwood Medical Area? If so, you may be eligible for a partial reimbursement from the HUCTW Transportation Fund. In January and July of each year, we accept applications for partial reimbursement of unusually high commuting costs from the past six months (January – June 2019). Eligible costs include non-subsidized spending on MBTA Commuter Rail Passes 5 and higher; private bus and train lines; remote MBTA Station commuter parking; and monthly parking in the Longwood Medical Area . To qualify for the Fund, your out-of-pocket eligible expenses must amount to $145.00 per month or more. Deadline: Monday, July 15.…
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In order to promote internal career growth and networking, all of Harvard's HR offices will be offering informational interviews on the third Thursday of January through June of 2019. The last round of interviews for this academic year is happening on June 20, 2019. The following description from the Harvard HR website explains how the interviews work, how you can sign up, and what you should do to prepare. You must sign up in advance (ideally two weeks ahead of the date you would like a meeting) for these one-on-one discussions by submitting a brief questionnaire to the local HR office that you wish to meet with directly. …
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Many HUCTW staff members across Harvard negotiate flexible work arrangements with their supervisors. This is supported by the Harvard-HUCTW contract. On the following page, you will find our contract language on flexibility in the workplace, including examples of flex schedules at Harvard. You'll also find the language on unpaid meal time (which some members use to create a flexible schedule). HUCTW organizers are happy to help you strategize about how to discuss flexible schedule arrangements with your supervisor.…
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