Careers

Nov. 9-13 Hot Topics


Please Note: This is a copy of an internal PUD newsletter. We provide it here to keep you updated on information going to employees. We have removed links from the original newsletter because the linked content cannot be accessed from the Internet.

To: Commissioners, all PUD employees
From: Communications Department
Subject: Hot topics for discussion the week of  Nov. 10, 2009.

(This advisory is sent to encourage districtwide discussion and awareness of key PUD issues. The intent is to give managers, supervisors and employees suggestions on topics they might discuss during departmental meetings. Contact Kimberlee Craig, Ext. 4320, or Christy Shearer, Ext. 4258, if you have questions.)

On the District Calendar

On the air
Christy Shearer, deputy public information officer, will be interviewed at 8:40 a.m. Tuesday on KOZI Radio (93.5 FM) about the Nov. 17 “Dirty Jobs” episode filmed at Rocky Reach last April.

Commission meeting news
At Monday’s meeting:

“Dirty Jobs” at Rocky Reach Dam will air Nov. 17
Set your DVR to record “Dirty Jobs” on the Discovery Channel at 9 p.m. ET/PT on Nov. 17.  That’s when the one-hour episode filmed at Rocky Reach last April will air. 

If you miss it, bring your lunch and watch it at noon on Nov. 18 in the Headquarters Auditorium or at noon on Nov. 23 in the Rocky Reach Visitor Center theater.

Want a preview? Click here and here to see video clips of the episode. More clips should be available Wednesday, so watch PUDToday for updates.

Office Services wants to hear from you
Take a survey to tell them how well they’re serving you.  Please respond by 5 p.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 18.

Final week of United Way campaign
As we move into the final week of the annual United Way drive at the PUD, 68 employees have pledged nearly $26,000, plus Puget Sound Energy will donate another $5,000.  There’s still time to make your pledge. Look for forms sent in inter-office mail, or contact co-chairs Kris Pomianek, ext. 4186, or Irene Godfrey, ext. 4166, if you have questions or need forms.  Information about how the money raised helps people in our community is available on PUDToday.   

Learn the latest on prevailing wage requirements 
PUD employees Erik Wahlquist, Marilee White and Patty Etzkorn are offering training on prevailing wage and changes in contracting for labor valued at less than $25,000 using the Small Works Roster. Sessions are set for Nov. 18 and Dec. 4. Sign-up through PeopleSoft for “Prevailing Wage Changes,” course number PCS001.

Coming sooner – year-end deadlines
To help ease the Jan. 4 transition to a new version of Maximo, year-end purchasing deadlines are a bit earlier.  The list of deadlines is posted on Procurement and Contract Services’ internal Web page.  First up is the cut-off for 2009 purchase requisitions on Dec. 15.

Check in with Diversified
The Diversified Investment Advisor education specialist will be at the PUD Nov. 16-19.  To schedule a half-hour appointment, call Human Resources at ext. 4793.

Get to know the new Maximo
The District will change to the new version of Maximo - v7 – on Jan. 4. All employees who use Maximo or will be using it need to attend training classes. Sign up in PeopleSoft with course numbers from the calendar on the Maximo Training Intranet site. “Navigation Training” is a pre-requisite for any additional training for purchasing, work orders, etc. Click here to learn how to view available classes by subject. Have questions? Contact Maryann Wood, ext. 4004.

 PureSafety training this month
Required training for 2009 must be completed by Nov. 30, 2009. Click here for a reminder on how to log in.

Friday morning parking squeeze at HQ
Work on the Headquarters heating and air condition system will start early on Friday morning, Nov. 13. The parking lot by Gerald’s will be blocked off until the work is done, about 10 a.m.  

For safety, the entrance by the rollup door on the southeast side of the building will also be closed. Call Greg Jones, Facilities manager, ext. 4460, if you have questions.

Another way to save for retirement
Between Nov. 1 and Nov. 30 each year, an employee with more than 80 hours of accrued personal leave may transfer the cash equivalent of that excess PL (your balance may not go below 80 hours) to the District’s 457 plan.  Please see Administrative Policy 109 and CBA 5.1.9.

PL transferred to the 457 plan is not eligible for 401(a) matching contributions and is subject to the IRS annual limits of $16,500 for under 50 years of age and $22,000 for those 50 and older.  The contribution will appear on the Dec. 11 paycheck and will be in addition to and processed separately from regular 457 contributions. Use this spreadsheet and your current pay stub to help calculate deferrals. Find the form in the HR forms library.

Send forms to HR for processing by 5 p.m. on Nov. 30. Contact Beverly Freeman, benefits manager, with questions, ext. 4448, or check the benefits page on PUDToday.

HQ parking lot to be swept this weekend
This weekend a contractor will be in to sweep all the Headquarters parking areas and the Fish and Wildlife lot.  He will also sweep the parking lot between the Tech Shop and the Service Building.  If you are working this weekend, please remember not to park by the retaining walls or curbing so the sweeper can reach them.

Plan ahead - no contractor badging on Nov. 27
If you have contractors that will need badges or badge resets, please have them do so before 3 p.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 25.  There will be no badging or badge resets done on Friday, Nov. 27. Staff will be back in the office on Monday, Nov. 30.