Effort Certification

1. Effort Certification To reduce administrative burden, the University of Alaska is moving to an effort certification solution for salaried (exempt) employees to replace the current timesheet-based system. The University plans to begin semester-based certification of effort on restricted funds as of Fall 2012 Semester.

2. Federal Regulation 2 Code of Federal Regulations 220 says: J.10.c.(2)(e) For professorial and professional staff, the reports will be prepared each academic term, but no less frequently than every six months. For other employees, unless alternate arrangements are agreed to, the reports will be prepared no less frequently than monthly and will coincide with one or more pay periods. And because UA applies our regulations consistently, regardless of source of funding, whether you are paid off any fund two source, you must certify effort.

3. What Are the Changes? Effort certification for Exempt employees paid from restricted fund support will no longer be tied to the Timesheet – there will be a separate certification form for effort. The Timesheet is just a Timesheet – it is meant to record exceptions to normal salaried payments. Follow your departmental rules for recording leave (annual leave, sick leave, jury duty, other).

4. How Will It Work? Percent of effort is planned to be certified on a semester-based period of time. Suggested Certification Payroll Periods and Dates – based on the 2012 calendar Spring: R01-R10 December 18 – May 5 5 months Summer: R11-R18 May 6 – August 25 3.5 months Fall: R19 – R 26 August 26 – December 15 4.5 months

5. Really… How will it work? Over the reporting period, it is anticipated that your percent of effort allocated to one or more sponsored projects will fluctuate from week-to-week, or month by month. Over a greater period of three – four months, the amount paid off one or more awards will even out – to accurately reflect the allowable and approved percent of effort during the project period.

6. When do I Certify Next? Your last paper Timesheet certification will be October 5th for the payroll period ending October 6th. The next certification document should be presented to Exempt employees during January 2013 and it will be to certify for the timeframe of October 7th – December 15, 2012.

7. What do I do over the next three months? If you have salary exceptions to report, use the Timesheet. If you do not, you do not have to complete the form. Work with your department PPA and grant tech(s) to keep your percent allocation on sponsored awards up-to-date.

8. Maintaining Accuracy • Your PPA will be able to make changes to how your labor is allocated if your work on a grant changes during the effort period. Discuss the changes as soon as they happen so your grant effort certification statement will be accurate.

9. Outcomes • Reduction of administrative burden for the Exempt employee (PI, co-PI, etc.) • Reduced number of labor reallocations (instead of every two weeks, may happen three times a year) • Reduced number of cost transfers – certifications are meant to be corrected within the month – and become irrevocable.

10. Paperless Job Processing (PJP- For Labor Changes • Via UaOnline • Changes default labor distribution charges for employees with existing assignments • Applied automatically to banner nightly • Email communications forwarded to appropriate participants

11. Access • From Employee Tab in UaOnline If you see this you have access

12. Need Access • Security • http://www.uaf.edu/files/uafhr/HR-Access-Request-Form-Rev-3-2012.pdf • Request “HR_EPAF_CLS” and “HRV_EPAF_CLS”

13. Instructions • Complete instructions: • http://www.alaska.edu/files/hr/lbrchg_originator_guidelines.pdf • Quick reference instructions: • http://www.alaska.edu/files/hr/lbrchg_quick_reference.pdf

14. Resources • Complete resource page: http://www.alaska.edu/hr/hr-procedures/paperless-job-processing/lbrchg/