[Msoadm] Central Human Resources Newsletter | January 2026

Puja Pannu puja.pathak at ucr.edu
Wed Jan 14 14:36:45 PST 2026 

Central Human Resources Newsletter

January 2026
[image: image]
Welcoming 2026: A Year of Growth and Collaboration
A message from Alex Najera, Associate Vice Chancellor, CHRO

Dear Campus Partners,

As we step into 2026, I want to extend my warmest New Year wishes to every
member of the University of California, Riverside (UCR) community. This
time of year is a wonderful opportunity to reflect on the accomplishments
of the past year and to look forward with renewed energy and purpose.

2025 was a year marked by significant progress, thanks to your dedication,
resilience, and collaborative spirit. We navigated complex challenges and
achieved important milestones that further strengthened UCR's position as a
leading institution. Your commitment to our mission—in teaching, research,
and public service—is truly what drives our success.
Looking Ahead: Our Focus for 2026

In 2026, the Human Resources organization will continue to focus on
creating an environment where every employee can thrive. Our key priorities
will include:

1.    HR ETHOS: To provide an exemplary employee and customer service
experience, while focusing on creating a framework and sustainable model
that enables service enhancement, staff success and organizational agility.

2.    Development: We are committed to expanding professional development
opportunities to help you grow in your roles at UCR.

The 2026 UCR Staff Assembly Conference will take place Tuesday, March 24
and Wednesday, March 25. This year’s theme, “Together, We Rise: Empower,
Evolve, and Excel,”  which will focus on growth, leadership, collaboration,
and excellence across our campus community.

We are thrilled to announce that Stephen M.R. Covey, the bestselling author
of The Speed of Trust, will be joining us as a keynote speaker. This
two-day event is designed to foster inspiration, learning, and connection,
designed to help all Highlanders rise together.

3.    Well-being and Support: Employee well-being remains a top priority.
We will be enhancing resources and programs focused on creating a
supportive workplace culture. Please keep an eye out for details on
upcoming wellness workshops and support initiatives.

4.    Employee Experience Optimization: We aim to simplify, streamline and
modernize HR processes to improve efficiency and your overall experience.
The AVANTI initiative is a strategic partnership between campus and HR, ITS
and the Campus Support Center together we will continue to work toward
shared solutions, process mapping to ensure a tool is built for the need,
proactive change management, data-driven decision making, and continuous
improvement.

Avanti Update

As we move into 2026, we are prioritizing quality and transparency through
the Avanti initiative <https://hr.ucr.edu/avanti>, a collaborative effort
to transform the UCR employee experience by implementing automated
technology solutions that streamline processes and enhance service
excellence.


The purpose of our recent soft launch was to stress-test the R’Employee
Services portal in a real-world environment. Thanks to your active
engagement, practicing within the system, and honest feedback, this phase
has been a success.



We have heard you and we’re extending the soft launch.

Your confidence in this system is our top priority. Following a
comprehensive review of survey and meeting feedback, and to ensure everyone
feels comfortable before we open the portal to the entire campus, we are
extending the soft launch period. Our E.T.H.O.S. (Employee success,
Technology, Human capital, Operational agility, and Service excellence)
dictates that we do not simply launch on time, but that we launch with Service
Excellence. This extension allows us to refine the system based directly on
the feedback you provided.



The Path Forward: Co-Creation and Validation

 We are not simply moving the date; we are using this window to deepen our
partnership with you. To ensure a successful launch, we are moving into a
phase of Deep-Dive Validation, and we need your expertise and continued
engagement to get us across the finish line.
Avanti Website <http://hr.ucr.edu/avanti>

HR Updates

Year-End Pay, Tax & Benefits Reminders

As we begin the new year, please note the following UCPath update:

   -

   The deadline to opt-in for electronic delivery of your 2025 W-2 and/or
   1095-C has passed.To receive your W-2 statement at the correct address,
   employees had to ensure all personal information (address, email, and tax
   details) was up-to-date in UCPath by January 9, 2026. If you did not opt in
   for electronic delivery and missed the deadline, your W-2 statement will be
   mailed to the address on file as of January 9, 2026.


Additional reminders:

   -

   Review and update dependent information as required under the Affordable
   Care Act.
   -

   International employees should verify their information in both UCPath
   and GLACIER to ensure accurate tax reporting.

Visit UCPath online
<https://idpproxy-ucpath.universityofcalifornia.edu/simplesaml/module.php/ucpathdiscovery/disco.php?entityID=https%3A%2F%2Fucpath.universityofcalifornia.edu&return=https%3A%2F%2Fidpproxy-ucpath.universityofcalifornia.edu%2Fsimplesaml%2Fmodule.php%2Fsaml%2Fsp%2FdiscoResponse%3FAuthID%3D_66c6d8f7edf3affced107dfde2bc3f6d633f206585%253Ahttps%253A%252F%252Fidpproxy-ucpath.universityofcalifornia.edu%252Fsimplesaml%252Fsaml2%252Fidp%252FSSOService.php%253Fspentityid%253Dhttps%25253A%25252F%25252Fucphrprdpub.universityofcalifornia.edu%25252Fpsp%25252Fucphrprd%2526cookieTime%253D1767815937&returnIDParam=idpentityid>
for full details or assistance.

_____________________________________________

Goal Setting for Performance

As we prepare to close out the performance cycle, Performance Management
would like to share tips and resources to help employees and managers set
effective goals and finish the cycle strong. Please view the Setting Smart
Goals Brochure
<https://documents.ucr.edu/HR-Resources/pm-setting-smart-goals.docx> and Goal
Agreement Form
<https://documents.ucr.edu/HR-Resources/pm-setting-smart-goals.docx>.

For employees participating in ePerformance, the following courses are now
available:

   -

   Closing out ePerformance Overview
   <https://uc.sumtotal.host/rcore/c/pillarRedirect?isDeepLink=1&relyingParty=LM&url=https%3A%2F%2Fuc.sumtotal.host%2Flearning%2Fcore%2Factivitydetails%2FViewActivityDetails%2F715763%3FActivityId%3D715763%26UserMode%3D0>:
   Reviews the basic steps for closing out the Performance document in
   ePerformance.
   -

   Goal Setting for Performance
   <https://uc.sumtotal.host/rcore/c/pillarRedirect?isDeepLink=1&relyingParty=LM&url=https%3A%2F%2Fuc.sumtotal.host%2Flearning%2Fcore%2Factivitydetails%2FViewActivityDetails%3FUserMode%3D0%26ActivityId%3D686094%26ClassUnderStruct%3DFalse%26CallerUrl%3D%2Flearning%2Flearner%2FHome%2FGoToPortal%3Fkey%3D0%26SearchCallerURL%3Dhttps%253A%252F%252Fuc.sumtotal.host%252Fcore%252FsearchRedirect%253FViewType%253DList%2526SearchText%253Dcommunicating%25252520with%25252520clarity%25252520to%25252520drive%25252520performance%2526startRow%253D0%26SearchCallerID%3D2>:
   Communicating with Clarity to Drive Performance is designed to elevate
   participants’ communication skills and enhance performance through goal
   setting.

Benefits Spotlight


Know Your 2026 Coverage

Now that Open Enrollment has ended and the new benefit plan year is
underway, faculty and staff are encouraged to review the 2026 Benefits plan
documents. While you can’t make any changes to your 2026 plan without a
qualifying event, we recommend that you review your selections to better
understand the coverage you selected.

In addition, faculty, postdoctoral scholars, and staff are encouraged to
review the Flexible Spending Account (FSA) Summary Plan Descriptions (SPDs)
for the 2026 plan year, which are now available. The FSA Summary Plan
Descriptions include important updates you should be aware of.

To view the available documents and review the changes to the FSA Summary
Plan Descriptions, please visit the HR website to read the article
<https://hr.ucr.edu/benefitsannouncements/2026/01/07/2026-benefits-plan-documents-posted-websites>
.

Pre-Retirement Webinar Series

If you are approaching retirement, the UCR Human Resources Benefits Office
invites you to participate in the Pre-Retirement Planning Webinar Series,
which provides no-cost guidance on UC retirement benefits, key planning
steps, and resources to help you prepare for a confident transition from
UC. Visit the HR website to view the webinar schedule
<https://hr.ucr.edu/benefitsannouncements/2026/01/07/2026-pre-retirement-planning-virtual-workshop-series>
.
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HR Team Spotlight

Central HR would like to welcome our newest member to our team, Charissa
Martinez-Lawson, Compensation Analyst. Charissa brings over ten years of
Human Resources experience. She previously served as an HR Analyst at the
Orange County Department of Education, gaining extensive experience in
classification and compensation, HR systems management, and recruitment and
retention. In her new role, Charissa will be serving as a strategic partner
for UCR administrative units and colleges and leading the coordination of
HRMS compensation module updates. Outside of the office, Charissa and her
family including her husband, three kids, and two dogs enjoy a beautiful
active life in Riverside enjoying children’s extracurricular activities,
gardening, family bike rides, and home renovations.

Compliance Training Reminder

In the remaining weeks, employees should confirm that they have completed
the mandatory trainings assigned to them. The Mandatory Training
Certification section on the performance appraisal form references the
following mandatory trainings:

   -

   UC Cyber Security Awareness.
   -

   UC Preventing Harassment & Discrimination
   -

   Safety Orientation
   -

   UC Abusive Conduct in the Workplace
   -

   UC Workplace Violence Prevention

To access the training modules, please visit the UC Learning Center (UCLC)
<https://ucrlearning.ucr.edu/training-assignments-reports>.

HR Tech Tip

Each month, we will be providing a best practice or instructions on how to
manage HR systems for a variety of tasks including where and how to update
personal information, using the HR Service Requests.

How to update emergency contact information or personal details:

   1.

   Log into UCPath
   <https://idpproxy-ucpath.universityofcalifornia.edu/simplesaml/module.php/ucpathdiscovery/disco.php?entityID=https%3A%2F%2Fucpath.universityofcalifornia.edu&return=https%3A%2F%2Fidpproxy-ucpath.universityofcalifornia.edu%2Fsimplesaml%2Fmodule.php%2Fsaml%2Fsp%2FdiscoResponse%3FAuthID%3D_f82c00328526a50efdfc8e69a228d59aea7fcc98dc%253Ahttps%253A%252F%252Fidpproxy-ucpath.universityofcalifornia.edu%252Fsimplesaml%252Fsaml2%252Fidp%252FSSOService.php%253Fspentityid%253Dhttps%25253A%25252F%25252Fucphrprdpub.universityofcalifornia.edu%25252Fpsp%25252Fucphrprd%2526cookieTime%253D1767822080&returnIDParam=idpentityid>
   2.

   Click on the Personal Information tab
   3.

   Click on View all Notices located on the video banner
   4.

   Scroll down to the Update Your Personal Contact Information box and view
   the Personal Information video
   <https://youtu.be/VKPi9VJQvSY?si=rYSMW5jmdoVWQlVB>.

Upcoming Events
Events Calendar <https://events.ucr.edu/department/human_resources>

Holidays

1/19/26 - Martin Luther Kings Jr. Day Holiday

R'Pantry <https://events.ucr.edu/event/ucr-staff-pantry>

Friday: February 6, March 6, April 24, 2026

Pre-Retirement Webinar Series
<https://hr.ucr.edu/pre-retirement-planning-workshop-series>

January 14-March 4, 2026

Staff Conference <https://sa.ucr.edu/2026-staff-conference>

Tues, March 24, & Wed, March 25, 2026

hr.ucr.edu | questions: hrpolicy at ucr.edu
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