VIP

The Department of Human Resources is excited to launch Trent's new Human Resources Information System (HRIS), called "VIP".  Below you will find instructions on how to use/access VIP, FAQ's, Upcoming Training sessions as well as all previous communications. If you have any questions or feedback, please email humanresources@trentu.ca.

VIP Training Instructions:

How to Access VIP and View Your Paystub

How Employees Request a Leave in VIP

How Managers Enter and Approve Leave Requests in VIP

General VIP Tips for Employees and Managers

How Students Activate their Staff Account

Frequency Asked Questions:

The Frequenty Asked Questions page will help to explain the bi-weekly pay frequency change in more detail, as well as provide answers to questions about the new HRIS. 

Upcoming Training Sessions:

More training coming soon!

Communications:

February 12, 2020

Prior to the implementation of the new HRIS, which was effective November 1, 2019, OPSEU and Exempt contract employees were paid out a percentage of earnings (either 4% or 6% if employees had greater than 5 years of service), at the end of their contract.

Human Resources/Payroll issued a letter dated October 10, 2019 to all OPSEU and Exempt contract employees advising that vacation pay would instead be paid as a percentage of earnings on each bi-weekly pay, starting November 1, 2019. It was subsequently discovered that the system has not been paying out the vacation pay on each bi-weekly pay, as communicated.

As of November 1, 2019, OPSEU and Exempt contract employees will accrue their vacation entitlement throughout the vacation year, which runs from July 1st to June 30th, and will be eligible to take their accrued vacation as paid vacation time off in the following vacation year (subject to supervisor approval). Upon completion of contract employment, vacation will be paid out as a percentage of total earnings, less any paid days taken from the accrued entitlement bank.

Human Resources/Payroll is currently reviewing vacation entitlement banks for contract employees and will issue an individualized letter to each impacted employee, no later than February 28, 2020.

We apologize for the confusion and any inconvenience this may have caused. We appreciate your patience during the transition to our new HRIS and encourage you to contact humanresources@trentu.ca or payroll@trentu.ca, if you have any questions.

Sincerely,

Human Resources/Payroll

December 13, 2019

To All Employees:

The Department of Human Resources/Payroll would first like to thank everyone for their patience while we transitioned to our new HR/Payroll system VIP.

We are receiving a lot of positive feedback on the new system, as well as many questions, which we are working hard to respond quickly to. We have developed standard responses to acknowledge receipt and to notify the requestor when their request will be handled.  As a reminder, all previous communications and training instructions are all available on the HR website: www.trentu.ca/humanresources/vip.

There has been some confusion between Attendance Entry vs. Time Entry, please see the clarification below and some tips/updates:

Attendance Entry:

• Means the entry of time off from an employee’s normal work schedule in VIP.
• Is used only for exceptions to a normal work schedule, such as a vacation day or sick day. If no exception occurs, there is no need to enter anything- employee will get paid normal hours in their work schedule. 
• Is only for those employees on a fixed work schedule (automatically paid) and not for employees currently filling out paper timesheets to be paid.
• Is currently required for OPSEU, Exempt and Research employees for all time taken off (i.e. sick, vacation, compassion etc).
• Must be submitted in VIP by Monday at Noon, for the previous week.
• Entries in previous pay periods are not permitted, and must be emailed to payroll@trentu.ca for processing.

Time Entry:

• Time entry means entering the hours actually worked, in VIP.
• Time entry is not currently available to employees or supervisors.
• Employees must continue to record time worked on paper timesheets or the paper Pay Adjustment Form (i.e. for over-time/lieu time) and submit to payroll for processing by Monday’s at Noon, for the previous week. If these are not submitted the employee will not get paid.

Tips/Updates:

• As a result of feedback, we have updated the paper Pay Adjustment Form to allow for multiple codes to be used for the same day. We have also updated the codes on the form.
• Employees are only able to enter leave requests in VIP that occur in the future.
• Supervisors must enter absences occurring in the past, up to the start of the current pay period.
• The “Submit” and “Save” buttons on the employee leave request screen have now been combined to one button “Save and Submit”, to avoid confusion. 
• The “lieu time taken” request code, has been replaced with the “Paid from Overtime Bank” code.
• “Request sick time” is for regular/recurring employees that work more than 17.5 hours a week (have benefits). “Request sick time paid from bank”  is for regular/recurring employees that work less than 17.5 hours a week (no benefits).
• The “My Pension” tab is now visible in the Employee Portal and displays pension membership status. Please note, beneficiaries will be populated in the new year.  
• A communication regarding the roll-out of time-entry will be coming in the new year.

VIP has a lot of features and we appreciate how enthusiastic everyone has been with the potential of the new system. The HR/Payroll team is continuing to focus on ensuring employees are being paid accurately before implementing more features, and are working on moving forward with rolling out new features in the future.

If you have questions about your pay, please email payroll@trentu.ca. If you have questions about your benefits, please email benefits@trentu.ca. If you have general VIP questions or are not sure who to contact, please email humanresources@trentu.ca.

We appreciate everyone’s patience and understanding that it takes a lot of effort and time to ensure accurate payroll and to implement a new HR/Payroll system fully.

Sincerely,

Human Resources/Payroll

November 14, 2019

To All Managers/Supervisors/Chairs,

We have put together a VIP Tip Sheet, to help answer some of the common questions being submitted. Please circulate to your employees.

Additional drop-in training dates have also been set for anyone that has questions or needs assistance navigating VIP:

Monday, November 18 (All Employees)
9:00 am – 10:00 am
Blackburn Hall 126 (Computer lab)

Wednesday, November 20 (Managers/Supervisors/Chairs)\
9:00 am – 10:00 am
Blackburn Hall 126 (Computer lab)

Wednesday, November 20 (All Employees)
10:00 am – 11:00 am
Blackburn Hall 126 (Computer lab)

If you have any further questions, please email humanresources@trentu.ca.  

November 7, 2019

We are excited to announce the new Human Resource Information System called “VIP” is now live and can be accessed using your MyTrent staff account.

• All employees should review the instructions on How to Access VIP and View Your Paystub.
• Current student employees without a separate staff MyTrent account, will be receiving an email to their current student Trent email shortly, with information on activating their new staff account.
• Employees who do not currently have a MyTrent staff account, will have instructions sent to their manager/supervisor today to activate their staff account.
• All OPSEU, Exempt and Research employees should review the instructions on How Employees Request a Leave in VIP. Starting today, all absences must be submitted through VIP (with the exception of employees filling out paper timesheets).
• All Managers/Supervisors/Chairs of OPSEU, Exempt and Research employees should review the instructions on How Managers Enter and Approve Leave Requests in VIP. Absences for Nov 1st and 2nd must be emailed to humanresources@trentu.ca for HR to enter.  Absences from Nov 3 and going forward, must be submitted and approved by managers through VIP by every Monday at noon, for the previous week.
• Managers/Supervisors/Chairs wishing to delegate their Leave Request Approvals must email humanresources@trentu.ca no later than Wednesday, November 13 for this to be set up.
• A reminder, that all lieu time/overtime earned OR to be used from a lieu time/overtime balance, will need to be recorded on a paper Pay Adjustment Form and submitted to the Payroll Office by Monday at noon, for the previous week.
• Everyone is encouraged to review their personal and employment information on VIP, and if corrections are required, email humanresources@trentu.ca.

​FAQ Drop-in Session:

 We appreciate your patience during this transition. If you have any further questions, please contact humanresources@trentu.ca or call extension 1460.
 
Sincerely,

Stephanie Williams
Associate Vice-President Human Resources

October 9, 2019

To All Employees,

As the university prepares to go-live with new the Human Resource Information System (HRIS) on November 1, 2019, we are writing to all employees to provide an update on the progress and to communicate important changes that may affect you.

What to expect on November 1?

• Current monthly paid employees will receive their final full monthly pay on October 28, 2019.
• Effective November 1, all University employees will be paid bi-weekly through the new HRIS called “VIP”. 
• The first bi-weekly pay through VIP, will be received by all employees on Friday, November 8, 2019.
• Current monthly employees that don’t normally fill out paper timesheets and get paid a fixed salary amount automatically will continue to be paid automatically, but on a bi-weekly basis.
• Current hourly bi-weekly employees that normally fill out paper timesheets, will continue to fill out paper timesheets and submit them to the payroll office. New paper timesheets will be sent out next week, and will be due every Monday by noon, for the previous week.
• Over the next few months, HR will work with departments to move to electronic submission of timesheets and phase out paper processes.
• Employees that currently fill out paper “Salaried Staff Overtime Timesheet” will be required to submit the new “Pay Adjustment” form and follow the bi-weekly timesheet deadline.
• As of the first pay day in VIP (November 8), pay-stubs and T4’s will be only available via the employee self-service portal in VIP. 

For more detailed information on the new payroll submission deadlines, the distribution of deductions, the new forms, and Frequently Asked Questions, please visit www.trentu.ca/humanresources/VIP.  We appreciate your patience during this transition. If you have any further questions, please contact humanresources@trentu.ca or call extension 1460.

Sincerely,

Stephanie Williams
Associate Vice-President Human Resources

August 14, 2019

To All Monthly Paid Employees:

Further to previous communications, all current monthly paid employees are switching to a bi-weekly pay frequency on November 1, 2019. Employees starting July 1, 2019 or later will begin being paid on a bi-weekly pay frequency immediately. To help employees prepare for the upcoming change, current monthly employees will be receiving individualized letters this week to demonstrate how this change will impact their pay, as well as offer eligible employees transition options to facilitate the change. 

Answers to Frequently Asked Questions about changing pay frequencies can be found on our website www.trentu.ca/humanresources/VIP. In addition, we are inviting monthly employees to drop-in to an FAQ session to help answer any questions they have about making the switch to a bi-weekly pay frequency. Registration is not required.

Dates: August 20, August 22, September 3 and September 6
Time: 10:30 a.m. – 11:30 am  and  2:30 p.m. – 3:30 p.m. each day
Location: Human Resources Meeting Room, Blackburn Hall Suite 119

Trent’s Employee Assistance Plan (EAP), Lifeworks, will also be providing training sessions on Personal Budgeting[1]. These training sessions will allow employees to:

• Assess their financial situation and set financial goals
• Discover the control they have over their money
• Track their expenses and create a spending plan
• Take steps to save money and pay down debt
• Identify public and other benefits and resources that can help

Date: Wednesday, September 4, 2019
Time: 9:00 a.m. – 10:30 a.m.  or  11:00 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
Location: Bata Library 102

As space is limited, employees are asked to register in advance for these training sessions by visiting www.trentu.ca/humanresources/VIP or calling Human Resources at extension 1460.

The University recognizes that the transition to a bi-weekly pay may be difficult for some employees; however the University is committed to making it as smooth as possible. We encourage employees to review the information in their individualized letters fully, attend a FAQ session, attend a training session, and reach out to Human Resources if you have further questions or concerns.

Monthly employees are also reminded again to review their financial situation, including when payments are made from their bank account, such as payments for bills, loans, mortgages, rent, insurance, daycare, automatic withdrawals/transfers etc., and make necessary adjustments to accommodate the new bi-weekly pay schedule. It is employees responsibility to ensure sufficient funds are in their bank account during the transition and pay any related fees incurred, if applicable.
 

A final email reminder of the pay frequency change will be sent to all Trent employee email accounts in October. The updated communication timeline is as follows:

• August 20, August 22, September 3 and September 6: FAQ Drop-in sessions
• September 4, 2019: Personal Budgeting Training Sessions
• September 13, 2019: Transition Option Selection Form Due to Human Resources (for eligible employees)
• October 1, 2019: Final reminder via email of the switch to a bi-weekly pay
• October 28, 2019: Final monthly pay for all employees received
• November 1, 2019: All employees switched to bi-weekly pay frequency
• November 8, 2019: First bi-weekly pay received for all employees

We encourage employees to visit www.trentu.ca/humanresources/VIP for answers to frequently asked questions, attend a FAQ drop-in session, register for a training session and view previous communications. If you have further questions, please reach out to humanresources@trentu.ca or call extension 1460.

Stephanie Williams
Associate Vice-President, Human Resources

[1]   Disclaimer: Trent University is not responsible for the information provided by Lifeworks and anyone using the information does so at their own risk.

May 17, 2019

To All Monthly Paid Employees:

The Department of Human Resources is moving forward with the implementation of a new Human Resource Information System (HRIS) called “VIP”, developed by the Canadian company DLGL Technologies. This system will replace the current outdated paper system for bi-weekly pay and will automate employment related processes into one single integrated system. The intent is to improve efficiency and productivity for everyone.  The new system will also provide for user-friendly employee self-service, creating greater autonomy and transparency for all employees.  

A Go-Live date of November 1, 2019 has been set, where the new system will be rolled out in two phases. In phase one, all university employees will be paid through the new system as of November 1, 2019. Employee self-serve and manager self-serve, including time and attendance features will be rolled out to select test departments starting November 1, 2019, then to all other departments, to allow for a successful transition. In phase two, the university will implement other human resources services through the new HRIS, including Recruitment, Job Evaluation, and Training etc., which is expected to begin in 2020.
 

Upcoming Changes to Your Pay

In order to utilize the new HRIS to its fullest capability, effective November 1, 2019 all university employees will be required to be paid on a bi-weekly pay frequency. Employees starting July 1, 2019 or later will begin being paid on a bi-weekly pay frequency immediately through our current payroll system, and current monthly employees will all be switched as of November 1, 2019.

What does this mean for current monthly paid employees?

Employees that are currently paid monthly will receive their final monthly pay on October 28, 2019, which will include working time up to October 31, 2019. Effective November 1, 2019, everyone will begin on the bi-weekly pay frequency. The bi-weekly pay schedule starts on a Sunday and ends on a Saturday (includes 2 weeks), with pay being deposited on the Friday following the last Saturday of the pay period. The first bi-weekly pay day will be November 8, 2019, which is for the pay period October 20 – November 2, which will capture time worked from November 1 - 2, 2019.

No action is required by employees at this point in time. Monthly paid employees may consider reviewing their financial situation in the next couple months to start preparing for the change in pay frequency. Employees may wish to review the bi-weekly pay schedule below and consider when payments are made from their bank account each month, such as payments for bills, loans, mortgages, rent, insurance, daycare, automatic withdrawals/transfers etc.

Communication / Timeline

The University recognizes that the transition for some employees may be difficult; however the University is committed to making it as smooth as possible. Early and frequent open communication to employees is very important during this change. In addition to email communications, the Department of Human Resources will be providing individualized letters mid-August to monthly employees, detailing the exact impact this change will have on their pay in November, as well as offer transition options to facilitate the change. The following is the expected schedule of changes/communications with regards to the bi-weekly pay change:

• May 17, 2019: Initial communication to all employees via email.
• July 1, 2019: All new hires / re-hires will begin being paid bi-weekly through the current payroll system.
• August 15, 2019: Individualized letters sent to monthly employees detailing the exact impact this change will have on their pay in November.
• August 15 – 31, 2019: Information and FAQ sessions to be held about making the switch to a bi-weekly pay frequency. Dates/times to be determined.
• October 1, 2019: Final communication to all employees via email reminding them of the change to bi-weekly pay.
• October 28, 2019: Final monthly pay for all employees.
• November 1, 2019: All employees switched to bi-weekly pay frequency on the new system. Select test departments to begin using employee self-serve, time and attendance features.
• November 8, 2019: First bi-weekly pay received for all employees.
• 2020: Phase 2 implementation begins, such as Recruitment, Job Evaluation, and Training etc

Frequently asked questions can be found on our website.  We will also be holding information session’s late-August (dates/time to be determine).

If you have further questions, please reach out to humanresources@trentu.ca or call extension 1460.

Stephanie Williams
Associate Vice-President, Human Resources

April 11, 2019

A message from Human Resources:

As previously communicated, the Department of Human Resources is excited to be moving forward with the implementation of a new Human Resource Information System called “VIP”, developed by the Canadian company DLGL Technologies. This system will replace the current outdated paper system for bi-weekly pay and will automate employment related processes into one single integrated system. The intent is to improve efficiency and productivity for everyone. The new system will also provide for user-friendly employee self-service, creating greater autonomy and transparency for all employees.  

The Implementation Team has been working hard on data conversion / testing since September 2018 and will be starting parallel testing by July 2019. A Go-Live date of November 2019 has been set, where the new system will be rolled out in two phases (payroll, time and attendance to start, then Human Resources functions, such as recruitment, job evaluation etc.). Between now and then, HR will provide regular updates on the team’s progress and information you will need to know as a user. As part of our communication strategy, a new website has been developed to keep employees updated on the process: www.trentu.ca/humanresources/vip. We hope that all employees will take the time to check in and provide feedback.

The Implementation Team (Carley Brook, Danielle Hoogkamer, Denise Fernandes, Pauline Johnston, Rob Campbell and Rosanna Grims) have now committed two days a week (Tuesday’s and Thursday’s) going forward to focus on the project and will be out of the office for 3 weeks from April 15 – 26 and May 13 – 17, while members of DLGL Technologies are visiting Trent to conduct training.

We would appreciate your patience as services may be impacted temporarily. Team members will continue to check email daily, and will respond or forward your query to someone who can help within 24 hours.  If you have any concerns, do not hesitate to contact me, and I will try my best to address your issue promptly.

Stephanie Williams
Associate Vice President, Human Resources

January 7, 2019

A message from Human Resources:

We are very pleased to share that the University is moving forward with the implementation of a new Human Resource Information System (HRIS). This system will replace the current outdated paper system for bi-weekly pay and will automate employment related processes into one single integrated system. The intent is to improve efficiency and productivity for everyone.  The new system will also provide for user-friendly employee self-service, creating greater autonomy and transparency for all employees.   

Using an external review as a guide, the Selection Team, representing users from across the University, helped in the selection of the new system, “VIP”, developed by the Canadian company DLGL Technologies.

The Implementation Team comprises members from HR, the Office of the Deans, and IT. The team has been working on data conversion since September. Implementation is projected to take one year, with a “go-live” date of November 2019. Between now and then, HR will provide regular updates on the team’s progress and information you will need to know as a user. As part of our communication strategy, a new website will be developed over the next few weeks as a way to keep employees updated on the process. Further details will be provided when available and we hope that all employees will take the time to check in and provide feedback.      

Lastly, we wanted to advise you that during the weeks January 7 to 11, and January 21 to February 8, the Implementation Team (Carley Brook, Denise Fernandes, Pauline Johnston, Nicole McKeen and Rosanna Grims) will be travelling to Quebec to begin the testing phase. We would appreciate your patience as services may be impacted temporarily. Team members that are away will be checking email daily, and will respond or forward your query to someone who can help within 24 hours.  

If you have any concerns do not hesitate to contact me, and I will try my best to address your issue promptly.

Wishing you all a happy and successful New Year.

Stephanie Williams
Associate Vice President, Human Resources