We are providing you with an update following the memo you received from Human Resources and Organizational Effectiveness (HROE) within your 2019 T4 envelope. The memo indicated that we anticipated a greater number of amended T4s would be issued this year as a result of implementation of our new Human Resources Management System. We originally indicated the majority of amended T4s would be issued by the end of March. We suggested delaying the filing of your personal tax return until Monday, April 6 to avoid having to refile your taxes, should you receive an amended T4.

Due to the outbreak of COVID-19, the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) has deferred the deadline for filing personal income tax returns to June 1, 2020. In keeping with this new deadline, and due to the impact of COVID-19 on HROE remote working arrangements and the remote working arrangements for the annual third party CAAT Pension reconciliation process, the timeline for the amended 2019 T4(s) to be issued is being adjusted to mid April.

We are now targeting distribution of amended T4s by April 17. The amended T4s will be mailed to the home address we have on file in our Human Resources Management System (HRMS).

Your amended T4 will be uploaded to the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) website by April 17. If you have a personal CRA account, you will be able to securely view your tax form details when you login to your personal CRA account.

It’s a challenging time for everyone right now, and we appreciate your understanding and patience.

For general inquiries please contact our HR Support Centre, and someone will be available to assist you.

There are three ways to connect with our HR Support Centre:

1. Call us at (416) 675-5001
2. Chat with us at www.humber.ca/hrchat 
3. Submit an e-form at www.humber.ca/hrinquiry

Visit our FAQ section on the HRMS Knowledge Base for additional information on T4s.

Thank you.

Yesterday, Ontario’s Minister of Finance released a Fiscal Update instead of a full Budget, due to the economic and policy changes being drastically impacted by COVID-19. The Update was focused nearly entirely on measures to combat COVID-19. The biggest headline was that the government is committing an additional $17bn in funding for healthcare as well as direct supports to individuals and businesses. A full list of those supports can be found here.

One of the biggest support measures announced for students was that the government is temporarily deferring loan payments and interest accrual for the  Ontario Student Assistance Program (OSAP) to ease the financial burden on students during the COVID‐19 outbreak. This will come into effect on March 30, 2020 and will last for six months. This complements the commitment by the federal government, so students and those repaying students loans will have temporary relief from the federal and provincial portions of those loans.

We will keep you posted as the government announces more relevant news in the coming days and weeks.

Regarding the Fiscal Year-End Time Management Process, for submission of hours on a time card for the week of March 30 to April 3 should be completed as the following:

1. Submit and approve hours for March 30 and including March 31 by March 31 by 5 p.m.
2. To submit hours for April 1 to April 3, please follow the dates outlined in the Payroll Calendar for submission deadlines. To enter hours for these dates you will need to edit the time card and submit the time card to be approved. It is important that hours submitted for March 30 and 31 should not be altered. For step-by-step instructions on how to Edit Employee Time Cards please visit our HRMS Knowledge Base.

If you have any questions, please contact the HR Support Centre as follows: 

1. Call at x5001 from a Humber phone line or dial 416.675.5001
2. Chat at www.humber.ca/hrchat 
3. Submit an e-form at www.humber.ca/hrinquiry

These really are unprecedented times. COVID-19 has changed how we live, work and interact with each other.

I know there are ongoing challenges as we transition to working remotely and I want you to know that we are here to support you. Thank you for your patience and understanding as we all adapt to doing things differently. I hope that you and your family members are staying safe, connected and healthy during this time.

My last all-employee note on March 18, highlighted some of the resources available to help you work remotely. We have put together a list of additional resources of physical, mental health and ergonomics and will be sharing that in Communique. Live webinars on related topics will begin next week.

Humber campuses remain closed until further notice. Only employees providing essential on-campus services will be working on campus for the remainder of the Winter semester. Given what is being said by government leaders and public health agencies, we can expect requirements for physical distancing to continue for a number of weeks. As the situation continues to evolve, we are unable to determine at this point when employees will return to campus. Depending on the COVID-19 situation, we should all be prepared that the return to campus date may be well into the spring or summer. 

Effective as of the April 10, 2020 pay date, we will be stopping deductions for staff who have parking permits, until the College resumes regular on-campus business.

As we look ahead, we are assessing what impact the current situation will have on Humber’s Summer semester delivery and an update on that will come next week. Summer registration is being postponed while those decisions are being made.

All paid staff working remotely should be doing whatever they can to help their manager and their teams throughout this situation. Please continue to stay in contact with your team. If you have specific questions about workload or working remotely, please discuss them with your manager.

Due to these exceptional circumstances, all staff (full, partial load, part-time and student employees, including work study students) who would normally be scheduled to work during this period will receive pay consistent with their regular schedule. Humber is honouring all staffing commitments currently in place until further notice.

I also wanted to take a moment to say how proud I am of the work and commitment of everyone at Humber. Things are changing rapidly and we are working diligently to ensure student success, as well as support each other and the community.

Here are just a few examples of how we are stepping up:

• Humber is making technology available to students and staff who need it to complete their studies and work 
• IGNITE Student Union has provided Emergency Financial Relief Fund to provide Financial Need Bursaries which are open to domestic and international students with proven financial need. Humber College is combining this new funding with existing bursary funds to support students.
• We are providing medical supplies and equipment to our community partner the William Osler Health System, along with providing access to the Queen’s Plate parking lot to enable a COVID-19 drive-thru assessment site.

As we continue to adjust to working and learning at home, it’s important to stay connected to our colleagues and our community. To help you with this, yesterday we launched the #HumberAtHome series. We want to know how you are taking care of your well-being right now, how your teams are adding a bit of fun into your interactions, and which resources are helping you. Please check your Communiqué daily for more information on this series.

In the meantime, I encourage you to check www.humber.ca/updates regularly for the latest information on Humber’s response to COVID-19. The Frequently Asked Questions section of the page has answers to some of the more common questions from staff right now. Please also check the Human Resources page often for additional supports and resources.

Stay safe, healthy and practice physical distancing. We wish the best to you, your families and friends during this difficult time.

Sincerely,

Lori Diduch
Vice-President Human Resources and Organizational Effectiveness