Skip to content

The following is a greeting given in one of the 20 indigenous languages recognized by the State of Alaska.

Cama-i, quyana tailuci!
(Central Yup'ik)
"Greetings, thank you for coming!"
Back to Top

Alaska Department of Administration Personnel

Administration / Personnel / Resources / Newsletters / HR Update FY 26 Issue 04
HR Update

HR Update - FY 26 Issue 04

Issue Date: March 16, 2026

In This Issue

DOP Deputy Director to Take Temporary Assignment in Governor’s Office!

Benthe Mertl-Posthumus will be taking a leave of absence from the Division of Personnel (DOP) to serve in the Governor’s Office as a Labor Relations Advisor starting March 31. This is an exciting opportunity for her and has been in the works for some time. While we will certainly miss her day-to-day presence, she plans to return to DOP near the end of the calendar year.

During this period, Benthe will remain connected on select items and will continue to be a valuable resource to the division. The timing aligns well with our progress on filling the second Deputy Director position, which we expect to finalize in the next few weeks.

Clarifying What "Telework Ready" Means

The 2025-2026 winter months brought some unusually frequent and severe hazardous weather conditions, and there were prolonged facility closures that tested the utility of the State’s telework policy. This article is intended to provide clarity around the policy for how telework should be utilized during facility/office closures. We are considering updating the State’s telework policy in the near future. This article is not a policy update; it is simply a clarification of the State’s existing policy.

What is Telework Ready?

During office closures there are a couple of different criteria for defining an employee as “telework ready.” Being “telework ready” simply means you are able to appropriately work from home (or from an approved location outside the office). This means you either 1) have a current Telework Agreement or 2) your supervisor agrees that you have the ability to perform situational telework.

Employees with Current Telework Agreements

Telework agreements are required for routine, scheduled telework. Employees with an approved telework agreement are expected to be available to work during an office closure, unless they have scheduled/approved leave. Even if a state office closure occurs during a time they would normally be working on-site, employees are expected to telework from home absent an unusual circumstance. For example, an employee normally works in-office on Tuesdays, but an avalanche warning is likely to be issued and so the employee and supervisor agree that the employee will work from home instead. For additional information, see the State’s Telework Policy (PDF).

Situational Telework

Employees who do not have an approved telework agreement, but who are able to work from home should expect to perform situational telework during an office closure. Whether an employee is able to telework depends on the following factors:

  • The ability to work from a secure location with reliable internet connection and security. This does not include working from a public library or coffee shop, but can include a private residence, most likely the employee’s home.
  • Access to the appropriate state-owned equipment and systems to perform the necessary job duties of the position. Many State of Alaska employees work from laptops that they can easily transport between the office and home (or other secure location). This ensures employees who telework are working on a system that meets state security standards. VPN access allows an employee to connect to the state network but is not required to access Office 365 products.
  • Employee is NOT in a position that is critical to protecting the health and safety of Alaskans that are required to remain at work (certain offices within the Department of Public Safety, Corrections, Family and Community Services, and other 24-hour services). Critical positions are expected to come to work unless approved to take leave by their supervisor.

Expected to Telework, If Able

Supervisors are expected to ensure that employees are prepared to work from home, if possible, in the event of an office closure. While not required in the State’s current Telework Policy, supervisors are strongly encouraged to establish telework agreements with all employees who are “telework ready” for situational telework to avoid misunderstandings during office closures. If severe weather or other conditions are anticipated to cause an office closure, employees who can telework should proactively plan to work from home. It is important for employees to discuss any concerns about their ability to telework with their supervisor in advance to determine if teleworking is a viable option for their position.

Many supervisors plan ahead for alternative but still meaningful work when their teams need to pivot unexpectedly or with short notice. This can include completing required or optional trainings in AspireAlaska, reviewing policies or procedures, updating Standing Operating Procedures, working on long term projects that often get pushed aside, or even taking time to level up skills—like improving Excel proficiency or exploring new tools that support daily work.

Employees who have a telework agreement or have been deemed “telework ready” for situational telework but do not do so during an office closure should use personal leave for the time not worked. Employees who are unable to telework, even on a situational basis, should use the 100W code for administrative leave due to an office closure or early release.

Please consult the State’s Telework Policy (PDF) for additional information.

How to Be Informed About Facility Closures

The Department of Transportation and Public Facilities (DOT&PF) issues notices of office closures due to inclement weather or other reasons and maintains the procedures for facilities closures.

Note: Employees must subscribe to the notification system (GovDelivery) to receive notices of facilities closures via text or email. We suggest subscribing to both methods as the text messages may be delayed due to carrier issues. Visit the DOT&PF Office Closures webpage for more information.

Improvements to the Out of State Telework Agreement

In conjunction with the Office of the Governor, the Division of Personnel has updated the Out of State Telework Agreement to include a couple of new items, clarify some of the other required information entries, and somewhat reduce the length. New or renewed Out of State Telework Agreements will be required to use the updated form and workflow.

Changes to the Form

  • Employees are required to list previously approved out of state telework agreements by providing the department, PCN, location, and dates the previous agreement covered.
  • The “Requested Telework Dates” are listed at the top of the page. Please note, the requested dates are not the official approved dates. The official approved dates will be entered by the Office of the Governor on the last page.
  • Employee’s “Name” is now listed under the “Employee Information” section to make it easier to view all the employee information in one location.
  • Instead of asking if an employee is maintaining a residence in Alaska, the employee needs to confirm whether they plan on returning to Alaska upon completion of the Telework Agreement.
  • It has been noted that work schedules are to be entered in Alaska time, not the time zone where the out of state telework is occurring.
  • The “Duties to Be Performed” section has been modified to ask the supervisor instead to identify the “Duties Unable to Perform Due to Telework.”
  • The “Employee Agreement” section has been broken down into smaller paragraphs where the employee can initial and indicate they have read the information.
  • There are distinct approval sections for the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) and the Office of the Governor (Chief of Staff).

When completing a Telework Agreement, please be sure to use the most current version of the form. As a reminder, employees represented by a bargaining unit need to sign on to their union’s Out of State Telework Master Agreements through the Internal Online Forms SharePoint site. Also please note: an Out of State Telework Agreement is not final until it is approved by the Office of the Governor and, if applicable, by the employee’s union.

Importance of Completing Annual and Probation Performance Evaluations for GGU, LTC, CEA, SU Employees

In AspireAlaska, there are three types of Performance Evaluation tasks launched automatically by the system for GGU, LTC, SU, and CEA employees who are full-time permanent or probationary.

  1. Mid-Probation Performance Evaluation
  2. End of Probation Performance Evaluation
  3. Annual Performance Evaluation

These performance evaluations are automatically launched by the system assisting in the completion of these evaluations by the employee and supervisor per GGU, LTC, SU, and CEA Collective Bargaining Agreements.

The Mid-Probation Performance Evaluation is required for most bargaining units to be completed around the mid-point of an employee’s probationary period. This performance evaluation is launched approximately 30 days before the mid-point of the employee’s probationary period. The mid-probation evaluation is important for providing the probationary employee feedback so they can make adjustments, if needed, to meet performance expectations.

Additionally, the End of Probation Performance Evaluation is required both as part of GGU, LTC, SU, and CEA employees’ collective bargaining agreements and is needed for the timely processing of earned pay increases. This performance evaluation is launched approximately 45 days before the end of probation date.

It is important to note that once an employee has acquired permanent status, any probationary evaluation that was not completed yet, will automatically be removed. If the end of probation evaluation has not been completed by the date the employee becomes permanent, an off-cycle evaluation needs to be launched to provide the employee with any earned pay increase. Although the employee will automatically become permanent, an evaluation is needed to grant any pay increase.

Permanent employees will be included in their department’s Annual Performance Evaluation cycle which launches the same time every year. Please review the Annual Launch Datesfor your department. Completing the Annual Performance Evaluation on time is important in order for employees to receive their pay increases, if earned and due, per the rules for performance incentives and pay increments set forth in the respective Collective Bargaining Agreements.

Collective Bargaining Agreement References

New FMLA Event Code in IRIS HRM

The Division of Personnel and Division of Finance have introduced a new event code, FMAF, for tracking Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) and Alaska Family Leave Act (AFLA) medical leave protections in IRIS HRM timesheets. This code will be implemented immediately starting from pay period 3/12/2026 to 3/25/2026 (ACOA) and 3/16/2026 to 3/29/2026 (BIWK).

  • Purpose of FMAF code: The FMAF code is designed to track medical leave protections under FMLA and AFLA, allowing Absence Management to monitor benefits and ensure full entitlement protection.
  • No impact on pay: FMAF is a tracking event code only; it does not affect compensation or replace standard leave categories such as Personal, Sick, Flextime, Compensatory, or Donated leave.
  • Entry instructions: After the employee has entered their leave as normal, the employee must insert a new line into their timesheet in IRIS, add FMAF event code and identify FMLA/AFLA qualifying hours for each day or partial day to indicate protected leave, verifying and submitting the timesheet accordingly. Each day of FMLA/AFLA leave requires two entries: one for pay and one for informational tracking.
  • Example and support: For non-FMLA/AFLA leave, no FMAF code is needed. For protected leave, both leave and FMAF codes must be entered. Employees and supervisors should ensure leave slips and timesheets correctly reflect FMLA/AFLA entitlements. Questions can be directed to Absence Management or the Employee Call Center.
IRIS HRM Timesheet Screenshot

NeoGov Onboard Status Update

We are pleased to share that the State has officially finalized and purchased NEOGOV Onboard, and implementation planning is now underway!

Phase 1 Participants

The following agencies will participate in the first phase of the Onboard rollout:

  • Governor's Office
  • Education and Early Development (DEED)
  • Commerce, Community and Economic Development (DCCED)
  • Labor and Workforce Development (DOLWD)
  • Family and Community Services (DFCS)

Not in Phase 1? You Can Still Participate

Agencies not included in Phase 1 are welcome to attend the training sessions as observers to learn more about the system. While observer agencies will not complete implementation tasks or begin platform rollout at this stage, they are encouraged to stay engaged.

How All Agencies Can Prepare Now?

Agencies can begin preparing by transitioning to the “Offered” step in NEOGOV for new hires, rather than using “Hired.” This change will support a smoother Onboard transition once your agency is ready to implement. Approver groups must be established to make this shift possible. Nathan Kerr can create approver groups—simply send the names of team members authorized to issue hire approvals.

Thank you for your continued engagement and support as we move forward with this important initiative. If questions arise, please reach out to Nathan Kerr or Heather S Brookes.

Important Update: Streamlined Submission Process for Two Payroll Production Forms

The Division of Finance (DOF) Payroll Production team has improved the process for submitting two key forms: the Employee Withholding Allowance (W-4) and the Designation of Beneficiary for Unpaid Compensation. This change is designed to make form submission easier and more efficient for HR Support staff, supervisors, and employees.

What’s Changed?

Previously, these forms were included in the appointment form packet sent to DOF Payroll Services, which then forwarded them to DOF Payroll Production. From now on, both the W-4 and the Designation of Beneficiary for Unpaid Compensation forms must be sent directly to the DOF Payroll Production team.

How to Submit Forms

Please use the following email addresses to submit each form:

Action Required

The Employee Form Packets have been updated to reflect these changes. When preparing packets for new hires or processing updates, ensure you submit these forms directly to the DOF Payroll Production email addresses listed above. Please make sure that employees are aware of these changes for submitting these forms when needing to update the information as well.

New SOP Issued! Supervisory Differential

Division of Personnel (DOP) established and posted a new Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for Supervisory Differential (PDF) under article 24.11 of the SU contract. This new SOP is available for your reference on our Policy and Procedures page. We are currently working on a similar SOP for Supervisory Geographic Differentials, so stay tuned for that!

Soliciting Your Feedback! Webpage Improvements

DOP is reviewing our webpage and planning improvements to make it more user-friendly and easier to navigate. We have been looking at other State’s website to explore what might work best. If you have any suggestions or feedback, please take a moment to fill out this quick Website Feedback Form.

Sharing Our Classification Priorities

DOP is prioritizing its classification workload to support several major initiatives, including the DOA realignment of payroll services and shared services, the implementation of the new IT job classes, the completion of ongoing job class studies requested by agencies, and strategic planning related to the Statewide Salary Study. While we will continue processing routine position description updates and individual reclassifications, we will be placing more complex requests—such as multi-position reviews—on temporary hold so we can focus our resources on these high impact priorities.

We appreciate your patience as we work through this critical phase and will keep departments informed as capacity expands.

Leadership Corner: The Power of the Pause – Why Strategic Silence Sets Leaders Apart

Welcome to The Leadership Corner, your monthly HR Update dose of practical, science-backed insights to help you lead with confidence, clarity, and connection. This month, we’re tackling a skill that feels counterintuitive in fast-paced workplaces: the strategic pause.

Why Pausing Matters

In many organizations, speed is seen as competence. But constant motion can lead to reactive decisions, missed insights, and burnout. Pausing isn’t stalling—it’s strategizing. A well-timed pause signals confidence, sharpens judgment, and builds trust.

Quick Tips to Leverage Pauses

Signal Confidence with Silence
A brief pause before responding shows control, not hesitation. It gives space for others to think and reveals what’s unsaid.
Reframe Pauses as Decision Multipliers
Instead of rushing, use a pause to check assumptions and separate real priorities from false urgency.
Protect Time for Deep Thinking
Leaders are paid for insight, not speed. Schedule time for reflection to improve decision quality.
Pause Early, Not After Mistakes
A deliberate pause before committing prevents costly errors and accelerates results in the long run.
Make Pauses Part of Execution
Treat pauses as checkpoints, not interruptions. They help you respond thoughtfully rather than react impulsively.

Try This Today

Before your next big decision or meeting response, take two beats. Ask yourself:
“What pattern am I not seeing?”
That moment of stillness could be the difference between reacting and leading.

Leadership isn’t about moving the fastest—it’s about moving at the right moment. Strategic pauses turn speed into advantage, not regret.

For more insights, see the full article here: How To Use Strategic Pauses To Your Advantage: Leadership Tips

And don’t forget to check out AspireAlaska for more leadership content and this month’s recommended class: Emotional Intelligence and You, The Crucial EQ Moment: It's in the Pause

This article was developed with the assistance of AI and inspired by the work of Forbes Coaches Council experts.

DOP Comings and Goings

Goings

  • Camille Brill (Deputy Director)

Comings (New to DOP/Internal Promotions or Transfers*)

  • Joanne Risch (Employee Relations)
  • Chrystle Tebo (Employee Relations)
  • Melynda Courtright (Employee Relations)

Mission Statement

Personnel

Provide policy, consultative guidance, and direct human resource services to State of Alaska Executive Branch agencies.

State of Alaska Department of Administration
Division of Personnel

Mailing Address:
PO Box 110201
Juneau, AK 99811

Physical Address:
(No US mail delivery)
10th Fl. State Office Building
333 Willoughby Ave., Juneau, AK

Phone: (907) 465-4430
Fax: (907) 465-3415