HR December Newsletter--NEW PTO Policy

All J.B. Hunt employees will now be able to enjoy the benefits of a completely revamped paid-time-off policy. More commonly referred to simply as PTO, the new PTO policy provides you and all of our employees more flexibility and choices in how you use your time off – time for vacation, illness, or anything else.

The new policy has replaced all existing time off, including vacation, floating holidays, PTO – Weekly, paid sick leave policies, and others.

What happens if I still have accrued and unused time off under the old policies?

• Workday will continue to reflect any available, unused time off you have remaining under the old categories (vacation, floating holiday, PTO – Weekly, paid sick leave, discretionary). The only old time-off policy category that will be renamed is PTO – Weekly, which will be renamed Former Paid Time Off Plan.
• When taking time off, request time off from the old categories first.
• Time off reflected in vacation, floating holiday, or paid sick leave categories will expire on your anniversary date.
• Time off reflected in Former Paid Time Off Plan will expire on November 30, 2017.
• Remember to use all of your unused time off under the old categories first!

St. Louis Driver Appreciation

Although September had come to an end, Driver Appreciation Month continued into October for the members of the Final Mile St. Louis team.  The penultimate Cardinals game of the 2016 regular season brought us the perfect mixture of cool, sunny weather and the Cardinals in the hunt for the final National League Wild Card spot.  The action on the field didn’t disappoint, as the Cardinals took the lead in the bottom of the eighth and never looked back.  Thank you to the members of Final Mile St. Louis (and family) for a great day – we’re all looking forward to doing it again next year!

Front Row: Jay Gist and Raven, Jerry Scheibly, Wendell Barber, Joe Sturgeon and daughter Mariah

Second Row:  Connie and Erik Schaeffer, DJ and Jacklyn Orzechowski, Nathan Mueller and daughter Colby

Third Row:  Louisa Manchak and John Sperber

Louisa Manchak, John Sperber and Colby Mueller watch the action on the field, as Mariah Sturgeon strikes a pose.

Joe Sturgeon, his daughter Mariah and Wendell Barber relaxing and enjoying the game

We even got a call out for Final Mile on the ribbon board!

August HR Article

Merrill Lynch Tips: Have an Emergency Fund in Place
When life throws you a curve ball, having an emergency fund can help. If tomorrow you had to replace your car, or needed a new roof, or realized you forgot that your property taxes are due, do you have a plan in place for handling it?

Setting up an emergency fund not only helps you prepare for events such as these, but it can help in other ways, too. For example, using your emergency fund instead of a credit card to pay for unplanned expenses may help you avoid interest and fees associated with using credit. Creating a cushion that you can fall back on if you become ill for a period of time may help prevent future financial setbacks. And having an emergency fund can offer you an alternative if you were considering taking a loan from your 401(k) plan or using other money you’ve earmarked for retirement to pay for unplanned expenses.
Thinking about setting up your own emergency fund? Here are four steps to help you get started.
Step 1—Decide on your goal
As a good rule of thumb, try to have your emergency fund equal three to six months of your living expenses if you’re single and don’t have children, or six to nine months if you’re married and/or have children. But, it may be easier to start with a smaller goal of $500 to $1000 to cover any immediate expenses in case of an emergency and build it up from there.
Step 2—Set up your account
Many people choose to establish a separate, FDIC-insured bank account, such as a savings or money market account, for their emergency fund so they aren’t tempted to use this money for non-emergencies. Consider choosing an account that will allow you to quickly access your money when you need it.
Step 3—Build up your fund
An easy way to start building your emergency fund is to set up an automatic transfer of a specific amount—say $25 or $50—each paycheck into your account. Other people round up each purchase to the nearest dollar and “pay” themselves the difference by putting the change into their emergency fund. Making it automatic can help; that way, you don’t have to think about putting the money aside each time—it’s already set up. Starting with a small amount and slowly increasing it gives you time to adjust your spending and saving habits accordingly. Read this article from Better Money Habits® for six simple steps to jump-start your emergency fund.*
Step 4—Plan for the long term
It takes time to build up an emergency fund, so be patient and focus on moving forward. Remember, even small amounts add up over time. For tips on building an emergency fund in a year, check out this infographic from Better Money Habits.* And try to use your savings only when necessary—on one of those emergencies you’ve been preparing for!
Another way you can prepare for the future is to enroll in the J.B. Hunt Retirement Plan. If you aren’t already participating, it’s easy to enroll. Visit the People site and click on Work Day > Benefits > Change Benefits > Retirement Savings Change. You can also enroll on www.benefits.ml.com or by calling (800) 228-4015.
Have a question about the J.B. Hunt retirement plan? Send your questions to benefits_401k@jbhunt.com.

Web pages referenced in this article:
https://www.bettermoneyhabits.com/saving-budgeting/saving-for-future/emergency-fund-tips.html?bcen=8a6b
https://www.bettermoneyhabits.com/saving-budgeting/saving-for-future/how-to-start-emergency-fund.html?bcen=8a6b
http://benefitsmobile.blog.jbhunt.com/

July Safety Cup Update

As July comes to a close, the Shrum and Alfredo regions are running neck and neck in the chase for the cup.  Outstanding performance in safety has the two teams ranking in the top 3 in every category. Overall, our group is doing well, but there is always room for improvement.  Continue to work to impact safety results with your team every day.

Final Mile shines at ATDC with 2 trophies

This past week 26 drivers from our Final Mile, Dedicated, Truckload and Intermodal competed for pride and bragging rights as the best of the best in Arkansas.  Our region was represented by 6 DIS's that competed in 2 classes, step van and straight truck.  Among our competitors were Andy Stierley (DETMIx), Darren Tyler(BHMIx), Eddie Ford,(FW TXx), James Hamilton(SEAWAx), Michael Smith(TULOKx), and Jerome Brown(JACFLx).

The team and thair families represented their LDC's and our region extremely well and 2 of the team members brought hardware back to their LDC's. Andy finished 3rd in the Straight Truck class and Darren finished first, qualifying for the National Competition next month in Indianapolis.

April DOM--Brian Mulheran

After reviewing several outstanding nominations, I am pleased to announce that Brian Mulheran has earned the honor of our Final Mile Services Region Driver of the Month for the month of April. Brian has successfully demonstrated the level of customer service, safety and productivity that everyone should aspire to.   Please join me in congratulating Brian on this well deserved accomplishment!

Region Driver of the Month - $500 cash                

Brian Mulheran, consistently demonstrates a superior level of professionalism and reliability among his peers. He also excels in providing exceptional customer service, maintaining a strong safety record, and facilitating a solid working relationship with the office, all with an exemplary attitude.

Brian’s good attitude is what every Final Mile manager wishes for. Whether it’s a multi-family or multi-stop route, a normal or late day, a local or overnight route, Brian always smiles and stays focused on the positive. This was especially stark in April as Brian battled through an exhausting bout of mononucleosis (mono), because of which he was ordered by a physician to rest every Wednesday. Despite this setback, he remained optimistic and upbeat about his ability to continue his track record of success and service. And now that he has returned to a full schedule, he continues to excel by requesting to work a multi-family site every Saturday.

Regarding his performance, Brian shows his professionalism in dress and demeanor, speaking to customers clearly, intelligently, and sympathetically. Both the office and our end customers trust Brian to complete his deliveries at a quality level. We all know that any exception or uncontrollable delay will be communicated with advance notice, and that Brian will already have a plan in place to recover the lost time. The office regularly receives positive feedback from Brian’s deliveries, and it is not uncommon for customers frustrated by blizzard delays to relax once they hear that Brian will be completing the delivery. Brian has never had a preventable PD claim, an accident, or an injury, and he always turns in his logs on time. His paperwork is accurate and contains thorough notes, and he has never had a controllable service failure.  

It is a pleasure to work with Brian, and I am pleased to commend him as Driver of the Month. 

Congratulations to DOM for May--Dustin "Lorenzo" Dewez

After reviewing several outstanding nominations, I am pleased to announce that Dustin "Lorenzo" Dewez has earned the honor of our Final Mile Services Region Driver of the Month for the month of May. Lorenzo has successfully demonstrated the level of customer service, safety and productivity that everyone should aspire to.   Please join me in congratulating Lorenzo on this well deserved accomplishment!

Region Driver of the Month - $500 cash
Dustin "Lorenzo" Dewez
Final Mile San Diego, CA

FMS San Diego is nominating Lorenzo Dewez for driver of the month.

Lorenzo began working with us in Feb of 2013 as a Brightsky delivery assistant. He quickly became our most requested helper by the drivers. This was due to many factors, first being Lorenzo was always on time and ready to work. He learned all of our cross dock procedures and became our backup quarterback on the cross dock. As a delivery assistant he was eager to learn all the installs and became very good at it in no time at all.  Although he worked many days at very long hours he was motivated enough to pursue his class A CDL in hopes of becoming a driver for JB Hunt. While in the right seat he was very safety conscious and did all he could to assist the driver in navigating the route. He also learned the MCC’s and more recently the new iPhone/Nuvizz system we are currently working with. As soon as a position became available we were very excited to promote Lorenzo up to the driver position. Lorenzo has only been a full time driver for 1 month but with a spectacular start we feel he deserves to be our nominee for May.

When he came on he was heavily audited by our BS and everything checked out great. Lorenzo has had an immediate productivity impact as he required no training at all. Even under pressure his attitude is fantastic and he readily volunteers for extra work and Saturdays when needed. Recently we sent him on a delivery to a prospective new customer (Elite); normally we would send a more experienced driver team in order to ensure everything meets the highest level of quality the first time. The delivery went perfectly as that’s what we have come to expect from Lorenzo’s advanced level of professionalism. Our Business Development Executive Tammy Virgil stated that they were “Very Pleased!” with the delivery. We look forward to hearing great things in the future from our customers regarding Lorenzo Dewez as we are sure he will continue setting a new standard in driver excellence! It is for these reasons we proudly nominate Lorenzo as our Driver of the Month.

Other Outstanding Nominees:
Jonathan Cantillo @ Pompano Beach, FL  (FMS S)
Kompton Wilder @ Wilmer, TX  (FMS C)
John Brubacher @ Carlisle, PA (FMS N)

2016 Account of the Year--Mid Year Update

The AOY awards are among the most prestigious that are handed out annually at our regional kick off meeting.  There are three LDC truck count groupings as well as an overall winner that are determined by a weighted ranking in 7 categories(PNLb4OH$'s, PNLB4OH%, Inventory Write Off's, Turnover Improvement, DOT Preventable Collison PMM, Preventable Collision PMM, and Injuries per 100).  The 3 size categories are LDC's with less than 5 trucks, LDC's with 5-10 trucks and LDC's with 10+ trucks.

Through the end of May, Sacramento is leading the 5 trucks and less as well as holding the top overall score in the network.  They've shown strong performance across the board and are setting the standard for other LDC's to shoot for.  The West also has the leader in the 5-10 truck range with Windsor, CA pacing the group.  Final Mile South is leading the charge in the large LDC category with Pompano at the top followed closely by Orlando in second place.

There is still a lot to time left, and everyone has an opportunity to improve their standing in these rankings as well as their overall performance in all categories.

10+Trucks
1.  Pompano Beach, FL
2.  Orlando, FL
3.  Columbus, OH
4.  Fort Worth, TX
5.  Houston, TX

5-10 Trucks
1.  Windsor, CA
2.  Indianapolis, IN
3.  Salt Lake City, UT
4.  Portland, OR
5.  Bowman, SC

5 or Less Trucks
1.  Sacramento, CA
2.  Shreveport, LA
3.  Little Rock, AR
4.  Greer, SC
5.  Normal, IL

Final Mile has a new Million Mile Award winner!!!

Samuel "Louie" Brooks has been with JB Hunt since 2005 and has been with Final Mile OKC since the account began. He proves day in and day out to be a true leader in so many aspects. Several retail customers and jobsites request him as their primary driver and many home deliveries have called in singing his praises. His fellow drivers look up to him and he has trained many drivers in his tenure here. 

Louie lives in Meeker with his wife and 4 kids and is a big OKC Thunder fan. He also enjoys fast cars and the occasional casino visit on the weekends. 

It has been a privilege working with Louie and seeing him in action as well as being able to see him accomplish such an amazing feat in safety. 

Congrats to Louie!

Link to the Maintenance blog

Our maintenance team regularly posts to their log in an effort to keep our operators up to date on the latest news, campaigns and fleet maintenance suggestions.  For the latest and greatest as it pertains to JB Hunt maintenance, please visit their blog site.

http://dcs.blog.jbhunt.com/

Tips for improving your credit score...June HR article

How to Score Good Credit

If you’ve been denied a loan, mortgage, lease or credit card, chances are it has something to do with your credit score. You can read more about credit reports and consumer protection here. In the meantime, here are six ideas for boosting your score, raising your limits and improving your rep one credit card statement at a time. 

1. Pay bills on time and reduce the amount of debt you have. This includes credit cards and every kind of installment debt you currently owe.

2. Pay off credit card bills entirely each and every month. If that’s not doable, do be sure to pay them by the due date (preferably beyond the minimum) and come up with a plan to pay them off fully…soon. 

3. Set up text and email reminders. Lenders and creditors are pretty modern these days. Most will sign you up for this option before you take that first swipe.

4. Automate your bill payments. By enabling automatic credit card payments you don’t miss any due dates.

5. Stagger your debt by interest rate. Pay off cards with higher interest rates first. This will improve your credit score and cut down on fees and interest. At the same time, consider paying down credit that is at or close to your limit.  The closer to the limit you are, the more your credit is impacted and your score lowered.

6.  Consider your credit cards carefully. Contrary to what many believe, closing unused accounts does not have a big impact on raising your credit card score. Opening a bunch of new credit cards in the same year and closing others can actually have a negative impact on your credit score.  Instead, try this: rely on two to three credit cards that you use prudently one month and pay off the next. Building credit wisely over time helps your credit score.

7. Consider a Small Installment Loan.  If you are in need of credit, and are hesitant about entering the world of credit cards, a small installment loan is a good, credit building option. An installment loan is a loan that is repaid over time with a set number of scheduled payments, typically at least two. Small installment loans demonstrate being credit worthy through a stream of payments on a debt over time, which builds your credit score.

And remember…it’s more than a number!

The three major credit-reporting bureaus calculate your score by taking several factors into account, including:

·        The types of accounts you have open

·        How long you’ve had them open

·        How high the balance is currently or has gone in the past

·        Your payment history

·        The current status of the account, your ‘payment performance’ over the past two years, charge-offs and repossessions

To boost your score, follow the seven tips outlined above, check your credit reports regularly and protect yourself if you feel you’ve been the victim of fraud. After all, it’s your credit on the line.  

Learn more at www.feedthepig.org 

March Final Mile Driver of the Month--Joseph Gilmer

After reviewing several outstanding nominations, I am pleased to announce that Joseph Gilmer has earned the honor of our Final Mile Services Region Driver of the Month for the month of March. Joey has successfully demonstrated the level of customer service, safety and productivity that everyone should aspire to. Please join me in congratulating Joey on this well deserved accomplishment!

Region Driver of the Month - $500 cash
Joseph Gilmer
Final Mile Atlanta, GA

Other Outstanding Nominees:
Paul Berriel @ Final Mile Salt Lake City, UT (FMS C)
Jorge Ortega @ Final Mile Hartford, CT (FMS N)
Antonio Ward @ Final Mile Seattle, WA (FMS W)

Kal's Corner

Safety Steps

Please make sure you never skip vital safety steps. FMS drivers are a step above the rest and we have many critical safety steps and procedures in place to protect ourselves and the motoring public. You cannot shave time out of your day by skipping safety procedures...it does not work. Remember what makes you an elite driver and keep your integrity in tact. Your safety and the safety of others is depending on it each and everyday!  

• Always conduct your Pre Trip Inspection as required by law and JB Hunt
• Plan your day in advance and set yourself up for success
• Get plenty of rest and stretch before, during, and after physical activity
• Secure your vehicle and your delivery area

These are just a few things required to keep you safe and injury free. See the example below on what can happen when vital safety steps are skipped:

Kansas City, MO - Kansas City police are investigating the death of a man after he was run over by a semi-truck near I-435 and Front Street. According to authorities, the male's body was found in the parking lot behind Flying J. Police were called to the truck stop around 5:15 a.m. Wednesday morning. Officials say a white male, who may have been homeless, was sleeping under a semi-truck before he was crushed to death. KCPD is treating this as a hit and run, but it may be possible the driver didn't know someone was under the semi-truck.

We have a huge responsibility to ourselves and others to go above and beyond for SAFETY.


Here is another good posting to throw in to this one and/or the next:

Roadcheck 2016 – June 7-9

Each year during the CVSA Roadcheck event, tens of thousands of inspections are conducted. This year, International Roadcheck will take place June 7-9, 2016.

Roadcheck 2015 was no different from past years. On average, about three times as many inspections are done each day during Roadcheck than on any other day. Now is the time to take what you have learned from Roadcheck 2015 and make sure your drivers and vehicles are operating safely.

The emphasis this year is tire safety – measuring the tire tread depth, checking the tire pressure, checking to make sure no items are lodged between dual tires, and examining the overall condition of the tire to ensure no deep cuts or bulges exist in the sidewalls of the tire.

HR Update

Have an HR Question? Visit the Online Solution Center

Are you a new employee who needs to enroll in benefits? Do you want to set up direct deposit with your paycheck? Is it time to update your contact information after a move or phone number change?

If so, the online Solution Center is your one-stop shop where you can find instructions for how to do all these things and more in Workday!

The Solution Center website provides assistance for all employees, including managers, on a wide variety of subjects. Before contacting the HR Solution Center, search the online Solution Center first for help.

For individuals, check out everything the site can help you with:

• My Personal Info (updating your contact info, personal photo, and more)
• My Benefits (view benefits options, enroll, and change your benefits*)
• My Leaves & Time Off (how to navigate time off and leaves of absence)
• My Money (view payslips, get W-2s, manage payment elections, explore federal tax withholdings, etc.)
• My Performance (navigate your annual performance review process)
• My Workday (logging into Workday, assigning delegates, downloading Workday mobile, etc.)

For managers, get answers to any of the following items:

• Manage Leaves & Time Off
• Manage My Team (request compensation changes, view pay rates, etc.)
• Manage Staffing (edit position details, create job requisition, contract contingent workers, etc.)
• Manage Performance (learn about the performance review process, see how to handle disciplinary actions and more)
• Manage Workday
• Manage Finances (create supplier invoice, create new and find existing suppliers, review expense reports, etc.)

If you can’t find what you’re looking for in the online Solution Center, the HR Solution Center can be reached at hr_solution_center@jbhunt.com or 1-800-777-4968.

*Remember, you can only change your benefits if you’re a new employee. Existing employees, you can change your during annual Open Enrollment or a qualifying event. Learn more.

Safety Cup Update through 4/30

Through 4 months of the year, the Shrum Region is holding on to a narrow lead in the standing.  Continued focus by everyone at eliminating fixed object strikes and costly lost time injuries will not only improve the standings in the race for the cup, but also will have a dramatic impact on our bottom line profitability.

The Harper Update.

Driver Experience Survey Results Featured on The Harper Update

May 4, 2016 by jper223

May 4, 2016 by jper223 Leave a Comment

We want to thank everyone who participated in the Driver Experience Survey, from drivers who gave their feedback to managers who promoted the survey. The survey results will be discussed during The Harper Update – A Live Webcast on Tuesday, May 10 at 6:30 p.m. CST. All drivers and business units are strongly encouraged to attend the one-hour call.
Though registration is not required to call in, we would like to get an idea in advance of how many people will attend. Click here to register. Don’t have web access? Dial in at 1-800-844-0997.
We look forward to sharing the results with you!

Looking for Championship level drivers to compete at the Arkansas Truck Driving Championships

It's that time of the year again when we pit JB Hunt drivers against drivers from our competition to see who's best.  The Arkansas Truck Driving Championships will take place in July and is a great opportunity to recognize the top drivers in our group and provide exposure and a rewarding one of the kind experience.  If you have a candidate you'd like to nominate, please look at the requirements below and reach out to your OM. 

Arkansas Truck Driving Championship information

Kickoff Pictures

We wanted to take the opportunity to share the link for the photos that were taken by CJ Weatherford during our Kickoff Meeting in Lowell.  There are two links below, one for the headshots and one for the awards.

Awards Photos

Headshots

Louisville showing appreciation

The team in Louisville has always done a great job in the area of driver retention and recognition.  The 6 driver location finished out 2015 with an impressive 13.2% turnover rate, losing one driver over the course of the year.  The managers, Damon and Correy have achieved these excellent results by building a family type atmosphere built around trust, respect and recognition of hard work.  Continuing on with this theme the team put together an appreciation breakfast this morning(Correy assumed the line cook duties) to honor the team.