December 2024: Message from CEO, Training on Citation, Christmas and New Year Stats, Submitting to your HCSA, 2025 Tax Forms and 2024 Safety Reflection
Posted on Dec 18, 2024
Message from CEO
Happy Holidays!
As we prepare to step into 2025, it's the perfect time to pause and reflect on the journey we’ve shared throughout 2024. This past year has been a testament to our shared commitment to teamwork, respect, kindness, accountability, and safety, our new values that shape everything we do and guide our impact in the communities we serve.
Three highlights from 2024 that stand out for me are:
- The changes to our staff compensation plan – informed by your valuable input through focus groups and engagement surveys, demonstrate our shared accountability to building a supportive workplace.
- The incredible work with Coordinated Food Services and Coordinated Recreation, where we embraced kindness and respect by providing meaningful ways for residents to share their valued feedback.
- Our continued progress on a long-term housing strategy to enhance housing affordability is a step toward ensuring safe and sustainable communities for all.
The Board of Directors and I are grateful for your dedication and the difference you make every day in the lives of residents and tenants who call our communities home. Your teamwork and kindness shine through, whether it’s celebrating the holiday season at a dinner party, decorating a Christmas tree, or singing carols together.
As we close this chapter of 2024, I wish you all a joyful holiday season filled with moments of warmth and connection with family and friends.
Here’s to the incredible work ahead of us – together!
Nancy Simmonds, CEO
Citation Canada (aka HRdownloads)
Just recently, we have made some updates to some of our IT agreements including confidentiality ensuring that we are staying up-to-date and relevant in the technology and systems that we use. In addition, we wanted to use this time to remind staff of HHF’s Code of Conduct which is the cornerstone that shapes our culture. As such we used Citation Canada (aka HRdownloads) to help distribute these forms for review and acknowledgement. Please review and acknowledge the forms by logging in to Citation Canada, viewing all open assignments and following the directions from there.
We appreciate your attention on this matter.
Christmas + New Year's Stats
December 25th is the Christmas Day Statutory Holiday! If you are scheduled to work and you work you will receive general holiday pay (Average daily wage + time and a half (1.5x) for each hour worked on December 25). If you are not scheduled to work..... HAPPY HOLIDAYS!!
December 26th is the Boxing Day Statutory Holiday! If you are scheduled to work and you work you will receive general holiday pay (Average daily wage + time and a half (1.5x) for each hour worked on December 26). If you are not scheduled to work..... HAPPY HOLIDAYS!!
January 1st is the New Year's Day Statutory Holiday! If you are scheduled to work and you work you will receive general holiday pay (Average daily wage + time and a half (1.5x) for each hour worked on January 1). If you are not scheduled to work..... HAPPY NEW YEARS!!
** For more information on our General Holiday Policy, please refer to the Human Resources Policies and Procedures Manual, the policy is 3.11 General Holidays **
Submitting to your HCSA
Every employee who qualifies for benefits (permanent part-time 20+ weekly hours) is eligible for Sunlife's Benefits Program and the $375 Health Care Spending Account, regardless of whether you have opted out of Health or Dental coverage through Sunlife. The HCSA resets Jan 1 every year......Remember to use your full HCSA before the end of the year or you will lose it.
HCSA covers any expense that qualifies as a medical expense under the federal Income Tax Act. There is a list of eligible expenses in the benefits booklet or on the Plan Member Service website. In addition to health and dental care expenses, you can use your HCSA to pay deductibles, the percentage of your expenses you normally pay and any amounts over your benefit plan's maximum.
Making a Claim
There are two ways to submit HSA Claims: Online or by Mail.
Online
Sign-in to our Plan Members Services Website. Click ‘Submit a Claim’ and the easy-to-follow directions will help guide you through the process. From the site, you can link to a list of the types of expenses eligible under your HCSA. The system will process your claim and let you know if the expense is covered and, if so, the amount and details of your claim payment.
Not all types of HCSA expenses can be submitted online. You’ll be asked to select your expense from a drop-down list. If you don’t see your expense on the list, you’ll need to submit a paper claim. Also, HCSA claims over $1000 can’t be submitted online.
By Mail
You can also submit Health Spending Account claims by mail. Simply complete a combined Extended Health Care. HSA or Dental/HAS claim form. Completed the HAS section and we’ll process the claim as you have directed, using your HCSA to process all or part of your claim.
Remember to include original receipts when you submit your claim. You have until February 28, 2025 to submit 2024 claims.
2025 Tax Forms
Time to Review Your Tax Forms!
Each year the government (federal and provincial) releases an updated tax form showing the current basic personal amount.
For 2025, the Federal Basic amount is $16,129 and the Alberta Basic amount is $22,323.
If you have previously filled out a tax form in which you claimed the basic personal amount and you want to continue to have the basic personal amount for the upcoming 2025 year, no action is required. If you claimed an amount that is not the basic personal amount, your situation has changed, or you want to update your tax forms, you will need to fill out a new 2025 Alberta and Federal Tax form. You can request these from your manager and once completed, hand them back to your manager who will forward them to payroll for updating. Alternatively, you can update your tax forms directly on Dayforce, by logging in and selecting the forms tab under the profile option and you will find them listed as Tax Forms. Dayforce will provide the updated 2025 tax forms on or before Jan 1, 2025, for employees to complete.
2024 Safety Reflection
As we reflect on 2024, let’s remember why health and safety matters. Staying safe allows us to keep showing up at work, enjoy vacations, create fun memories, and spend quality time with family and friends.
Be aware of dangers that could harm you or others and take steps to prevent them.
Take care of your well-being and consider how your actions impact those around you.
Lead by example—address risks before they cause harm and share your safety mindset with loved ones and coworkers to show you care and help keep them safe.