Introduction
Along with the ESS Hub's Primary Features, additional features and functions may be available to employees based on their employer's suite of services with Empeon. Access to these features depends on the employer's discretion.
Employees seeking confirmation of the availability of these features should check with their HR or Payroll department. For employers or Empeon Workforce Users needing more information on how to activate these additional ESS features, please refer to Empeon's article Request & Approvals.
ESS Hub Inbox & Chat
All employees have access to the ESS Hub Inbox, which serves as a direct communication channel between the employer and the employee. An additional feature that complements this is the Chat feature, available to clients enrolled in Empeon's HR Premium package.
The Chat feature provides a real-time messaging platform, facilitating instant communication between employer and employee. While the ESS Hub Inbox functions like an email inbox, the Chat feature offers a more immediate, instant messaging experience when both features are active.
Profile Editing
In addition to viewing information within their Employee Profile, Workforce Administrators can also grant employees with the permissions to edit this information as well. Employee self-management can be particularly beneficial and timesaving for Employer Administrators when employees need to make changes to items like their contact information, direct deposit account(s) or tax filing status. When granted access employees will see an "Edit" button in the top right of the respective section they wish to edit.
The ability to edit profile information can be configured so that changes are either instantly updated within the system or submitted to employer administrators for review. The review process, particularly for sensitive items like tax information and direct deposit details, helps ensure the accuracy and correctness of the changes made by employees.
For example, with Direct Deposit, employees can add multiple accounts with varying amounts or percentages. However, if the order of these accounts is not set up correctly, it can lead to issues when payments are made. This is why a review process is beneficial, ensuring that the setup aligns with the employee's intentions and avoids potential payment errors.
With Taxes in particular, any changes made to federal taxes by the employee will automatically populate a new W4 form for the employee to sign and have stored within the system. For clients utilizing Tax Map, tax changes will always require an approval process so that the reviewer can ensure the changes are accurate.
Timecard
For organizations using Empeon's time and attendance feature, employees will have access to a Timecard tab on the left-hand menu. It is here where employees can view their recorded hours for both past and present pay periods. Based on permissions set by the employer, employees may also be able to make a "fix" request for missed or inaccurate punch records. Timecard adjustment requests require the employee to leave a comment before sending the changes to the employer for approval.
Employers also have the option to allow employees to clock in and out using ESS Hub. If the employer chooses to activate this feature, employees will see the option to clock in and out on the Home Dashboard of the ESS Hub portal.
Time Off
Employers tracking their accrual policies (PTO, Vacation, Sick, etc.) in Empeon have the option to display their employees’ accrual balances in ESS Hub. If the Employer activates this feature, employees will see their accrual balance in the home dashboard screen. Employers also have the option to turn on the ability for employees to request time off using ESS Hub. If activated, a tab on the lefthand menu for Time Off will be available. In this section employees can view their accrual balances and submit time off requests. Employees can also view the status of their upcoming time off requests as well as past dates where time off was taken.
Reimbursement
Another useful feature an employer can activate is the ability for employees to request reimbursements within the ESS portal. If this feature is activated, there will be a tab on the left-hand menu for Reimbursements where employees can go to submit a reimbursement request while also view any pending, approved, or denied reimbursements that have been made.
Schedule
For organizations utilizing Empeon's shift scheduling feature, there will be an additional tab on the left-hand menu for an employee to review their Schedule. On this tab employees can view their assigned schedule and also check for any available open shifts posted by their employer. Open shifts can be requested by an employee and will be added to an employee’s schedule when approved by management. Employees can also be notified of open shifts in their ESS Inbox.
