New HR Web Resource: Flu Q&A
Be prepared for working through flu season. Read UWHR’s Guide for Employees during Flu Season to find answers to common questions on when to stay home from work, telework options, leave use, and what to do if you need to stay home to care for a loved one. Supervisors and managers should also see UWHR’s Guide for Managing through Flu Season.

Tender Loving Care
"This program was a life-saver many, many times when I just simply could not take time off from work when my child (or both children) was sick." —a grateful parent

Fall is here and children are back in school, sniffles and coughs will not be far behind. If your child is mildly ill and between one and 12 years old, you can find sick child care through Tender Loving Care (TLC) at Virginia Mason Medical Center.

The University underwrites the entire daily fee for UW benefits-eligible faculty and staff working .50 FTE or more and academic student employees. Families pay only a one-time registration fee of $5 per child. Be prepared for illness by submitting a registration form and Consent for Care form in advance. Then, when your child becomes ill, simply call TLC to reserve a space and to discuss your child’s needs with the TLC staff.

Prepare for the Flu Season!
On-campus seasonal flu shot clinics will return in November once vaccine supplies are replenished. All UW faculty and staff with PEBB medical plan coverage (including Group Health Cooperative) will be eligible to attend. The UWellness flu page will be updated with dates and locations once the flu shot clinics are scheduled.

UW Combined Fund Drive Charity Fair Today
Today’s charity fair kicks off the 25th anniversary of our workplace giving campaign, the UW Combined Fund Drive. Join us from 11 a.m - 1 p.m. in Mary Gates Hall Commons to meet representatives from more than 75 charities, including: Habitat for Humanity, Seattle Humane Society, ArtsFund, EarthShare Washington, United Way of King County, Northwest Harvest, Ronald McDonald House of Washington and Alaska, Outdoors for All, Community Health Charities, Summit Assistance Dogs, Urban Rest Stop, Planned Parenthood of the Great Northwest, University District Food Bank. Learn about their programs and volunteer opportunities and enter to win door prizes.

Bring new men's and women's underwear in all sizes to our underwear drive, Mission: Undercover, to benefit homeless youth supported by the YouthCare Orion Center and University District Youth Center now through November 18. Check with your CFD coordinator or contact the UWCFD office for donation drop-off locations. Campaign and event details.

UW Benefits Fair
Make the most of your UW benefits! Attend a Benefits Fair to ask questions and compare plans so you feel confident about taking full advantage of the benefits available to you and your dependents. See dates, times, and locations for the Benefits Fair.

For questions regarding the Benefits Fair, contact benefits@uw.edu.

FINAL SESSION: Moving Forward After Layoffs—Rebuilding & Renewal, A Special Workshop for Continuing Employees
Join Sue Covey in an interactive presentation exploring strategies and guidelines for navigating this period of transition. Access course information and registration.

Family Caregiver Network
You are not alone. UW faculty and staff who are providing care to adult loved ones meet the last Tuesday of every month to discuss the frustrations, challenges, and successes of caregiving. The Family Caregiver Network will provide you with information and encouragement. The next meeting is Tuesday, October 27. To register or check for later meeting dates and locations, visit the WorkLife webpage.

Medical and Dental Plan Changes for 2010
The Public Employee Benefits Board (PEBB) approved several changes to employee premiums, members’ costs for benefits, and eligibility. These changes take effect January 1, 2010. See a summary of benefit changes.

If you have family members enrolled in your health plan, you should have received a letter from the Public Employees Benefits Board (PEBB) about eligibility rules. The letter included an important form for you to complete to either remove ineligible family members or provide proof of eligibility. The form needs to be completed by the end of annual open enrollment—November 30, 2009. The PEBB will disenroll all covered family members from the account in early 2010 for subscribers who do not respond. See further details.

For questions regarding any of the benefits topics above, contact benefits@uw.edu.

Diversify Your Investment Plan
Learn how to choose an investment mix for your retirement plan that’s consistent with your goals and risk tolerance. Access seminar information and registration.

Retirement Plan Check-ups
Concerned about your retirement investments? Schedule a free appointment with a Calvert, Fidelity, TIAA-CREF, or Vanguard representative to review your asset allocations, savings objectives, and risk tolerance against your current portfolio. Appointments are available in-person or by phone. Your spouse/partner is welcome to attend.

Annual PERS Statements to be Mailed Soon
This November, staff enrolled in PERS 1, 2, or 3 retirement plans, will receive their 2009 Annual PERS Statement from the Department of Retirement Systems (DRS). Because statements will be mailed directly to PERS member homes, please verify your mailing address in Employee Self Service. If you do not receive your statement by the end of the year, please call DRS customer service at 360-664-7000 or 1-800-547-6657.

Proofreading and Editing
If correcting and improving your own and others' writing is a core function of your job, you may benefit from learning proofreading techniques and symbols and discovering when and how to apply different levels of editing in this two-day class. Access course information and registration.

Creating the Future with Planning Tools
Whether you're planning for a future event or objective for yourself or your team, this four-hour class will show you how to take the principles of future-based planning and distill them into a set of steps that you can start to follow right away. Access course information and registration.

Time Management
Take half a day to improve your time management skills and feel more productive and less stressed at work. In this class, you'll evaluate how your time is spent, learn prioritization techniques, and review time-saving methods. Access course information and registration.

Career Transition
If you're a UW employee who has been notified of a layoff or reduction in hours, you're eligible for three 45-minute career counseling sessions with the UW’s Career Development Manager. To get started and schedule your first appointment, send an email to uwcardev@uw.edu.

Homeownership 101: Managing Your Mortgage
Whether you're buying your first home or want advice on using home equity or refinancing, UW's Hometown Home Loan Program partner, HomeStreet Bank, offers free, lunchtime seminars to educate you. Access seminar information and registration.

Also, get your mortgage questions answered through free half-hour pre-qualification appointments held monthly at various locations. Visit HomeStreet Bank to see where they will be next and to register.

The Hometown Home Loan Program offers reduced fees on mortgages for University of Washington faculty and staff buying or refinancing anywhere in the Puget Sound region. All benefits-eligible UW faculty and staff members may apply. Learn more about the program.

Make the Most of Your Benefits
Are you taking advantage of your health plans? The latest issue of UWellness directs you to seasonal flu clinics, health risk assessments, dental care, and open enrollment news. Also, you'll find wellness tools, ways to stretch your food budget, and more.

Adult Eldercare Consultations
You feel that you should be doing something about your loved one’s present situation... but how do you begin the conversation and what are the available options? WorkLife staff are available to consult with UW faculty and staff about their personal caregiving situation and can provide information about various resource options. Email WorkLife at worklife@uw.edu to schedule an individual consultation.

The Resource Center
William Bridges classic book Transitions: Making Sense of Life’s Changes presents strategies for coping with difficult, painful, and confusing times of change through which most of us struggle. This classic book shows how making a successful transition lets you recognize and seize new opportunities...and all in just a little over 150 pages!

Check out this and other self-care books in the WorkLife Resource Center. To request a book from the WorkLife Resource Center, email worklife@uw.edu.

Choose a Healthy Lifestyle Right Here On Campus
Find out about the state-of-the-art exercise facilities and equipment available to UW faculty and staff through IMA Memberships. Check your campus mailbox for a special introductory offer.

Get Involved!
Affinity groups are supported by the UW as a means of recruiting and retaining a diverse faculty and staff. If you are interested in building community or fostering connections with other faculty and staff at the UW, we invite you to get involved with one of our faculty and staff affinity groups. Check out the overall affinity group web page to find out about the various groups and their activities.

Workplace Violence: Know the Warning Signs
The tragic murder of a graduate student at Yale University last month reminds us of the importance of recognizing behaviors that can be precursors to violence. Become familiar with signs of distress and know what UW resources are here to help those in need. Want to learn more? Register to attend a free SafeCampus training session for an overview of the signs of, and appropriate responses to, potentially violent individuals and situations.

Explore the Heavens at the UW Planetarium
How big is the universe? What is it made of? How many stars are there? Are there other planets out there like earth? Come learn the answers to these and other questions at the UW's very own planetarium. Access event information and registration.

Giving Back: Tips for Volunteering
Giving Back: Tips for Volunteering is the latest UW CareLink Tip Sheet. Filled with useful suggestions and information, it’s just in time for UW’s CFD Charity Fair today.