HR/Payroll Modernization: Changing the Way We Work
As the University moves forward with HR/Payroll Modernization (HR/P) which involves implementing a modern HR and payroll system, the way we do our work will change. Technology will improve capturing and sharing employee information, facilitate seamless approval processes, and allow UW to focus on more strategic activities.

To prepare for the new system, the HR/P team worked with more than 300 people from all UW units to redesign many of the University's HR and payroll processes at a high level. See the result of this intensive redesign work at the Business Process Redesign Open House tomorrow, September 12, from 11 a.m.–2 p.m. in the HUB Lyceum room. The open house will provide information about anticipated benefits, how the process redesign effort will aid in system selection, potential impacts, and next steps. Bring your colleagues, enter to win door prizes, and enjoy light refreshments.

Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction Course at IMA
Mindfulness is the practice of sustained focus, awareness of the present, self-exploration, and self-liberation with an accepting, open, and kind attitude. Practicing mindfulness can promote calmness, resilience, compassion, and expanded awareness. Scientific studies have shown decreased burnout, improved immunity, and improved athletic and academic performance. A course on Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) is being offered at the Intramural Activities Building this autumn. One section will be offered on Mondays, October 7–December 9 from 5:30–8 p.m. and another section on Tuesdays, October 8–December 3 from 6–8:30 p.m. The two classes will join for a retreat on December 7.

This is offered at $120 as a benefit to faculty, staff, and students. Learn more about MBSR and the instructor, UW Medicine Professor Emeritus Dr. Richard Berger. Access registration information online. Registration begins September 16 and an IMA membership is required. For more information contact Fitness Coordinator Anne Garrett.

Social Security: A Foundation for Your Future
A secure, comfortable retirement is everyone's dream. And now, because we're living longer, healthier lives, we expect to spend more time in retirement than our parents and grandparents did. "Social Security: A Foundation for Planning Your Future" is an informative seminar where you will gain a better understanding of how Social Security and Medicare work, hear what benefits to expect from Social Security, and find out when benefits can be available to you and your family. Presented by the Social Security Administration, this seminar will be held on Tuesday, October 15 from 11:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. at the UW Tower in Seattle. Open to UW faculty, staff, students, and retirees. Access seminar information and free registration.

UW Combined Fund Drive Campaign Kickoff
Kick off the 2013 UW Combined Fund Drive, our workplace giving campaign, by attending the Charity Fair & Silent Auction on Wednesday, October 16, from 11 a.m.–2 p.m. in the HUB north ballroom. Meet representatives from over 80 charitable nonprofits and hear about the great work they do. Enjoy refreshments, enter to win prizes, and bid on silent auction items to benefit Northwest Burn Foundation. The fair is free and open to faculty, staff, students, and retirees. Visit the UWCFD Charity Fair for details.

Dawg Dash & Husky Pups Run
Get ready for the Dawg Dash! This popular 5K run/walk or 10K run starts on Memorial Way, winds through the scenic UW campus, and finishes in Red Square. The whole family—Fido included—is invited to this long-running UW event, which raises money for student scholarship programs. Relax afterward at the Post-Dash Bash with beverages, food, and awards. During the Bash, kids 10 and younger can join Harry the Husky for the ever-popular Husky Pups Run.

When: Sunday, October 20, 2013. Pre-race instructions will be read at 8:50 a.m. at the start line.
Where: Red Square, UW Seattle campus
Register: Online

Meeting the Challenge of a New Role
Becoming a caregiver for adult dependents can happen in the blink of an eye. Sudden illness or other circumstances may throw you into this role unprepared. Learn how to prepare yourself so you can jump into action when faced with this challenge with UW CareLink’s one-hour webinar, Suddenly You Are a Caregiver, on September 17 at 9:00 a.m. and 11:00 a.m. Register at www.apshelplink.com (enter “UW” as the company code) and look for Online Seminars in the lower right hand corner of the homepage. The webinar will also be archived on the site and available for viewing by the beginning of October.

In the meantime, whether you are a caregiver for a parent, partner, spouse, sibling, child, friend, or grandparent suffering from a chronic illness or disability, UW CareLink’s September Tip Sheet has invaluable ideas for finding support and balance in this role.

Strengthening Our Relationships in the Workplace
This seminar will examine the building blocks to effective work relationships and provide tips on avoiding or disengaging from reactive and defensive patterns. By adopting a few basic rules, practicing mindful communication, and learning to repair damaged connections you can experience the benefit of stronger work relationships. Participants are encouraged to bring a lunch. Presented by Alex Smith on September 25 from noon to 1:00 p.m. in the UW Tower Auditorium. Learn more about this seminar.

Campus Flu Shot Clinics Start Next Week
The flu can quickly put your life on hold with mild to severe illness. It can spread like wildfire. The best way to prevent the flu is by getting vaccinated each year. Getaflushot.com will be visiting several campus locations to administer flu shots to faculty, staff, librarians, and retirees who are covered by a PEBB health plan and to students who are covered by a GAIP or SHIP plan. It’s easy—no appointment is necessary! Just bring your health insurance card, photo ID, and completed claim form (otherwise you may pay $30 by cash or check and seek reimbursement from your health plan).

View the entire flu clinic schedule or download a flyer here.

MammoVan to Visit Campus
Women, we know it's not always easy for you to find time to get a routine mammogram to screen for breast cancer. Now, thanks to the UW’s partnership with Seattle Cancer Care Alliance (SCCA), there's a faster and more convenient way to get screened: the MammoVan. This state-of-the-art mobile mammography service is scheduled to come to the UW Tower area on September 25 and 26 and to the Henry Art Gallery area on November 5. View the schedule and make your appointment today.

Note: Women 40+ who are enrolled by a PEBB health plan are allowed one “free” mammogram screening per calendar year when seeing an in-network provider such as SCCA. Because it's preventive, it’s covered at 100% and not subject to the medical deductible, and you pay nothing!

Also, as of July 19, 2013, the Uniform Medical Plans (Classic and CDHP) will cover screening (preventive) mammograms for women under age 40 having risk factors which increase the likelihood of developing breast cancer. Learn more about this coverage.

Fend Off the Vending Machine
Are you often tempted by the vending machine and other unhealthy options at work? UW offers a wide variety of nutritional dining experiences on and around our campuses. Learn where you can get a healthy meal.

Read Fend Off the Vending Machine to receive a few tips from Weight Watchers on how to stay in control of your food choices.

Weight Watchers Group welcomes you to join a campus group—Schmitz Hall, UW Tower, and Health Sciences—at any time!

Benefits Fairs are Coming. Save the Date!
Save the date to attend a UW Benefits Fair where you can meet plan providers and explore all the benefits available to you and your family. The UW Benefits Fairs will be held at:

• Husky Union Building—November 5
• Harborview Medical Center—November 6
• UW Medical Center & Health Sciences Building—November 7

If you can’t attend one of these fairs, you may attend a PEBB-sponsored fair, which are held off-campus and geared towards all state employees, not just UW employees.

Help Us Find You Before Open Enrollment Begins!
If your home mailing address has changed this year, be sure to update your address profile in Employee Self-Service so you receive important mailings regarding fall Open Enrollment and other health plan updates.

Like to save paper? Sign up for PEBB’s email subscription service. This service replaces some of PEBB’s general mailings (such as newsletters and reminders). To sign up, go to My Account at www.hca.wa.gov/pebb.

Find Some Answers in Your PEBB Newsletter
By now you should have received the August issue of PEBB’s For Your Benefit newsletter at your home mailing address. If not, see the previous article about keeping your address information current with UW and PEBB.

Key items found in this issue are:

• Find solutions to the three major barriers to getting quality health care.
• Learn how the Affordable Care Act will affect you.
• See how much exercise you really need for better health.

Get Ready: Open Enrollment is Coming Soon!
The Public Employees Benefits Board annual open enrollment is coming soon—November 1–30. During this time, you can make changes to your PEBB health coverage effective January 1, 2014. See what changes are coming:

• Review the Open Enrollment website
• Watch for the October issue of PEBB’s For Your Benefit newsletter. It will include a summary of changes to PEBB health plan benefits and premiums effective January 1, 2014. The newsletter should arrive in mid-to-late October via postal mail or email (if you opted into PEBB’s email subscription service).
• Review information at PEBB’s website starting in early October. The website will include information on the Affordable Care Act (ACA), medical and dental plan benefit comparisons, 2014 premiums, and more. Enrollment forms and online plan changes will be available starting November 1.

New Vendor Selected for 2014 FSA and DCAP Services
Earlier this year, the Health Care Authority solicited proposals for Flexible Spending Account (FSA) and Dependent Care Assistance Program (DCAP) services and selected Flex-Plan Services, a Bellevue-based company, as the new vendor for 2014. ASIFlex, the current vendor, will continue to serve PEBB members through 2013. More information about Flex-Plan Services and how to manage your account will be featured in the October For Your Benefit newsletter and on PEBB’s website closer to open enrollment.

Homeownership Brown Bag Seminars
Our Hometown Home Loan Program offers the following lunchtime seminars, each free of charge and open to all UW faculty and staff:

Refinancing & Using Home Equity When is the right time to refinance? Learn the advantages of using cash from your home, how to consolidate or avoid debt, and how to distinguish the difference between a home equity loan and line of credit. Offered at UW Tower on September 17 or at Health Sciences on September 19.

Understanding Credit Do you know why credit history is important when getting ready to refinance your home? Learn how to clean up your credit history and fix reporting errors. Offered at South Lake Union on October 31.

Protecting Your Identity Learn how to safeguard your personal information, avoid online identity theft, protect your financial credit, restore your identity, and manage the loss of identity when it occurs. Co-presented by HomeStreet and nonprofit American Financial Solutions. Offered at UW Tower on October 22.

Access event information and registration at the HomeStreet site.

Homeownership Counseling
Thinking of buying or refinancing a home but not sure how to get started? Why not schedule a personal homeownership counseling session with an Affinity Loan Officer who can walk you through the process? These 30-minute, one-on-one sessions are free, private, and informative. Your spouse, partner, or potential co-signer is welcome to attend with you. Access seminar information and registration.

Meet a Planning and Guidance Consultant

Whether your retirement is years away or just around the corner, you can schedule a free, one-on-one consultation with a Fidelity consultant or a TIAA-CREF representative in a way that works best for you, by phone or in person. Take advantage of this opportunity to:

• Ask questions about saving for retirement and other goals
• Evaluate investment choices that meet your needs
• Create an action plan to stay on track for retirement
• Review retirement income options

Get started today!

Multi-Goal Planning Workshops
Join Fidelity Investments for a complimentary multi-goal planning workshop to get the guidance you need on how to actively evaluate your investment portfolio, build a tax-smart investing strategy as you begin to think about saving outside of your workplace savings plan, and prioritize, budget, and save for other nonretirement savings goals.

Confident Investing in Any Market Learn how to evaluate whether you have the right mix of investments, assess factors that impact portfolio performance, and identify different investments to help reduce taxes. Offered on October 9 at South Lake Union and October 15 at Harborview Medical Center.

Designing Your Financial Roadmap Learn how to design a financial roadmap to help you achieve your savings goals, establish a budget and manage debt, and balance and prioritize other nonretirement goals such as college planning. Offered on September 19 at Health Sciences, October 31 at Harborview Medical Center, and November 12 at South Lake Union.

Access workshop information and free registration.

Getting on the Right Path with Your Workplace Savings Plan
Are you on track to meet your retirement goals? How can you maximize your savings opportunities? Whether or not you are already enrolled in your workplace savings plan, now is a great time to take a closer look at the benefits your plan has to offer.

Join Fidelity Investments at this free workshop where you will learn how to:

• Balance your spending, saving, and debt
• Set goals and develop a plan to reach them
• Estimate how much to save for retirement and set your contribution rate

This seminar will be offered at various campus locations from September 26 to November 15. Access workshop information and free registration.

Financial Yoga: Stretching Your Hard-Earned Dollars
Stretching a paycheck is more important than ever. Learn tips that will help you gain control of your finances and reduce financial stress. Presented by School Employees Credit Union on September 27 at the UW Tower and October 29 at Harborview Medical Center. Access free event registration and information.

Social Media and Your Child’s Financial Future
Social media can help or hurt your child’s chances of getting into college, landing a job, and gaining financial independence. Focusing on Facebook, you’ll learn effective strategies for your child and the top 10 social media mistakes to avoid. Presented by School Employees Credit Union. Offered at various locations starting October 8. Access seminar registration.

Credit Reporting 101
Worried if your credit is good enough to refinance your home, or get that RV, boat, or new car? Learn how the credit bureaus develop your credit score and come away with valuable tips to help you get the most from your creditworthiness. Get to know what affects your credit, learn why your scores may differ, find out how to get a free report, and learn five easy steps to a better score. Presented by Washington State Employees Credit Union on October 17 at Health Sciences. Access seminar registration.

Scams, Shams & Identity Theft
Identity theft is a continual threat that catches people unaware. Come to this seminar to learn how to better protect yourself, your money, and your personal information. A representative from Washington State Employee Credit Union will explain how identity theft happens, offer ways to help prevent it from happening to you, plus educate you on ways to protect yourself from scammers. For those affected by fraud or identity theft, WSECU offers advice and support to help you make a full recovery and restoration of your good name. Offered at various campus locations starting October 24. Access seminar registration.

Quarterly Market Update for Active Investors
Do you enjoy keeping a pulse on the market? Have recent changes in the markets impacted your investment strategy? Join Fidelity Investments for an exclusive look at what's driving the economy, the financial markets, domestic and international stock performance, and bond market interest rates. Offered on October 31 at Health Sciences, room T-639. Access event information and registration.

Retirement Income Series: Preparing to Retire
Join Fidelity Investments for these complimentary retirement planning workshops, where you will get the guidance you need to build a solid income plan, develop strategies to help you generate lifetime income, and help you preserve your retirement savings.

Preparing Your Savings for Retirement At this workshop, offered on October 11 at the UW Tower, you will learn how to evaluate Social Security, determine health care costs in retirement, and plan expenses and strategies to fill the gap.

Shifting From Saving for Spending At this workshop, offered on October 18 at the UW Tower, you will take a deep dive into investment strategies, asset allocation in retirement, and portfolio withdrawal rates.

Preserving Your Savings for Future Generations At this workshop, offered on November 1 at the UW Tower, you will learn key estate planning tools, the importance of beneficiary designations, and gifting and insurance replacement strategies.

Access workshop information and free registration.

Ready to Retire?
If you’re thinking of retiring within the next 12 months, and you want to prepare a sound strategy, consider attending a free retirement workshop based on your current retirement plan and/or eligibility. Access workshop information and free registration.

• Retiring from UW Retirement Plan (UWRP)—October 2, 9, and 23
• Retiring from Public Employee Retirement System (PERS)—September 26 and October 8 and 24

Remember, you must apply for PEBB retiree benefits (or deferral of insurance) within 60 days after UW-paid or COBRA coverage ends. If you miss that deadline, you will have to go back to work to re-qualify for PEBB retiree coverage.

Professional & Organizational Development (POD) courses are open to all UW employees, subject to supervisor/budgetary approval and UW’s release time policy. Please view our policy page for more information.

Autumn Registration is Open!
With 40 fall classes being offered for UW staff, there’s something for everyone! Check out new offerings, such as Directing and Delegating Work and The Likeability Factor, as well as classes typically offered just once a year, including Managing Stress and Building on Emotional Intelligence: Transforming Communication Through Empathy. Also, don’t miss out on fall favorites like Business Email Etiquette and Management, Communications, Process Improvement Tools, Turning Negative Emotions Into Positive Outcomes, and Writing Minutes and Meeting Notes. Check out POD’s fall line-up.

Upgrade Your Microsoft Skills With POD Webinars
Boost your computer skills with 90-minute webinars on Microsoft Access, Excel, Outlook, Visio, and Word. These dynamic live webinars include advance distribution of the slides beforehand and a link to a recording afterward, so you can access and review the content at your convenience. Register now to gear up for the academic year! View webinar schedule.

Turn Your Career Goals Into Accomplishments
As you and your department prepare for fall quarter, you may find yourself falling into the same old routine. One-on-one career counseling can give you a fresh start by providing direction, focus, and momentum for your career growth and professional goals. Training and Organizational Development Consultant Susan Templeton offers a variety of tools and strategies for evaluating your strengths, assessing your career fit, exploring your career path, and planning for career success. Sessions are $95 per one-hour session if paid with a UW budget number (with supervisor approval) or $109.82 if paid with cash, check, or credit card (due to a mandatory institutional overhead fee). Learn more about career counseling.

SafeCampus Training Available
Registration is available now for violence prevention and response training in October, November, and December. Sessions are 50 minutes, free, and open to staff, faculty, and students. Please register for one of these sessions:

• Tuesday, October 15, at 10 a.m. in the Allen Library Auditorium
• Wednesday, November 20, at 1:30 p.m. in HUB 214
• Thursday, December 5, at 10 a.m. in the UW Tower Auditorium

New School Year Safety
September will bring new students, faculty, and staff to our academic campuses. Many new arrivals will come with new phones, laptops, or bicycles and may not be aware of all the services at UW to stay safe. Here are few tips and resources:

• Register bicycles and electronics (phones, computers, etc.) with the UWPD.
• Be aware of your surroundings at all times. Many people walk around campus listening to headphones or talking on the phone. Consider turning down the volume and limiting talk time.
• Keep electronic items such as cell phones in your pocket, out of sight.
• As days get shorter, consider walking with friends whenever possible, especially after dark, or using the UWPD walking escort service.

When there are incidents on campus or around the UW, the police department sends out email notifications that a criminal incident occurred. These notifications contain information about the incident, how to contact law enforcement, and reminders on how to stay safe.

UW Discount Special & Fall Attractions at the Burke
Did you know that as a UW employee you receive a 28% discount off a family level membership at the Burke Museum of Natural History & Culture, located on the UW Seattle campus? This means you can bring your family to see new Burke exhibits and participate in family day programs for just $54 a year or $2.25 a paycheck. And if you join before September 30 and enter the promotional code UWFAM13, you'll receive a bonus free month of membership!

Here's what's happening at the Burke this fall:

• Fun family day programs: Bug Blast (September 22), Birds at the Burke (October 19), and Meet the Mammals (November 16)
• Exciting exhibits: Empowering Women: Artisan Cooperatives that Transform Communities and Elwha: A River Reborn (opening in November)
• Members' preview party: Members get a sneak peek of Elwha: A River Reborn before it opens to the public!

Membership pays for itself in just three visits and with these six great reasons to visit the Burke this fall, you'll be glad you joined! Visit the Burke site to learn more and join online.

Self-Defense Courses at the IMA
A 6-session Self-Defense for Women course will be offered at the IMA this autumn quarter on Thursdays, October 10–November 14, from 4–5:15 p.m. Participants will discuss and practice non-physical skills including awareness, assertiveness, and boundary setting. Participants will learn simple techniques to increase options and build confidence. Instructor Jennifer McClearen is a black belt and experienced martial arts and self-defense teacher.

A 10-session Self-Defense course will be offered to both men and women on Mondays and Wednesdays, October 7–November 6, from 5–6 p.m. This course will teach self-defense through Krav Maga, a method that teaches simple self-protection techniques, specifically catered to reality-based situations. Participants will learn how to instinctively respond to a variety of aggressive acts.

Registration begins on September 16. Access registration details online.