Special Open Enrollment for Premium Surcharges: Take Action between April 1-May 15
Last year, the Legislature established two new premium surcharges to go into effect July 1, 2014:

Tobacco Use Premium Surcharge
A monthly $25-per-account surcharge will be required in addition to your premium if you or any enrolled family member uses a tobacco product (even if the family member does not live with you). If more than one enrolled family member uses tobacco products, you will not pay more than $25 per month. Learn more about this surcharge.

Spouse/Domestic Partner Coverage Premium Surcharge
A $50-per-month surcharge will be required in addition to your premium if you have a spouse or domestic partner enrolled on your PEBB medical coverage, and your spouse or domestic partner has chosen not to enroll in his or her employer's medical coverage that is comparable in premiums and benefits to Uniform Medical Plan (UMP) Classic. Learn more about this surcharge.

If you have a spouse or domestic partner enrolled in PEBB medical plan, take the Spousal Plan Questionnaire to determine if you need to gather information on your spouse or domestic partner’s employer-sponsored medical coverage.

The Washington State Health Care Authority (HCA)/Public Employees Benefits Board (PEBB) is implementing these surcharges through “My Account,” an online tool that lets you access your PEBB coverage information any time, and during Open Enrollments like this, it allows you to take important actions.

If you have not already created a PEBB account, you should register for My Account now. Paper forms, with special handling instructions, will be available from the HCA for employees who do not have computer access.

You can respond to these surcharges through My Account starting April 1, 2014. If you don't respond to the HCA/PEBB by May 15, 2014, you will pay premium surcharges starting July 1, 2014.

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 additional information.

Spring Training Made Easy
Registration is open for dozens of spring training classes! Make plans now for April classes, including Cultivating Cultural Competence, Designing the End-User Experience, Emotional Intelligence, Project Management for the Non-Project Manager, and Turning Negative Emotions Into Positive Outcomes. New offerings this quarter include Building Better Teams and the webinars Creating Engaging Presentations With Prezi, Google Docs & Drive (Advanced), and Microsoft Access Techniques (Intermediate). Access upcoming classes and events.

Spring Break for Support Staff
Ready for a break? Take a day away from the office, connect with peers, and enjoy the great food and beautiful waterfront setting offered by Bell Harbor International Conference Center at this all-day event for support professionals. Choose from workshops covering a variety of topics, including influence, negotiation skills, dealing with difficult people and situations, and increasing your energy. Register for the Support Professionals Spring Retreat.

Spring Cleaning for Your Career
Is it time to freshen up your career? One-on-one career counseling can help you unearth your unique skillset, polish your resumé, and add some sparkle to your success and satisfaction at work. Sessions with Training and Organizational Development Consultant Susan Templeton 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.

The Whole U is Ready for Spring! Who’s With Us?
It may still be winter officially, but The Whole U is ready for spring with great events, discounts, and articles. Explore the Whole U website to find something new to try this month, such as:

Scavenger Hunt—Form your team for The Whole U Scavenger Hunt on April 11 and April 12! Navigate campus, unlock clues, and answer UW trivia questions to win giveaways and be entered to win the grand prize! Spans all three campuses, friends and family welcome.

Unique Events—You can find discounted tickets for arts and entertainment events around the greater Seattle area by selecting Tickets & Events on The Whole U Discounts page. For example, you’ll find Celtic Woman (an all-female Irish musical ensemble) on March 25, Sesame Street Live May 2-4, and discounts on the amazing performances that take place on campus through UW World Series.

Mindful Parenting—If you are a parent, you won’t want to miss this special seminar just for UW faculty and staff. Join Liliana Lengua, director of the Center for Child and Family Well-Being and professor of Psychology, and Suzanne Kerns, assistant professor, Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, for a presentation on Mindful Parenting. The conference room can only accommodate 50 participants so register early for this free event on Thursday, April 10 from noon-1 p.m.

Cooking Secrets—The Whole U Cooking Series kicks off Thursday, April 10 from 5:30-7 p.m. at the new Chef’s Table in Local Point. Executive Chef for UW Dining Tracey MacRae will demonstrate her skill in putting together a vegetarian dish you can prepare at home. Join us to socialize, watch a culinary pro up close, hear from UW dieticians about the science behind the meal, and taste some delicious food. The Chef’s Table can only accommodate 50 participants so register early!

Getting Active with Your Colleagues—Join The Whole U and Laura Houston, Chi running coach and UW researcher, on Wednesday, April 2 for a lunchtime walk in celebration of the American Heart Association’s National Walking Day. The 30-minute walk will start in Red Square at noon. Register now and you’ll be entered to win raffle prizes. Or register for the 9th Annual Bothell 5K Run. The race takes place on Saturday, May 10 and benefits UW Bothell student scholarships. Need a Spring Reset? Join ICA staff and student athletes for lunchtime yoga in HecEd. Yoga classes are led by JasYoga. The spring session runs from March 10-April 30, Mondays/Wednesdays noon-1 p.m. $176 for 16 sessions or $88 for 8 sessions. No registration required. Just bring your mat and payment to your first class.

Lunchtime Seminars in the UW Tower Auditorium
UW CareLink presents the spring 2014 seminar series. These sessions focus on common areas of concern on the home front and ways to stay healthy amid workplace stress. Please join us for one or all of the sessions, and feel free to bring your lunch! All sessions are held in the UW Tower Auditorium from noon to 1 p.m.

Add these to your calendar now and follow the links to register!

• Changing Relationships: You and Your Aging Parent/Relative—Wednesday, April 23
• Teaching Children to Embrace Cultural and Racial Differences—Wednesday, May 28
• Creating Resiliency in the Face of Stress—Thursday, June 26

Webinar: Celebrating Midlife
With a little preparation, midlife can be the best time of your life. Learn how to find your passion, explore encore careers, consider dating, and deal with empty nest syndrome and boomerang kids.

This one-hour webinar will be presented on March 18 at 12:00 p.m. and 2:00 p.m. ET. You must pre-register at least one hour before the presentation. Visit apshelplink.com (enter “UW” as the company code) and visit the Online Seminars section. Register by clicking on the session of your choice.

Tips: Dealing with an Empty Nest
In conjunction with this month’s webinar topic, UW CareLink’s tip sheet offers some suggestions for adjusting to daily life for you and your children, in preparation for their moving out. The first step is to plan ahead while your child is still at home, giving him or her opportunities for decision-making, autonomy, and responsibility. For your own preparation, make more plans with friends away from the home, find your interests and hobbies, and get involved. These are just a few examples that will help both you and your children ease into your new chapters.

PEBB to Offer New Wellness Incentive Program: Take Action between April 1-June 30

The PEBB/HCA is offering a new Wellness Incentive Program called "SmartHealth" that goes into effect January 1, 2015. The program offers a wellness incentive with the simple goal of motivating its members (you) to get or stay healthy, improve their well-being and productivity, and lower health care costs for everyone.

While the exact incentive amount is pending state budget approval, here's what's planned so far:

• $125 discount off your PEBB medical deductible in 2015 (if not enrolled in a consumer-directed health plan); OR
• The PEBB program will contribute an additional $125 in your health savings account in 2015 (if enrolled in a consumer-directed health plan and a health savings account).

To earn the PEBB wellness incentive, you must attest between April 1 and June 30, 2014 that you have done three things:

1. Chosen a primary care provider (see next article).
2. Completed your PEBB medical plan's health assessment (see article below).
3. Started a wellness program activity. (HCA will provide details on these activities in the letter you will receive this month.)

Read more about the new Wellness Incentive.

Have You Chosen a Primary Care Provider?
Selecting a primary care provider (PCP) is the right thing to do for your health! With a PCP, you get care from someone who knows you and can coordinate your care if you need specialty treatment. You're also more likely to get preventive care screenings when you have a primary care provider, and less likely to visit the emergency room. Think of a PCP as your personal care provider—the one person who knows the most about your health history and can provide or recommend services based on your needs. And while choosing a PCP is not required of all plans, it's required if you want to earn wellness incentives. Designate your PCP by June 30, 2014, and you will be one step closer to qualifying for a $125 incentive next year! In addition, Uniform Medical Plan enrollees can earn 15,000 possible lifetime reward points.

To designate a PCP, visit your plan’s website and choose “Provider Search.”

Take Your 2014 Health Assessment by June 30

Uniform Medical Plan’s “Health Counts”
Health Counts offers you tools, encouragement, and rewards to help you improve or maintain your health. When you engage in healthy behaviors and participate in Health Counts, you earn points and gift cards—up to $85 worth, provided that you complete a Health Assessment by June 30, 2014. Health Counts is open to all adult UMP enrollees, including spouses and children ages 18 and older. Get started now!

Group Health Cooperative Plan’s “Health Profile”
As a Group Health member, you can get a jump on better health with an online report that assesses your risks and offers ways to improve your health. To access the Health Profile, you must first register on “MyGroupHealth for Members” so you have access to your personal online services. Choose Health Profile after you log in to your secure home page. Get started now!

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. 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 be in the UW Tower vicinity on May 6. View the 2014 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, so you pay nothing!

Also, the Uniform Medical Plans (Classic and CDHP) covers screening (preventive) mammograms for women under age 40 with risk factors that increase the likelihood of developing breast cancer. Learn more about this coverage.

UW Home Improvement Fair is April 10
What’s on your home project list? Need a little more motivation and inspiration? Come to the UW Home Improvement Fair for creative ideas to transform, improve, and update your living spaces. Chat with interior designers, home-efficiency specialists, and other experts. Enjoy refreshments and enter to win door prizes, including a chance to win a Kindle Fire!

Drop by the Fair on Thursday, April 10 between 10 a.m.-3 p.m. at HUB Lyceum, room 160.

Learn more at HomeStreet.

This event is sponsored by HomeStreet Bank, a partner of the UW Benefits Hometown Home Loan Program. All expenses are paid by HomeStreet Bank and participating exhibitors.

What’s Your Next Move?
HomeStreet offers free lunchtime seminars to help you learn about a variety of homeownership issues related to budgeting, buying, remodeling, refinancing, and selling your home.

• Buying a Condominium—Learn the pros and cons of condo ownership, how to find the right community, and how to secure the right financing. Offered on March 18 at the UW Tower and March 27 at Harborview.
• Selling in a Hot Market—This seminar will cover how to assemble your sales team, stage your home for the best impression, assess fixes to make before listing, and pricing strategies. Offered on March 20 at Health Sciences.
• Refinancing & Using Home Equity—When is it a good 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 April 16 and at South Lake Union on April 24.

Access free event registration and information.

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 March 20 from 11:30 a.m.-1:00 p.m. at the UW Tower in Seattle. Open to UW faculty, staff, students, and retirees. Access seminar information and free registration.

my Social Security
At each stage of your life, my Social Security is for you. This personal online account is a valuable source of information beginning in your working years and continuing throughout the time you receive Social Security benefits. Even if you aren’t receiving benefits now, you can still use your online account to:

• View your Social Security statement. (Note: these are no longer mailed out.)
• Get estimates on retirement, disability, and survivors benefits.
• See your earnings record.
• Find estimated Social Security and Medicare taxes you’ve paid.

Ready to Retire?
If you're planning to retire from the UW within the next 12 months, be sure to attend a free retirement workshop to help you plan for this major milestone. Each workshop is geared toward your specific retirement plan—UWRP, PERS, TRS, or LEOFF. Topics include arranging details for retirement, tailoring your benefits to best meet retirement income needs, and continuing your health plans. Timelines, forms, and procedures are also covered—plus you’ll receive all of the materials necessary to file for retirement.

The next available workshops will be held on:

• Retiring from UW Retirement Plan (UWRP)—March 18 and 24; April 9, 17, and 23; also May 7, 15, 21, and 28
• Retiring from Public Employee Retirement System (PERS)—April 8 and 24; also May 13 and 22

Access workshop information and free registration.

Note: You must apply for PEBB retiree benefits (or insurance deferral) 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.

Resources for Free or Reduced-cost Tax Preparation and Advice
Spring is almost here! And while you may be gathering garden tools and selecting bulbs to plant, you’re likely gathering files, documents, and receipts to prepare your 2013 federal taxes, too. To give you a boost with this year’s taxes, we’ve gathered a number of resources to help. First, be sure to check with your credit union as many now offer free or reduced-cost access to tax preparation software and discounts on professional services. See a list of helpful resources.

Credit Union Seminars
The UW has partnered with two local credit unions to help you learn more about managing your finances. The following lunchtime seminars are free!

Scams, Shams & Identity Theft—Identity theft is a continual threat that catches people unaware. This workshop will bring you up-to-date on the latest statistics, explain how identity theft happens, offer ways to prevent having it from happening to you, and educate you on ways to protect yourself from scammers. For those affected by fraud or identity theft, we offer advice and support to help you make a full recovery and restoration of your good name. Come to this seminar so you can better protect yourself, your money, and your personal information. Offered on April 8 at Harborview Medical Center and April 17 at UW Tacoma.

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. Offered on April 1 at Health Sciences and April 16 at Bothell.

Financial Yoga—In today’s tough economic climate, stretching your hard-earned dollars is more important than ever. Learn tips that will help you gain control of your finances and reduce financial stress. Offered on May 14 at Seattle, UW Tower.

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. Offered on May 7 at South Lake Union.

Access free event registration and information.

Make-A-Wish® Invites Air Mile Donation
When confined to a hospital bed, children often wish to be somewhere else. A girl wishes to fly with Peter Pan. A boy dreams of a tropical bug hunt. A four-year-old wants to meet a baseball star.

Since its inception, Make-A-Wish Alaska and Washington has granted more than 5,400 wishes to local children with life-threatening medical conditions. A wish trip brings life-changing moments that take the emphasis off a child’s diagnosis and gives families a joyful event to cherish.

You can help bring wishes to life! If you have unused frequent flyer miles with a Make-A-Wish airline partner (Alaska, Delta, United, or US Airways), donate them to local wish families through the Wishes in Flight® drive. Wishes in Flight runs for the month of March only and is the result of a unique teaming of the UW Combined Fund Drive and Make-A-Wish Alaska and Washington.

Our goal for the drive is to collect one million miles. Donate your miles to help a child’s wish take flight!

Attend the Distinguished Staff Award Reception
The entire UW community is invited to the Distinguished Staff Award reception honoring individual and team nominees on Thursday, April 3, from 2:00-3:30 p.m. in the HUB Ballroom. Come to this festive event and celebrate your colleagues who have exemplified excellence in their work. The festivities will open with UW leaders speaking on the incredible contributions of the nominees. Learn more on the Distinguished Staff Award site.

Paws-on Science: Husky Weekend at Pacific Science Center
Huskies of all ages are invited to join UW researchers for hands-on activities and exhibits at Paws-on Science April 4-6 at Pacific Science Center. There’ll be science-minded fun for the whole family, from building and racing solar-powered cars to using a germ detector to talking like a dinosaur. Plus, enjoy special appearances by Harry the Husky, the Husky Marching Band, the Cheer Squad and Dubs.

UW students, faculty, staff, alumni, and their guests receive a 22% discount on general exhibit admission. Just show your Husky Card or your UW Alumni Association Member Card.

R.A.D.: Free Self-Defense Training for Women
The University of Washington Police Department (UWPD) is offering free self-defense training in April on Thursday evenings and Saturday mornings. The program trains women in Rape Aggression Defense (RAD), simple yet effective self-defense designed for women on university and college campuses. The program teaches realistic measures to take that do not require special skills, years of practice, or any particular level of fitness.

The UWPD offers RAD for free to community members, including faculty, students, and staff as well as our neighbors in the University District. Class participants praise the class for “inspiring” them and helping make them feel “much more confident” and “empowered.” Students have told us they are proud that they completed the simulation training. Choose from two sessions:

• Thursday evenings, April 10, 17, and 24, 5:30 p.m.-9:30 p.m.
• Saturday mornings, April 12, 19, and 26, 9:00 a.m.-1:00 p.m.
• For both sessions, the simulation class is on May 3, and is optional.

Participants must be able to attend all three instruction classes. Register online. For more information, email Sherri Vansickle or call 206-543-0507.

New, Modern HR/Payroll System Coming to UW
The University received the green light from the Board of Regents to move forward with its HR/Payroll Modernization (HR/P) project, which will replace UW's 32-year-old payroll system with a modern HR and payroll technology solution provided by Workday. The project began on March 3 and will take approximately 22 months to complete. In addition to a new system, HR/P will change and simplify the way many of UW's HR and payroll processes are completed.

All faculty and staff will eventually interact with the new system. Faculty, staff, and student employees will use a new web page to quickly access earning statements, leave balances, and time-off requests; view and change direct deposits and W2 withholdings; and change personal information, such as contact information and benefits selections. Managers and supervisors will be able to easily review employee schedules, approve time-off requests, track credentials, and recommend training opportunities for staff. As the project moves forward, the HR/P team will share specific impacts with you. For additional information, view the HR/P website.

Make Data Work for You: UW-IT Workshops
Are you a new or current user of Enterprise Data Warehouse data and tools? Learn about the data and tools available to you, and sharpen your skills with these free workshops from UW Information Technology.

Tableau Hands-on Introduction—Take a hands-on tour of Tableau software, which allows you to work with large sets of data and then simplify their meaning by creating dynamic data visualizations.

Handling Data 101—While you may not have intended to become a data analyst, you are now in a position where you need to use and analyze data to be successful. In this 2-hour workshop, learn how to begin to take control of your data and analyses.

Enterprise Data Warehouse 101—This 1-hour presentation introduces you to the EDW, shares available data and tools, and shows you how to get started using them.

Tableau Desktop Fundamentals—Build your basic Tableau data analysis skills so you can create insightful visualizations in this full-day class.

Take a Break: Civil Disobedience! The Life and Legacy of Gordon K. Hirabayashi
As the world watches the protests in the Crimea unfold, our own Allen Library offers an in-depth look at the power of civil disobedience here at home. During World War II, 24-year-old University of Washington student Gordon Hirabayashi defied the United States order for Americans of Japanese ancestry to leave the West Coast for concentration camps. He turned himself in to the FBI and was tried and convicted in the Federal District Court of Seattle. The case ultimately went to the Supreme Court where it was upheld. After the war, Hirabayashi complete a B.A., M.A., and Ph.D. in Sociology at the UW, and went on to teach at American University in Beirut, American University in Cairo, and at the University of Alberta.

In 2013, the personal papers of Gordon K. Hirabayashi were donated to the Pacific Northwest Collection in Libraries Special Collections. They join a growing collection of papers, oral histories, and photographs that help document the Japanese American experience in the Pacific Northwest. This exhibit features items from his papers.