Insurance Changes for 2017

The Public Employees Benefits Board (PEBB) has approved a number of changes to PEBB Program rules, policies, benefits, and premiums that will go into effect Jan. 1, 2017.

Highlights include:

• UW-paid basic employee life insurance will increase from $25,000 to $35,000.
• New life insurance vendor, MetLife, has been selected.
• Open enrollment for life insurance. Even those previously declined for health reasons can apply for coverage during the life insurance open enrollment (Nov. 1-30, 2016). Enrollment and/or changes will be available online via the new vendor.
• Total joint replacement (hip and/or knee) – Centers of Excellence benefit added. The benefit will be covered at no cost to members (UMP CDHP members must first pay their annual deductible), and includes a travel benefit for members living outside of the Seattle area. Applies to UMP Classic and CDHP, excluding Medicare members.

For detailed information on the approved changes, please review the PEBB Announcement posted on the Health Care Authority (HCA) website, and the related FAQs.

PEBB will contact employees directly at your email or home address of record to provide more information about these and other changes starting mid-Oct.

Get Ready for PEBB's Annual Open Enrollment

This year's annual open enrollment is Nov. 1-30. During this time, you can make changes to your PEBB health coverages that will become effective on Jan. 1, 2017. This is also your chance to enroll or re-enroll in a Flexible Spending Account and Dependent Care Assistance Program.

To compare medical and dental plan benefits, view 2017 premiums, or read about upcoming changes, view the following resources:

• UW Benefits' Open Enrollment webpage
• The Healthcare Authority's Public Employee Benefits webpage starting in early Oct.
• PEBB's September issue of "For Your Benefit" newsletter

Attend a UW Benefits Fair

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.

• Tuesday, Nov. 1 – Health Sciences Building Lobby
• Wednesday, Nov. 2 – Harborview Medical Center, Research & Training Lobby
• Thursday, Nov. 3 – HUB, North Ballroom

Be sure to check out other events running concurrently with the fairs, such as flu shot clinics and a special retiree, medical presentation presented by the Health Care Authority. Learn more.

Attending the Benefits fair is especially important if you're considering changing your medical or dental plan or adding or removing a dependent from your insurance during Open Enrollment, which runs Nov. 1-30.

Update Your Address Before Open Enrollment Begins

Change in home mailing address?, Update your profile in Employee Self-Service to receive important mailings regarding Open Enrollment and other health plan updates.

Also, take a moment to set up your personal account through the Health Care Authority's My Account portal. You can use My Account to view your coverage and premium surcharge information, make changes to your coverage, get your statement of insurance, and attest to premium surcharges.

Don't forget to sign up to receive the HCA's newsletter, For Your Benefits to get the latest information about PEBB Program benefits.

Back to School – Child Care – Sick Kids!

KinderCare and Bright Horizons offer numerous programs to children of UW faculty, staff, and students at all UW campuses to help support your needs. In-service days being scheduled at your child's school, or closed for the holidays? KinderCare and Bright Horizons provide center-based back-up child care at a daily cost of $20 per child. Hours and ages vary between centers; openings are not guaranteed, and advance registration in the program prior to needing care is highly recommended.

Bright Horizons provides in-home care for your children when they are too sick to attend their normal arrangements, and you need to be at work. Register now so it is only a phone call or a few clicks on the computer when the coughs and fevers begin.

If your child is in any KinderCare location for childcare or Champions, before-or-after-school program, ask and receive a 10% tuition discount. You also receive priority access at select KinderCare locations or any Bright Horizons locations.

Access registration and more information.

Register for UW CareLink Fall Seminar Series

UW CareLink presents the Fall 2016 Seminar Series! Experienced trainers lead the sessions and approach subjects creatively. Join us at noon in the HUB or the UW Tower for one or all four seminars, and feel free to bring your lunch. Seminars are free for all UW faculty, staff, and guests. Please register for each session you plan to attend.

• Strengthening Our Relationships in the Workplace – Thursday, Oct. 6 | HUB 145
  Having positive working relationships with colleagues, supervisors, and customers can have many benefits, including: making the job easier and more enjoyable, allowing for easier resolution of problems when they do arise, and helping serve as a buffer to workplace stress.
• Emotional Intelligence – Wednesday, Oct. 26 | HUB 334
  This seminar will focus on improving EI (EQ) and Social Intelligence through an interactive gamification format.
• Dementia, Difficult Behaviors, and Determining Needs – Wednesday, Nov. 16 |UW Tower Auditorium
  You'll learn to respond intentionally instead of reacting emotionally and be equipped with tangible tools and communication tips to help you as family and caregivers care for a loved one.
• Giving and Receiving Feedback – Wednesday, Dec. 7 |UW Tower Auditorium
  This workshop focuses on the ability to respond with appropriate reinforcement and deliver feedback to engage.

Manage Emotional Symptoms of Stress

What and how you think can determine what and how you feel. Getting control of your thoughts changes the way you feel, and getting control of your feelings alters the way you think.

This month's Balanced Living article, Managing Emotional Symptoms of Stress, describes techniques that help you manage emotions for success. This month's tip sheet, Raise Your Emotional Intelligence at Work [link?], provides additional clarifications for emotional success.

UW CareLink will also broadcast a one-hour webinar "Harnessing the Power of Your Emotional Intelligence" on Sept. 20 at 9 a.m. For most of us, our IQ or Intelligence Quotient, represents only about 19% of the impetus to our achievements both personally and professionally. Our EQ, otherwise known as Emotional Quotient, or our ability to understand, empathize, and negotiate with others, is a primary predictor of our success, both in life and at work. In this webinar we will define emotional intelligence, explore the four components of emotional intelligence, and learn to self-assess and regulate our own emotional responses. Register here (enter "UW' as company code). The webinar will be archived and available for viewing later this month.

Help Keep UW Safe

The SafeCampus helpline 206-685-SAFE(7233) is available 24/7 when you have concerns of potential violence. If you feel that you or someone else is at risk you don't have to deal with it alone. Call us to discuss options, connect with resources, and find a creative solution. To learn more, attend a SafeCampus Violence Prevention and Response training and get the information you need to be an informed member of the UW community. Learn what behaviors to contact SafeCampus about and what resources are available on campus. The training will discuss relationship violence, stalking, suicide, and general warning signs of distress. There will also be a brief portion on response to an active shooter.

Register for a Seattle campus training:

• Wednesday, Sept. 21, 1-2:30 p.m., Health Sciences T625
• Thursday, Oct. 6, 10-11:30 a.m., UW Tower Auditorium
• Tuesday, Oct. 25, 2-3:30 p.m., PAA A102 Physics Astronomy Auditorium

All UW employees are required to attend this training every two years. If you would like to confirm when you last attended, email your full name and your UW NetID or employee identification number to safecampus@uw.edu.

Be an Active Bystander: Support Students & Colleagues in Distress

Want to become an active bystander? Do you want to know how to respond when you see a student or colleague in distress? UW Green Dot is currently offering trainings for faculty, staff, and graduate students. The Green Dot Emotional First Aid (EFA) trainings work to equip you with practical skills to be an active bystander with students and co-workers. Learn, discuss, and practice intervention skills related to preventing and responding to sexual assault, relationship violence, stalking, harassment, and generally supporting students in distress.

New to Green Dot? The aim of Green Dot is to prevent and reduce power-based violence at UW by engaging students, faculty, and staff as active bystanders who step in, speak up, and interrupt potential acts of violence.

Upcoming EFA trainings are:

• Friday, Oct. 14, 9-11 a.m., HUB 332
• Friday, Nov. 18, 1-3 p.m., HUB 332
• Wednesday, Nov. 30, 2-4 p.m., HUB 332

Sign up online. Spread the word! If you have any questions, email greendot@uw.edu.

Campus Flu Shot Clinics are Coming

The flu can quickly put your life on hold with mild to severe illness. The best way to prevent the flu is by getting vaccinated each year. Flu shot clinics will be available at several campus locations for faculty, staff, and retirees who are covered by a PEBB health plan, and to students who are covered by a GAIP or ISHIP plan. It's easy — no appointment necessary! Just bring your health insurance card, photo ID, and completed claim form (otherwise you may pay $25 by cash or check and seek reimbursement from your health plan). Dependents covered under PEBB, GAIP, or ISHIP are welcome to attend also.

Note: Covered dependents between ages 11-17 may attend a flu shot clinic with their parent or guardian; a signed claim/consent form is required. Dependents age 10 and under should see their health care provider.

Find the flu shot clinic nearest you, download flyers, and get more information.

Improve Your Health & Earn Incentives with SmartHealth

SmartHealth is the state's fun and motivating voluntary wellness program designed to help you take steps to improve health and save money through financial wellness incentives! Subscribers who qualify before Sept. 30, 2016, can receive a $125 reduction in their 2017 PEBB medical deductible, or a one-time deposit of $125 into their health savings account in 2017 (if enrolled in a PEBB consumer-directed health plan).

Subscribers and their spouses or registered domestic partners enrolled in PEBB medical coverage can participate.

How it works:

1. Visit SmartHealth and select "Get started".
2. Take the SmartHealth Well-Being Assessment (worth 800 points).
3. Join activities that interest you to earn more points.
4. Reach 2,000 total points by Sept. 30, 2016 to qualify for the $125 wellness incentive in 2017.

If you haven't yet reached you 2,000 points to qualify for a wellness incentive in 2017, there's still time!

To learn more, and get started, visit SmartHealth.

Move Beyond the Scale

Weight Watchers' program, "Beyond the Scale," is designed to deliver a more holistic and personal approach to a healthier you. This program moves beyond what you weigh and shows you creative ways to eat healthier, move more, live happier, AND lose weight! UW Benefits sponsors two campus meeting locations for UW faculty and staff.

• Tuesdays, Schmitz Hall
• Wednesdays, Health Sciences

Visit the Weight Watchers page for more information.

Thinking of Retirement?

If you are eligible to retire or close to becoming eligible to retire, you may be surprised to find you should begin preparing for your retirement up to twelve months in advance. The process of transitioning into retirement takes time. Navigating agencies and submitting paperwork can be arduous and even frustrating. To guide you on your path to retirement and help make the process smoother and more worry free, the UW Benefits office strongly recommends attending the following workshops:

Retiring from a DRS plan (PERS, TRS, or LEOFF) – For employees who have a Department of Retirement Systems (DRS) plan, including:

• Classified staff participating in the Public Employees Retirement System (PERS) plans 1, 2, or 3;
• Faculty participating in a Teachers' Retirement System (TRS) plans 1 or 3; and
• Law enforcement officers participating in Law Enforcement Officers' and Fire Fighters' Retirement System (LEOFF) plan 2.

Retiring from UWRP: An Overview – For faculty, librarians, and professional staff participating in the UW Retirement Plan (UWRP).

Preparing Your Savings for Retirement – Learn how to maximizing your savings as you work, conduct an analysis of your income and expense, maximize your income sources, understand the impact of health care costs on your retirement savings, and how to use estate planning tools.

Income Options for Your Retirement – Learn about the importance of asset allocation in retirement, elements for building your retirement income strategy, and considerations for portfolio withdrawal rates.

Visit the UW Benefits Site to register for the next available class, and look over other free workshops for UW employees who are planning to retire within the next 12 months.

UW Retirees' Resource Fair

Current employees are invited to learn about the campus privileges, discounts, volunteer, and Encore opportunities available to UW retirees at this casual open house. Representatives from across the UW will be available to answer your questions and describe their programs. Explore the arts, education, recreational sports, service organizations, and travel, and speak with staff from UW offices that support retirees.

Thursday, Sept. 15
11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m.
HUB South Ballroom

Visit the UWRA webpage to register or see a list of participating groups.

You're Invited - UWCFD Charity Fair & Silent Auction

Where can you learn about nonprofits in our community, enjoy treats, and enter to win fabulous door prizes including a GoPro camera? The UWCFD Charity Fair & Silent Auction! Join us on Thursday, Oct. 13, from 11 a.m. - 2 p.m. in the HUB north ballroom as we kick off the UW Combined Fund Drive campaign. Bid on silent auction items including Seahawks tickets, restaurant gift cards, concert passes, wine tastings, and more. Enjoy refreshments compliments of Trader Joe's – University District. Bring your spare change and fill the jar to benefit Holocaust Center for Humanity. We're also collecting non-perishable food items for the UW Campus Food Pantry.

The Fair is free of charge and open to all faculty, staff, students, and retirees. Be sure to register today!

Professional & Organizational Development (POD) courses and events 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.

Explore POD's Autumn Opportunities

With more than 50 classes and webinars offered for UW employees this autumn, there's something for everyone. October offerings include Writing Minutes and Meeting Notes, Training, Coaching, and Mentoring for Success, and Process Improvement Tools. In November is the new Mindfulness as a Pathway to Adaptive Leadership course, as well as the fall favorite Building on Emotional Intelligence: Transforming Communication Through Empathy. December delivers Proofreading and Editing, The Likeability Factor, and the debut of a workshop on Race, Bias, and Dissonance. Many offerings fill quickly, so prompt registration is recommended! Check out POD's autumn offerings.

Advance in Excel

Flummoxed by formulas, filters, or functions? No matter your skill level, there's an Excel webinar for you. Whether through Microsoft Excel Techniques, Microsoft Excel Macros, or Advanced Microsoft Excel PivotTables, your fingers will fly once you learn how to save time with shortcuts, automate repetitive tasks, and more efficiently organize data. View upcoming webinars.

Financial Education Seminars

Whether you're starting out, building wealth, or getting ready to retire, UW Benefits sponsors free seminars packed with information that can help you through your journey. Below are seminars presented by two local nonprofit credit unions, WSECU and SECU and offered on campus to help you define your goals and stay on track:

• Credit Reporting 101 - Learn how the credit bureaus develop your credit score and come away with valuable tips to help you get the most from your creditworthiness.
• Financial Yoga: Stretching Your Hard-Earned Dollars - Learn tips that will help you gain control of your finances and reduce financial stress.
• Scams, Shams & Identity Theft - Identity theft is a continual threat that catches people unaware. Learn how it happens, how to prevent it from happening to you, and ways to protect yourself from scammers.
• 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.
  

Yoga & Football at Husky Stadium

Catch the start of the football season one weekend and relax during a once-in-a-lifetime yoga class the next. UW Athletics has partnered with The Whole U to offer the ultimate Husky field experience. In this $30 package deal, enjoy the Husky vs. Portland State football game on Saturday, Sept. 17 at 5:00 p.m. and participate in a special yoga class at Husky Stadium the following Saturday morning, Sept. 24 at 10:00 a.m. Purchase your tickets by pasting "bit.ly/yogadawgs" into your browser, and use the promo code YOGADAWG.

Fighting Inflammation with Food

Inflammation is an important defense mechanism that helps our body heal, but when it becomes chronic, it may lead to various health problems. Food can be a powerful tool to combat inflammation. Join us for a seminar on anti-inflammatory foods with Charlotte Furman, a registered dietician and the wellness and technology manager for the UW Medical Center's Department of Food and Nutrition. We will discuss diet's important role in inflammation and its relationship to chronic disease development and management. We will also review pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory foods. This seminar is on Monday, Sept. 26 at noon at the UW Medical Center Plaza Café Conference Rooms. Save your spot here.

Talk Safety with UW SafeCampus, UWPD, & React Mobile

The Whole U is excited to welcome our safety experts on Wednesday Sept. 28 at noon at the HUB. They will share their knowledge, research, and resources on being safer on and off UW's campus. David Girts, manager of UW SafeCampus, will shed light on which behaviors or situations might indicate the possibility of future violence, and teach us effective reporting practices to best ensure a response. UWPD Commander Gloria Galloway and UW Police Officer Thomas James will teach us how to develop a defensive mindset with an understanding of offensive and defensive postures. They will also talk about the UWPD Rape Aggression Defense program (R.A.D.). Robb Monkman, co-Founder of React Mobile, will share his story and give background on his company's passion for safety, and provide us with tools and tips to stay safe. Register here.

Celebrate Yoga Month with Lululemon and UW Recreational Sports Program

Let's fill the HUB ballroom with positive energy celebrating yoga on Thursday, Sept. 29 at noon! Join The Whole U and UW Rec Sports for Yoga Month with an all-level vinyasa class. Experience the beautiful views and the positive atmosphere with your coworkers and classmates. Our co-sponsor Lululemon will provide snacks and giveaways. This class will emphasize mindful breath and movement, encouraging students to trust their intuition on and off of the mat. Register here.

Volunteer with Seattle/King County Clinic

Make a difference in our community at the annual Seattle/King County Clinic coming to Key Arena at Seattle Center Oct. 27-30. The giant volunteer-driven health clinic provides a full range of free dental, vision, and medical care to all patients regardless of income, insurance, or citizenship. The clinic needs at least 750 volunteers per day, including medical professionals, social workers, healthcare residents and students, and general support volunteers. The clinic is also in high need of bi-lingual volunteers (especially Spanish, Mandarin, Cantonese, and Vietnamese speakers).

In particular, the clinic needs general support volunteers on:

• Oct. 25: Shoe Area (Sorting), Food Areas
• Oct. 26: Dental Area (Set up), Food Areas
• Oct. 27-30: Escort and Waiting Areas, Shoe Distribution, Food Areas

Help create a community of compassionate care! Learn more and volunteer. Enter "UW" as your company/organization on the registration page.

Four Easy-to-Miss Steps in the Homebuying Process

In order to give you a leg up on the process, HomeStreet, our Hometown Home Loan Program representative, put together a short list of what they feel are the steps in the home buying process that you won't want to miss. Read more.

Free Home-buying Seminar

HomeStreet offers the following free one-hour seminars to help you learn about a variety of homeownership issues related to budgeting, buying, remodeling, refinancing, and selling your home.

First Time Home Buyer - Learn how to make a budget and prepare your credit, get a comprehensive overview of the home buying process, and ask questions of noncommissioned Hometown Home Loan program loan officers and other real estate professionals before you start looking for a home.

Buying and Remodeling a Fixer Upper - Learn best options for finding distressed properties, what improvements add value to your home, how to budget for basic home repairs, and whether to do it yourself or hire out.

Refinancing and Using Home Equity - Learn ways that a refinance may benefit you, advantages of using cash from your home, how to consolidate or avoid consumer debt, and how to distinguish the difference between a home equity loan and line of credit.

Visit UW Benefits to register for the next available class.