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  • September 2020

September 2020

Employee Benefits & Well-being - Human Resource Services
August Newsletter

COVID-19 and Your Benefits

To view frequently asked questions about COVID-19 and your benefits, visit the Forward Together website. 

UPCOMING EVENTS

Fall Flu Shot On-campus Clinics

Flu shot clinics will be held at the Gallagher Bluedorn McElroy Lobby (Main Lobby) on:

  • Tuesday, September 15th: 1 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.
  • Thursday, September 17th: 9 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.

  • Tuesday, September 22nd: 9 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.

  • Thursday, September 24th: 1 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.

  • Wednesday, September 30th: 9 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.

  • Thursday, October 1st: 9 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.

  • Tuesday, October 6th: 1 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.

  • Wednesday, October 7th: 9 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.

Retirement Readiness: Bridging the Gap: Healthcare in Retirement Before 65

Human Resource Services will host an informational session on bridging the gap from your employer health plan to Medicare. Learn how to use the Marketplace or healthcare.gov to price Affordable Care Act (ACA) compliant plans, and options such as COBRA, Short Term Health Plans, Sharing Programs and Group Plans. The hour long session will be presented by Todd Cooper with Veridian, via Zoom on September 8 at 12 p.m. Please register in advance.

Financial Wellness: Paying Yourself: Income Options in Retirement

Human Resource Services will host an informational session on income options in retirement. This TIAA led session will guide you on the basic rules that govern the most common retirement accounts. Gain perspective on when to tap into different assets and discover flexible income choices to help you plan your income in retirement. The hour long session will be Tuesday, September 15 at 3 p.m. via Zoom. Please register in advance.

Confidential Biometric Screening

Human Resource Services will host a confidential biometric screening on September 18 from 7 to 10 a.m. in the Safety Training Room, located at 3219 Hudson Road. All benefit eligible employees may participate in one free biometric screening per academic year. Additional precautions and safety procedures will be taken related to COVID-19 and communicated to those registered. As such, registration is required and no walk-ins will be accepted. To register visit the confidential biometric screening webpage.

Retirement Readiness: Social Security 101

Human Resource Services will host an informational session on Social Security benefits and preparing for retirement. Learn how Social Security benefits impact your retirement income, and strategies to maximize your benefits. The hour long session will be presented by John Morgan with AIG via Zoom on September 22 at 10 a.m. Please register in advance.

Participation in events that occur during scheduled working hours must be approved by your supervisor. Employees on a university-approved leave should contact hrs-leaves@uni.edu for approval. Individuals with disabilities are encouraged to attend all UNI-sponsored events. If you are a person with a disability who requires a reasonable accommodation in order to participate in this program, please contact a benefits team member at 319-273-2954, or hrs-benefits@uni.edu, at least one week prior to the event.

TIAA Logo

TIAA September Financial Wellness Webinars

  • September 15 | 11 a.m. to 12 p.m. CST

    • Asset Location: Practical Guide for Income and Estate Planning

  • September 15 | 2 to 3 p.m. CST

    • The 411 on 529 College Savings Plans

  • September 16 | 11 a.m. to 12 p.m. CST

    • Elections Have Consequences: The 2020 Presidential Election and the Economy

  • September 16 | 2 to 3 p.m. CST

    • Tomorrow in Focus: Saving for Your Ideal Retirement

  • September 17 | 11 a.m. to 12 p.m. CST

    • How to Turn Your Retirement Saving Into a ‘Paycheck’ for Life

  • September 17 | 2 to 3 p.m. CST

    • She’s Got It: A Woman’s Guide to Saving and Investing

TIAA webinars are open to all employees. To register visit: www.tiaa.org/webinars

Times through the webinar link will be shown in Eastern Standard Time.

Financial Wellness

Can I increase or decrease my Tax-Deferred Annuity mid-year?

Yes, changes can be made on a monthly basis through Benefits Self-Service. The maximum tax-deferred annuity contributions are set by the IRS each year. For 2020, the maximum amount is $19,500. There are also Over 50 and Lifetime Catch-Up provisions. To learn more about the provisions, how to enroll, and how to change your enrollment visit our Tax-Deferred Annuity webpage. For any questions related to a tax-deferred annuity please email: hrs-benefits@uni.edu.

My Well-being

Four Ways to Stay Healthy This Fall

This season more than ever, we need to do what we can to boost our immune systems and stay healthy. Our news feeds are being flooded these days with products selling us wellness. Here are four ways to stay well this season that won’t take extra from your money pocket book.

  1. Get your annual flu shot. Receiving a flu vaccine each year is our best defense against getting the flu and experiencing complications from the flu. All faculty and staff are eligible for one free flu vaccination each year. To learn more visit our Free Annual Flu Vaccinations webpage.
  2. Eat the rainbow. Incorporating a variety of fruits and vegetables into our daily diet is the best way to give our body the micronutrients we need to stay healthy. Fruits and vegetables also provide a healthy dose of fiber to help keep us full and promote healthy digestion. Looking for a way to incorporate many colors in your next meal? Dish-up this Ratatouille recipe for dinner. 
  3. Get outside and move. Our bodies were made to move. Even small increments of activities, such as gardening and walking, add needed steps into our day. The added movement also can reduce stress and positively impact our emotional well-being. The outside exposes us to sunlight and provides us with necessary vitamin D. Aim for twenty minutes of movement and sunlight daily and reap the wellness rewards. Looking for ideas on how to add more movement? Check-out our Let’s Get Moving webpage. 
  4. Stay connected. Our social and emotional well-being has been challenged during this pandemic. Staying connected in our communities is more important than ever. Volunteering is one great way to stay connected and also adds to our purpose. Learn more about ways to give back through our Service and Volunteer Opportunities webpage.

Own Your Benefits

UNI's Health Insurance Plans, What's the Difference?

UNI provides two self-insured health plans, the UNI PPO (Alliance Select) and the UNI Blue Advantage (HMO). The UNI Preferred Provider Organization (PPO) plan provides coverage whether you are in-network or out-of-network, you pay more for services provided outside of the network. The network for this plan is nationwide and is available in over 200 countries. The UNI Blue Advantage is also known as a Health Maintenance Organization (HMO). This plan provides coverage only in the state of Iowa. Coverage would only be available outside of Iowa if utilizing Doctor on Demand, our virtual office visit service, or the claim was considered an accidental injury or an emergency. To learn more about the health plans offered at UNI visit our health insurance webpage.

When Can You Make Changes to Your Benefits?

Experiencing a qualified life event such as marriage, or birth of a child, allows you to make changes to your benefits. If you do not have a qualified life event during the year you may make changes annually during Open Enrollment, which will occur November 1 - November 30, 2020. Any changes made during the Open Enrollment period will be effective January 1, 2021. Human Resource Services will announce information regarding Open Enrollment through our benefits webpage, HRS Latest News, Inside UNI, UNI email, and home mailings. Keep watching as more information will be coming soon.

Recognizing Our Retirees

We are thankful for the service of all of UNI's retirees! With their consent we are able to celebrate their years of service and share their information with the entire campus community.

Paula Gilroy
Psychologist/Asst Dir Training, Counseling Center
32 Years of Service, Retiring in September
pgilroy@cfu.net

Mark Jacobson
Statistical Consulting Center Coord, Mathematics
25 Years of Service, Retiring in September
mark.jacobson@uni.edu

Jon Wolter
Field Service Manager, IT-Network &
Infrastructure Services
36 Years of Service, Retiring in September
jon.wolter@uni.edu

Retirement Readiness

Retirement Benefit Questions? The HRS Benefits Team is here to assist!

The Human Resource Services Benefits Team is continuing to help employees with retirement benefit questions. If you plan to retire in 2020 please email hrs-benefits@uni.edu or call 319-273-2423. For additional information on retirement visit Retiring from UNI.

Coming In October

October Calendar
Stay Up-to-Date with HRS Events

Plan on attending an upcoming Human Resource Services (HRS) sponsored event? Please visit the HRS events web page to view if the event is on-time, postponed, rescheduled, or canceled.  Registered participants will also receive an email from HRS notifying that an event status has changed.

Subscribe to HRS Latest News and Events

Be the first to hear the latest news and events from UNI Human Resource Services including benefits and well-being news. Subscribe to receive the HRS News emails right to your uni.edu email account.

Is Your Personal Information Up-to-Date?

To make changes to your office and/or home (confidential) contact information:

Login to MyUNIverse > My Page > Update My Personal Information. This information is sent to Human Resource Services and will be updated within four working days.

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