Employee Benefits & Well-being |
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Hearing Device Discounts Charitable Giving EAP for Holiday Stress The Gift of Gratitude
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If you have a question after reading this newsletter or visiting our website, please contact us. |
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Hearing and Device DiscountsWellmark Blue Cross and Blue Shield, Delta Dental and Principal Financial provide discounts for hearing devices and exams to our employees. Employees and their dependents have access to discounts through Blue365® and their health insurance enrollment as well as discounts with Amplifon through Delta Dental. Principal Financial offers discounts through American Hearing Benefits, Inc. (AHB) for employees, their dependents and other qualified family members. To learn more, visit our Hearing and Device Discounts webpage. |
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Charitable GivingAs you are making your holiday gift lists, consider adding charitable donations. Giving to charity allows you to give back to the community, and support causes that you care about. Many studies have linked charitable giving to general financial success, stability, and increased happiness. Charity is an add-on to your budget, not a necessity, and you should never feel guilty about spending money on necessary things for yourself before giving to others. If you are able and willing to donate, do your research first and find an organization you care about and is trusted for making good use of donations. If you are wanting your donations to be more widely distributed in the community by a trusted organization, UNI has a Fall Charitable Campaign and allows donations to be given either directly or via payroll deduction. Remember to keep record of your donations as they are considered a tax deduction! |
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Employee Assistance Program |
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Managing Holiday StressThe most wonderful time of the year can also bring stress. Check-out Guidance Resources® guide, Managing Holiday Stress, for tips on things the whole family can do to reduce the impact that added stress can have on our well-being. Your EAP is available if you need help coping with additional stress brought on by the holiday’s. Your EAP provides counseling, financial assistance, and work life solutions to make your holiday brighter. Join us for an upcoming session later this month, or call 855-784-2057 to get started. |
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The Gift of GratitudeThis holiday season give yourself the gift of gratitude. The science behind the practice of thankfulness has proven health benefits, both for ourselves and those around us. Along with increased happiness, practicing gratitude may lower blood pressure and stress-hormone levels, lower anxiety, increase energy levels and goal attainment, and improve emotional support we are able to offer others. To experience these health benefits it can be as simple as taking five minutes each day to write down a few things you are grateful for. Here are seven tips to incorporate gratitude in to your day: - Send a Thank You Note. Has somebody done something nice for you? Think about it and send them a quick thank you note.
- Wake Up and Give Thanks. Before you even get out of bed in the morning, stop and contemplate gratitude for life and what you will accomplish this day.
- Move Freely. Appreciate the ability and joy to move. Stretch and take some steps in gratitude of your body and all of your physical abilities.
- Breath Deep. Stop and take deep breaths and reflect in gratitude for clean air and your body’s ability to breathe easily.
- Get Outside. Take a moment to experience the outdoors and nature wherever you are. Appreciate the beauty of the trees, fun of watching a squirrel, or how the light reflects on the snow.
- Take Pictures. Take photographs of a few little things each day that make you smile. Take time to look back and reflect on these at the end of the week.
- Listen to Music. Enjoy the beat and the joy music brings to our lives. Be thankful to those who created it for our enjoyment.
Well-being Challenges Coming in 2023!Employee Well-being will be offering a variety of well-being challenges in 2023 focused on improving different aspects of health. These challenges will be aimed to assist in encouraging healthy behaviors for all UNI faculty and staff. Challenges will be fun, collaborative, and noncompetitive. Watch for more details in January! |
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MY WELL-BEING Flu Shot ClinicsAdditional flu shot clinic dates and times have been added. If you haven't gotten your flu shot, there is still time! All benefit eligible faculty and staff are eligible for one free flu vaccination each year. For additional information visit our flu shot webpage. MY WELL-BEING Supporting Someone Who is GrievingHuman Resource Services will host a session led by Cedar Valley Hospice. Cedar Valley Hospice counselors will provide information on how to support someone who is grieving, and resources available in the community. This one hour session will be held Thursday, December 8 at 3 p.m. in Gilchrist 007. Please register in advance. WELL-BEING WEDNESDAY Managing Holiday StressHuman Resource Services will host an informational session focused on managing stress during the holiday season. The approaching holiday season brings many expectations. Often this makes us feel like we are being pulled in a hundred different directions. There are office parties to attend, family get-togethers to schedule, children’s holiday recitals and gifts to buy. The holidays can be one of the happiest times of the year, yet it can also be one of the most stressful. Maintaining balance and keeping stress from overwhelming you are the keys to an enjoyable holiday season. This workshop provides an overview of common stressors people encounter during the holidays, and offers "stress buster" tips to help you get the most possible enjoyment out of the season. This hour-long session will be offered via Webcast Wednesday, December 14 at noon. Please register in advance. RETIREMENT READINESS Retire from UNIHuman Resource Services will host two informational sessions on retiring from UNI, for faculty and staff planning to retire soon or in the foreseeable future. Participants will learn guidelines and benefits available at retirement from UNI. The hour-long sessions will be presented by Therese Callaghan, Employee Well-being Coordinator, January 5 at 10 a.m and 2 p.m. in Gilchrist 007. Please register in advance. January 5 | 10 a.m. | Click Here to Register January 5 | 2 p.m. | Click Here to Register 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. Stay up-to-date with the status of this session by visiting https://hrs.uni.edu/event-status. If the status of this session changes you will also be notified by UNI email or campus phone. Individuals needing an accommodation in order to participate in an event, please contact a HRS team member at 319-273-2954, or hrs-benefits@uni.edu, at least one week prior to the event. |
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TIAA ConsultationTIAA Participants: Schedule a free personalized meeting with a TIAA financial consultant using the online scheduler or by calling 800-732-8353 (available weekdays from 7 a.m. – 7 p.m. CST). |
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TIAA December Financial Wellness Webinars |
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Opening Doors to the Future – Save in a 529 College Savings PlanDecember 7 at 11 a.m. (CT) You can learn how 529 college savings plans work and how to invest in one for a child, grandchild, yourself or another loved one. Help Protect You, Your Family, and Your MoneyDecember 7 at 2 p.m. (CT) Are you concerned about identity theft and your family’s security online? TIAA’s Information Security team will discuss how you can protect yourself and your family from cybercriminal social engineering. Tax Planning ConsiderationsDecember 8 at 11 a.m. (CT) “How does this impact me?” is the question we hear the most when it comes to headline-grabbing changes to the tax laws. This seminar will cover an overview of tax law changes and income tax planning considerations, including whether you will itemize deductions, how this may impact charitable gifting strategies, and what it means for estate and gift tax planning. Write Your Next Chapter - 5 Steps to Setting Your Retirement DateDecember 8 at 2 p.m. (CT) For anyone starting to think seriously about when to retire, this webinar takes you through five steps to deciding when the time is right, including estimating retirement expenses, closing any income gap and understanding key milestones that can impact your retirement finances. We’ll help you think through how to: - Estimate what you’ll need
- Adjust as needed
- Consider key milestones
- Protect your savings
At Your Fingertips: Manage Your Money From Wherever You AreDecember 14 at 2 p.m. (CT) Learn about TIAA’s commitment to digital, and how we’re leveraging the latest technologies in our online and mobile tools to help you save time and achieve financial success while you’re on-the-go. TIAA webinars are open to all employees. Visit TIAA's webpage to register. Times through the webinar link will be shown in Eastern Standard Time. |
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IPERS December Retirement Webinars- December 8 | 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. CST
Creating a Secure Retirement - December 15 | 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. CST
Ready, Set, Retire
IPERS webinars are for state of Iowa employees within five years of retirement and their spouses. To register: https://ipers.org/members/calendar |
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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. |
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David M Andersen Manager Energy Management, Utilities & Power Plant 43 Years of Service, Retiring in December David.Andersen@uni.edu |
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Lyn L Countryman Department Head & Professor, Teaching 32 Years of Service, Retiring in December Lyn.Countryman@uni.edu |
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Julie J Creeden Writing Coordinator/Editor, Center for Teaching & Learning Mathematics 12 Years of Service, Retiring in December j2creeden@gmail.com |
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Randal L High Groundskeeper II, Grounds Services 39 Years of Service, Retiring in December high116@msn.com |
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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 please email hrs-benefits@uni.edu or call 319-273-2423. For additional information on retirement visit Retire from UNI: Next Steps. |
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Stay Up-to-Date with HRS Events |
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Plan on attending an upcoming Human Resource Services (HRS) sponsored event? Please visit the HRS event status webpage 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. |
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Subscribe to HRS Latest News and Events |
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Is Your Personal Information Up-to-Date? |
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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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