Human Resource Services

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  • September 2022

September 2022

Employee Benefits & Well-Being

Human Resource Services

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In This Issue

  • FREE COVID-19 Test Kits

  • Cost Savings with Mail Order Prescriptions

  • Join WW for Free

  • Retire from UNI

  • Child Care Referral Through EAP

  • National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is 988
  • Upcoming Sessions and Webinars You Don't Want to Miss

Contact Us

If you still have a question after reading this newsletter or visiting our website, please contact us.

Own Your Benefits

FREE COVID-19 Test Kits

UNI's self-insured health plans have paid over $15,000 for COVID-19 test kits year-to-date. On January 26, 2022 we provided the following resources on how to obtain free COVID-19 test kits. Although our self-insured health plans currently cover the varying costs of approved tests, we ask that you first use the following free options as these test kits are not charged to our self-insured health plans (which impacts employee premiums):

  1. FREE test kits are available through Test Iowa and offer several local pick-up sites for convenience. The Student Health Center (SHC) on campus also has a supply of non-rapid test kits in their lobby.
  2. A third round of FREE test kits per household from the U.S. Government are available and mailed directly to you by ordering at COVIDtests.gov. This program is being suspended September 2, 2022.
  3. Employees who have established a flexible spending account (FSA), can also use FSA dollars to be reimbursed for COVID-19 test kits.

If the above are not options for you and your family members, please visit the Wellmark Coronavirus webpage for current guidance.

Employees who are experiencing symptoms of, or have tested positive for, COVID-19 should still follow CDC guidance and stay home from work, as should unvaccinated employees who have had close contact with someone who has tested positive for the virus. 

Due to expiration dates on COVID-19 test kits and to reduce plan costs, avoid stockpiling tests. Expired tests should not be used as they could provide incorrect results.

To learn about how claim costs impact our self-insured health plans, visit our UNI Self-Insured Health Plans supporting webpage. To keep current on your benefits, read the monthly HRS Benefits and Well-being Newsletter.

If you have a family member(s) enrolled in one of the UNI self-insured health plans, please forward this message in order to keep them up-to-date on COVID-19 testing options.

Cost Savings with Mail Order Prescriptions

Avoid going to the pharmacy by having your maintenance medications conveniently mailed to your home by using CVS Caremark's Rx Mail Order Service. Utilizing this service saves you money as a 90 day supply will only cost you two prescription copayments, instead of three. This service saves you time as you can enjoy the convenience of not driving to the pharmacy and confirming your refills on your own time, at your own convenience.

Financial Wellness

Plan Ahead to Retire

Employees are eligible to retire from UNI once they have reached age 55, and have completed 10 or more years of non-temporary service. Benefit options in retirement include maintaining UNI comprehensive health insurance coverage, maintaining dental insurance through Delta Dental, electing the Program F Medicare supplement for Medicare eligible retirees, and porting or converting group term life insurance coverage. Employees with retirement benefit questions, or wanting to schedule a meeting, should contact hrs-benefits@uni.edu. To learn more please visit the Retire from UNI webpage.

My Well-being

Join WW for Free Anytime

No matter what your goal is: to lose weight, eat healthier, move more, develop a more positive mindset, or all of the above, WW may be for you. WW is available to all health insurance benefit eligible employees with no cost to join. Spouses may also join WW through UNI at a discounted rate. UNI employees who have already joined have shared how joining WW has changed their lives. To learn more about this free membership, and to get started, visit the Free WW webpage.

National Suicide Prevention Lifeline Update

Suicide prevention help is available by calling or texting 988 anywhere across the United States. A live chat is also available at 988lifeline.org/chat.

Employee Assistance Program

Child Care Resource and Referral

Your EAP provides free work-life solutions, including Child Care Resource and Referral. This service provides employees with information, referrals, and resources to help with locating child care. The EAP will prepare a report for you based on your search criteria, needs, and childcare centers with availability. To access this service call your EAP at 855-784-2057. Visit our Family Friendly Benefits webpage to learn more.

Upcoming Events

MY WELL-BEING

Supporting Employees and Their Families with Back to School Anxiety

Back to school brings change and transition to the schedule of the entire family. There is a lot to balance along with purchasing all of those school supplies. Guidance Resources® provides a toolkit to help parents assist their children in the transition as well as dealing with emotions and anxiety that can come with change. Check out the Back to School Toolkit webpage.

RETIREMENT READINESS

Retire from UNI

Human 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 session will be presented by Therese Callaghan, Employee Well-being Coordinator, September 6 at 10 a.m. in Gilchrist 009. Please register in advance. 

MY WELL-BEING

Confidential Biometric Screening

Human Resource Services will host a confidential biometric screening September 16 from 7 to 9 a.m. in Gilchrist Hall, Room 009. All benefit eligible employees may participate in one free biometric screening per academic year. For more information visit the confidential biometric screening webpage. Please register in advance.

2022 Employee Benefits and Well-being Fair

Human Resource Services will host the fall Employee Benefits and Well-being Fair Wednesday, September 28, 2022 in the Maucker Union Ballroom, from 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.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, October 6 at noon in Gilchrist 009. Please register in advance.

FINANCIAL WELLNESS

Show Your Money Who's Boss

Employees are invited to attend a free in person workshop series on budgeting, eliminating debt, creating an emergency fund, and more. Brett Olsen, Department Head & Associate Professor of Finance, will facilitate this series every Thursday, October 13 - November 3, from 2 to 3 p.m. in Gilchrist 007. Participants are asked to attend all four sessions (October 13, 20, 27, and November 3) and advanced registration is required.

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.

TIAA Logo

TIAA Consultation

TIAA 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).

TIAA September Financial Wellness Webinars

Opening Doors to the Future – Save in a 529 College Savings Plan

September 13  |  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.

Strategies for Staying on Track

September 13  |  2 p.m. (CT)

No matter how much or how little money you can save for retirement, it’s important that you start now and stay invested for your future. You can learn how taking smart financial steps today may help lead you to a solid financial future after you’ve stopped working.

Help Protect You, Your Family, and Your Money

September 14  |  1 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.

An Introduction to Alternative Investments: Real Estate

September 15  |  11 a.m. (CT)

Interested in alternative investments? This webinar will help investors understand TIAA’s innovative approach to real estate and how it can help diversify an investment portfolio. Participants will receive an in depth look at the TIAA Real Estate Account, its investments, performance, and strategy.

At Your Fingertips: Manage Your Money From Wherever You Are

September 15  |  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.

IPERS

IPERS September Retirement Webinars

  • September 28  |  9 a.m. to 3 p.m. CST
    Creating a Secure Retirement
  • September 29  |  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

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 2022 please email
hrs-benefits@uni.edu or call 319-273-2423. For additional information on retirement visit Retire from UNI: Next Steps.

Coming In October

October 2022 Calendar
Stay Up-to-Date with HRS Events

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.

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.

Experiencing a Life Event?

If you are having a qualified life event (e.g. having a baby or a spouse/dependent gaining or losing coverage) you can make changes to your benefits through Benefits Self-Service. All employees can make changes during the annual open enrollment period which take place November 2022.

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.