Employee Benefits & Well-Being

Human Resource Services

In This Issue

• Schedule Your Mammogram

• Monkeypox Vaccines and Testing

• Estate Planning Awareness Week

• Free WW Diabetes Management

• 15 Day Movement Challenge

• Free EAP Assistance with Estate Planning

• Upcoming Sessions and Webinars You Don't Want to Miss

• Who’s Retiring This Month?

Contact Us

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

Thank You for Attending the Fair!

Thank you to all of the faculty and staff, volunteers, and vendors that helped to make the 2022 Employee Benefits and Well-being Fair a success. Along with over 500 fair attendees, more than 154 pounds of food and necessity items were donated to the Panther Pantry to help students in need.

Own Your Benefits

Schedule Your Mammogram

October is Breast Cancer Awareness month. It is recommended that women start scheduling mammograms at age 40. UNI’s self-insured health plans cover one annual preventive care mammogram, including 3D preventive mammograms, per calendar year at 100%. Contact your provider to receive guidance on when, and how often you should test based on your family’s health history.

Monkeypox Vaccines & Testing Covered

The Black Hawk County Health Department issued a press release regarding the county’s response to Monkeypox. Prevention is our frontline defense against any virus or illness. This includes eating well, getting adequate rest, and regularly washing hands/using hand sanitizer. As a reminder, the cost of vaccinations and testing are covered through the UNI’s self-insured health plans. If you have any questions regarding testing or vaccine eligibility, contact your primary care provider and/or the Black Hawk County Health Department.

2023 Annual Open Enrollment is Coming Up

The 2023 Annual Benefits Open Enrollment period will run from Tuesday, November 1 through Wednesday, November 30, 2022. During this time you may review and change your benefit elections. Any changes made to your benefit elections will be effective January 1, 2023. Watch for an email announcement on November 1 as well as an informational mailing that will be sent to your home address later this month.

Financial Wellness

Estate Planning Awareness Week

The week of October 17 - 23 is National Estate Planning Awareness Week. Estate planning is a critically overlooked component of financial wellness. It is estimated that 56% of Americans do not have an up-to-date estate plan. This can cause financial or other hardship that can be diminished with advanced planning. National Estate Planning Awareness Week exists to help the public understand the need for estate planning, and who the qualified team of professionals are that are able to assist. To learn more and find an Accredited Estate Planner visit the National Estate Planning Council webpage.

Employee Assistance Program

Free Advice for Estate Planning

Your EAP can provide you with one free legal consultation per year with an attorney and unlimited financial consultations with a financial advisor. This includes legal and financial advice for estate planning. If you aren’t sure where to get started with estate planning, assistance is available through your EAP by calling 855-784-2057.

My Well-being

WW (Weight Watchers^® Reimagined) for Diabetes Management

Type 2 diabetes is a major health problem in the United States, affecting about 10% of adults according to the Center for Disease Control. To support our employees with diabetes, we’ve partnered with WW to offer you the WW for Diabetes program for those living with type 2 diabetes.

How WW for Diabetes can help you:

• Unlimited access to a Certified Diabetes Educator who provides expert guidance and customizes your food plan to meet your needs.
• A science-backed program proven to make weight loss easier and complements existing disease-management programs.
• Attend WW Workshops virtually or in-person to connect with other members and a WW Coach on a weekly topic.
• Full access to the WW app to track weight, food and points, movement, and blood sugar levels. The app is filled with 8,000+ recipes, on-demand workouts, a members-only digital community, 24/7 Coaching and so much more!

To learn more about how to join WW at no cost visit our Free WW webpage.

15 Day Movement Challenge

The Challenge: Add extra activity into your day and increase your fitness.

The Plan: WW’s (Weight Watchers^® Reimagined) 15-Day Movement Challenge is designed to improve your physical strength, flexibility, and aerobic endurance with a gradually increasing step-by-step plan. Here’s how it works:

1. Get a group of coworkers together who agree to take on the challenge with you. Shared goals help increase accountability and motivation!
2. Click here to review the day-by-day guide with easy-to-follow instructions for how to add skills over the course of the 15-day Challenge.
3. Go! October 10 - 24. 

The Results: No matter what your fitness level is at the start, you’ll see strength, aerobic, and flexibility improvements in just 15 days. And, you’ll be ready to build on your momentum by taking on a new exercise challenge! 

Employees do not need to be WW members to join. However, employees who are eligible for UNI health insurance may join WW for free at any time. The WW app has a daily movement tracker that may also be used during the challenge and beyond, but you must join WW to take advantage of the app. 

If you are not currently receiving UNI WW weekly newsletters please email employeewellbeing@uni.edu to be added to the list for the challenge and provided a spreadsheet for tracking. 

Build your team of coworkers and friends and be ready to start October 10.

Upcoming Events

MY WELL-BEING

Free Flu Clinics

All benefit eligible faculty and staff are eligible for one free flu vaccination each year. If you missed receiving your shot at the Benefits and Well-being Fair, there are additional clinic dates and times still available. For additional information visit our flu shot webpage.

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.

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, on October 6 at noon in Gilchrist 009. Please register in advance.

MY WELL-BEING

Emotional Intelligence

Human Resource Services will host an informational session focused on enhancing emotional intelligence. Implementing discipline over our emotional life is difficult and requires lifelong practice. Being able to choose to act or respond in a particular manner is preferable to re-acting on a consistent basis, yet it is difficult. Enhancing emotional intelligence improves our ability to master our emotional functioning. High emotional intelligence can improve our communications with others, enhance our perception of satisfaction with ourselves and our lives and increase our productivity overall. This hour-long session will be offered via Webcast Wednesday, October 19 at noon. Please register in advance.

WELL-BEING WEDNESDAY

The Power of Social Connections

Human Resource Services will host an informational session on why social connections are so important to thriving in our life and work. This session will also cover reframing negative self-talk and how to benefit from a more optimistic perspective. Activities, practices, and additional support for managing stress will also be shared. Therese Callaghan, Employee Well-being Coordinator, will lead this session in person, Wednesday, October 26 from 2 - 3 p.m. in Gilchrist 009. Please register in advance.

FINANCIAL WELLNESS

Investing with TIAA Traditional

Human Resource Services will host an informational session on TIAA Traditional. Benny Goodman, VP and Actuary with TIAA, will be on-campus sharing how to receive guaranteed lifetime income with TIAA Traditional. This session will take place in the Maucker Union Ballrooms A & B on October 26, from 1 - 2 p.m. Please register in advance.

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 sessions will be presented by Therese Callaghan, Employee Well-being Coordinator, on November 2 at 10 a.m and 2 p.m. in Gilchrist 009. Please register in advance.

November 2  |  10 a.m.  |  Click Here to Register

November 2  |  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.

TIAA October Financial Wellness Webinars

Looking to Turn Your Retirement Savings into a "Paycheck" for Life?

October 11 at 11 a.m. (CT)

You diversify your investment portfolio before retirement to help offset risk. A similar strategy can help see you through retirement. Learn how creating a diversified income plan—one that uses a combination of income sources and includes annuity income that’s guaranteed for life—can help reduce the risks you may face in retirement and ensure you have income that never runs out.

Quarterly Economic and Market Update with TIAA’s Chief Investment Strategist

October 12 at 11 a.m. (CT)

Take a closer look at our views on the financial markets, including key market drivers, the U.S. economy, policy and politics, and investing in public markets. This webinar will also cover the challenges that investors face and how to navigate them.

Money at Work 1: Foundations of Investing

October 12 at 2 p.m. (CT)

Discover how you can manage risk versus reward as well as understand the role of investing and managing risks, ways to help accelerate savings, and tools that can help sustain a portfolio.

Live with Confidence in Retirement: 5 Steps to Creating Your Retirement Income Plan

October 13 at 11 a.m. (CT)

If you’re getting ready to retire, this webinar is essential for understanding how to create an income plan that helps you maximize your savings throughout retirement. In five steps you’ll learn how different sources of income work, how to build your strategy for lifetime income and what to consider when planning withdrawals from your retirement assets.

Social Security Considerations

October 19 at 2 p.m. (CT)

Social Security will likely play a significant role in building your retirement income. Learn the basics about Social Security including eligibility, how to apply, how your benefit is calculated and strategies for claiming benefits.

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 October Retirement Webinars

• October 13 | 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. CST
  Ready, Set, Retire
• October 19 | 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. CST
  Creating a Secure Retirement

IPERS webinars are for state of Iowa employees within five years of retirement and their spouses. To register: https://ipers.org/members/calendar

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.

Christopher Kirk

Supervisor Plant Services, Utilities & Power Plant

25 Years of Service, Retiring in October

kirkc0209@gmail.com

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

Coming In November

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.

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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.