2018 – HR Connect

WRS Webinars Offered in January

ETF is offering a series of 30-minute, live, interactive webinars designed to increase your understanding of Wisconsin Retirement System benefits. Individuals can also ask questions at the end of these sessions. Visit the ETF webinar page to learn more about any of the following sessions. Here is what others have said about these webinars:

“My participation in the webinar was a first for me, and I just want to compliment you on how easy it was to connect, follow along, and provide questions or requests. Excellent job!”

“Thanks for having these valuable webinars. The professional but conversational style helped me to understand the presentation as easily as an “in office” meeting. Really appreciate that the presenter fully understands the subject. Wonderful job.”

5 Basic Steps to Your Retirement

Consider this webinar your quick reference guide to starting the retirement process within the next 12 months. We’ll review: choosing a termination date, how to request a retirement estimate – and how to read and understand it. We’ll also cover how to schedule a retirement appointment and – drum roll here — how to submit the retirement application.

Wed, Jan 9, 2019 11:00 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.
Tue, Jan 15, 2019 6:00 p.m. – 6:30 p.m.
Fri, Jan 25, 2019 11:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
Thu, Jan 31, 2019 12:00 p.m. – 12:30 p.m.

WRS Annuity Adjustments and Effective Rates

Do WRS accounts receive an investment return? Do investment returns affect how much a retiree will initially receive when they begin their pension? Do those retired in the WRS receive adjustments to their monthly pension amount over the years? This webinar will cover the process of how account effective rates and annuity adjustments are calculated, starting with the investment return reported by the State of Wisconsin Investment Board. Also covered during the webinar will be explanations of both the Core and Variable Trust Funds and the calculations specific to each fund for effective rates and annual adjustments. At the end of this webinar, it is hoped that you will have a better grasp on how State of Wisconsin Investment Board investment returns affect your WRS pension.

Tue, Jan 8, 2019 12:00 p.m. – 12:30 p.m.
Thu, Jan 17, 2019 12:30 p.m. – 1:00 p.m.
Wed, Jan 23, 2019 6:00 p.m. – 6:30 p.m.
Mon, Jan 28, 2019 11:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.

WRS Benefits: For New and Mid-Career Employees

This one-hour webinar is for employees who are five years – or more – from retirement. The information presented will help you make sound, strategic decisions over the course of your career. Topics include vesting, ways to enhance a WRS retirement benefit, purchasing service, military service credit, the Core and Variable Trust Funds, contribution rates, the importance of a beneficiary form and how to complete one, and how “life event” changes affect retirement benefits.

Fri, Jan 11, 2019 12:00 pm. – 1:00 p.m.
Wed, Jan 16, 2019 11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
Tue, Jan 22, 2019 10:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.
Thu, Jan 31, 2019 6:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.

Please contact Human Resources at (920) 465-2390 or payrollandbenefits@uwgb.edu with any questions.

Student Employee of the Year Nominations

Now’s a great time to nominate for Student Employee of the Year (SEOTY)!

The Student Employment Office is seeking nominations for the 2019 SEOTY competition. Take advantage of the break between semesters to submit a nomination for your outstanding student employee. Applications are evaluated based on reliability, professionalism, quality of work, initiative, and uniqueness of contribution. Submissions are due February 17, 2019. A special ceremony to recognize nominees and award winners will be held April 15, 2019. Please contact Allen Voelker (Student Employment and Scholarship Coordinator) at voelkera@uwgb.edu or 920/465-2556 with any questions.

Marketing Content Writer

This position reports to the executive Director of Marketing and University Communications and assists UW-Green Bay’s Office of Marketing and University Communication as a content specialist with specific focus on writing for marketing materials and marketing content for print, web, online, broadcast, outdoor and other emerging communication channels.

For more information and position responsibilities, please see the full position announcement.

To ensure consideration, please apply by Sunday, January 13, 2019.

Head Coach (Women’s Soccer)

This position reports to the Director of Athletics and is responsible for all aspects of running a successful women’s soccer program. The primary emphasis for the position is the recruitment and retention of qualified student-athletes, and the administration of a competitive NCAA Division I Women’s Soccer program.

For more information and position responsibilities, please see the full position announcement.

To ensure consideration, please apply by Tuesday, January 1, 2019.

Supervising for Success: Effective Management for the UW-Green Bay Workforce – 2019

At the University of Wisconsin – Green Bay, we are committed to providing an excellent educational and workplace experience, characterized by innovation, transformation, and place. UW-Green Bay recognizes the impact that all supervisors have on the quality of work, level of productivity, and work attitude of the employees they direct. Supervisors contribute greatly towards the growth, loyalty, motivation, retention, team spirit, and development of employees who report to them.

Ongoing training of all UW-Green Bay supervisors is important. The University offers a program, Supervising for Success: Effective Management for the UW-Green Bay Workforce which assists both new and experienced leaders in developing skills that will help them maximize individual and team performance.

The next offering of this full, two-day session will be Monday, May 6, 2019 – Tuesday, May 7, 2019. Topics that are included in this program include:

Legal issues for supervisors
Risk management and workers compensation
Personnel guidelines and titling
Governance structures
Creating a diverse and inclusive workplace
Position descriptions
Recruitment and staffing
Orientation and onboarding
Performance review, evaluation, and employee development
Employee relations (conflict and discipline)
Communication, coaching, mentoring and motivation

If you are a current supervisor, and have not attended this program, please plan to attend.

Please click here to register.

UW-Green Bay also offers other leadership opportunities, including sponsoring employees for the Supervisory Leadership Certificate Program as part of a collaboration with the Wisconsin Small Business Development Center, and one employee per year for Leadership Green Bay through the Green Bay Area Chamber of Commerce. More information will be posted about Leadership Green Bay in the spring. Please review these opportunities and if applicable, submit an interest form to your supervisor.

If you have questions about the program, please contact Human Resources at hr@uwgb.edu or (920)465-2390.

Lecturer – Data Science

The Austin E. Cofrin School of Business at the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay seeks applicants for a Lecturer position in Data Science and Business Analytics. Candidates with experience teaching at the university level or in professional courses, who have knowledge of the Python and SQL programming languages, and statistical software such as R will be given preference. In addition, applicants with the ability to collaborate on practitioner-orientated and/or pedagogical research projects are encouraged to apply.

For more information and position responsibilities, please see the full position announcement.

To ensure consideration, please apply by Thursday, January 17, 2019.

Beat stress eating today!

When you’re stressed, your first reaction may be to reach for a pint of ice cream or a bag of potato chips. While indulging in comfort foods feels good in the moment, it doesn’t do much to tackle stress. And foods high in sugar and carbohydrates can become an unhealthy crutch, making you feel worse in the long-run.

That doesn’t mean you should avoid food altogether when you’re stressed. Food is a natural reward that keeps your brain and body going. You can snack when you’re stressed—you just have to pick the right foods.

What gives some foods their stress-busting powers? Pick healthy comfort foods high in these nutrients:

Vitamin C: In blood pressure patients, eating vitamin C on a regular basis was linked with lower blood pressure. What to eat: Reach for fruits packed with vitamin C like oranges and berries. Add some lemon to your water for an extra dose of the stress-fighting nutrient.
Vitamin B-6: Vitamin B-6 can lift you mood, reduce stress, and protect the immune and nervous systems. What to eat: Avocados are a great source of this vitamin. As a bonus, they’re also rich in potassium, which supports lower blood pressure.
Omega-3 fatty acids: Omega-3 fatty acids can help prevent stress-related conditions, like depression and anxiety, from developing. What to eat: If you’re feeling stressed, make it a sushi night. Load up on fatty fish like salmon and tuna.
Tryptophan: While tryptophan is known for its sleepy effects, the amino acid helps release serotonin. Serotonin helps you regulate moods, and when you don’t have enough, you’re at a greater risk of developing depression. What to eat: Turkey is packed with tryptophan, but if it’s not your favorite, try a handful of pumpkin seeds or a glass of milk.

You don’t have to completely swear off sweets when you’re stressed—dark chocolate may do the trick. The treat was shown to increase blood flow among heart disease patients.

Article from the StayWell Company, LLC

How To Build a Healthy Trail Mix

Total Time: 5 minutes
Yield: 4-5 cups

Ingredients

For the customizable version:

1 1/2 cups raw nuts i.e. almonds, pecans, cashews, peanuts etc..
1 cup raw seeds i.e. sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds etc…
1 cup unsweetened, unsulphured dried fruit
Fun stuff (amounts vary) i.e. 1/2 cup chopped dark chocolate, 1 cup popped popcorn, 1 cup pretzels etc..
Spice i.e. 1/4 tsp sea salt, 1/2 tsp cinnamon, pinch of nutmeg (optional)

My Go-To Trail Mix Recipe:

3/4 cup raw pecans (I toast mine in the oven for 10 mins at 350 degrees F)
3/4 cup raw cashews (I toast mine in the oven for 10 mins at 350 degrees F)
1/2 cup raw sunflower seeds
1/2 cup raw pumpkin seeds
1/2 cup unsweetened, unsulfured cherries
1/2 cup unsweetened, unsulfured raisins
1/2 cup chopped 82% dark chocolate
1/4 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon
pinch of nutmeg

Instructions

Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and mix well.
Store in a ziploc bag or mason jar.
Will keep for up to 1 month.

Source: https://www.thehealthymaven.com/2015/08/how-to-build-a-healthy-trail-mix.html

Your 2019 Insurance Benefits – Reminder of Changes

Review your 2019 Benefit Enrollments

As 2018 comes to an end, now is a great time to review your 2019 benefits!

To view your Benefits Summary, log in to the My UW System portal and launch the Benefit Information tile. Choose the Summary tab and click View Benefits Summary Detail. On the Benefits Summary page, in the As Of Date field, enter 01/01/2019 and click Refresh to see your 2019 elections.

After you have refreshed your memory on the benefits you elected for 2019, the remainder of this article will remind you of the benefit plan changes for 2019.

Health Insurance
For 2019 there are minimal changes to the State Group Health Insurance Program.

Annual deductibles and out-of-pocket maximums will not change for 2019; however, they will reset at the beginning of the new plan year, January 1, 2019.
Employees enrolled in the State Group Health Insurance Program and their covered spouses and dependents must select a primary care provider (PCP).
- For assistance designating a PCP, contact your health plan directly.
- Employees that do not select a PCP will be auto-assigned a PCP by their health plan. Employees may contact their health plan directly at any time to change the PCP that was auto-assigned to them.
Newly Covered Services – Telehealth services, home sleep studies and the initial set of hard contacts for participants with keratoconus are a few of the new services that will be covered in 2019.
No Longer Covered – Removal of skin tags (unless medically necessary) and the removal of erupted teeth (covered by Uniform Dental) will no longer be covered services by the State Group Health Insurance Program in 2019.

Pharmacy Benefits with Navitus
In 2019, there will be increased cost sharing for level 3 drugs that have alternatives available on the formulary list; known as “dispense-as-written” drugs. Navitus has contacted affected members to provide additional information.

Find in-network pharmacies and formulary lists on the Navitus website, or contact Navitus directly with questions at 1-866-333-2757.

Well Wisconsin Program Incentive
Employees (and spouses) enrolled in the State Group Health Insurance Program are eligible for the Well Wisconsin Program Incentive. To receive the Wellness Incentive for 2019, a health screening, health assessment and a Well-Being activity will need to be completed. Direct mailings will come from StayWell in early 2019.

Uniform Dental Benefits
Delta Dental will continue to administer the Uniform Dental Benefits in 2019. If you elected State Group Health Insurance with Uniform Dental Benefits, you will have access to preventive dental services in 2019.

Newly Covered Service – Removal of erupted teeth (no longer covered by State Group Health insurance).
Orthodontia Reminder – Covered for children up to the age of 19.

Reminder: Evidence Based Integrated Care allows employees access to additional dental services (cleanings or topical fluoride treatments) for certain medical conditions such as cancer therapy, periodontal disease, diabetes, pregnancy, high-risk cardiac conditions, suppressed immune systems, kidney failure or dialysis. Contact Delta Dental directly for additional information.

Supplemental Dental Benefits
Delta Dental will administer the supplemental dental plans in 2019. Two plans are available:

PPO – Select plan
PPO plus Premier – Select Plus plan

One of the main differences between the plans is the provider network. If you enrolled in the Select plan for 2019, you should confirm that your dentist is in the PPO network. If you enrolled in the Select Plus plan, you should confirm that your dentist is in the PPO or Premier network. Find a Delta Dental network dentist here.

Newly Covered Service – Orthodontia will be covered for children and adults under the PPO plus Premier – Select Plus plan.

Review the dental comparison chart for details surrounding the annual maximums and the level of coverage for different services provided by each of the dental plans.

Vision Benefits
Changes to the vision coverage include no charge for standard progressive lenses and an increase to the frame allowance for featured frame brands from $150 to $200.

Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA)
The annual maximum for the Health Care and Limited Purpose FSA’s for 2019 is $2,650.

Health Savings Accounts (HSA)

For 2019, the HSA annual maximum contribution increased from $3,450 to $3,500 for single coverage and from $6,900 to $7,000 for family coverage.
There is an additional $1,000 catch-up contribution amount maximum for employees that are or will attain age 55+ during the calendar year.
All employer HSA contribution amounts will remain the same for 2019: $750 for employees enrolled in single coverage and $1,500 for employees enrolled in family coverage. Employees with less than half time rates will receive $375 if enrolled in single coverage and $750 if enrolled in family coverage. Crafts workers are not eligible for the employer HSA contribution.
Employee contribution changes may be made at any time.

Accidental Death & Dismemberment (AD&D)
Effective January 1, 2019, an identity theft protection benefit was added to the plan (LifeStages Identity Management Services from CyberScout).

If you have any questions, please contact us at payrollandbenefits@uwgb.edu or (920) 465-2203.

2019 Benefits ID Cards

State Group Health Insurance Plans

Health insurance plan ID cards are typically sent by health insurance carriers to participants by the end of December for enrollments that occurred during the Annual Benefits Enrollment (ABE) in October. The ID cards are effective January 1, 2019. Present your new ID card at appointments that occur on or after January 1, 2019. Remember, before seeing a health care provider in 2019, check to make sure they are in-network by visiting your health plan’s online provider directory.

The following employees will receive health insurance ID cards for 2019:

Employees who chose a different health plan: Employees who chose a different health plan design or a different health insurance carrier during the Annual Benefits Enrollment (ABE) period will receive a new ID card.
Employees who chose the same health plan: Employees who chose the same health plan design with the same health insurance carrier during the Annual Benefits Enrollment (ABE) period will typically only receive a new ID card if they added or removed dependents.

Pharmacy Benefits

Newly enrolled employees in health insurance will also receive an ID card from Navitus for pharmacy benefits. Currently enrolled employees will only receive a new card if they added or removed dependents. If a change was made, employees can expect to receive their ID card in early January.

Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA) and Health Savings Account (HSA)

Newly enrolled employees in a Health Care Flexible Spending Account (FSA), Limited Purpose Flexible Spending Account (LPFSA) or Health Savings Account (HSA) will receive their debit card for these plans from TASC, the FSA & HSA plan administrator in early January. New enrollees can submit claims through the manual claims submission process until their debit card is received.

Employees who previously participated in these plans and already have a debit card may use the same card as previous years until the expiration date listed on the card. If you no longer have your FSA or HSA debit card from previous years, contact TASC at 1-844-786-3947 or 1customercare@tasconline.com to request a new card.

Dental Insurance

Newly enrolled employees in Uniform Dental through Delta Dental will receive an ID card. Currently enrolled employees in Uniform Dental with Delta Dental will only receive a new ID card if their level of coverage has changed (single to family, etc.). If a change was made, employees can expect to receive their ID cards late December.

All employees that enrolled in a supplemental dental plan for 2019 will receive an ID card from Delta Dental late December. If you have both uniform dental benefits as well as supplemental dental benefits through Delta Dental, you will have two Delta Dental ID cards. Please present both cards to your dentist’s office.

Vision Insurance

VSP, the vision insurance plan administrator, does not issue ID cards. Employees that are enrolled in vision for 2019 should notify their vision provider that they have VSP vision insurance when they schedule their vision appointment. The provider will then contact VSP to verify coverage.

Review Your Cards For Accuracy

Review your ID cards for accuracy. If you discover errors or if you do not receive your ID cards by mid-January, contact the benefit plan directly to request new ID cards.

If you have any questions, please contact us at payrollandbenefits@uwgb.edu or (920) 465-2390.