Fiscal wellness is the ability to understand our financial situation. This involves being able to control and maintain a balance of income and expenditures. It is important to make financial decisions that allow one to save, invest and plan for the future.
Do you want to stay in-the-loop when it comes to wellness? Sign up for the UW-Green Bay Wellness email newsletter on the Human Resources website under Wellness (http://www.uwgb.edu/human-resources/benefits/wellness/). You would receive an email every other week or so, with information about wellness events and activities, recipes, articles, etc. Over 30 employees have signed up already! Thanks to Kimberly Vlies and Jen Schanen for their work setting up the wellness email newsletter!
Register now for your on-site health screening!
Discover your numbers – A free health screening* event has been scheduled at UW-Green Bay for employees (and spouses) who are enrolled in the State of Wisconsin Group Health Insurance Program.
At an on-site screening, you’ll learn your measurements for blood pressure, body mass index (BMI), cholesterol (HDL, LDL, and total), triglycerides and glucose, and be in and out in 20 minutes.
Date: Wednesday, April 25, 2018
Time: 7:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
Room: Phoenix Room in University Union
Register at wellwisconsin.staywell.com and click on the Programs tab, then Health Screening, and Onsite Appointments.
Earn your $150 Well Wisconsin Incentive
Complete three steps by October 19, 2018 to earn the $150** Well Wisconsin incentive.
STEP 1: Get a health screening*
Attend an employer sponsored event or if you plan to see your health care provider, ask them to complete the Health Care Provider Form, available at wellwisconsin.staywell.com.
STEP 2: Complete the StayWell health assessment** at wellwisconsin.staywell.com.
It takes about 10 minutes and is mobile and tablet friendly! After logging into wellwisconsin.staywell.com, click on Health Assessment at the top right.
STEP 3: Complete a Well-Being Activity through StayWell. After logging into wellwisconsin.staywell.com, click on Well-Being Activity at the top right.
For more information on on-site health screenings or the Well Wisconsin Program, log in to wellwisconsin.staywell.com.
NOTE: You must register ahead of time for this health screening – they do not allow walk-ins that day.
There is another on-site health screening event at UWGB on Friday, September 21, 2018, for the 2018 Well Wisconsin incentive. You can register for this event at wellwisconsin.staywell.com as well.
*Health information, including responses to the health assessment, are protected by federal law and will never be shared with ETF, the Group Health Insurance Program or your employer.
**All wellness incentives paid to participants of the State of Wisconsin Group Health Insurance Program by StayWell are considered taxable income to the group health plan subscriber and are reported to your employer for tax purposes.
Make this the year you focus on your health and well-being. Join us to learn all about the 2018 Well Wisconsin Program and resources available to assist you, including how to earn your $150 incentive!
Date: Wednesday, February 21, 2018
Time: 12:00 to 12:30 p.m.
Location: Cofrin Library, 7th floor, room 735
No need to RSVP – just mark your calendar to join us, and bring your lunch!
You could also participate in this webinar at your workstation if you prefer – please visit wellwisconsin.staywell.com and go to Wellness Webinars to register.
All webinars are recorded and available to Well Wisconsin Program participants on the StayWell wellness portal after the event date.
To access the StayWell wellness portal, you must be an employee, retiree, or spouse enrolled in the State of Wisconsin or Wisconsin Public Employers Group Health Insurance Programs.
To those of you who have already given, congratulations we are nearly to our 2017 goal! If you haven’t had the chance to participate there is no better time than now! We are nearly to our goal and with just a $1 a pay period contribution you can help ensure we meet that goal by the end of the month! Remember the campaign ends on November 30th so there is only one day left to give! Donate Today, Don’t Delay!
If every person eligible to participate in the campaign donated just $1 a pay check for a year we would raise over $698,000! While $1 a pay period may not seem like a lot to you, collectively it can mean a world of difference to those in need!
The SECC Statewide is a workplace giving campaign that offers you the opportunity to donate to one or more of the more than 400 charities that participate via payroll contribution, check or cash. Giving through your work place is as easy as ever!
Not sure how much to give? See below for what $1 a pay check can do:
Again, it’s quick and simple! I encourage you to log in and consider making a contribution because every dollar really does make a difference.
The campaign runs through November 30th. If you have questions or would prefer paper materials, please call 608.256.1066.
To make your pledge online (please note, the online tool is only for state employees who work outside Dane or Milwaukee counties):
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.
Additional Contributions
Find out how making additional contributions to your WRS account can potentially increase your retirement. This webinar also provides examples of how contributions grow over time with interest, how to pay additional contributions (payroll deduction or direct pay), etc.
Choosing When to Retire
This webinar will focus primarily on choosing your optimal termination and WRS benefit effective dates. The focus will include not only the “December versus January” decision, but also how retirement timing at any point during the year can affect your retirement annuity amount and other employee retirement benefits as well.
Beneficiary Designations-What Happens to My Account When I Die?
Do you have a beneficiary designation on file with ETF and does it reflect how you’d want your WRS death benefits paid? This webinar reviews the importance of having a beneficiary designation on file and keeping it updated as life events occur. We’ll also review the process of how to correctly complete a designation form, what it means if you do not have one on file with ETF, and how to request a copy of your current form.
Retirement Annuity Options
Choosing a WRS annuity option is one of the most important decisions you will face. This webinar will cover all of the WRS annuity options and help you understand them so that you can make an informed decision. We will also explain the important differences between a beneficiary and a named survivor.
Please contact Human Resources at (920) 465-2390 or payrollandbenefits@uwgb.edu with any questions.
The Public Service Loan Forgiveness program can help employees pay off their student loans. This program forgives the remaining balance on qualified federal loans after borrowers have made 120 qualifying monthly payments under a qualifying repayment plan while working full-time for a qualifying employer, such as the University of Wisconsin System. Further information can be found at the Department of Education website at https://studentaid.ed.gov/sa/repay-loans/forgiveness-cancellation/public-service.
There are a number of federal income-based repayment plans, including the Pay As You Earn Repayment Plan (PAYE) and the Revised Pay As You Earn Repayment Plan (REPAYE), both of which has monthly payments of ten percent of discretionary income (the difference between your annual income and 150% of the poverty guideline for your family size). Whether the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program is right for an individual can vary. A student loan borrower needs to work for ten years in a public service qualifying employer to receive the loan forgiveness benefit. Therefore, for many borrowers, the standard 10-year repayment option may be the best option and examining the total cost of different federal repayment options can be helpful.
The above information was provided by the UW-System Office of Academic and Student Affairs.
The Department of Education recommends that if you would like to qualify for this program now or in the future, you would complete the Employment Certification form as soon as possible. You would complete sections 1 and 2 of this form, as well as the Public Service Loan Forgiveness fax cover sheet (https://uwservice.wisconsin.edu/docs/publications/voe-uws-pslf-request.pdf), and fax or mail (don’t email due to the confidential information on the form) the forms to the UW-Service Center.
At the end of a long day, coming up with a recipe, stopping at the store, and making a meal can be more than you can manage.
Instead, plan ahead for what you want to cook and need to buy. This can keep you from splurging on high-calorie, costly takeout or restaurant meals.
Find a system that works for you, whether it’s posting your menu and grocery list on your refrigerator or entering it into an app or spreadsheet.
Keep It Healthy
These tips can help you prepare healthy, low-fat meals:
Make It Fast
When time is of the essence, keep these tips in mind:
Article from The StayWell Company, LLC
2018 Income Continuation Insurance Premium Rates
Income Continuation Insurance (ICI) premium rates for 2018 will increase effective February 1, 2018. For more information, see Employer Bulletin Vol. 34, State E.
Please contact Human Resources at (920) 465-2390 or payrollandbenefits@uwgb.edu with any questions.
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Know Your Benefits: WRS Employee Benefits Seminar in Cleveland Attend a Wisconsin Retirement System employee benefits seminar and come away with a greater understanding of your WRS benefits and how they work. These one-hour evening presentations, hosted by the Department of Employee Trust Funds in cities throughout Wisconsin, are designed for all members, especially those who are within five years of retirement. Topics covered include the retirement process itself, return-to-work rules, the Core and Variable Trust Funds, beneficiary designations, purchasing service, how “life events” affect your benefits, and much more. Questions are encouraged – stick around for the Q&A session afterward!
WRS Employee Benefits Seminar Wednesday, November 8 6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.
Lakeshore Technical College Centennial Hall, Room L177 1290 North Avenue, Cleveland
Please contact Human Resources at (920) 465-2390 or payrollandbenefits@uwgb.edu with any questions.
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Get ready for an engaging, informative ETF webinar on how to improve your overall financial wellness through our online Financial Fitness Program! This exciting new program, available at no cost to WRS members, has 3 core moves:
Learn how to access and use dozens of online Financial Fitness Program tools designed to help you take charge of your financial future, including: creating an emergency fund, setting a budget, saving for college, preparing for retirement, and much more.
The Financial Fitness Program is available at no cost to all Wisconsin Retirement System members. There will be time at the end of the webinar to ask specific questions about the program, which is offered in partnership with the Department of Employee Trust Funds, Department of Financial Institutions, Professional Fire Fighters of Wisconsin and the Wisconsin Retired Educators’ Association.
Hurry! Space is limited. Register now for this free webinar, hosted by ETF.
