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Blia Vang

Author: Blia Vang

Coming Soon – 2022 Annual Open Enrollment Period

The 2022 Open Enrollment period will begin on November 1st and run through November 15, 2021. Our annual Open Enrollment period provides all benefit-eligible employees an opportunity to make changes to their current coverage or enroll in coverage that was previously waived.

Open Enrollment Benefit Fair

Additionally, we are excited to share that we will be able to gather again for an Open Enrollment Benefits Fair in the Warch Campus Center – Somerset Room on Tuesday, November 2, 2021 from 10:30 am – 1:00 pm.

This event will provide opportunities to meet with University’s benefit providers, obtain benefit enrollment forms and the 2022 benefit guide, and connecting with members of the Human Resources team about enrollment for the upcoming year.

The fair will also feature a series of informational presentations. Please let us know if you will be joining us for any of these presentation here. The programming schedule is as follows:

TimePresentationPresenter
11:00 amDiscounts Available Through Your Vision ProviderDelta Vision
11:30 amValue Added Services Through Your Life InsuranceSymetra
12:00 pmNavigating the UMR Portal & Wellness ResourcesUMR

Open Enrollment Benefits Fair – Save the Date!

Save the date for the upcoming insurance Open Enrollment Benefits Fair in the Warch Campus Center – Somerset Room on Tuesday, November 2, 2021 from 10:30 am – 1:00 pm.

This event will provide opportunities to meet with University’s benefit providers, obtaining benefit enrollment forms and the updated benefit guide. You will also have the opportunity to connect with members of the Human Resources team about enrollment for the upcoming year.

Benefit providers who will be available to meet with you include:

Benefit ProviderBenefit Plan
UMRHealth Plan
Delta DentalDental Plan
Care Plus DentalDental Plan
Delta VisionVision Plan
SymetraLife Insurance, Short Term, & Long Term Disability
ERC, Employee Resource CenterEAP Provider
Massage ChairLocal Provider
Edvest 529 College Savings ProgramRegional Edvest Representative
Flu ShotsSubject to availability – Flu shots are provided at no cost to employees and spouses/domestic partners covered under the LU medical plan.
WELLUWellness Services Office
Lawrence University Tuition Benefit ProgramsFinancial Aid Office
LU Employee Resource GroupsPCDA
Brighter Together PracticesLinda Morgan- Clement, Religious & Spiritual Life
Plan Information, Forms, & DeadlinesHuman Resources Office

The Open Enrollment Benefits Fair will also feature a series of informational presentations during the fair. Please let us know if you will be joining us for any of these presentation here. The programming schedule is as follows:

TimePresentationPresenter
11:00 amDiscounts Available Through Your Vision ProviderDelta Vision
11:30 amValue Added Services Through Your Life InsuranceSymetra
12:00 pmNavigating the UMR Portal & Wellness ResourcesUMR

The deadline to submit any open enrollment changes to Human Resources is Monday, November 15, 2021 at 4:00 pm. 

If you do not wish to make changes to your current benefit elections, you do not need to submit open enrollment forms, with the exception of flexible spending. The flexible spending enrollment form must be completed if you want to participate in health and/or dependent care flexible spending in the 2022 plan year/calendar year.     

Unable to attend, but still have questions or need the benefit guide and forms?  Contact Human Resources with your request.

We look forward to seeing you at the Open Enrollment Benefits Fair!

Fall All Staff Meeting Recording

Thank you everyone for attending the Fall All Staff Meeting and for helping our Committee shape this meeting through your submitted questions and feedback.

The recording of this All Staff can be found here on our Past Meeting page.

We welcome your feedback! Please feel free to contact us at staff_governance@lawrence.edu or via our anonymous form to let us know what we did well and what we can improve upon in future meetings.

All Staff Meeting – October 11, 2021

Our first All Staff Meeting of the year will be held virtually on Monday, October 11, 2021 at 8:30am – 10am. We invite you to submit feedback on the agenda topics and questions/concerns for senior leadership via this form by October 6 at noon. Staff will also have the opportunity to ask questions during the meeting via chat.

The meeting will be recorded and posted to the LU Insider for those unable to attend.

Zoom detail:

Please click the link below to join the webinar:

https://lawrence.zoom.us/j/98049200940

Webinar ID: 980 4920 0940

Personal Health Assessment (PHA) Registration is Now Open

What is a PHA?

The Personal Health Assessment is a tool that highlights how our lifestyle choices directly impact overall health. Two scores are provided:

  • Your Lifestyle Rating is based on your self-reported daily habits related to nutrition, physical activity, alcohol consumption, stress and depression, and tobacco use.
  • Your Biometric Score is based on tobacco use, Body Mass Index (BMI), blood pressure, cholesterol levels, and blood sugar.

The Personal Health Assessment Report provides personalized feedback, tips to improve your lifestyle habits, and resources for more information.

Who is eligible to participate?

All staff and faculty are welcomed and encouraged to participate in the PHA process. Participation is also encouraged for the following individuals covered under the Lawrence University medical plan: spouses/domestic partners of employees, retirees and spouses/domestic partners of retirees. 

Note for Medical Plan Participants

Participation by employees, retirees covered under the medical plan, and spouses/domestic partners covered under the medical plan will provide the discounts to the medical plan premium.  All participants must complete both the biometric screening and the lifestyle questionnaire to receive the premium discount. The questionnaire can be completed through Wellworks portal (ThedaCare’s new platform) while signing up for your biometric screening appointment.  Discounts are provided based upon participation and are not scoring or results based.

Along with their new platform, Wellworks, ThedaCare will be switching to a finger stick blood collection as opposed to an arm draw. This process is less invasive and gives instant results.

If you or your spouse/domestic partner is pregnant or within 6 months post-partum during the time of the assessments, participation by the pregnant/post-partum individual will not be required to obtain the discounts on medical plan premiums. Human Resources must be notified if this is applicable to you or spouse/domestic partner by October 15, 2021.  

How do I sign up?

Scheduling directions can be found in the 2021 PHA Instruction Sheet or click here to sign up: www.wellworksforyoulogin.com. The PHA schedule books quickly.  To ensure you receive your preferred appointment time, do not delay in scheduling your appointment.

What is the PHA schedule?

All appointments will be held in the Warch Campus Center – Hurvis & Mead Witter rooms. Appointment time and dates are as followed:

  • Wednesday, October 6th at 6:00am – 10:30am
  • Thursday, October 7th at 6:00am – 10:30am
  • Friday, October 8th at 6:00am – 10:30am
  • Monday, October 11th at 6:00am – 10:00am
  • Tuesday, October 12th at 6:00am – 10:00am
  • Wednesday, October 13th at 6:00am – 10:00am
  • Thursday, October 14th at 6:00am – 10:00am
  • Friday, October 15th at 6:00am – 10:00am

Please contact your HR Representative if you have any questions regarding the PHA process including scheduling your assessment.   

Thank you,

Human Resources

Personal Health Assessment (PHA) Registration is Now Open

What is a PHA?

The Personal Health Assessment is a tool that highlights how our lifestyle choices directly impact overall health. Two scores are provided:

  • Your Lifestyle Rating is based on your self-reported daily habits related to nutrition, physical activity, alcohol consumption, stress and depression, and tobacco use.
  • Your Biometric Score is based on tobacco use, Body Mass Index (BMI), blood pressure, cholesterol levels, and blood sugar.

The Personal Health Assessment Report provides personalized feedback, tips to improve your lifestyle habits, and resources for more information.

Who is eligible to participate?

All staff and faculty are welcomed and encouraged to participate in the PHA process. Participation is also encouraged for the following individuals covered under the Lawrence University medical plan: spouses/domestic partners of employees, retirees and spouses/domestic partners of retirees. 

Note for Medical Plan Participants

Participation by employees, retirees covered under the medical plan, and spouses/domestic partners covered under the medical plan will provide the discounts to the medical plan premium.  All participants must complete both the biometric screening and the lifestyle questionnaire to receive the premium discount. The questionnaire can be completed through Wellworks portal (ThedaCare’s new platform) while signing up for your biometric screening appointment.  Discounts are provided based upon participation and are not scoring or results based.

Along with their new platform, Wellworks, ThedaCare will be switching to a finger stick blood collection as opposed to an arm draw. This process is less invasive and gives instant results.

If you or your spouse/domestic partner is pregnant or within 6 months post-partum during the time of the assessments, participation by the pregnant/post-partum individual will not be required to obtain the discounts on medical plan premiums. Human Resources must be notified if this is applicable to you or spouse/domestic partner by October 15, 2021.  

How do I sign up?

Scheduling directions can be found in the 2021 PHA Instruction Sheet or click here to sign up: www.wellworksforyoulogin.com. The PHA schedule books quickly.  To ensure you receive your preferred appointment time, do not delay in scheduling your appointment.

What is the PHA schedule?

All appointments will be held in the Warch Campus Center – Hurvis & Mead Witter rooms. Appointment time and dates are as followed:

  • Wednesday, October 6th at 6:00am – 10:30am
  • Thursday, October 7th at 6:00am – 10:30am
  • Friday, October 8th at 6:00am – 10:30am
  • Monday, October 11th at 6:00am – 10:00am
  • Tuesday, October 12th at 6:00am – 10:00am
  • Wednesday, October 13th at 6:00am – 10:00am
  • Thursday, October 14th at 6:00am – 10:00am
  • Friday, October 15th at 6:00am – 10:00am

Please contact your HR Representative if you have any questions regarding the PHA process including scheduling your assessment.   

Thank you,

Human Resources

Staff Connections Rebrand: Staff Governance

The Staff Connections Committee has, in response to calls for increased staff representation in university decision making, officially rebranded as the Staff Governance Committee. Our vision is to build a framework for Staff Governance that is more closely aligned to existing Student and Faculty Governance structures.

As we continue to grow the committee and develop its bylaws, our focus will be on:

  • Serving as a formal avenue of communication to all staff, supporting consistent and transparent communication across all areas of the university
  • Recommending individual staff persons to serve on university committees where policies and procedures that affect staff are discussed and determined
  • Conveying feedback and other information to the President and senior leadership related to interests and concerns of university staff
  • Recruiting and maintaining representation from all operational areas of the university and emphasizing the importance of including staff at all levels

That said, this vision is still taking shape, and its final form is fully reliant on staff feedback and participation. As such, we ask that any staff interested in shaping this new governance framework:

  1. Submit feedback on the proposed vision and recommend any additional areas of focus using this form.
  2. Consider joining our committee as we navigate this transition. To express interest, or to request additional information, please contact staff_connection@lawrence.edu.

This is both an incredible opportunity for professional development and a way to ensure that your voice – and the voices of your colleagues – are being accurately represented in university decision-making.

We look forward to working with you!

Staff Connections: Calling All Staff Members

The Staff Connections Committee believes in creating a stronger Lawrence community where staff members have the opportunity to create and develop personal and professional connections across faculty and staff, voice opinions about their community, and work with administration in order to foster the understanding of the needs of staff.

Last year, Staff Connections announced their rebranding in response to your feedback on increasing staff representation in shared governance. As the committee continues to put effort into this rebranding, we are seeking to grow our committee and would like to invite any staff members who are interested in taking part in this rebranding. This is an opportunity for professional development where you can impact the campus greatly. Currently, we are looking for staff representatives for the Lawrence Pandemic Planning Team (LPPT) and Financial Planning Committee (FPC).

If you are interested in being part of this rebranding or being the staff representative on the LPPT or FPC, please reach out to Staff Connections at staff_connection@lawrence.edu or complete the staff member form on our webpage. 

We look forward to working with you!

Q&A Meeting with Mark

A reminder of the upcoming Q&A with Mark meeting for faculty and staff. 

Meeting Date & Time

  • Tuesday, November 10 from 4:00 – 5:00 p.m.
    • Zoom information can be found at this link.

If you are unable to attend, we will be recording the meeting and will share a link after.

Submitting your Questions

You are encouraged to submit questions ahead of the meeting here. The meeting will have an active chat function and questions can be submitted using this feature as well. We will cover as many questions as possible during the allotted time.

COVID-19 Employee Training

As additional staff begin to return to campus, we want to provide information and resources regarding COVID-19, including prevention measures, signs and symptoms, and ways to support the health of our campus community. It is imperative that we continue to practice physical distancing, so we can continue to help stop the spread of COVID-19 and protect others and practice proper safety measures.

As part of that commitment, employees are required to complete the following Moodle course before returning to campus. Here is the link.

Thank you for your continuing efforts in making this transition back to campus a reality. As an institution, we are asking staff to lead the way after COVID-19 has changed so much of how we do our jobs and connect with one another. We are counting on you and appreciate the quality work that you are providing. Take care of yourself and one another.