myHR: April 25, 2012

Extension of Long-Term Care Insurance Enrollment

An accident or illness can strike at any time—and now's your chance to prepare. We're extending the special enrollment period for long-term care coverage with our new vendor, Genworth Financial.

Full-time faculty and staff have until May 11, 2012 to enroll without having to show proof of good health.

The guaranteed acceptance period is a one-time offering and won't be available each year with the same terms. You can still apply for long-term care insurance outside of this initial enrollment period, but you'll be subject to medical underwriting. Keep in mind that your eligible family members must provide proof of good health even during this special enrollment period.

For more information and to apply, visit Genworth's website (Group ID: UPenn; Access Code: groupltc). You can also watch an online presentation by Genworth on May 7 at 12:15pm, or call 800-416-3624 and speak to a Genworth customer service representative.

If you already have an existing long-term care contract with our previous vendor (John Hancock), you'll retain your coverage, but will have the opportunity to enroll with Genworth later this year.

Employees to Graduates: The Rewards of Working and Learning at Penn

In just a few weeks, thousands of students will line up on Locust Walk for Penn's annual commencement ceremonies—and Kylie Mitchell and Lizza Robb will be joining them. These two Penn staff members are donning their own caps and gowns this year, thanks to the University's generous tuition benefit.

Kylie first came to Penn as a freshman in 2007. Two years later, she hit a financial roadblock and needed to find a way to pay for the rest of her undergraduate education. So Kylie traded in her full-time student status for a full-time job. She was hired as a data analytics researcher in Penn's Development and Alumni Relations department. That meant hands-on experience as a working professional and the ability to take advantage of the University's tuition benefit—which covers 100 percent of the tuition, general and technology fees at Penn for up to six course units per academic year. It also meant the ability to finish her coursework and receive a bachelor of arts degree in chemistry, which is exactly what she did.

"My financial hardships were a blessing in disguise. Going from a full-time Penn student to a full-time Penn employee made my connection to the University so much stronger. And the savings from the tuition benefit made it possible for me to earn my degree," Kylie said.

She'll be joined in next month's graduation festivities by fellow colleague Lizza Robb, who also took advantage of Penn's tuition assistance to pursue her academic goals. Lizza's relationship with Penn began about 15 years ago as an administrative assistant in the School of Social Policy & Practice. Like Kylie, she took advantage of Penn's tuition benefit and obtained a bachelor of fine arts degree in 2002. But Lizza didn't stop there. She moved through the employee ranks from administrative assistant to her current role as electronic publishing specialist, and also received a certificate in graphic design from Penn's School of Design along the way. Now she's rounding off her education this spring with a master's degree in social work.

"Not only did the University give me financial support to earn multiple degrees, it also helped me do it while balancing a full-time job with a nine-year-old daughter at home. I don't think I could have managed all of this at another workplace," Lizza said.

Want to know how our tuition benefit program can help you? Click here for more information.

New Techniques to Manage Your Workload

Staying organized is a must for administrative professionals. But it's not easy, especially when you're buried with emails, phone calls and deadlines from one day to the next. So how do you effectively manage your workload when it continues to multiply? We'll show you!

Join us on May 10 for a two-day workshop on Organizing Your Work: New Techniques for Administrative Professionals. Led by the American Management Association, this program will teach you new techniques for getting (and staying) organized in the workplace. We'll help you overcome your workload challenges and show you how to keep every project moving in the right direction. By the end of this program, you'll have the skills you need to easily—and successfully—meet the demands of your job.

Click here for complete details and to register.

Help Your Child Handle Bullies

No parent wants to hear that your child is being bullied. But how do you know if your kids are at risk? And what do you do to keep them from becoming the victims of bullying? We can help!

Join us on May 9 for a free workshop on Bully-Proofing Your Child Through Building Self-Esteem. You'll learn how to instill confidence and self-esteem in your children so they don't become targets for bullies. We'll also tell you what bullying is (and isn't) and how to help your kids respond to it with confidence and ease.

You're welcome to bring a brown bag lunch to this workshop. Click here for complete details and to register.