myHR: May 22, 2013

Plan Your Road to Retirement

Retiring is a big step, and you may have plenty of questions about how to prepare. Maybe you’re wondering how to save money when you’re just starting out in your career. Or you want to retire in the next few years but aren’t sure how to make the transition. Well now’s your chance to find out!

If you’re planning on retiring soon, join us on June 11 to learn the ABCs of Preparing to Retire within the Next Few Years. You’ll learn about eligibility for medical benefits and the Rule of 75 as well as the many perks of being a Penn retiree. You’ll also get an overview of Social Security and Medicare. Click here to register.

Even if retirement is years away, you can start preparing now. Join us on June 18 for the secrets to Planning for Retirement Early in Your Career. You’ll discover the many resources at Penn to help you save for your financial future. Learn about the University’s retirement plans and how you can use them to build your nest egg. You’ll also find out about other financial planning resources at Penn to help you on the road to retirement. Click here to register.

Like Mother, Like Daughter: Penn Helps Families Get an Education for Less

From Left to Right: Dr. Rosemary Frasso, Master of Public Health Program Director of Student Affairs; Sharon McMullen, Director of Campus Health Initiatives for Penn’s Student Health Service

Education comes first in Sharon McMullen’s family.

That’s why the director of campus health initiatives for Penn’s Student Health Service donned a cap and gown last week after graduating from the University’s Master of Public Health Program. And her daughter is a rising sophomore at Penn.

But Sharon says all of this would have been impossible without the help of Penn’s tuition benefit.

“Getting an education has always been the top priority in my family, but we couldn’t afford it on our own. Penn makes it possible to meet that goal,” she said.

In fact, Penn’s tuition benefit was largely the reason Sharon came to work at Penn in 2007. After a 12-year career in critical care and emergency department nursing, Sharon turned her eye toward the University’s tuition benefit since her children were heading to college in the next five to ten years. She joined Student Health Service as a part-time nurse before transitioning into her current role as director.

“Tuition assistance is one of the best perks of working at Penn, and our entire family benefits from it. That’s hard to beat anywhere else,” she said.

Eligible faculty and staff taking courses at Penn can use the tuition benefit to cover 100 percent of the tuition, general and technology fees for up to six course units per academic year. You can also use it to cover 75% of your child’s technology and tuition fees at Penn.

For Sharon, that means shaving thousands of dollars off the price of her daughter’s education as well as her own.

“My graduate studies were invaluable in helping me transition into my current role at the University. But I couldn’t have completed the program without Penn’s help. The tuition benefit brought the cost of my education to a much more manageable place,” Sharon said.

She even touts the benefit to potential employees when she interviews them.

“Penn’s tuition benefit is priceless. If you work here, don’t leave it on the table. Use it,” she says.

Penn’s tuition benefits also cover up to 40% of the cost of your child’s undergraduate education at schools other than Penn. And your spouse or domestic partner can use it to cover 50% of the cost of pursuing an undergraduate degree at Penn.

To learn more about how you can take advantage of Penn’s tuition benefits, click here.

Master the Art of Managing Up

Do you have a good relationship with your boss? If not, it’s time to work on it. A strong partnership with your supervisor is a valuable way to shine in your role and advance your career—and we can show you how!

Join us on July 30 to learn the ins and outs of Managing Up. You’ll learn how to build an open, honest relationship with your manager in order to move forward. You’ll discover techniques to help you better understand your supervisor’s point of view, and how to prioritize your own work so you meet your manager’s goals. You’ll also learn how to communicate in a clear and positive way and get hands-on practice giving (and receiving) constructive feedback.

Your department will be charged a nominal fee for this workshop ($75). Click here for complete details and to register.

Take Charge of Your Health Care Costs

Planning a budget isn’t always easy, especially when it comes to medical expenses. From routine care at your doctor’s office to more complicated procedures like knee surgery or a hip replacement, it can be challenging to figure out the cost of medical care. But with Health Advocate’s cost estimator tool, you can get the answers you need in no time!

This convenient tool helps you estimate medical expenses for a variety of healthcare services. You can compare the cost of procedures at different hospitals and get a quick snapshot of medical fees—all at the touch of a finger.

Ready to get started? Click here to access the health cost estimator and to learn more about Health Advocate services.