myHR Archives
myHR: November 16, 2016
Refer-a-Friend to the YMCA for a Month Free
Penn’s partnership with the YMCA has just gotten even better. Now if you refer a new member, you get a month of membership free!
All the benefits of the Y are even better with a friend. If you refer new member to the YMCA, you receive a month of membership free and they receive a Joiner Fee waiver, up to a $150 value, and 10% off the Monthly Member Rate. The friend or colleague does not need to be a member of the Penn community to take advantage of this great promotion.
Penn faculty and staff with a valid PennCard are already eligible to receive 10% off the Monthly Member Rate.
As members, you and your friend can enjoy all the Y has to offer:
- Access to all Philadelphia Freedom Valley YMCA locations & Regional Y Alliances
- FREE fitness & wellness classes, Babysitting (2 hours/day), & wellness consultations (3 per member)
- Priority class & program registration, with reduced member rates
- AWAY privileges at Y’s across the country
- No contract to sign
Referred members should get a New Member Referral Card from the Welcome Center at the YMCA. To receive the promotional benefits, new members must complete and return the card within one week of joining.
For more information and frequently asked questions, visit the YMCA Discount Gym Membership page, part of the Penn Healthy You website.
Relax and Reboot at the On-Campus Work-Life Harmony Retreat
Are you looking for a place to relax, reboot, and refocus apart from day-to-day pressures and the general climate of uncertainty?
A personal retreat may be the answer—even if you’re “too busy.” You don’t have to climb a mountain or journey into the woods to experience self-reflection and rejuvenation. Just come to Houston Hall on Tuesday, December 6, from 12pm to 1:30pm, for Work-Life Harmony: a Personal Retreat.
Pre-registration is required, so reserve your space soon online or by phone at 215-898-7729.
Work-Life Harmony: a Personal Retreat is a free, 90-minute experiential workshop for benefits-eligible Penn faculty and staff. At this retreat, renowned motivational speaker and mindfulness leader Jennifer Schelter will share self-care practices that will restore calm and move you toward clarity and balance.
Schelter has been named “one of the most inspiring Philadelphian’s” and “Best of Philly” multiple times by Philadelphia Magazine. She leads programs at Wharton Leadership and Management Programs, the Pennsylvania Bar Association, Morris Arboretum, Kripalu Center, and the Radiant Retreat in Tulum, Mexico.
Schelter’s work-life harmony talk covers practical methods to bring the mind toward focus, take stock for clarity, and reduce stress. Participants will leave the event inspired, relaxed, educated and empowered to create their own personal retreats.
Prepare yourself for new beginnings. Register for this unique and inspiring retreat today.
Work-Life Harmony: a Personal Retreat attendees can earn Bonus Action points for the Be in the Know wellness campaign.
For more work life resources, visit www.hr.upenn.edu/worklife.
Penn’s New Bike Commuter Expense Reimbursement Program
In January 2017, bike commuters can look forward to the launch of a new initiative that supports their work commute to and from Penn. The Bike Commuter Expense Reimbursement Program will provide up to $240 annually to benefits-eligible faculty and staff for any out of pocket eligible expenses.
Under Penn’s new program, eligible faculty and staff can be reimbursed for bike purchases; maintenance, improvements, and bike accessories; parking and commercial storage costs; and safety gear. Purchases such as membership and program fees, bike rentals, along with clothing and apparel are not considered allowable expenses.
To participate in the Bike Commuter Expense Reimbursement Program, you must:
- Be full-time benefits-eligible faculty or staff;
- Commute by bicycle to and from Penn more than 50% of the time in a qualified bike commuting month;
- Not participate in any of Penn’s other commuter transit or parking programs; and
- Register the bike with the Division of Public Safety.
The first year of the program officially kicks off on January 1, 2017, and extends until the end of the Tax Year. Claims from Tax Year 2017 may be submitted beginning January 1 until February 28, 2018. Claims will be managed through Concur, the University’s expense management system.
In anticipation of the program’s official launch on January 1, a series of informative events will be conducted throughout the coming months. The first two sessions will be held on December 1 from 2pm to 3pm and January 24 from 2pm to 3pm. These sessions are designed to familiarize interested bike commuters with the processes necessary to ensure timely reimbursement.
Register online now for the information sessions. Advance registration is recommended as space is expected to fill quickly.
During these events, a representative from the Division of Public Safety will be there to help attendees register their bicycles. Please bring your Penn ID along with the make, and model and serial numbers of your bicycle to the session if you would like to take advantage of this service.
Funding for this program is provided by the Division of Business Services as part of the University’s Climate Action Plan. Watch www.upenn.edu/biking for updates and information about this program
Healthy Meals: Chili Mac
As temperatures start to dip, warm up with this family-friendly comfort food.
Find the recipe here or send us your healthy recipes and tips.Did You Know? Pay Timing in November and December Reminder
Moving forward, the University will follow the normal payment schedule in the weeks before Thanksgiving and the Special Winter Vacation.
For weekly paid staff, the Thanksgiving week payment date is Friday, November 25, 2016. The fourth pay in December is Friday, December 30.
For monthly paid faculty and staff, the last pay date of this calendar year is December 30.
For details, visit http://www.upenn.edu/almanac/volumes/v63/n02/pay-timing.html.