myHR: April 6, 2022

The Benefits Fair Is Back

Benefits Open Enrollment for the 2022-2023 plan year will be Monday, April 18 through Friday, April 29. With Open Enrollment approaching soon, Penn invites you to learn more about your options directly from the experts at the on-campus Benefits Enrollment Fair. This informative event takes place Monday, April 11 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the Inn at Penn Woodlands Ballroom located at 3600 Sansom Street.

At this year’s Benefits Enrollment Fair, Human Resources Benefits, Wellness and Work-life staff will be joined by representatives from Penn’s health and welfare benefits providers, as well as TIAA, to share practical information and fun giveaways. Here’s a line up of the providers and campus services who will be available in the Woodlands Ballroom to answer your questions and help you take full advantage of your Penn benefits.

• Aetna
• CVS caremark
• Corporate Wellness Nutrition
• Health Advocate
• Independence Blue Cross
• MetLife
• Penn Family Dental
• VSP vision care
• WageWorks/HealthEquity

Staff from Penn Dining and Penn Parking and Transportation will also be at the fair to inform you about their services.

When you arrive at the Benefits Enrollment Fair, please be prepared to show your Penn ID and your green PennOpen Pass for the day and comply with all Inn at Penn public health precautions.

Online Information Sessions

For more opportunities to learn about your benefits options, virtual Open Enrollment Information Sessions will be held April 14, 19, and 26. In these sessions, Human Resources Benefits staff will give live online presentations about the upcoming plan year. You’ll have the opportunity to ask questions to learn more details. To register and access meeting links, click on the dates and times below:

April 14, 12 p.m. to 1:30 p.m.

April 19, 11:30 a.m. to 1p.m.

April 26, 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.

You can learn more about your Penn benefits by reviewing the 2022-2023 Benefits Enrollment Guides available at www.hr.upenn.edu/openenrollment.

If you have questions, contact the Benefits Solution Center at 1–866–799-2329 Monday–Friday, 8 a.m.–10 p.m.

What Financial Well-being Means Now

In a time of inflation, cryptocurrencies, supply chain woes, and stock market ups and downs, what does financial well-being mean to you? According to a Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) report, “Consumers can experience financial well-being—or a lack of it—regardless of income.” The CFPB report defines financial well-being as having financial security and financial freedom of choice, in the present and in the future. Beyond these basics, financial well-being comes in many forms depending on individual situations. That’s why Penn offers an array of Financial Literacy Month programs to fit different goals, as well as financial well-being opportunities throughout the year.

Whether you want to get a handle on debt, understand retirement savings basics, buy a home for the first time, or explore real estate investments, there are live webinars, virtual workshops, and counseling sessions to help you reach or maintain your financial security and flexibility.

These programs are free for benefits-eligible faculty and staff.

TIAA's Looking to Turn Your Retirement Savings Into a Paycheck for Life
April 12, 3 pm-4 pm

Learn how creating a diversified income plan—one that uses a combination of income sources and includes annuity income that’s guaranteed for life—can help reduce the risks you may face in retirement and ensure you have income that never runs out.

TIAA's Money at Work 2: Sharpening Investment Skills
April 12, 12 pm-1 pm

Feel more secure in your savings strategy by verifying you’re on the right track. And if you’re off track, know what adjustments you need to make.

Managing Money in Today's Uncertain Times with MetLife
April 12, 11:30 am-12:30 pm

Join our speaker, Albert Corrato, Jr., Certified Financial Planner Professional from Creative Financial Group, MassMutual, for this financial wellness learning opportunity, sponsored by MetLife. This workshop answers three essential questions: What you need to know? What should you do now? And how to prepare for a better future?

TIAA's Quarterly Economic and Market Update
April 13, 12 pm-1pm

Take a closer look at our views on the financial markets, including key market drivers, the U.S. economy, policy and politics, and investing in public markets.

TIAA's Inside Money: Managing Income and Debt
April 14, 12 pm-1 pm

Discover how to help make your money work harder by using your cash flow more effectively, developing good saving habits and better managing debt.

TIAA's Retirement Income Diversification - What Why and How
April 14, 3 pm-4 pm

Learn about income diversification, why it is important and how to incorporate into your retirement income strategies.

TIAA's An Introduction to Alternative Investments: Real Estate
April 20, 12 pm-1 pm

Learn about TIAA’s innovative approach to real estate and how it can help diversify an investment portfolio.

Your Own Home: Renting vs. Owning with PNC Bank
April 27, 12 pm-1 pm

Learn the advantages and disadvantages of renting vs owning a home. Identify questions to ask to determine readiness to buy a home, identify basic terms and required disclosures. Identify predatory lending practices and loan scams.

One-on-One Sessions

For personalized retirement planning counseling, connect with TIAA online or by phone. You can also schedule a counseling session at no additional cost to you, where a representative can help you with your investment choices.

Online - TIAA

Phone - TIAA Retirement Call Center at 877-736-6738

Counseling sessions - Make an appointment online here, or call 800-732-8353. 

Visit the Saving for Retirement web pages for more information about retirement savings. To search all upcoming financial wellness and retirement planning events, visit the Human Resources Event and Program Registration page.

Sharon Jacobs: Contributing to Penn’s Mission for Over Two Decades 

When Sharon Jacobs relocated from Boston to Philadelphia in 1983 so that her husband could accept a faculty position at Penn, she also became a part of the Penn community by working in Institutional Research under the Provost’s office. The research and analysis work she did in Institutional Research lead to her interest in compensation.

“I decided that I wanted to specialize in compensation, so I went to work for the Hay Group and then Towers Perrin. These  are two of the leading compensation management consulting firms in the world, so I received rigorous training on compensation theory, design, and administration. I really learned the art and science of compensation from being in those organizations,” Jacobs says.

Sharon then accepted the position as Director of Compensation at Hahnemann/Allegheny Health System. It was not until eight years later that she returned to Penn.

“I was always very attracted to Penn’s mission of producing high quality education and cutting-edge research, and the value the University puts on the staff, faculty, students, and the community. I wanted very much to be a part of the Penn community again,” she says. 

In 1998, Jacobs joined Penn Medicine where she managed compensation for the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania and integrated the compensation systems with Pennsylvania and Presbyterian Hospitals. In 2005 she joined the Division of Human Resources as Executive Director of Compensation.

This month Jacobs will retire from the HR role she has held for the past 17 years. But the impact of her work will be remembered long after she leaves her office. 

“Sharon has led a dynamic and responsive compensation program that supports the recruitment and retention of staff,” says Jack Heuer, Senior Vice President, Division of Human Resources.

“I will miss her professional analyses and sound counsel,” he says.

In the time that Jacobs has worked in HR, she has directed salary administration including the annual merit increase planning process, designed the structure of the compensation programs, worked to ensure legal compliance, and conducted market studies to maintain market-competitive salaries. She is very proud of her six-member team of talented compensation professionals who, over the years, have provided excellent service and developed strong partnerships with HR partners and managers in Penn’s schools and centers.

She has a deep understanding of the University’s culture based on her 39 years as part of the Penn community. She has perspective from working in the health system, interacting with faculty, staff, and students, and as a proud Penn parent.

Additionally, Jacobs has led an effort to develop career ladders to support employee and organizational growth.

“As the largest private employer in Philadelphia, there are many employees who come to Penn and spend a lot of their career here, so it is really important to identify the part we can play in giving staff the opportunities for promotions, recognition, and growth,” Jacobs says.

“Through the career ladders we’ve given them a roadmap to develop their careers and seek opportunities at Penn,” she says.

The work that Jacobs and her team have done with career ladders will become a part of the Talent Development module in Workday Wave 2, set to launch July 1, 2022.  

Jacobs, a graduate of Georgetown and Northeastern Universities with degrees in business and economics, says working at Penn has never been about just doing a job. 

“I love my work. I always have. But it’s also about contributing to the mission of the organization and trying to make our employees feel valued. Penn’s success as an Ivy League university is based on the talent of the faculty, staff, and students so to be able to attract, reward, and retain employees, which compensation can certainly have an impact on, is key to supporting Penn’s mission. Being able to help support that mission in that way is important to me,” she says.

Jacobs says that with retirement she’s looking forward to spending more time with family and friends, traveling, gardening, and doing volunteer work, but that she will miss being on campus every day.

“The colleagues that I have within HR, the schools and centers, and certainly my staff, we’re all supporting a mission that really does make a difference. I’ll miss interacting with them all. I’ll also miss Jack’s leadership. I think our HR department is really strong under his leadership because he is a visionary and is committed to providing the highest quality service. I feel really lucky to have been able to work with him and to grow and learn,” she says.

Though staff won’t see Jacobs regularly strolling down Locust Walk, Heuer says he suspects that she will still be connected to the Penn community. 

“Sharon is the consummate Penn citizen. She has volunteered with Admissions as a Penn parent representative and has always been a presence at Penn events such as Penn Family Day and Commencement. Sharon has always demonstrated that Penn is an integral part of her life and the lives of her husband and her two daughters, both of whom are proud Penn graduates. I know that Penn will always be an important part of Sharon’s life, so while she is retiring from her work responsibilities, I am sure that she will continue to be an active member of the University community,” Heuer says.

“I love being in higher education and I love the stimulating academic environment, the faculty, staff, students, research, and teaching,” Jacobs says.

“Penn is an amazing institution. I am grateful to be a part of that.”

Retirement Savings Plans Get a Boost 

Current employees who are in the process of completing the one-year waiting period on June 30 will be affected, including:

• Faculty in the eligibility waiting period for the Basic and Matching Plans.
• Full-time staff in the eligibility waiting period for the Basic and Matching Plans
• Part-time staff and temporary workers who haven’t completed a Year of Service.
• Newly hired employees will no longer need to apply for prior service credit.

Preparing for the Change

If you are still in your one-year waiting period, consider these options. If you are in the waiting period and are enrolled in the Supplemental Plan only, set a date to change your contribution elections so that up to 5% of your eligible pay goes to the Matching Plan. The date that weekly-paid employees will first receive contributions is being confirmed and will be announced in April. 

If you’d like to change your contribution elections ahead of July 1, keep in mind that the Matching Plan has less access to distributions than the Supplemental Plan. The Matching Plan allows in-service withdrawals at age 70 ½, and the Supplemental Plan at age 59 ½. The Matching Plan doesn’t allow loans and hardship withdrawals, but the Supplemental Plan does. 

To change your contribution elections, go to the Retirement Plans webpage and select the TIAA link in the "Enroll or Make Changes" box at the top of the page.  

For questions, contact the TIAA Retirement Call Center at 877-736-6738.

Making the Most of Your Time and Energy

Career coaching expert and entrepreneur Michael Altshuler once said, “the bad news is time flies. The good news is you’re the pilot.” Deciding how you will best spend your time and energy in today’s fast-paced world can be a challenge, but you are in charge of the controls. You choose to wake up early to tackle a to-do list or hit the snooze button to get in your eight hours of rest. By making good choices with a 24-hour day, you can strike a life balance that makes you feel accomplished professionally and personally while also improving your well-being.

You can meet your most valued goals without feeling overwhelmed or stressed out by using some practical strategies for better time and energy management. Learn how at the Time and Energy Management: Ideas for Sustainable Life Balance workshop on April 20 from 11 a.m. to 12 p.m.

“Time is finite, energy is not. If we can understand what gives us purpose and replenishes our energy, we can better accomplish the things that we recognize deplete our energy such as tending to families while working full-time, or worse, dealing with illness or trauma,” says Amma Napier, Senior Consultant for Talent Development.

Napier, the workshop’s facilitator, adds that with life returning to a sense of normalcy as the pandemic shows signs of subsiding, “it’s more important now than ever to recognize the need for purpose, both at work and personally.”

She adds, “think about where you actually like to spend your time, what gives you joy and energy.”

In this workshop, Napier will discuss the following skills:

• Energy management and how it relates to work-life balance. Energy is the ability to do work or perform a task. We must examine how best to spend our energy and how to renew it once it has been depleted.

• Time management and prioritization. By exercising control over the amount of time you spend on activities and arranging tasks in order of importance, you can increase your effectiveness, efficiency, and productivity.
• Workflow systems and the 1-3-5 to-do list rule. What process or method do you use to accomplish tasks? The 1-3-5 rule allows you to create a list that includes one big activity, three medium-sized activities, and five small activities so that you can optimize your efforts. 

During this interactive workshop participants will do insight-building activities, including completing a personal energy assessment to help identify the physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual actions that provide energy or cause us to be drained.

Register today for Time and Energy Management: Ideas for Sustainable Life Balance and find tools and strategies to optimize your efforts.

For more information about Penn’s Talent Development programs, visit www.hr.upenn.edu/PennHR/learn-grow.

Avoiding the Dangers of Drinking 

During these uncertain times, data indicates there may be an alarming increase in the use of alcohol and other substances. During Alcohol and Drug Awareness Month staff and faculty have an opportunity to evaluate their habits and educate themselves and their families about the dangers of alcohol use and drug abuse. These steps can help you or a loved one reduce harm and lead healthy and productive lives. 

According to the 2020 National Survey of Drug Use and Health, 50% of people aged 12 or older (138.5 million people) have reported using alcohol in the past month.

“Over 40 million Americans currently suffer from some form of substance use disorder and approximately 14 percent of Americans will, at some point in their lives, suffer from substance misuse,” says Eric Rodriguez, Education Resource Director for the Caron Treatment Centers.

“It is important to recognize the effects of alcohol and drugs on our culture, society, and individually within our families,” he says.

To examine your drinking patterns and check for signs of addiction, take the alcohol awareness risk assessment provided by Health Advocate. You can download or print this assessment questionnaire and take it offline, so it’s completely confidential.

Rodriguez offers five tips to help you take appropriate steps to reduce the influence of drinking on the well-being of you and your family and make early interventions if necessary.

1. Set attainable reduction goals paying attention to how much you drink and how often.
2. Document your reasons to reduce drinking. These could be physical, relational, or emotional benefits.
3. Make two lists: One that identifies your values and beliefs, the other that explains how alcohol affects or impacts those values.
4. Don’t make alcohol readily available in your home. Reducing access to drinks in the home reduces the likelihood of consumption. Involving supportive members of the household can also help motivation and accountability.
5. Seek professional help if needed. Therapy and counseling are great resources that can be beneficial if you want to change some aspect of your life.

The Caron Substance Use Prevention Educational Resources blog provides tools including videos, podcasts, and downloadable PDF resources to assist families with discussions about alcohol and drug use and abuse.  

Penn staff and faculty can also take advantage of the following resources:

• Penn’s Employee Assistance Program (EAP): Health Advocate EAP counselors can help you identify the right providers and facilities that treat addiction and locate support groups for you. Call 1-866-799-2329.
  
  Email eapinfo@healthadvocate.com 
  Visit https://www.hr.upenn.edu/eap
  Schedule an EAP appointment through Penn Cobalt 

• Penn’s medical plans: If you or a family member are struggling with addiction and are enrolled in a Penn medical plan, addiction treatment is available. All plans offer substance abuse care including inpatient, outpatient, and detoxification treatment with qualified professionals such as the Caron Treatment Center staff.

PennCare/Personal Choice PPO
Coverage provided through Quest, 800-364-6352.

Aetna Choice POS II
Coverage provided through Aetna’s behavioral health network, 800-424-4047.

Keystone/AmeriHealth HMO
Coverage provided through Magellan Health Services, 800-688-1911.

Aetna High Deductible Health Plan (HDHP) with a Health Savings Account (HSA)
Coverage provided through Aetna’s behavioral health network, 800-424-4047.

Check with your medical provider to see what resources meet your specific needs.

For emotional well-being resources, visit MindWell at Penn. 

Self-care for a Busy Season 

The end of the Spring term can be one of the busiest times for Penn faculty and staff. As your calendar fills and your to-do list grows, it’s especially important to schedule time to take care of yourself. You have access to many programs and benefits to help you tend to your own well-being--from mindfulness courses, to online learning, to community activities. Here is a sample of self-care resources available this spring and beyond.

One way to make sure to include self-care in your spring activities is to register for Mindfulness-based Tools for Self-care, a special four-session workshop developed for University faculty and staff by the Penn Program for Mindfulness. Each virtual session takes place on Thursdays, April 28 through May 19 from 3 pm to 4 pm.

“A body of research indicates that mindfulness provides a number of physical, psychological, and even performance benefits,” says Mara Wai, Associate Director Penn Program for Mindfulness.

Mindfulness-based Tools for Self-care is tailored to active professionals who want to learn stress management techniques to prevent feeling overwhelmed.

“This short course includes brief practices that can be easily integrated into a busy life,” says Wai.

During busy times, frustration and irritability can arise, especially when you run into challenges. Mindfulness practices can help you recognize when you start to feel overloaded. They can also help you develop healthy responses to stress instead of reacting in ways that can bottle up negative feelings or cause more tension.

Each session will include practical mindfulness lessons followed by guided meditation instruction and practice. These workshops also feature interactive discussions on how to apply  mindfulness-based tools in daily life. Wai says, “The interactive activities support a sense of community and connection among participants.”

Participants will be given weekly practice suggestions as well as access to audio and written resources to support experimenting with and integrating practices into personal life in between weekly sessions. 

Participants who complete the Mindfulness-based Tools for Self-care program will receive a certificate and 1,200 Bonus Action points for this year’s Be in the Know campaign.

For those who can’t attend the four-week mindfulness program, the Virgin Pulse wellness portal has convenient digital programs such as Reduce Stress & Anxiety and Build Emotional Intelligence. To access these self-paced programs, log in to the Virgin Pulse platform, then select Programs from the main menu. You can join other wellness activities on the Virgin Pulse platform, too.

For more tips on making self-care part of your routine, read Make self-care a priority on the Health Advocate blog.

If you’re experiencing anxiety and low moods for weeks at a time or these feelings keep you from participating in activities and relationships, please reach out to a health care provider. If you’re not sure where to start, call the Penn Employee Assistance Program at 1-866-799-2329.

You can find emotional well-being and mental health care benefits details on the MindWell at Penn web pages.

Healthy Meals: Vegetable Pizza with Homemade Sauce

This fun vegetarian pizza brings together peppers, tomatoes, broccoli, and mushrooms for just the right amount of richness and flavor. It can be whipped up quickly, so it is a favorite go-to pizza when you want a simple dinner that is nutritious and also satisfies the taste buds.  

Click here to send us your healthy recipes and tips.

Ingredients:

For the Sauce:

2 tablespoon olive oil
2 garlic cloves, finely minced
1/2 medium yellow onion, diced
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon dried basil or 1 teaspoon fresh basil, finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon finely ground black pepper
16-oz of no salt added or low sodium crushed tomatoes
16-oz no salt added or low sodium diced tomatoes

For the Pizza:

Whole Grain Pizza Crust (9-12 inches)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 bell pepper, sliced
1/2 onion sliced
1 cup broccoli florets
1/2 cup mushrooms, sliced
1 cup reduced fat mozzarella cheese

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350°F
In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-high
Add onions to skillet and cook until translucent.
Add minced garlic and cook until sizzling (do not let it brown)
Add diced tomatoes, crushed tomatoes, and spices; simmer for about 15 minutes or until sauce is thickened.
Coat pizza crust with olive oil and bake for 15 minutes or until golden brown
Add 1/2 cup to 1 cup of marinara sauce and evenly spread
Top with chopped vegetables and cheese
Bake for 15-20 minutes or per pizza crust instructions

Meet With a Registered Dietitian Today!

• One-on-one, virtual nutrition counseling
• 100% covered under many insurance plans and available to spouses and dependents
• Simple Sign Up Process – Visit Penn’s Corporate Wellness Nutrition’s Sign Up page, provide your information and a customer service team member will reach out in one to two business days to book your appointment.

Did You Know: Tree Giveaway Registration Opens April 18

Penn will once again partner with TreePhilly and Morris Arboretum for the Creating Canopy tree giveaway on May 5 from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. at Penn Park, 31^st and Lower Walnut Streets. A limited number of trees will be distributed on a first-come, first-serve basis to pre-registered Penn and UPHS staff and faculty. Registration opens April 18. Trees are only available to Philadelphia homeowners and are limited to one tree per household. For more information, visit the Penn Sustainability website.