myHR: September 20, 2023

Be in the Know On-Campus Biometric Screenings This Fall

Penn’s 2023-2024 Be in the Know wellness campaign, open to all benefits-eligible faculty, staff, and postdoctoral researchers and fellows eligible for the Penn Postdoc Benefits Plan, provides an array of programs and resources to focus on your health and well-being, connect with the Penn community, and earn up to $300* in Pulse Cash rewards.

This fall, the Penn Healthy You team, in partnership with Health Advocate, will offer on-campus biometric screenings at convenient University locations. Quick, no-cost screening appointments will be held from October 10 through November 30. Advanced registration is required, so sign up for your appointment online at Penn’s Health Advocate portal. Log in with your PennKey and password, and follow these steps:

• Click on the “Schedule a Health Screening” tile.
• Look for “Attend an Onsite Health Screening Event.”
• Click “Schedule.”
• Search by available location and follow steps to make your appointment.

For a complete list of screening dates and locations, download the biometric screening schedule.

Rewards Start with Your Biometric Screening

Completing a biometric screening is an essential step for Be in the Know 2023-2024. It is the only activity required to receive Pulse Cash rewards this year. Biometric screenings also provide you with key indicators about your health and professional feedback on the meaning of your results. 

Once you complete your screening between July 1, 2023 and June 30, 2024, you’ll earn your first $50 in Pulse Cash rewards. Health Advocate will automatically send biometric screening results and credit to Virgin Pulse on your behalf. (Please allow at least two weeks for them to appear on the platform.) You’ll also be able to earn an additional $250 in Pulse Cash rewards when you complete your choice of over 90 qualifying well-being activities from our 2023-2024 “Ways to Earn” list. All Pulse Cash rewards are redeemable on the Virgin Pulse platform allowing you to choose from gift cards, wellness items, and charitable donations. 

If you are not enrolled on the Virgin Pulse platform, get started today at https://join.virginpulse.com/penn.

What to Expect at the Screening

Please bring your PennCard or University ID card to your biometric screening appointment. At the on-campus biometric screening, a Health Advocate representative will measure key components of your overall health:

• Blood pressure
• Total cholesterol
• HDL cholesterol
• Blood sugar/glucose

More Biometric Screening Options

On-campus screenings are an easy way to earn biometric screening credit for Be in the Know 2023-2024, but there are other choices to fit your schedule:

• Submit screening results from your healthcare provider: Obtain a screening between July 1, 2023, and June 30, 2024. Download the Consent to Release Results form, then follow the instructions to submit your confidential results to Health Advocate. Once Health Advocate processes your form, they will automatically send results and credit to Virgin Pulse. Please allow a few weeks for credit to appear on the platform.
• Two Labcorp options available through Virgin Pulse: Sign into the Virgin Pulse platform, go to Programs tab and “Biometric Screenings Options, 2023-2024” page for the order links. Click the “START NOW” button on the left side of the screen. Choose from “Labcorp Patient Service Center” (voucher) or “Labcorp OnDemand Home Test” (home test kit.) For both options, Labcorp will process your screenings and automatically send results and credit to Virgin Pulse. Labcorp will email you a link to view results. Processing for both options take several weeks, so please complete them before June 1, 2024.
  • Labcorp Voucher Program: Download a voucher (screening script) from the Virgin Pulse platform. Schedule and complete a screening appointment at a participating Labcorp facility near you. 
  • Home Test Kits: Order a home test kit on the Virgin Pulse platform. Complete the kit at home, which will include all directions and supplies. Mail back the completed kit.

For complete Be in the Know 2023-2024 campaign details, including more ways to earn rewards, visit www.hr.upenn.edu/beintheknow.

Strengthen Your Project Management Skills

Effective project managers do more than make to-do lists and assign tasks. They develop the skills to lead their teams to overcome obstacles and deliver quality services together. The virtual Project Management workshop on October 19, 12:30 p.m. to 1:30 p.m., shows you proven tools and techniques that can help strengthen your management skills, align your efforts with strategic goals, and deliver quality services.

This live, virtual seminar, led by Talent and Organizational Development Consultant, Sarah Joseph, provides a practical overview of the most useful concepts in project leadership and coordination.

Workshop participants will learn how to:

• Identify the key activities in the project life cycle.
• Understand the role of the triple constraint in project management and apply it in determining project scope.
• Construct a project timeline.
• Keep projects on track by managing project risks and effectively using a communication plan.
• Examine helpful tools for tracking timelines and deliverables.
• Capture valuable project lessons and use them to define and improve project management practices within your organization.

Joseph will also cover the role of the project manager, the dynamics of managing a team, creating a transition plan, and tools for celebrating success.

Team structure and planning are essential parts of any type of project execution.

“I believe the most effective strategy in project management is good planning. Before beginning a project, you and your team should be aware of what the product looks like and all the steps along the way, as well as the role each person plays in the process. When you have a strong plan in place, there is a greater likelihood of your project being successful,” says Joseph.

Whether you’re preparing to manage your first major project or looking for new perspectives on collaborating with partners on all levels to achieve outstanding results for your organization, you’ll pick up tools and techniques to pull off your next project successfully.

Enroll in Project Management on Workday Learning today.

More professional development resources are available at www.hr.upenn.edu/learn-grow. 

Don’t Miss Deeper Discounts for Penn Commuters

This summer, the University announced plans to raise its Commuter Benefits Program discount for Philadelphia area regional transit. Those deeper discounts are in effect now.  Full-time benefits-eligible faculty, staff, and postdoctoral researchers and fellows who use regional public transportation for their commute to campus can save 50% (maximum discount of $105 per month).

This discount is available for these transportation options:

• SEPTA Monthly City TransPass+ and Monthly Regional TrailPass (does not include SEPTA Key’s Travel Wallet),
• PATCO FreedomCard-T
• New Jersey Transit
• Amtrak Prepaid 10-pack tickets and Monthly Pass

If you ride public transit at least three days per week, the Commuter Benefits Program may make those trips more affordable. Don’t let these savings pass you by.

Enroll Through Jawnt

The Commuter Benefits program is now managed by Penn Parking & Commuter Services’ new provider, Jawnt. Enrollment is simple. To register for a monthly transit fare product, visit the new Commuter Benefits portal, login using your PennKey, then enroll in the service of your choice.

Passes purchased by the 19^th of the month are effective on the first of the following month. For example, passes purchased by October 19 are effective November 1. Purchases will auto renew until canceled.

Key Information for SEPTA Riders

A SEPTA Key Card is necessary for enrollment. Cards can be purchased at the SEPTA Kiosk located in the Penn Bookstore and SEPTA locations throughout Philadelphia. If you already have a SEPTA Key Card and utilize the SEPTA Travel Wallet, you will not be able to access funds in your SEPTA Travel Wallet as long as you also have a SEPTA Monthly pass. Therefore, Penn Parking & Commuter Services suggests spending down your Travel Wallet funds currently on the Key Card before enrolling and canceling any auto-reload settings that you may have enabled.

Important Eligibility Details

Please be aware that participating in the Commuter Benefits Program precludes eligibility from concurrent enrollment in certain other commuter offerings (i.e., you are not eligible to participate in the Commuter Benefits Program while also enrolled in the Bike Commuter Expense Reimbursement Program  or Penn’s monthly parking permit.)

If you wish to take advantage of the commuter benefit but still need to periodically drive to campus, consider enrolling in the Occasional Parking Program.

For more information on how to enroll and other Commuter Benefits Program details, see the Jawnt Penn Commuter Benefits enrollment guide.

Additional information about Penn Parking & Commuter Services is available at www.upenn.edu/commuterservices. For questions about transit benefits payroll deductions, please contact commuterservices@upenn.edu.

Flu Shot Options This Season

With fall comes flu season. Getting a flu vaccination is an important public health measure. Staff, faculty, postdocs, and students can fight the flu this fall and winter by attending Penn’s annual Flu Vaccine Clinic, offered by Wellness at Penn. The on-campus clinic will be held from Wednesday, October 4 through Friday, October 6 in Gimbel Gym at Pottruck Health and Fitness Center, 3701 Walnut Street.

The walk-in clinic is fast and free to students, staff, faculty, and postdocs. You do not need to register in advance. Please bring your PennCard. The clinic hours are:

• Wednesday, October 4, 10 a.m. – 6 p.m.
• Thursday, October 5, 10 a.m. – 6 p.m.
• Friday, October 6, 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.

You have other options for getting a flu shot if you are not on campus during any of the Wellness at Penn Clinic dates.

You can use your medical insurance card to get a flu vaccine at in-network locations such as a physician’s office, urgent care center, or pharmacy. In accordance with the Affordable Care Act, flu vaccines are considered preventive services, so if you go to an in-network provider you will not have a copay through your medical insurance plan. If you have health insurance outside of Penn, please check with your provider for available flu vaccine options.

Faculty, staff, and postdocs who are enrolled in one of Penn’s health plans can also get a flu shot at their local CVS pharmacy with no copay using their CVS Caremark card.

If you are a Be in the Know 2023-2024 participant, you can earn points towards Pulse Cash rewards by submitting flu vaccine proof on the Virgin Pulse wellness platform.

For more information about the upcoming flu season, visit www.cdc.gov/flu.

Team Up for Campus Cup 2023-2024

Are you and your colleagues looking for a little friendly competition? Team up with them for Penn’s fourth annual Campus Cup challenge. The Campus Cup, created in 2019 to celebrate the 125th running of the Penn Relays, was designed to inspire activity and camaraderie among schools and centers while building excitement about the annual Penn Relays Carnival. Teams of Penn faculty, staff, and postdocs from across campus (as well as Penn Medicine) will compete for prizes like apparel, Penn Relays tickets, gift cards, and the glory of bringing back Campus Cup trophies to their department.

The 2023-2024 Campus Cup series begins with a kickball tournament on Tuesday, October 10. Next, teams will face each other for dodgeball on November 30.

To participate in Campus Cup fall 2023 term events, register your team by completing the Campus Cup registration form by Friday, October 8.

Here are Penn Campus Recreation’s requirements for Campus Cup teams:

• Each team needs a captain.
• You may have at least 4 people on your team and up to 12 members on your team.
• Your team does not have to be complete to register; captain can recruit members after registering.
• One Penn department can have multiple teams.
• Each team does not need to attend every event.

In the spring 2024 term, Campus Cup action continues with the notorious 3-point basketball tournament and a chance to stretch your body and memory with communal yoga and trivia happy hour.

Teams earn cumulative participation and competition points over a course of events throughout the 2023-2024 school year. Teams can score points during Campus Cup competitions and by attending Penn Varsity meets and games.

Penn Athletics and Recreation wrap up this year-long competition in April by hosting a Penn Relays Campus Cup event on Franklin Field featuring a variety of events, such as track races, three-legged races, tug-of-war, bean bag races, softball, throws and more!

Family, friends, and fans are welcome to cheer on their favorite employee teams. Food and drinks menus are available at most events to fuel the fun.

For more information and event schedule updates, visit the Campus Cup 2023-2024 webpage.

Healthy Meals: Rosemary Chicken with Sweet Potatoes

With summer coming to an end, this heart-healthy Eating Well recipe gives a taste of fall in a one-skillet meal. Chicken and sweet potatoes unite with the delicious taste of rosemary in this easy meal perfect for weeknight cooking.

Click here to send us your healthy recipes and tips.

Ingredients:

• 4 teaspoons canola or olive oil
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon snipped fresh rosemary
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 20-ounce package refrigerated diced sweet potatoes
• 2 (8 ounce) skinless, boneless chicken breast halves, halved crosswise
• 1 lemon, thinly sliced

Directions:

1. In a 12-inch nonstick skillet heat 3 teaspoons of the oil over medium. Stir in garlic, 1/2 teaspoon of the salt, 1/4 teaspoon of the rosemary and 1/4 teaspoon of the pepper. Add potatoes; toss to coat. Cook, covered, 5 minutes (do not stir).
2. Push potatoes to one side of skillet. Add the remaining 1 teaspoon oil to other side of skillet. Arrange chicken in skillet alongside potatoes. Cook, uncovered, 8 minutes.
3. Stir potatoes and turn chicken. Sprinkle chicken with the remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt, rosemary, and pepper. Top with lemon slices. Cook, covered, 8 to 10 minutes more or until chicken is done (165 degrees F) and potatoes are brown. (If needed, remove potatoes as they are done and continue cooking chicken until done.) If desired, sprinkle with additional rosemary.

Meet With a Registered Dietitian Today!

• One-on-One, virtual sessions you can schedule at any time that works for you
• 100% covered under many insurance plans
• Available to spouses and dependents

Fill out the Ramp Health Nutrition Counseling Sign Up Form or call 800-484-7720.

Did You Know: Penn Friends and Family Day 

This year’s annual Penn Friends and Family Day is Saturday, September 30! University staff, faculty, and postdocs are invited to enjoy Quaker athletics and celebrate the Penn community with family and friends. Order your four free tickets for the Penn Family Day tailgate party and football game on the Penn Athletics website by September 25. For the complete schedule, visit the Penn Friends and Family Day webpage.