August 2024 | HR Monthly Bulletin (2024)

Welcome our new Bearcats!

EMPLOYEE ANNIVERSARIES

Congratulations to these employees for their milestone years of service
in August 2024!

5 YEARS

10 YEARS

15 YEARS

20 Years

25 YEARS

30 Years

Transfers and Promotions

Promotions

Upcoming Events

Bearcat Family 5k Run/Walk

The Bearcat Family 5K Run/Walk is open to all employees and their families. Check-in begins at 8:30 a.m. in front of the Thomas Gaunt House on Saturday, Sep. 7. Employees will receive a free t-shirt at the event; availability is based on a first-come, first-served basis. A risk waiver will be available at the event and must be signed before starting.

Click here for more information.

Physician Screening Forms due Oct. 15

As a reminder, the Northwest primary care provider wellness program consists of anannual preventive visit and routine labsordered by a healthcare provider.

• Make your annual preventive care appointment with your primary care provider and request that your labs be sent through Quest or another independent, in-network lab facility.
• Download your Physician Screening Form from the A Healthier You portal. To access the portal, log in to your mybluekc.com account.
• Make arrangements with your provider for returning the Physician Screening Form.
• Ensure the completed form is submitted to A Healthier You by Oct. 15, 2024.

For additional resources, including quick references and answers to frequently asked questions, visit https://www.nwmissouri.edu/hr/Primary-Care-Provider-Wellness-Program.htm.

Benefits spotlight

On-Campus Retirement Meetings

MO Deferred Compensation

Our MO Deferred Compensation representative, David Gibson, will be on campus on Sept. 5 providing one-on-one appointments for employees. During the meeting, you can establish or evaluate your retirement savings goals, learn about investment options, review your account, and more.

Register for an appointment by viewing the flyer at this link.

Colleges & Universities Retirement Plan (CURP)

David Gibson also will host a CURP seminar on Sept. 5 for faculty to explain how CURP works, potential income replacement in retirement, ability to transfer to a defined benefit pension plan, and more.

To register, view the flyer at this link.

For more information about CURP, click here.

Parking information

2024-25 parking permits

Parking permits for 2024-25 will be available to purchase Aug. 1 on the University Police website.

Permits will be available to pick up through Aug. 30 in the Administration Building. After that date, permits will only be available to pick up at University Police Department.

Northwest 2023-24 permits are valid until Aug. 31. Temporary permits are available at the University Police Department 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Contact Amanda Cullin atacullin@nwmissouri.eduor 660.562.1254 for more information.

Football game day parking

The first football game of the season begins at 6 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 29. The following parking lots will be closed at noon on that day; click here for a map of campus parking lots. All remaining vehicles will be towed at the owners’ expense.

• Lot 2
• Lot 26
• Lot 59
• Lot 60 (parking for tailgating only)
• Lot 62 (parking for tailgating only)
• Lot 64

Click here to review Northwest tailgating policies.

Opportunities to get involved

Social Justice Institute

The Social Justice Institute is a five-week, cohort-based program for all Northwest employees to enhance and refine their skills and competencies to create greater inclusion for all community members. Participants will engage in authentic dialogue about individual identities, awareness and how to use your allyship through leadership. The Social Justice Institute aims to create a more inclusive campus environment to enhance the success of all students. Click this link for more information.

Interested employees may sign up by clicking here.

Bearcat Diversity Book Club

Bearcat Diversity Book Club chooses one book each semester to stimulate discussions about varying subject matters related to cultural differences and inclusion. Through open dialogue, Northwest employees learn to have brave conversations, build community, embrace differences and become engaged, diverse leaders on campus. Click this link for more information.

Interested employees may sign up by clicking here.

Women of Color

The Office of Diversity and Inclusion encourages all employees to sign up for the Women of Color network. It focuses on advocating, supporting and understanding the experiences of women of color at higher education institutions.

Interested employees may sign up by clicking here.

Northwest affinity groups

Affinity groups are designed to create safe spaces for members to share and process experiences. As allies, our affinity group also allows participants the opportunity to identify ways in which we can appropriately use our privilege to bring about social change. For more information, visit Northwest affinity groups.

Employee resource groups

These employee-led groups aim to foster a diverse, inclusive workplace. Contact each group individually.

Diversity Groups

Staff Council

Northwest Staff Council represents a unified voice for all Northwest staff. To learn about staff, upcoming events or voice concerns, visitNorthwest Staff Council.

Employee Engagement Action Tracker

Employee Survey

Employee focus groups were conducted to help employees share items that contribute to their overall engagement and satisfaction.

The following are overall University themes provided by Staff Council and Faculty Senate. The next steps are to identify action items under each theme.

Faculty overall University themes

• Compensation and benefits
  • Employees will receive a 3% COLA for FY25
  • A compensation taskforce will be launched in the fall

• Communication

• Rewards and recognition

• Interdepartmental collaboration

• Compensation
  • Employees will receive a 3% COLA for FY25
  • A compensation taskforce will be launched in the fall

• Well-being/perks

Mental health and wellness resources

The Office of Human Resources highlights the following resources that employees may use as necessary. Mindful by BlueKC, the EAP and TAO are completely confidential.

Family Guidance partnership to assist employees

The University has established a partnership with Family Guidance Center to provide a crisis counselor on site. Brooke McDonald, a certified licensed professional counselor, is available Monday through Friday to respond to any crisis or resource needs.

This service is confidential. Contact Brooke directly to schedule an appointment at bmcdonald@fgcnow.orgor 660.853.8196.

For more information, contact the Office of Human Resources at 660.562.1127.

Mindful by BlueKC

Mindful by BlueKC is a behavioral health initiative dedicated to reducing stigma around behavioral health in our communities while making care accessible and affordable for members. Mindful by Blue KC is a commitment to covering the health needs of the whole person and comes to life as a set of tools and resources to address stress, depression, anxiety, substance use and more. This ensures that members can access and afford the behavioral health care they need.

Mindful Advocates are available 24/7 andare licensed behavioral health clinicians who match members to providers and guide care plans. Mindful Advocates may be contacted at 833.302.6463. For more information, visitMindful by BlueKC initiative.

Employee Assistance Program (EAP)

All Northwest employees are eligible to use Ability Assist Counseling Services sponsored by The Hartford.Click here to read about the benefits this program offers.

TAO-Therapy Assistance Online

This is a private online library of behavioral health resources. It is a free and confidential resource available to Northwest employees and students. For more information, visitTAO-Therapy Assistance Online.

Wellness Services is offering a variety of online programing. Follow Wellness Services on Twitter and Instagram at @nw_wellness for updates.

NewDirections resource program center

The center provides reliable information about a variety of mental and behavioral health topics. For more information, visitNew Directions Health Resources.

For information about a specific substance use, visitNew Directions Substance Use Disorders Center, or call the SubstanceUse Disorder Hotline at 877.326.2458.

If you have questions, emailhealthybearcat@nwmissouri.edu.

Benefits & Wellness Information

Updates to Employee Wellness Coordinator

Northwest's employee wellness coordinator, Dr. Melissa Van Buren, has shifted to remote work. She is still available for meetings and consultations and addressing concerns regarding your Blue Cross Blue Shield plan or general health and wellness. Dr. Van Buren cannot legally provide “medical advice” in her role at Northwest, but she can provide general medical education, assist in “connecting the dots” after appointments with yourprimary care provider or specialist and point you toward evidence-based medical resources.

Visit the Employee Wellness website to view Dr. Van Buren’s schedule and use the Calendly link to book a meeting with her.

Northwest primary care provider wellness program

As a reminder, the Northwest primary care provider wellness program consists of anannual preventive visit and routine labsordered by a healthcare provider. Our health plan covers an annual preventive visit and routine labs at 100 percent when you see anin-network provider and when billed with a primary diagnosis of preventive.

For your visit and labs to be considered preventive, they cannot be incorporated with a regularly scheduled appointment, for example, if you are seen every three or six months for diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, or another acute diagnosis for which you receive medication or medical treatment. Treatment, labs, and office visits for that existing condition are not preventive care and are subject to deductibles, copays and/or coinsurance.

Employees must download and print aPhysician Screening Form (PSF)from the A Healthier You portal to bring with them to their preventive care appointment.Employees on a Northwest health plan who do not return the PSF byOct. 15, 2024,will be assessed a$50 per month premium differentialbeginning with the December 2024 paycheck.

The online health risk assessment questionnairewill notbe required as a part of the primary care provider wellness program, but employees are still encouraged to complete the online assessment through the A Healthier You portal.

At this time,spouses on a Northwest health plan are not required, but are encouraged, to participate in the primary care provider wellness program.

Preventive care is routine healthcare that includes screenings and labs to help prevent illness, disease, or other health problems. Along with a healthy lifestyle, taking basic preventive care steps can immensely improve your health in the future and reduce healthcare costs. For more information about the benefits of preventive care, visit BlueKC.com.

Next steps

• Make your annual preventive care appointment with your primary care provider and request that your labs be sent through Quest or another independent, in-network lab facility.
• Download your Physician Screening Form from the A Healthier You portal. To access the portal, log in to your mybluekc.com account.
• Make arrangements with your provider for returning the Physician Screening Form.
• Ensure the completed form is submitted to A Healthier You by Oct. 15, 2024.

For additional resources, including quick references and answers to frequently asked questions, visit https://www.nwmissouri.edu/hr/Primary-Care-Provider-Wellness-Program.htm.

BlueKC Premium Prescription Drug List Updates

The Blue KC Medical and Pharmacy Management Committee reviews and maintains a Prescription Drug List (PDL). The Committee, consisting of practicing physicians and pharmacists in the Kansas City area, holds quarterly meetings to evaluate new drug therapies and review drug utilization issues. Medications are evaluated based on drug safety and costs. Click this link to view drug list updates, effective July 1, 2024.

How BlueKC Will Communicate These Changes

Blue KC is taking proactive steps to limit disruption, including:

• Sending a letter to impacted members notifying them of the changes.
• Notifying all in-area providers by letter in the event their patients contact them to discuss alternative medications.

Benefits Resource Center

USI's Benefits Resource Center is a free resource service for employees and encourages you to reach out for any information, questions or help with insurance or benefits.

Click this link to download a flyer with more details and contact information.

BlueKC SmartShopper

BlueKC is partnering with Sapphire Digital to offer SmartShopper, an incentive platform that can save members money on healthcare expenses every time they select a reward-eligible, lower-cost care for qualifying procedures such as MRIs, colonoscopies or blood work.

SmartShopper is embedded within the provider finder and cost estimator tools in your mybluekc.com portal. Click here to watch a short video about SmartShopper.

MOSERS educational programs

MOSERS offers educational programs to help members learn information about their benefits as they progress through their careers and experience different life events along the way.

Newer Employees and MOSERS Webinars: Start learning about the state benefits administered by MOSERS.

• For employees who are newer to the state with at least six months but less than five years of service (not yet vested)
• Speakers include MOSERS and MO Deferred Comp
• Daytime and evening sessions are available
• Sessions last approximately 90 minutes
• Register via GoTo Webinar for adaytime sessionorevening session.

Mid-Career Webinar: Learn how different career and life events may affect your pension benefit.

• For employees with at least five years of service (vested) and 10 or more years until retirement eligibility
• Speakers include MOSERS and MO Deferred Comp
• Daytime and evening sessions are available
• Sessions last approximately two hours
• Register by following step-by-step instructions forenrolling in a webinar via myMOSERSand GoTo Webinar.

Ready to Retire Sessions: Learn about the retirement process and how different decisions may impact your pension benefit.

• For employees within five years of retirement eligibility
• Speakers include MOSERS, MO Deferred Comp, MCHCP and Social Security
• Daytime and evening sessions are available
• Sessions are full-day, part-day or evening, depending on the audience

Stay up to date and visitwww.mosers.org/education frequently for more information, including schedules and how to register.

MOSERS termination and reemployment rules

For employees in a MOSERS-eligible position and nearing retirement, keep in mind the termination and reemployment rules. Those rules state that before receiving a benefit payment from MOSERS, IRS rules require a “bona fide termination” of a member’s employment. For purposes of MOSERS Board Rules, a "bona fide termination" occurs when:

• They have completely severed employment;
• They have not entered into a prearranged agreement (written or oral), before retirement, with the state of Missouri or anyMOSERS-covered employerfor subsequent employment on any basis (full-time, part-time, or other); and
• They are not subsequently employed with the state of Missouri or anyMOSERS-covered employeron any basis (full-time, part-time, or other) within30 daysafter their employment with their prior employer has ended.

For more information, view MOSERS'FAQs on termination and reemployment rulesand itstermination and reemployment rules flyer.

Please note, if an employee does not have a bona fide separation of service, their retirement will be null and void, meaning they will not receive their pension payments.

MO Deferred Comp Retirement Plan

The MO Deferred Comp plan is a supplemental retirement savings option available to employees. Visit www.modeferredcomp.org to learn more about the plan, register for upcoming education sessions or find financial planning options.

MyBlueKC mobile app includes virtual care

Blue KC offers members digital tools to allow quick access to health insurance plan information to support them along their health journey.

Today, many members enjoy the convenience of Blue KC Virtual Care from their mobile devices or laptop computers. Virtual care offers a fast, simple way to see a doctor 24/7 for sick care or to make an appointment with a behavioral health provider.

The Blue KC Virtual Care has moved from its own, standalone app to the MyBlueKC mobile app. This change means virtual care is now a feature in an app that members frequently use. With just a few taps, members can have a video visit with a doctor as well as get benefit information, view claims, download digital ID cards, and connect to health and wellness programs – all in one place. Make sure you have updated to the latest version of the MyBlueKC mobile app through your device settings for the virtual care functionality.

Click here for instructions to get the MyBlueKC app.

Beware of financial planning emails

Some employees have received emails from financial planning companies implying they are partnered with MOSERS. The content of the emails suggests that members must pay for a meeting with a retirement counselor and that they can learn how to increase their retirement savings.This is inaccurate. MOSERS has not authorized any outside financial planners to advise our members on their MOSERS benefits.

As a reminder, the services offered through MOSERS and MO Deferred Comp are provided to MOSERS members at no cost. In regard to increasing their retirement savings, MOSERS members have the ability to meet with MO Deferred Comp financial education professionals to help make savings decisions as they prepare for retirement.

Northwest advises all MOSERS members to stay vigilant and double-check the addresses of email senders before clicking any links.

A Healthier You (AHY)

The A Healthier You program gives you convenient online and mobile access to wellness tools that you can use to live your healthiest life. Plus, you’ll earn points that can be redeemed for chances to win gift cards to some popular retailers. For more information about the AHY program, click this link.

Campus recreation offerings

TheFoster Fitness Center, Student Recreation Center and Hughes Fieldhousewalking track are free for all employees and spouses to use. Employees and spouses must complete the assumption of risk and waiver of liability form on CatPAWS before using the Foster Fitness Center. Take a tour of the Foster Fitness Center, and find hours and amenities online.

The Hughes Fieldhouse walking track is available for employee use, from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Monday through Friday and 7 to 9 p.m. Monday through Thursday. Employees should enter through the south doors, and parking is available in the south lots. Kids are welcome but must be accompanied by an adult at all times while on the track. Click here to view a listing of when the walking track is not available.

Employee Discounts

Home Chef

Home Chef is recognizing our nation’s educators and school support personnel with a 50 percent discount on their first scheduled Home Chef meal kit and a $10 discount on five subsequent deliveries. Simply use code EDU50 at checkout to begin receiving your education discount.

Get Started with Home Chef

Home Chef makes home cooking simple. Their fresh, weekly meal kits are customized to your liking and delivered straight to your doorstep. Minimize your trips to the grocery store and distress your evenings with delicious, pre-planned meals starting at just $6.99 per serving. Here’s how it works:

• Select recipes each week that fit your preferences.
• Use their Customize feature to upgrade, swap, or double up on your favorite protein.
• Receive fresh, pre-portioned ingredients delivered to your door.
• Effortlessly create exciting dishes with step-by-step recipe cards.

Your education discount is available at //homechef.com/edu and, if you already are a customer, you can verify with ID.me on the payment page of your account to begin receiving 10 percent off all future orders.

Miscellaneous

Family and Medical Leave Act

The University provides family and medical leave in accordance with the federal Family and Medical Leave Act(FMLA) of 1993. FMLA requires covered employers to provide up to 12 weeks of unpaid, job-protected leave to eligible employees. The University requires that employees substitute (run concurrently) accrued paid leave to which employees may be entitled to cover the employee’s FMLA leave, before using unpaid leave under the FMLA.

If an employee is away from work for three or more consecutive days due to medical reasons, contact the Office of Human Resources regarding FMLA and leave requirements.

Workers’ Compensation

If an employee is injured at work, injuries must be reported immediately to the employee’s supervisor and the Office of Human Resources. Employees must contact the Central Accident Reporting Office (CARO) at 800.624.2354 before medical treatment is sought. For any questions regarding workplace injuries, contact Human Resources.

Paperless billing

All Northwest employees now receive an e-bill to their University email, rather than a mailed paper bill. To opt out of an e-bill, complete the Paperless Billing Opt-Out form in MyNorthwest under Employee Resources -> Finance & Administration -> Billing.

https://www.nwmissouri.edu/intranet/employee/web/paperless-billing.htm

Bearcat Food Pantry

The mission of the Bearcat Food Pantry is to provide a source of food and necessities for Northwest students and employees experiencing food insecurity and hunger. The food pantry is located in the J.W. Jones Student Union and is accessible from 8 to 10 a.m. on Tuesdays, from 3 to 5 p.m. on Thursdays and 10 a.m. to noon on Fridays.

Northwest accepts food donations for the pantry at the Student Engagement Center and the Office of Student Affairs located on the second floor of the Student Union. For a list of most needed items, visit Bearcat Food Pantry. Monetary donations to support the food pantry should be directed to the Northwest Foundation and are tax-deductible.

Friends of International Students

Friends of International Students (FIS) is a community-based organization established to match interested area individuals and families (friends) with international students at Northwest. The program goals are to provide support to the students as they become adjusted to their new home and to promote friendship and understanding between people of different nationalities.

FIS is recruiting friends to connect with international students. Friends are asked to make contact with assigned students at least once a month during their year-long commitment to the program. Contact can take many forms, including family dinners, attending sporting events, pumpkin carving and various other activities involving two-way cultural tradition sharing. For more information or to apply, contact board members atFIS@nwmissouri.eduor visit www.nwmissouri.edu/international/services/friends/.

Does your department need office supplies?

Visit How to Purchase Office Supplies. Various binders, hanging file folders and other office supplies are available at no cost to departments at Central Receiving.

Purchase requisition training videos

Purchasing has created instructional videos explaining how to create a purchase requisition and a Central Stores purchase requisition in Banner/INB. The videos are available in MyNorthwest, Employee Resources - Finance.

Workstation safety guidelines

It is important for employees to apply good ergonomic practices. To view a complete list of ergonomic suggestions, visit Workstation safety guidelines.