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Laura Barnard

Mid-Year Open Enrollment Period Offering, July 15-21

July 17, 2020

Due to the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, a mid-year open enrollment period will be offered to benefited employees starting on Wednesday, July 15, and will run through Tuesday, July 21, 2020. During this mid-year open enrollment, benefited employees can elect prospective changes to existing flexible spending accounts, enroll in a flexible spending account and/or make changes to their healthcare elections which includes add/drop coverage or change plan selections. Any change requests made during this special open enrollment will go into effect August 1, 2020.

Many people have been unable to spend their childcare or medical FSA funds due to inability to access care due to COVID shutdowns, so this would allow employees to stop contributing to FSA accounts when they are unable to have expenditures. For the healthcare, some people may want to change to the costlier plan if they are in need of monetary savings due to the economy, or some may need coverage when it wasn’t needed before.

Change request forms will be posted on the Open Enrollment page of Pilots UP at 7 a.m. on Wednesday, July 15, 2020. No action will be needed from employees who choose not to make changes during this mid-year open enrollment period. The standard annual enrollment will occur in the Fall of 2020 for coverage effective January 1, 2021.

For more information contact Laura Barnard, human resources, at x8752 or barnardl@up.edu.

Filed Under: 07-13-2020, 07-20-2020, Human Resources Tagged With: Human Resources, Laura Barnard, Mid-Year Open Enrollment

Flexible Spending Changes Due To CARES Act

April 17, 2020

There are a number of changes to employees’ 2020 Medical Flexible Spending account due to passage of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act on March 27, according to Laura Barnard, human resources.

The rules for reimbursement of over-the-counter (OTC) drugs and medicines have been changed. The CARES Act now allows employees to use their medical FSA funds for over the counter (OTC) medical products without a prescription from a physician.  Click here to see OTC list. Please note, Allegiance is working on modifying the debit card system to allow acceptance of these purchases but it is not currently available. At this time, reimbursement requests will need to be manually submitted with copy of receipts of OTC purchases. Notification will be sent by Allegiance once the debit card system has been updated to approve these over the counter purchases.

Please see the UP FSA Plan Document with Amendment Jan 2020(1) Plan Summary Document, final page.

Also, if you have enrolled in a 2020 Dependent Childcare Spending Account and your expenditures in childcare due to parental work status, such as working from home, or due to a dependent care facility initiated change has occurred, you can submit a change request form to modify the amount being withdrawn from paychecks. A form could be submitted again upon return to normalcy. Here is a link to the form: 2020 Flexible Spending Enrollment/Change Form. Please select Enrollment Type as Change of Status with the effective date the change was made. You will then select ‘Yes’ to making change to childcare account which will take you to a page in which you can elect a new election amount for 2020. This amount can not be less than the total amount of deductions taken from January through March payroll deductions. For changes that went into effect in March, the form would need to be submitted by April 24, 2020.  

You can find these forms and documents on our Pilots UP FSA Benefits page. Please email benefits@up.edu if you have any questions in regards to the above.

Filed Under: 04-20-2020, Human Resources Tagged With: Human Resources, Laura Barnard

Kaiser Permanente Flu Shot Clinics Open Soon

October 17, 2019

Kaiser Permanente has announced their 2019 walk-in flu shot clinics, which will take place from October 12 through 25, Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

The flu is a serious virus that can cause severe illness. A flu shot can help protect you against the flu, which is why Kaiser doctors recommend that everyone 6 months of age and older get a flu shot every year.

Kaiser members can visit this website to find a location near them.

For more information contact Laura Barnard, human resources, at benefits@up.edu.

Filed Under: 10-14-2019, 10-21-2019, Campus Services, Human Resources Tagged With: Human Resources, Kaiser Permanente Flu Shots, Laura Barnard

Kaiser On-Site Flu Shot Clinic, October 9

October 4, 2019

Faculty and staff who are covered under the University’s Kaiser healthcare plans will have an opportunity to receive a flu vaccination onsite on Wednesday, October 9, from 10:30 to 1:30 p.m. The clinic will be held in Franz Hall room 120. You will need to bring your Kaiser Permanente card along with photo ID to receive a flu shot.

For more information contact Laura Barnard at benefits@up.edu

 

Filed Under: 09-30-2019, 10-07-2019, Campus Services, Human Resources Tagged With: Flu Shot Clinic, Human Resouces, Kaiser Benefits, Laura Barnard

Fall 2019 Tuition Remission Application Deadline: June 20

June 14, 2019

Tuition remission requests for fall 2019 are due by Thursday, June 20, according to Laura Barnard, human resources. Please note, this date has been moved up to allow appropriate processing time by HR, financial aid, and student accounts. Forms can be found at the Human Resources Benefit Website. Remember, a tuition remission request form must be submitted every semester an employee or eligible dependent is intending to take courses. Please submit the requests by the following deadlines to avoid a late fee from student accounts:

  • Fall term: June 20
  • Spring term: November 5
  • Summer term: April 15

Please note, there are separate forms for undergraduate and graduate course work. Keep in mind, graduate level tuition remission benefits will be taxable to the employee on the value above $5,250 for attempted credits and subject to applicable withholdings. When an eligible spouse receives graduate level tuition remission, the entire tuition remission amount is taxable to the employee and subject to applicable withholdings. This taxable benefit will be reflected on the employee’s W-2 form of the tax year the remission was applied. Details regarding the taxable benefit can also be found on the Human Resources Benefit Website.

Filed Under: 06-10-2019, 06-17-2019, Academics, Human Resources Tagged With: HR, Laura Barnard, tuition remission

TIAA Representative Visit, Oct. 30-Nov. 1

September 28, 2018

A representative from TIAA, which administers the University’s retirement accounts, will be on campus on Tuesday, October 30, Wednesday, October 31, and Thursday, November 1. Tuesday and Thursday appointments will be held in the Career Center located in Orrico Hall lower level and Wednesday appointments will be held in the Clark Library second floor conference room, according to Laura Barnard, human resources. Financial counseling appointments with Rebecca Rohleder (pictured) are available during work hours on those days. Schedule your appointment today at www.tiaa-cref.org/schedulenow or by calling TIAA at 877.842.2028 (press 5 to schedule an appointment).

Please email benefits@up.edu with questions.

Filed Under: 10-01-2018, Human Resources Tagged With: Laura Barnard, Rebecca Rohleder, TIAA

TIAA Representative On Campus July 10, 11, 12

June 29, 2018

A representative from TIAA, which administers the University’s retirement accounts, will be on campus on Tuesday, July 10, Wednesday, July 11, and Thursday, July 12 in the Career Center located in Orrico Hall lower level, according to Laura Barnard, human resources. Financial counseling appointments with Rebecca Rohleder (pictured) are available during work hours on those days. Schedule your appointment today at www.tiaa-cref.org/schedulenow or by calling TIAA at 877.842.2028 (press 5 to schedule an appointment).

Please email benefits@up.edu with questions.

Filed Under: 06-18-2018, 06-25-2018, 07-02-2018, 07-09-2018, Campus Services, Human Resources Tagged With: Human Resources, Laura Barnard, Rebecca Rohleder, TIAA

TIAA Representative Visiting Campus Dec. 11, 12

December 8, 2017

A representative from TIAA, which administers the University’s retirement accounts, will be on campus on Monday, December 11 and Tuesday, December 12, in the Career Center located in Orrico Hall lower level, according to Laura Barnard, human resources. Financial counseling appointments with Rebecca Rohleder (pictured) are available during work hours on those days, but appointments must be scheduled at www.tiaa-cref.org/schedulenow or by calling call TIAA at 877.842.2028 (press 5 to schedule an appointment).

For more information, please email benefits@up.edu.

Filed Under: 11-27-2017, 12-04-2017, 12-11-2017, Academics, Campus Services, Human Resources Tagged With: Human Resources, Laura Barnard, Rebecca Rohleder, TIAA

On-Site Flu Shot Clinic: October 27

October 20, 2017

Faculty and staff who are covered under UP’s Kaiser health insurance will  have an opportunity to receive a flu vaccination sponsored by the HR office on Friday, October 27, from 10:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. The clinic will be held on campus in Franz Hall room 120. You will need to bring your Kaiser Permanente card along photo I.D. in order to receive a flu shot.

For more information contact Laura Barnard at benefits@up.edu.

 

 

 

Filed Under: 10-09-2017, 10-16-2017, 10-23-2017, Campus Services, Human Resources Tagged With: Flu Shot Clinic, Human Resources, Laura Barnard

TIAA Rep Visit, Sept. 11-13

September 8, 2017

A representative from TIAA, which administers the University’s retirement accounts, will be on campus on September 11-13, in the Clark Library conference room (no. 222), according to Laura Barnard, human resources. Financial counseling appointments are available during work hours on those days in the Clark library, but appointments must be scheduled at www.tiaa-cref.org/schedulenow or by calling call TIAA at 877.842.2028 (press 5 to schedule an appointment).

For more information contact Barnard at barnardl@up.edu.

Filed Under: 09-04-2017, 09-11-2017, Campus Services, Human Resources Tagged With: Human Resources, Laura Barnard, TIAA

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Anita Gooding, social work, was selected as a 2020-2021 Field Research Scholar by the Transforming Field Education Landscape (TFEL) program at the University of Calgary in Alberta, Canada. Scholars attend regular seminars and present their own research related to strengthening field education in social work.

Ösel Plante, development, has a debut collection of poetry titled Waveland set for publication by Black Lawrence Press in April 2021. Please use this link to learn more.

Aziz Inan, Shiley School of Engineering. recently shared some of his work on palindrome dates with the staff of Farmers’ Almanac which lead to an articled titled “2021: A Special Year For Palindrome Dates, Starting This Month!” See the article using this link.

Bob Butler, professor emeritus of environmental studies; Jenda Johnson, Earth Sciences Animated; and Nic Zentner, Central Washington University, published an animation titled “Ghost Forests: Evidence for a Giant Earthquake & Tsunami in the Pacific Northwest.” This animation explores how Native American oral history, geology of ghost forests in coastal Washington and Oregon, and written accounts of a tsunami that flooded Japanese Pacific Coast villages converge to document the most recent Cascadia subduction zone megathrust earthquake on January 26, 1700 at about 9 p.m. The Ghost Forest animation can be found on the IRIS website at: https://www.iris.edu/hq/inclass/animation/740 or on YouTube at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4xPbt8iiDRo&feature=youtu.be.

Steven Kolmes, environmental studies, wrote an editorial on “Sustainability and the Role of Higher Education” in Environment: Science and Policy for Sustainable Development, Vol. 62, , pp. 2-3. See the article at this link. He also contributed “On a ‘Just’ Transition, Environment” in Science and Policy for Sustainable Development, 63:1, 29-31, DOI: 10.1080/00139157.2021.1842715.. See the article using this link.

Amber Vermeesch, nursing, received an Opus Prize Foundation Grant Sabbatical Support, Opus Prize Foundation, $5,000, on November 12, 2020.

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UPbeat is a newsletter for University of Portland faculty and staff published through the marketing & communications office; submit information to Marc Covert, upbeat editor, at 8132 or upbeat@up.edu. Submission deadline is noon the Thursday prior to publication. Submissions may be edited for clarity, consistency, brevity, or style.

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