HR Newsletter - Utah State University

HR Newsletter
Human Resources
January - February 2015
Welcome to 2015!
In this Issue you will find articles and updates related to benefits, wellness, upcoming
events, and more.

At HR

Introducing HealthSparq, a new healthcare shopping tool

Introducing Hire Touch , a new jobs website

Benefits Corner

USU 2015 Wellness and Benefits Expo
At HR
Human Resources
Justin Jackson
VOL. ISSUE . Nov. 2014
Employee Engagement and Wellness Manager
My name is Justin Jackson, I am excited and honored to be the new Employee Engagement and Wellness Manager at Utah State
University. I look forward to leading the Be Well team as we broaden the program and empower more people to take an active role
in their day to day wellness. Being back at USU is a homecoming of sorts for me. I was a member of the USU football team in 2002 2003. I graduated with a Master’s degree in Exercise Science is 2007, and headed out into the career field. I return to USU after
spending the past 4 years in the University of Utah, School of medicine and Huntsman Cancer Hospital. In my time in the
University of Utah’s system I have had the opportunity to oversee several NIH and ADA studies as well as work directly with cancer
survivors and their families. Throughout my career I have learned what wellness means to many different people, and I feel it has
given me a unique outlook on what wellness truly means.
I am excited to bring what I have learned during my career to the Be Well program. It is my goal to implement an integrated holistic
wellness model. I believe that using this approach will afford us the opportunity to engage each employee on a personal level and
motivate them to take action as it relates to their wellbeing. I believe that wellness is not only physical fitness and proper nutrition
but much more. True Wellness is multidimensional consisting of mental, emotional, occupational, spiritual, social, and environmental components in concert with physical wellness. Each component has different meanings for each person but each are important. It
is my goal to create a program that embraces each component in ways that help each employee better understand how to implement
wellness in their lives.
I hope that together we can build a culture of wellness at USU. If you ever have concerns or ideas please do not hesitate to
contact me.
Go Aggies! & Be Well!
Justin Jackson
(435) 797-8391
[email protected]
At HR
Human Resources
Steven Clark
VOL. ISSUE . Nov. 2014
Program Analyst
Steven recently joined the human resources team as a data analyst. Before coming to USU Steven
worked in accounting for a couple Information Technology Consulting firms. When Steven isn’t
busy coding and analyzing, he’s probably spending time with his wife and two daughters. Steven
and his wife both enjoy ballroom dance, and can occasionally be found swinging with USU students
and faculty Thursday evenings.
Coming to USU Employees January 2015: Introducing
HealthSparq
A new health care shopping tool.
Exasperated with the lack of simple health care cost information? Overwhelmed by the number of options? Health care can be
complicated. Whether you’re nursing a broken bone or finally scheduling the lab work your doctor suggested, you’re ready to take
action. But how do you start?
HealthSparq is USU’s new health care shopping tool that saves you time and takes the guesswork out of important health care
decisions. With HealthSparq, you can get simple and clear answers to questions such as: “What will I pay?”, “Where do I go?”, and
“What do I do?”
HealthSparq does the legwork for you
In less than 10 minutes, you can:
Compare the total costs of care. Calculate and
Compare the full cost for medical treatment by providers who
meet the quality criteria you select. Comparisons include the
full cost and timeframe of treatment— including evaluation and
follow— up steps for safe and effective care. For instance, find
hospitals that perform knee replacements within the shortest
timeframe with a total price tag that’s similar to others in your
area.
Find doctors or facilities with expertise in what
you need. Search for doctors by medical specialty
or find facilities that specialize in the procedure you
need. You can find a provider that is convenient for
you—close to home, your child’s school or on the way
home from work.
Call or log onto HealthSparq. In less than 10
minutes, you’ll know you’re seeing a quality
provider at the right price.
Log in address open in January 2015. Watch
for an email from HealthSparq.
866-228-7001, Monday through Friday 7a.m.–5
p.m. Pacific Time.
Get a personalized estimate of your costs. In today’s health care world, you usually have to wait until after you receive
care to see your bill. By simply creating a user ID, password and linking your Regence health plan information, HealthSparq personalizes the cost of service to your plan. You see only your share of cost for health care services, taking into account your deductible, your family situation and other important plan details.
Review quality rating— and actual patients reviews. Ensure that the providers and hospitals you’ are considering
consistently get top marks. See doctors’ medical credential, and read reviews by actual patients, the next best thing to getting a
recommendation from a friend or family member. You can even narrow your search by the criteria that you value most.
Coming Soon
New Jobs Website Coming to Utah State University in January
The Office of Human Resources is gearing up to launch a new jobs website that will improve
prospective employee job search and application, department posting procedures, and the
overall hiring process for the University. The new jobs website system, called HireTouch,
comes with some great new features which include approving the posting of a search with a
smartphone or tablet, generating e-mail correspondence to applicants within the system,
scheduling interviews online, and much more.
Information regarding training sessions will be forthcoming. You may contact our office at
435-797-0216 if you have any questions in the meantime.
Benefits Corner
5 Steps to Retirement Checkup
Are you on track?
Check where you are invested
If you haven't thought about your
retirement savings lately, start by
checking your balance. Try one of
the many planning tools available.
If you haven't looked at the funds in your
401(k) in a while, you may want to confirm
that your investment choices are still right for
you. If this isn't something you have the skill,
will , or time to do on a regular basis, you
might want to consider a target date fund.
Update your beneficiaries
Retirement accounts pass directly to named
beneficiaries, but you have to designate
them. .
Increase you savings rate
Consider increasing your savings 1% a year until
you reach a total savings rate of 10%-15%. Even
setting aside an additional 1% of your pay now
can have a powerful impact on your retirement
income.
Ask for help when you
need it
Don’t be shy. Every question is a good
question, no matter how basic you may
think it is. There’s help available online,
in person, or by phone.
Benefits Corner
Changes to Contribution Maximums in 2015:
Retirement Contribution Limits:

$18,000 — pre tax 403 (b), 401 (k), 457 (b), post tax 403 (b).

The age 50 catch up increased to $6,000 for 403 (b), 401 (k), and
457 (b) for a contribution limit of $24,000.
Voluntary Benefits:

Medical Flexible Spending — $2,550

Single Coverage Health Savings Account $3,350

Family Coverage Health Savings Account $6,550
USU 2015 Wellness and Benefits Expo
It is a new year and what better way to start out than attending the USU Wellness & Benefits
Expo. This event will be held Thursday, Jan. 29, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on the second floor of the
Taggart Student Center (TSC). The Wellness & Benefits Expo provides a way to make your
2014 resolutions a success.
As a joint effort between Student Services, USU Be Well, and Human Resources, this event’s
purpose is to inspire others and encourage people to fulfill their potential of living strong, successful,
and healthy lives. The Wellness & Benefits Expo is open to students, employees, and community
members, and wishes to motivate individuals on their wellness journey during any stage of life.
Interactive booths, displays, and health screenings offering information about nutrition,
fitness, relaxation, sustainability, and financial health will be available throughout the day. Try on a
20 pound body fat suit and experience how difficult it is to perform simple tasks with the added
weight; find out your current health numbers and ways to improve them; discover how you can
incorporate healthy habits into your lifestyle. Health screenings to determine body mass index, body
fat percentage, blood pressure, blood sugar, grip strength, and flexibility will be open to attendees.
To participate in a free hearing test provided by the USU Hearing Clinic, please call 435-797-1375 for
an appointment during the Wellness & Benefits Expo.
Get your Expo passport stamped by our vendors and enter the drawing to win some great
prizes!! Hope to see you there Aggies!!

Download Report