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Michael Morrison |
Randi Rogers |
Randy Snider
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Don't forget to RSVP for the Employee Recognition Breakfast/Dinner if you have not already done so. RSVPs are due Friday, Nov. 18! Click here to RSVP.
| Shane Baumgart | Director of Landscape/Missouri Arboretum | Facility Services |
| Jill Brown | Director of Corporate Relations/Major Gift Officer | University Advancement |
| Thomas Dean | HVAC Technician | Facility Services |
| Kayla Troutwine | Staff Nurse | Wellness Services |
| Ray Bracken | Custodian | Facility Services |
| Kirby Poppa | Custodian | Facility Services |
| Joel Harderson | Technology Specialist | Information Technology |
| Michael Adwell | Mason | Facility Services |
Northwest is again partnering with Vector SafeColleges to provide training related to a variety of topics throughout the 2022-2023 academic year.
The dates for the 2022-23 RESPOND trainings have been set. Register at www.nwmissouri.edu/wellness/education/respond.htm.
Staff training is 3 to 5 p.m. Jan. 30-31 and attendance on both days is required to receive credit.
Remaining student dates are Feb. 9 from 4 to 8 p.m., March 21 from 1 to 5 p.m., and April 15 from 1 to 5 p.m.
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.
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Contact Giselle Greenidge ggreenidge@nwmissouri.edu |
Contact Elyssa Ford eford@nwmissouri.edu |
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Contact ALLY@nwmissouri.edu |
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These employee-led groups aim to foster a diverse, inclusive workplace. Contact each group individually.
Northwest Staff Council represents a unified voice for all Northwest staff. To learn about staff, upcoming events or voice concerns, visit Northwest Staff Council.
The next staff appreciation event will be Cookies & Cocoa on Wednesday, Dec. 7.
6 a.m. - Facility Services
2 - 3:30 p.m. - Administration Building, Facility Services and the Olive DeLuce Fine Arts Building
5 p.m. - Facility Services
The Employee and Recognition Committee of Staff Council has initiated the use of Kudoboard. This is a way for any employee to give thanks to colleagues who have gone above and beyond and deserve recognition. Each month Staff Council representatives will send links from the previous month’s Kudoboard, so employees may view all of the kudos and see if you received a shout-out. We encourage everyone to use this frequently as a way to say thanks to our coworkers who work so hard.
You can now access the Kudoboard at myNorthwest. To view past Kudoboards and submit a shout-out, visit www.nwmissouri.edu/intranet/employee/.
Well-being and perks:
Health care:
Compensation
Trust and communication
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.
The University has established a partnership with Family Guidance Center to provide a crisis counselor on site. Holly McMillen, a certified licensed professional counselor, is available Monday through Friday to respond to any crisis or resource needs.
This service is confidential. Contact Holly directly to schedule an appointment at hmcmillen@fgcnow.org or 660.853.8196.
For more information, contact the Office of Human Resources at 660.562.1127.
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 and are 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, visit Mindful by BlueKC initiative.
All Northwest employees are eligible to use Ability Assist Counseling Services sponsored by The Hartford. Read about the many benefits this program provides »
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, visit TAO-Therapy Assistance Online.
Wellness Services is offering a variety of online programing. Follow Wellness Services on Twitter and Instagram at @nw_wellness for updates.
The center provides reliable information about a variety of mental and behavioral health topics. For more information, visit New Directions Health Resources.
For information about a specific substance use, visit New Directions Substance Use Disorders Center, or call the Substance Use Disorder Hotline at 877.326.2458.
If you have any questions, please email healthybearcat@nwmissouri.edu.
The open enrollment period for 2023 plans closes at 5 p.m. Friday, Nov. 18. If you are not making any changes to health or dental, you do not need to complete any forms.
We are changing vision insurance providers from Ameritas to EyeMed. This year, you MUST elect your vision coverage with EyeMed. If you are currently enrolled in vision coverage with Ameritas and do not take any action, you WILL NOT be defaulted to your prior year election and your coverage will be terminated Dec. 31, 2022. You will need to complete an Insurance Enrollment Form in order to elect vision coverage. Forms are also available in the Office of Human Resources or on the open enrollment webpage, by clicking here.
Don't forget to complete your online health risk assessment questionnaire through the A Healthier You portal. The deadline is Tuesday, Nov. 29.
If you were unable to attend the on-campus biometric screening event, print the Physician Screening Form from the A Healthier You portal and have your physician complete and fax the form directly to Blue Cross Blue Shield by Friday, Nov. 18.
Click here for complete details about the Health Risk Assessment.
For the upcoming holiday season, the Benefits and Wellness Committee is hosting a Maintain Don't Gain challenge Monday, Nov. 21, through Sunday, Jan. 15. Participants will try to maintain current weight or lose weight through the holiday season but cannot gain more than two pounds by the end of the challenge. Participants who lost, maintained or gained two pounds or less by the end of the challenge will be entered into a prize drawing.
Weigh-ins are in the Human Resources Conference Room on the first floor of the Administration Building:
Thursday, Nov. 17 - 10 a.m. to noon
Friday, Nov. 18 - 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Monday, Nov. 21 - 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Weigh-outs also are in the Human Resources Conference Room:
Tuesday, Jan. 17 - 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Wednesday, Jan. 18 - 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
All weigh-in and weigh-out information is recorded and maintained by the Employee Wellness Coordinator and is strictly confidential.
BlueKC is partnering with Sapphire Digital to offer SmartShopper, an incentive platform that can save members money on health care 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 offers educational programs to help members learn information about their benefits as they progress through their career and experience different life events along the way.
Newer Employees and MOSERS Webinars: Start learning about the state benefits administered by MOSERS.
Mid-Career Webinar: Learn how different career and life events may affect your pension benefit.
Ready to Retire Sessions: Learn about the retirement process and how different decisions may impact your pension benefit.
Stay up to date and visit www.mosers.org/education frequently for more information, including schedules and how to register.
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:
For more information, please see MOSERS' FAQs on termination and reemployment rules and its termination and reemployment rules flyer.
Please note that, 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.
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 device or laptop computer. 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 on how to get the MyBlueKC app.
On Jan. 10, 2022, the Biden administration released new guidance requiring health plans to reimburse covered individuals for over-the-counter (OTC) COVID-19 diagnostic tests. This policy went into effect Saturday, Jan. 15, 2022, and will remain in effect through the end of the public health emergency.
Coverage is limited to eight tests per covered individual per 30-day period for OTC rapid antigen diagnostic tests. Tests must be for personal use, not for employment purposes, have not or will not be reimbursed by another source and may not be resold. OTC COVID-19 tests purchased prior to Jan. 15, 2022, are not eligible for reimbursement.
Eight OTC tests with no out-of-pocket expense
Members who have pharmacy benefits through Blue KC are eligible to obtain eight tests directly from their local in-network pharmacy with no out-of-pocket costs. They simply show their Blue KC member ID card at an in-network pharmacy and ask them to process up to eight tests through the pharmacy benefit*. Please note, members are limited to a maximum of eight tests with no out-of-pocket costs at the in-network pharmacy; the tests can be obtained all at once, or incrementally over time, but cannot exceed the maximum of eight. Members who purchase OTC COVID-19 tests and pay out of pocket can be reimbursed as described below. Additional tests are limited to eight per 30-day period per member.
*If the pharmacy will not process the member’s test(s) through their pharmacy benefit the member is asked to follow the subsequent test reimbursement direction listed below.
OTC test reimbursement:
Individuals will be reimbursed for 100 percent of the cost of the test. Sales tax and delivery charges are not covered and will not be reimbursed. Individuals can use this form to request reimbursement for tests. Please note the reimbursement eligibility requirements, including the link to a list of FDA-approved tests, are listed at the top of the form.
Types of tests eligible for no out-of-pocket expense and/or reimbursement:
Tests must be authorized or approved by the FDA. For a list of EUA authorized tests, click here and enter OTC into the list search box located under the article titled "Individual EUAs for Antigen Diagnostic Tests for SARS-CoV-2" and above the table. The list may be subject to change. Please note, tests must be self-administered and self-read. Any COVID-19 test that requires a healthcare provider to administer or read is not eligible under this OTC benefit but may be eligible under your medical benefits.
It has come to our attention that 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.
We advise all MOSERS members to stay vigilant and double-check the addresses of email senders before clicking any links.
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 members can access and afford the behavioral healthcare they need.
Mindful Advocates are available 24/7 and are 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, visit Mindful by BlueKC initiative.
A Healthier You is Blue KC's health and wellness program focused on achieving outcomes by improving the health of members. AHY offers helpful tools and resources as well as a personalized empowerment portal and mobile experience, uniquely designed to learn more about each member and provide the appropriate support, incentives and interventions for the members health journey. Members also may earn points for completing health actions and can potentially win digital gift cards to retailers such as Amazon, Target and Walmart.
For information about logging into your AHY portal, visit Accessing A Healthier You. To learn how to earn points and be entered into the gift card sweepstakes, click here.
Blue365 is a free health and wellness discount program offered to Blue KC members for year-round discounts on gym memberships, fitness gear, healthy eating options and more. To register and browse available discounts, log in to your mybluekc.com portal and select Health Programs in the Health & Wellness menu. For more information, click here.
The Foster Fitness Center, the Student Recreation Center and the Hughes Fieldhouse walking 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 in advance of using the Foster Fitness Center.
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.
Mosaic Medical Center-Maryville offers a personalized weight management program called Healthy Lifestyles. The program is designed to help people of all ages and sizes achieve an improved quality of life through medical nutritional counseling, teaching and lifestyle changes. For additional information about the program, visit Healthy Lifestyles: Personalized Weight Management Program.
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.
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:
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.
In August, the Biden-Harris administration announced a three-part plan to help student loan borrowers transition to post-pandemic loan repayment. Part of this plan includes two tiers of loan forgiveness for an estimated 43 million student and parent loan borrowers.
Borrowers are eligible for this relief on outstanding student loan debt if their individual income is less than $125,000, or $250,000 for households. Those who received a Pell Grant in college and meet the income threshold will be eligible for up to $20,000 in debt cancellation. Others who meet the income threshold will be eligible for up to $10,000 in debt cancellation. An online application for qualified borrowers to request debt relief is now available at https://studentaid.gov/debt-relief/application.
For more information about actions you can take now and to sign up and receive updates directly from the U.S. Department of Education, visit https://studentaid.gov/manage-loans/forgiveness-cancellation/debt-relief-info.
Wellness Services is offering COVID-19 first and second vaccines as well as the bivalent COVID booster (Pfizer and Moderna). Call 660.562.1348 to schedule an appointment.
For the remainder of the fall semester, employees may walk in to Wellness Services for an influenza vaccine between 10 and 11 a.m. Monday through Friday when the University is open. Bring your insurance card with you.
The Authorization for Fee Reduction form used to request and authorize fee reductions for employees, senior citizens, retirees, and dependents of employees and retirees is now an online dynamic form. To complete the form, log in with your Northwest network username and password.
The form is available through the Student Account Services website and should be completed prior to the first day of the semester.
Would you like to sign up for paperless billing? We can email your billing statement to the email address of your preference. You may sign up at any time by completing the Faculty/Staff email billing address under Personal Information in your CatPAWS account, or complete the information at https://www.nwmissouri.edu/studentaccounts/paperless-billing.htm.
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 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.
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 (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 at FIS@nwmissouri.edu or visit www.nwmissouri.edu/international/services/friends/.
Please check the “How to Purchase Office Supplies” guide. Various binders, hanging file folders and other office supplies are available at no cost to departments at Central Receiving.
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.
It is important for employees to apply good ergonomic practices. To view a complete list of ergonomic suggestions, visit Workstation safety guideline.
