May 1-24: Open Enrollment for Health Benefits and Flexible Reimbursement Accounts
While we are still awaiting final details, please advise your benefits eligible faculty and staff that this year’s open enrollment has significant changes.  Open enrollment will run from May 1-24; choices made during open enrollment are effective on July 1, 2013. 

This year, the major changes include a:

  • New health plan option
  • Substantive change to dental care for COVA HDHP participants and many COVA Care participants
  • New opportunity for COVA Care participants to pro-actively impact their health insurance premium

Additionally, COVA Connect is being discontinued and there are also other important changes that will be occurring this year to coverage and pricing across all health plans and categories (e.g. single, single plus one, and family).

We will be holding open enrollment sessions in Arlington, Fairfax, and Prince William (details coming soon).  Additionally, the Department of Human Resource Management (DHRM) will be mailing open enrollment materials to employee home addresses.  New this year, DHRM will also have an online tool that will assist faculty and staff in reviewing their options.

In the meantime, please check the HR & Payroll homepage for updates as they are available.

April (and one for May!) Calendar Notes:

Just a few dates to put on your calendar regarding some upcoming Mason and national events:

  • April - Distracted Driving Month - Did you know that in 80% of crashes and 65% of near crashes, inattentive driving occurred within 3 seconds of the crash?  That texting is 6 times more likely to cause a crash than drunk driving?  Help spread the word -- Buckle Up, Phone Down.  For more information please visit http://www.drivesmartva.org/.  More facts on distracted driving are available on Drive Smart's brochure.
  • Deadline Extended! Friday, April 19 - Deadline to participate in The Chronicle of Higher Education's Great Colleges to Work For Survey.  900 faculty and staff (including 300 adjunct faculty) were randomly invited to complete the survey by Provost Stearns and Senior VP Davis.  The survey is confidential but the aggregate results are shared with Mason.  This is a great opportunity to help us benchmark Mason to our university peers around the nation.
  • Tuesday, April 16 - Health Care Decisions Day - No matter your age, it's always a good idea to have your wishes documented and to review your choices on a regular basis.  This is a great time to suggest to your faculty and staff that they review the choices they've already made in such areas as:
    • Insurance and retirement beneficiaries
    • Wills
    • Advance Directives

For those faculty and staff who haven't yet made choices, Tuesday, April 16th is National Health Care Decisions Day.  While the topic isn't one any of us like to think about, making choices about who you would like to represent your interests should you be unable to do so for yourself is actually a gift to your loved ones.  Making these choices before something happens to you empowers them to help you if you can no longer help yourself.  Additional information is available at National Health Care Decision Day.  Another helpful resource on aging and retirement issues in Virginia is Senior Navigator.

  • April 17, 2:00-6:00pm, Aquatic and Fitness Center - Mason Recreation Fitness Screening Event - Learn more about Mason dining programs and events and meet Lois Durant, Mason Dining's Dietitian to discuss health eating around campus.
  • New! Monday-Wednesday, April 22, 23, and 24 - Trade in four wheels for two! Bike to Mason Day events in Arlington, Fairfax, and Prince William.  Details at Bike to Mason Day.
  • Wednesday, April 24 - Denim Day - Our colleagues in Wellness, Alcohol and Violence Education and Services & Women & Gender Studies would like to spread the word about Denim Day -   Each April we celebrate "Denim Day" as a way of raising awareness about violence against women as as a way of protesting the victim blaming that so often accompanies this violence. On Wednesday, April 24th wear denim to raise awareness around sexual violence issues and support survivors of sexual assault. Please remember that if you have meetings or presentations, wearing denim may not be possible.  Check within your department if you have any questions.
  • Thursday, April 25 - 17th Annual Victims' Rights Run/Walk, noon - Details are available at http://vrrw.gmu.edu. Registration is open online. Channel your competitive side; new award this year for the largest faculty/staff team.  HR & Payroll encourages supervisors to permit their staff to participate if they wish.  No leave needs to be taken; it can be considered work time.
  • Monday, April 29 - DMV2Go (Fairfax), 9:00am-4:00pm, University Hall parking lot - DMV2Go Flyer
  • Friday, May 3 - Your Next Chapter - Charting a Course for Retirement - Close to Retirement? 
    • This full-day course will help you navigate successfully into the “Next Chapter” of your life by exploring your personal resources, attitudes, preferences, motivation, skills and interests.  You will receive the tools necessary to create a unique, individual retirement plan with choices that may include community involvement, new careers, leisure enrichment, healthy aging and lifelong learning.
    • This course is offered by Lois Tetrick and colleagues as part of a contract with Fairfax County Government to help those close to retirement consider the emerging challenges that come with this major life change. If you are within 3 years of retirement, come join us for this all day session. There will be two workshops this semester; one is scheduled for May 3 from 9:00 am – 5:00 pm (location on Fairfax Campus to be determined). You are welcome to bring your lunch or they will take a short break when you can grab something to eat in the Johnson Center. They will be “working” through lunch.
    • There is no fee for attending but they do need you to register as space is limited. Please register by sending an email to Lois Tetrick, Director of the Industrial and Organizational Psychology Program at [log in to unmask]
    • If you have any specific questions, you can contact Lois at the same address.