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HR Update; January 11, 2008

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Call for applications: 2008-2010 Staff Advisor to The Regents

Communication to All Staff and Non-Senate Academic Employees

The University is pleased to announce the application period for selection of the 2008-2010 Staff Advisor to the UC Board of Regents.  The application period will begin on Wednesday, January 16, 2008 and end Friday, February 29, 2008 at 5:00pm.  All interested UC staff and non-Senate academic employees are encouraged to visit the Staff Advisors’ website for information about the role and responsibilities of the position and how to apply, including a complete explanation of eligibility:

http://www.universityofcalifornia.edu/staffadvisors/

For employees without computer or internet access, hard copies of the application form and all relevant information on the process can be obtained from your location’s central Human Resources office.  Questions about the Staff Advisor position or the application process should be directed to Lynn Boland, Deputy to the Executive Vice President-Business Operations, at (510) 987-9996.

About the Staff Advisors to The Regents

A continuing goal of the UC Regents is to foster two-way communication between UC staff and the Board.  In January 2007, The Regents voted unanimously to establish positions for two Staff Advisors to participate in their deliberative process and to provide a staff perspective on matters coming before the Board.  One new Staff Advisor is selected each year for a two year term.  The Staff Advisors serve as non-voting advisors to designated Regents’ committees, and they attend and participate directly in committee and Board meetings throughout their term of service.

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New Year—New Insurance ID Cards

Please share this important information with your employees.

All Health Net members will receive a new insurance card for 2008. As of Friday January 4, 2008 all of the ID cards were mailed. If you have not yet received your ID card you can call the dedicated Health Net UC customer service number at 1-800-539-4072. If you are trying to access services and don’t yet have your ID card, members or their medical providers and pharmacies may call Health Net to verify eligibility during normal business hours.

All CIGNA members, new members in one of the Blue Cross plans, and new Kaiser members, will receive a new insurance card for 2008.

United Behavioral Health contact information (for behavioral health/substance abuse benefits) will be on all insurance cards except Kaiser. At the end of January, Kaiser members will receive a separate paper brochure and wallet card for use in accessing behavioral health services through United Behavioral Health (UBH). In the meantime, Kaiser members can access UBH providers by calling UBH (1-888-440-8225) for a referral.

Please check any new insurance cards you receive for accuracy and discard your old one(s) to avoid confusion. If you have changed medical plans during Open Enrollment, you will need to provide your medical providers and pharmacy with your new insurance information to avoid any billing problems.

If you are enrolled in either of the following UC medical plans, you are required to select a primary care provider (PCP)/medical group (each family member may choose a different PCP/medical group). 

It is very important you ensure your medical plan has correctly designated your choice of PCP/medical group. If either the PCP and/or medical group listed on your/your family member’s insurance care is incorrect, call the Customer Service number for the plan (listed on the card).

During the year if you add any new dependents to your medical coverage, make any changes in medical coverage, or change to another medical group within the same plan, you should confirm your PCP/medical group designation with the medical plan and request new insurance cards with the updated information.

Any time you access medical services, please confirm with your provider that they have the most up-to-date information regarding your medical plan coverage.

Please be aware that you may be responsible for the cost of medical services if your medical plan has you assigned to a different PCP/medical group than the PCP from whom you receive care/treatment.

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UC Retirement Readiness Education Programs

Are you ready for retirement?  Are your ducks all in a row?
Start to plan now-it’s never too early.

Please pass this on to your colleagues, circulate invitations, post the actual schedules, or otherwise re-broadcast these weekly reminders about our valuable (FREE) education programs for faculty and staff.  Bring your lunch; your questions; your spouse/partner. . .

Usually there can be at least one (or more) workshop(s) per week scheduled at various UCSF locations around town. For more details and listings for upcoming scheduled presentations, please refer to our Workshops and Presentations Schedules menus found at our local UCSF HR/Benefits website.

Be Sure to Review Your Earnings Statements

Do you check your Earnings statement each month to ensure the accuracy of your benefit enrollments and deductions?  If you answered no, it is never too late to start!  It is extremely important that you review your statement each month to ensure your benefit enrollments and deductions are accurate.  Problems identified early on are much easier to resolve than ones that go unnoticed for months.  Earnings statements are online and can be viewed at At Your Service Online (AYSO); sign in to ’AYSO‘ and select ‘earnings statement’ on right side of the screen.

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Alleviating the Holiday Blues

Do you respect tradition but dread doing the same thing this holiday season that you have done for the last 20 or 30 years?  Do you find yourself saying, “I’m just not in the holiday spirit this year”?  Do you find yourself feeling sad, bored, and disappointed around the holidays?  These and similar feelings are common this time of year.  Holiday sadness and apathy are often exacerbated by the media and the commercialization of the season.  For example, in commercials families are all together, everyone receives the ‘perfect’ gift, and the meal always looks beautiful.  Commercialization of the holiday season can also exacerbate feelings of sadness by distorting expectations of what it means to be peaceful or joyous. 

One sure fire way to combat holiday sadness and apathy is to find ways to contribute to those who are less fortunate than you.  For example, serve dinner at a shelter for the homeless or victims of domestic violence.  Spending time in shelters helps everyone involved, including you.  It can teach your children that by giving, you receive gifts that cannot be bought at a store.  It can become a wonderful new tradition.  You can also clean out your closets and donate needed items to these shelters, or give money to shelters and other such organizations instead of buying holiday gifts.  In doing this, you will never be disappointed by the gifts you receive.  If you normally contribute financially, consider donating your time this year.  These kinds of activities can help us remember the things for which we are grateful and help get us out of the holiday blues and into the holiday spirit. 

Have a great holiday. 
Article by Grace Patty, PsyD

For Additional Support:
Call the Faculty and Assistance Program (FSAP) located at the Laurel Heights campus (3333 California Street). The Faculty & Staff Assistance Program provides voluntary, confidential, consultation to management and individual counseling services to the employees of the University of California, San Francisco. The FSAP team consists of licensed counselors who provide consultation and brief counseling services.

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