The 2023-24 Wellbeing Program year ends on August 31, 2024. Make sure to earn 5,000 points (or 7,500 points, if your spouse is covered by your medical insurance) by August 31 for a discount on your 2025 University medical insurance rates.
If you added a spouse throughout the year, you need to earn 7,500 points by August 31. If you dropped a spouse on the medical plan, you only need 5,000 points.
Looking for ways to explore wellbeing resources and earn your incentive?
Check out the events calendar on the Wellbeing Program platform (under Social) for points-earning webinars
Track movement, mindfulness, or sleep (under Home > Stats)
Try a Health Coaching session (under Health)
Watch short videos on improving your posture, healthy sleep practices, and more on the Media tab (under Menu on the app)
Volunteer, read a book, or do something else that supports your wellbeing and add it as a Wellbeing My Way pledge (under Programs, search for Wellbeing My Way)
We all need to learn to talk about money, whether it's with ourselves, our partner or spouse, or our family and friends. Transparency about money can lead to stronger relationships and a higher level of financial health. In this free LSS Financial Counseling webinar, you will learn:
Communication skills and ground rules for talking about money
Common money beliefs and scripts and how they influence financial behavior Money management strategies
Earn 200 Wellbeing Points for attending!
Navigating Parental Leave
Register for the event with information targeted to your employee group:
Learn about the parental leave policy at the University for your employee group. The course will also cover how to request parental leave, employee benefits during your leave, and resources available to you during and after your leave.
Let’s face it—parenting is tough. And it’s not always clear what to do. Parents are bombarded with conflicting advice on how to better raise their children. At the same time, parents raise their children in the face of enormous pressures: financial concerns, work demands, family problems, and so on.
Instead of offering yet another list of tips on better parenting, this free workshop led by Employee Assistance Program (EAP) provider Lyra Health will suggest a simple but powerful practice. It will teach you to respond to any parenting dilemma with three simple steps:
Press pause.
Notice what’s going on.
Choose your response.
This practice helps parents respond more effectively to their emotional reactions while taking action based on their values. In this way, parents can choose to be who they want to be in any parenting moment, whether it’s a blissful day at the park or a total meltdown at the supermarket.
Get to know your University retirement benefits so that you can plan for the retirement you want! Each hour-long webinar earns 200 Wellbeing Program points.
Faculty Retirement Plan (FRP)
Learn about the Faculty Retirement Plan (FRP) and how Fidelity voluntary plans can work in tandem with it.
This webinar is intended for Faculty and P&A employees who automatically contribute to the FRP. Visit the Plan Comparison page for more information on eligibility.
Minnesota State Retirement System (MSRS)
Learn about the Minnesota State Retirement System (MSRS) pension plan and how Fidelity voluntary plans can work in tandem with it.
This webinar is intended for Civil Service and Labor-Represented employees who automatically contribute to MSRS. Visit the Plan Comparison page for more information on eligibility.
Voluntary Plans
Did you know that the University offers additional retirement savings plans to help you save even more? Learn about voluntary savings plan options available through Fidelity.
Shannon Doyle with LSS Financial Counseling discussed Debt Management Plans (DMPs) in a recent Money Minute segment on a Twin Cities TV station. LSS is the official provider of financial counseling services for University employees.
A DMP combines your credit card payments so that you only pay one monthly payment to creditors, made through LSS. Most creditors will then offer lower interest rates and stop any late fees, which means you can pay down the debt faster. There is a monthly service fee based on the size of your payment, but LSS waives the DMP set-up fee for University of Minnesota employees. Since 2014, LSS has helped University employees pay down more than $5 million in debt through DMPs.
Companies claiming to be University partners occasionally contact employees via phone call or email to offer financial advisory services. You can check the Benefits Vendor Contacts web page if you receive a benefits-related message and aren’t sure if it came from a University vendor. If the vendor is not a University vendor, please mark the email as spam.
Companies called Benefit Link, District Retirement Services, Edify Financial Consulting Group, Employee Retirement Advisors (ERA), and Pres Financial have reached out to employees offering services. These are not official University vendors.
The University offers free retirement and financial counseling services to employees through LSS Financial and Fidelity, as well as directly through University benefits counselors. You can learn more about services through the University on the Financial Counseling Overview web page.
Blog Abstract
Find out what to do if you've received a suspicious email or phone call from someone offering financial advisory services.
Paying off your student loans can be confusing and difficult, but University employee financial counseling vendor LSS Financial Counseling is here to help! Read on for information on the Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) program and LSS events to help you manage student loan debt.
About the Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) Program and Student Loan Counseling
What is the PSLF?
The PSLF program allows you to have the remaining balance of your student loans forgiven after you have made 120 qualifying monthly payments while working full time for a U.S. federal, state, local, or tribal government or not-for-profit organization. Find out more on this government website.
Am I eligible for the PSLF? What other options do I have?
Qualifying for the PSLF depends on what kind of loans you have. The temporary waiver allows more people to qualify for loan forgiveness.
LSS is offering several webinars specifically for University employees to learn about the PSLF and other federal student loan repayment options. Each webinar earns 200 Wellbeing Points and has a 300-person limit.
Send your form via email to ohr@umn.edu to request a signature for the employer verification section. Don't include your Social Security number on the form.
I have more questions. Who can I contact?
LSS Financial offers free financial counseling sessions for University employees, spouses, and dependents. You can schedule an appointment to discuss your specific situation. Learn more about this benefit.
Blog Abstract
Learn about the PSLF program and other student loan resources.
Dr. Mike Henson isn’t sure how many cases he’s seen in his 32-year tenure with the U of M’s Veterinary Medical Center (VMC). “5,000? It’s gotta be more than that. 10,000?”
If you look at the full course of Mike’s career, he’s certainly seen more than ten thousand patients. “I started working at a veterinary clinic at 14. I liked it because I could work with my hands and mind, get dirty, and work with animals and their owners,” he said. “Animal people are fun.”
A love of animals kept him in the field (when asked if he preferred dogs or cats, he said, “That’s like asking for your favorite child”), but it’s the mission that kept him at the U of M. “We train the next generation of veterinarians and practice the state-of-the-art medicine of today while generating the medicine of tomorrow.”
“I work with great people–they’re super smart, hardworking, and creative,” Mike said of his coworkers. “Plus we have all the toys,” he mentioned, citing a 3T MRI,128-slice CT, and a Varian EDGE.
Clinical Work and Research
As an oncologist at the College of Veterinary Medicine, Mike sees patients, teaches students, leads residents, and performs clinical trials using groundbreaking techniques. Applications stretch beyond animals–knowledge about animal cancers is used to inform research and new treatments for humans. “We stand on the shoulders of giants,” said Mike. “Someday someone will stand on our shoulders and do research I could never dream of.”
Mike is part of the Animal Cancer Care and Research Program. (He noted that care comes before research in the name on purpose.) “Our goal is to create a world in which we no longer fear cancer. It’s not realistic to eradicate cancer. Cancer will evolve as our treatments evolve,” he said. “Our goal is to cure where we can, reduce pain for all, improve and maintain quality of life as long as possible, educate to reduce fear, and [as needed] ease the passing of our patients.”
While Mike has seen thousands of patients over his decades at the VMC, he prefers to think about how many veterinarians he has helped train: more than 3,000.
Benefits of Working in the College of Veterinary Medicine
“There are rewards every day,” Mike says of working in the College of Veterinary Medicine, such as teaching at all levels; seeing patients; and working alongside brilliant researchers, veterinarians, technicians, and students. “Sometimes you see a spark go off [for a student or colleague] and it makes your day.”
Additionally, Mike appreciates that the University retirement automates retirement savings for him. [Through the Faculty Retirement Plan, the University contributes 10% while the employee contributes 5.5%.] He also is happy with the health insurance choices. A benefit he would love to use but hasn’t had the chance? “I fantasize about taking classes through the [Regents Tuition Benefit Program]. There are so many fun things to do and learn.”
And finally, Mike loves living in the Twin Cities. “I have three lakes within walking distance of my house,” he said. “It’s easy to get outside, and we have parks everywhere. It’s great for cycling.” He likes that there are so many great restaurants, music venues, dog parks, and sports teams in the metro area. “We have everything.”
Blog Abstract
Meet the College of Veterinary Medicine's Dr. Mike Henson!
“It’s a calling. I didn’t really think about doing anything else,” said Dr. Susan Arnold of why she chose to be a veterinarian.
Her first job was a dog walking business that she started at the age of eight. “I actually made a lot of money!” From there she worked at pet stores and an animal hospital before going to vet school, though she briefly considered pursuing a career in human medicine.
In her work at the U of M’s College of Veterinary Medicine (CVM), she has opportunities to improve animal and human health through her research. “I can take the Campus Connector to the East Bank to work with [Medical School] clinicians,” she said. “Veterinarians, researchers, and human physicians all come together to collaborate in an environment that I know I wouldn’t have anywhere else.”
Susan cites teaching students as another benefit of working at an educational institution. “Sometimes I wonder when meeting with a student, ‘Am I sitting with the next big name in the field?’,” she said. “Students and residents are a brilliant force to keep us up-to-date on the latest technologies and research.”
College of Veterinary Medicine (CVM) Culture
“We have a culture of ‘yes’,” said Susan. “We find a common goal and figure out how to do it.” When asked for an example, she shared the story of Moose, a German shepherd facing acute paralysis and having trouble breathing. “We brought together [experts from] neurology, emergency and critical care, anesthesia, and nutrition to provide diagnostic testing and support through his disease crisis.”
Susan also appreciates her relationship with leadership. “I receive strong support from my dean, department chair, and associate dean for clinical affairs. Leadership [at CVM] is very approachable.”
Working With Veterinary Technicians
“A lot of our technicians have a VTS [veterinary technician specialist designation] or are extremely experienced,” said Susan. “They add a valuable perspective to the care team.”
The veterinary technicians also allow veterinarians to focus on their specialities. “They’re really good at technical stuff,” said Susan. “I can ask a tech to do a complicated urinary catheterization on a female dog, and it’s going to be done without a problem.”
Other Benefits of Working at CVM
“We get to bring our pets! I have never worked a day in this office without Farley,” Susan said, gesturing to her dog at her feet. “It’s a great benefit to not worry about leaving an animal at home for too long. Plus, we look after each others’ pets. If I’m in surgery for hours, my vet techs make sure to take Farley out.”
Beyond animal-related benefits, Susan uses the dependent care FSA (flexible spending account) to help pay for childcare costs.
Location is another key bonus to working at the U of M. “We’re in a big city, we have an international airport. I like to say that there’s something for everyone and everyone for something.”
Favorite animal to work with?
“I like performing exams on cats. Their diseases are not as well described as dogs’, so there are more opportunities to explore diseases,” Susan said. Also, she likes the challenge they can present. “They’re fun little space aliens.”
Blog Abstract
Meet the College of Veterinary Medicine's Dr. Susan Arnold!
To ensure compliance and consistency across the institution, ELR developed a process for HR Leads to request a MOU or grievance settlements about applicable union/collective bargaining agreements. As a single employer, it is extremely important we adhere to a centralized process for such requests to mitigate risks and ensure awareness of contractual obligations. For questions, please contact ELR@umn.edu.
