The Wellbeats digital platform offers on-demand video fitness, mindfulness, and nutrition classes. Part- and full-time University employees can access Wellbeats for free! Watch this 90-second video to learn more: 

How to Join Wellbeats

1. Sign up for the Wellbeing Program platform.
2. Log in to the platform via browser window. Note: To access Wellbeats for the first time, you’ll need to use Virgin Pulse through the web portal, not the app. You can do this by logging on with your computer or using the browser (Chrome, Safari, etc.) on your phone. 
3. Click Programs at the top center of the page. 
4. Search for Wellbeats.
5. Click Start Now to be logged in through your Virgin Pulse account.

Ideas to Get Started

Once you’ve signed up, you can browse classes, save favorites, view your watch history, and more. Classes for all abilities, genders, and ages (including kids!) are available. Ideas to get you started: 

• Try a barre, dance, or strength-training workout
• Learn how to sharpen your knife skills to reduce food prep time
• Find exercises to reduce common aches and pains that can come from working at a computer
• Get injury prevention exercise routines for your back, shoulders, knees, and more
• Take a meditation break
• Edit your profile to get personalized class recommendations

If you have any difficulty accessing Wellbeats, please reach out to our U of M-specific Virgin Pulse customer service line: 1-833-996-1870 (Monday–Friday, 7 a.m.–8 p.m. CT; accepts TTY services) or email Virgin Pulse at support@virginpulse.com. 

Wellbeing Points

Watching 20 minutes of Wellbeats videos in a day earns 70 Wellbeing Points. So if you do a 20-minute workout one day and watch a mindfulness video and a cooking video that total 20 minutes the next day, you’ll earn 140 points (70 each day). 

October is National Retirement Security Month! It’s a great time to learn about cybersecurity and protecting your accounts. University retirement savings vendor Fidelity offers events and resources to help: 

• Cyber theft! Not on my account: Watch this 44-second video to get a quick overview of how to use Fidelity’s security features to keep your account safe, then check your settings to make sure you have the features enabled.
• Protecting yourself in a digital world: This 18-minute Fidelity course goes over how to recognize cyber scams, keep your social media accounts secure, and avoid cybercrime.

This year the Wellbeing Program added My Care Checklist, a feature that allows employees to earn points for preventative care such as checkups and vaccinations. My Care Checklist can be found in the Virgin Pulse portal under the Health. 

Please encourage your employees to use their University insurance to receive preventative care, and let them know they can receive up to 1,250 Wellbeing Points by caring for their physical wellbeing through: 

• Annual exams with their primary care physician
• Eye exams
• Dental check-ups
• Covid-19 boosters and seasonal flu vaccines

Learn more about the Wellbeing Program

University vendor LSS offers several resources to help employees prepare:

• Preparation resources. Read the “Get ready for student loan repayments resuming” post on LSS’s blog.
• Repayment plan guidance. Read the “Is the new SAVE Plan for student loan repayment right for you?” post on LSS’s blog. 
• Financial counseling sessions. Did you know that you can access six free sessions of financial counseling with LSS? Counselors are available to help you budget for making student loan payments, pay off other debt, plan to buy a house, and more. Learn more.

As part of the University of Minnesota’s commitment to help you meet your retirement savings goals, Fidelity has added a Roth In-Plan Conversion feature to the University of Minnesota Optional Retirement Plan (ORP), a 403(b) plan. This will become effective on September 1, 2023. 

What Is a Roth In-Plan Conversion? 

An opportunity to convert non-Roth assets such as those currently in your plan or rolled over from a former employer's plan into a designated Roth portion of the ORP, which allows you to withdraw tax-free dollars from your account when you are eligible.

How Do I Use an In-Plan Conversion?

Call Fidelity directly at 800-343-0860. Fidelity associates are available Monday through Friday between 7:00 a.m. and 11:00 p.m. CT. 

Learn More

To learn more about Roth contributions and how a Roth In-Plan Conversion may affect your savings, you can sign up for a free consultation with a Fidelity consultant here.   

The decision to add Roth within your plan depends on several factors that you should weigh carefully. We encourage you to consult your tax advisor before making a decision if this type of account is right for you. 

Boynton Health is offering mental health training as a free professional development opportunity for University of Minnesota faculty and staff. Participants will learn up-to-date information about UMN students on their campus and essential skills for supporting the needs of today’s students. The program is made up of eight, 20-minute-long modules available through the Training Hub. Morris and Twin Cities modules are currently live with Crookston, Duluth, and Rochester available in the fall of 2023. Modules content includes:

• Student mental health at UMN-TC – prerequisite module
• Making effective referrals
• Listening effectively to student mental health concerns
• Responding appropriately to student mental health concerns
• Situations of student suicidality
• The impact of identity and oppression on student mental health
• Beyond the individual: Promoting mental health for groups of students
• Taking action to promote student mental health: Applied project

The fully-asynchronous series of training allows participants to access the content proactively as their schedule allows. Supported by the President's Initiative for Student Mental Health (PRISMH), faculty and staff can self-enroll at any time through the Training Hub.

Forbes recently named the University of Minnesota a Best Employer for Women 2023. To identify the top-rated 400 companies, Forbes conducted an independent survey of 60,000 employees in the U.S. working for U.S. companies with at least 1,000 employees. 

This award recognizes the University’s demonstrated and longstanding commitment to supporting women employees. For example: 

• Founded in 1960, the University of Minnesota’s Women’s Center serves employees and students and was the first campus-based women’s center in the U.S.
• Employee affinity groups include University Indigenous Women & Women of Color, Morris’s Commission on Women and Gender Equity, and Duluth’s Commission for Women. Additionally, the Women in Technology group seeks to advance women’s careers in technology.
• The Women’s Faculty Cabinet recommends guidelines and policies to the Provost, Faculty Senate, Deans, and Departments on issues affecting women, gender equity, and campus life.
• Boynton Health, which serves employees and students at our Twin Cities campus, is named after Dr. Ruth Boynton, former director of University health services. She was the first, and for many years, only woman in the country directing a co-educational health service.

Additionally, the U of M offers comprehensive benefits, including low-cost medical insurance, parental leave, and robust primary and secondary retirement plan options. 

Thank you to our women employees for everything you do to ensure the long-term success of the University!
 

Are you (or someone you know) looking for a new job? The University of Minnesota is hosting a job fair!

Date: Wednesday, July 12
Time: 10 a.m.–3 p.m.
Place: University of Minnesota Urban Research and Outreach-Engagement Center (UROC) | 2001 Plymouth Ave. N, Minneapolis, MN 55411

Benefits of Working at the U of M

• Minimum $20/hour
• Low-cost healthcare coverage
• Plenty of time off, including 12 paid holidays
• Free or low-cost University classes
• Employer-paid life insurance
• Free financial and mental health counseling services
• Pension plan

Available Positions

• Dining attendants
• Cooks
• Drivers
• Campus security
• Lab techs
• Office supervisors

Or stop by to talk about how to advance your career at the U of M with a recruiter!

Drop in on Wednesday, July 12, anytime from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Plus, you'll be entered to win a U of M shirt for attending.

Due to recent Minnesota state legislation, a $34 million appropriation to the Minnesota State Retirement System (MSRS) pension plan will reduce employee contributions from 6% to 5.5% for two years (July 1, 2023–June 30, 2025). Employer contributions will remain at 6.25%. 

The first paycheck affected by this change will be July 26, 2023. 

Additionally, the vesting period will change from five years to three years for any Civil Service or Labor-represented employees who are active as of July 1, 2023, or hired after this date.

Learn more on the MSRS website (under “General Plan/Unclassified Plan”) and contact MSRS directly with any questions.

Through the "Dear Minnesota" campaign, the University of Minnesota has collected stories of how the University has improved the lives of our students, faculty, and staff. Employee Heidi R. shared their story—here's an excerpt:

"I earned my master's degree in soil science in May of 2021 and continue working at NWROC [Northwest Research and Outreach Center]."

Read Heidi's full "Dear Minnesota" submission