Health Plan participants will receive new Wellmark ID cards later this month. The cards will reference the new specialist office visit co-payment effective Jan. 1, 2019. If you do not receive a new Wellmark ID card by Dec. 31, please contact Wellmark at 800-622-0005.
—Marlene Heuertz, Benefits Specialist
You carry your Drake ID Card and know it can be used to access buildings during specified times. But do you know what else it can do? Your Drake Card can be used to:
For more information on your Drake ID Card, please contact Sara Heijerman.
Linda Feiden, Human Resources
Health plan participants will receive new Wellmark ID cards later this month. The cards will reference the new specialist office visit co-payment effective January 1, 2019. If you do not receive a new Wellmark ID card by Dec. 31, please contact Wellmark at 800-622-0005.
Marlene Heuertz, Human Resources
The annual contribution limit for Drake’s Voluntary Retirement Plan will increase from $18,500 to $19,000 effective January 1, 2019. Employees age 50 and over may contribute an additional $6,000 for a total maximum of $25,000 during 2019.
If you would like to change your current contribution amount, or open a voluntary retirement account, please contact Human Resources. Should you wish to schedule an individual counseling session with a TIAA Consultant, please call 271-1901.
Marlene Heuertz, Human Resources
Did you know the average American checks their phone 80 times a day, with some checking it as much as 300 times per day? If you are one of the approximately 270 million U.S. cell phone users you may want to take advantage of the Drake employee discounts offered by Verizon, AT&T, and Sprint.
And if you are looking for supplies for your home office or holiday tech gifts, Drake employees can register their personal credit card with an Office Depot or OfficeMax retail store to receive a 5 or 10 percent discount off the regular retail price (promotions excluded).
View details on each discount.
Linda Feiden, Human Resources
Drake’s annual open enrollment period for the 2019 Plan Year ends this Friday, Nov. 30. You are not required to visit the Benefits Portal if you do not wish to make changes to your health, dental, or wellness participation.
If you wish to participate in Drake’s flexible spending account plans during 2019, you must make a new election in the Benefits Portal.
If you wish to disenroll or enroll in Drake’s health, dental, or wellness plans, you must make an election in the Benefits Portal.
Additionally, it is important to ensure your basic and voluntary life insurance beneficiary information is correct in the Benefits Portal.
All benefit elections must be made online in the Benefits Portal, accessible via myDrake’s Human Resources Section, no later than 11:59 p.m. Friday, Nov. 30, 2018. Should you have questions, please contact Diana at 515-271-1871 or Marlene at 515-271-1901.
Marlene Heuertz, Human Resources
Drake benefit consultants will provide a benefit overview addressing benchmark comparison data and plan design changes for the 2019 Plan Year Monday. Wellmark representatives will also be present to answer your questions.
Please take this opportunity to learn more about your Drake benefits Monday, Nov. 19, at 9 a.m. in Olmsted 310.
Marlene Heuertz, Human Resources
Drake’s online recognition tool, Peerceive, is a quick and simple way to show recognition to colleagues. Recognizing employee contributions, and creating meaningful recognition and awards programs, are an important part of the Drake culture.
The Peerceive dashboard includes easy-to-use tools to send electronic kudos or e-cards. Kudos are a way for co-workers to express gratitude for a unique contribution to the workplace. They can be sent as often as you wish and to any employee (or group of employees) in any department. E-cards are an electronic version of a hand written note. Use these to tell an employee happy birthday, thank you, congratulations, or wish them well.
Recipients will receive an email letting them know they received a kudos or e-card. A link will take them to the site where they can view the message. You can access Peerceive on myDrake under Other Employee Apps on the All Apps page. Your username is your Drake email address and your initial password is your employee number, including any leading zeroes.
For additional information, contact Linda Feiden at linda.feiden@drake.edu.
Linda Feiden, Human Resources
Chances are you are already making some healthy choices: Getting a dental check-up, participating in BUILD classes or wellness programs, sending a Peerceive kudos, or attending a Drake Social. Now you have the opportunity to win some great prizes for those choices. The Bulldog Pack Wellness Scorecard is a points-based spreadsheet dedicated to helping you enhance your quality of life in seven areas: physical, emotional, financial, community, social, occupational, and intellectual. Simply check items off on the scorecard as you complete them. If you reach 100 points between Sept. 3, 2018, and May 31, 2019, you will be placed in a drawing for a chance to win a prize.
The Bulldog Pack Wellness Scorecard is available to all current Drake full-time and regular part-time employees, regardless of enrollment in the Drake Medical Plan. Download a copy of the scorecard and get started today.
For more information, contact Linda Feiden at linda.feiden@drake.edu or 515-271-1880.
Linda Feiden, Human Resources
Drake challenged Des Moines University and Wesley Life to a step challenge in October. During the month team members from all three institutions tracked their daily steps using pedometers, fitness trackers, and smart phone apps. The goal was to be the institution with the highest average step total. The prize – a traveling trophy and bragging rights for the year.
Seventy-four Drake faculty, staff, and students began the program and 58 completed the challenge. Out of those 58 participants, we collected a total of 16,931,373 steps which is equivalent to 8,465 miles. Our average step total was 291,920 steps.
Although we did not win the trophy it was a close competition and we should be proud of our accomplishment!
1st Place: Wesley Life 294,546 average step total
2nd Place: Drake University 291,920 average step total
3rd Place: Des Moines University 272,287 average step total
We will compete again next October and hope that many of you will help us bring this trophy home. But you don’t need to wait until then to get moving. Being more active is possible any time of year. Even during the winter months. Here are a few ways to add steps to your day:
Create a walking group with co-workers and friends. The Knapp indoor track is available most days over the lunch hour. You may need to check times and schedules.
Join a Group X class at the Bell Center.
For more information, contact Linda Feiden at linda.feiden@drake.edu.
Linda Feiden, Human Resources