Join this interactive session with Scott Raecker, Executive Director of the Robert D. and Billie Ray Center, and learn how to integrate Drake’s core values into your team’s work experiences. Scott will share tips on how to have intentional conversations about values and bring them to life in day-to-day interactions across campus. This session will be on Thursday, Nov. 1, from 9–10:30 a.m. in Olmsted Center, Room 310. Register online.

Debra Wiley, Human Resources

Drake’s Annual Open Enrollment Period began Oct. 19.  If you haven’t already done so, please visit the Benefits Portal in myDrake to make benefit elections for the 2019 Plan Year.

As noted previously, you are not required to visit the Benefits Portal if you do not wish to make changes to your medical, dental, or wellness participation.  However, if you wish to participate in Drake’s flexible spending account plans during 2019, YOU MUST make a new 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.

Please note you will periodically receive emails from Drake’s online benefit enrollment system during the annual open enrollment period. Emails promoted by eBenefits Edge will be provided via the address below, and should not be disregarded as SPAM.

SBDEBEANALYST <SBDEBEANALYST@exchange.principal.com>

Should you have questions, please contact Diana at 515-271-1871 or Marlene at 515-271-1901. Benefit elections for the 2019 Plan Year must be made on or before Nov. 30, 2018.

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 Wednesday. Wellmark representatives will also be present to answer your questions.

Please take this opportunity to learn more about your Drake benefits Wednesday, Oct. 31, at 12 p.m. in the Shivers Courtside Club Suite.

Marlene Heuertz, Human Resources

Employee and Family Resources (EFR) offer a variety of Employee Assistance Program (EAP) benefits to full-time Drake employees and their family members. Besides the more familiar services such as phone-based support and in-person counseling, they also offer financial and legal consulting, eldercare resources, childcare resources, and identity theft resolution services. Check out the Drake University EAP Benefit Summary for details.

If you would like a representative from EFR to attend your department meeting to discuss EAP benefits in detail, please contact Linda Feiden at linda.feiden@drake.edu.

— Linda Feiden, Human Resources

Heart attack and stroke remain two of the leading causes of death in the United States. Ignoring your risks and failure to recognize the signs and symptoms can be fatal.

Join Chris Nickell, director, environmental health & safety, on Tuesday, Oct. 30, from 2 to 3 p.m. in the Olmsted Center, Room 310/311, to learn what you need to know to recognize a heart attack or stroke and steps you can take to reduce your risk.

Participants will earn Bulldogs in Learning Drake (BUILD) credit and be entered into a drawing at the end of the semester.

An online registration form is available in myDrake. To access the form, click on All Apps and find the HR BUILD Classes app in the Other Employee Apps section.  You may also send an email to Linda Feiden at linda.feiden@drake.edu to register for this class.

Linda Feiden, Human Resources

Drake benefit consultants will provide a benefit overview addressing benchmark comparison data and plan design changes for the 2019 plan year this Thursday. Wellmark representatives will also be present to answer your questions.

Please take this opportunity to learn more about your Drake benefits on Thursday, Oct. 25, at 3 p.m. in Olmsted, Room 310.

Marlene Heuertz, Benefits Specialist

Time is running out to take advantage of the Drake wellness premium incentive. If you are on Drake’s health plan, you must complete a biometric screening annually to retain your wellness premium discount, which in 2019, is a savings of nearly $30 per month.

Log into the UnityPoint Health online registration form with the username DRAKE and password SCREEN (in all CAPS). The remaining screening date is Wednesday, Oct. 17 between 6:30 and 10:30 a.m. in the lower level of the Olmsted Center.  If the appointment schedule is full please contact Linda Feiden today.  There will be no make-up dates so this is your last chance.

For questions, contact Linda Feiden at linda.feiden@drake.edu or 271-1880.

Linda Feiden, Human Resources

More than 115 people die a day in the U.S. from opioid-related overdoses, including prescription pain killers. If you think it can’t happen to someone you love, you are wrong.

Join Craige Wrenn, Department Chair of Pharmaceutical and Administrative Science, Professor of Pharmacology, and Sally Haack, Associate Professor of Clinical Sciences on Tuesday, Oct. 23, from 2 to 3 p.m. in the Olmsted Center, Room 310/311, as we learn more about the class of drugs known as “opioids”. Discover the different types of opioids and how they work in the body. Reasons for the opioid epidemic, state and national trends, and strategies to address the opioid epidemic will also be discussed.

Participants will earn Bulldogs in Learning Drake (BUILD) credit and be entered into a drawing at the end of the semester.

An online registration form is available in myDrake. To access the form, click on All Apps and find the HR BUILD Classes app in the Other Employee Apps section. You may also send an email to Linda Feiden at linda.feiden@drake.edu to register for this class.

Linda Feiden, Human Resources

The annual open enrollment period for Drake University benefits will begin Friday, Oct. 19, 2018. As previously communicated, employees will be required to make benefit elections for the 2019 plan year online, via the eBenefits Portal. To assist in the enrollment process, an eBenefits User Guide will be provided via email later this week.

Information about Drake’s upcoming medical, dental, wellness premium incentive, and flexible spending account plan changes will be provided by email Friday. The open enrollment period will be held Oct. 19 through Nov. 30.

Marlene Heuertz, Human Resources

Human Resources is excited to introduce eBenefits Edge – an online benefit enrollment program. This program, which will streamline the benefit enrollment process, will be launched during Drake’s upcoming annual open enrollment period.  Implementation of eBenefits Edge demonstrates Human Resources commitment to pursue continuous improvement in its service to the Drake Community. Following are anticipated outcomes as a result of this change:

Employee Enhancements
Implementation of online benefit enrollment will allow for 24/7 access; employees may elect benefits whenever and wherever they choose. The eBenefits Edge program will provide a user-friendly, easy-to-navigate process when making benefit elections during open enrollment as well as life event changes throughout the year. In addition, eBenefits Edge will serve as a confidential record keeper, allowing employees to view current/previous benefit participation.  Employees will likewise be able to access medical, dental, flexible spending, and life insurance summary plan descriptions in the eBenefits Edge Reference Center, as well as review required notices provided by Human Resources.

Strategic Enhancements
Implementation of eBenefits Edge will afford Human Resources staff added time to provide outreach to Drake faculty and staff.  It will likewise provide the opportunity for Human Resources to pursue additional strategic initiatives.  Providing access to online benefit enrollment will also support the ability of the University to recruit and retain a highly qualified workforce by moving from a benefit-centered orientation to a true onboarding experience.  Implementation of eBenefits Edge will reduce paper costs and overall inefficiency via electronic submission of data to Drake’s HR/Payroll system and multiple insurance vendors.

Human Resources staff look forward to assisting Drake employees during the upcoming transition to eBenefits Edge. Please be sure to watch your email for additional information regarding the transition later this month.

Marlene Heuertz, Human Resources