NEWSLETTER
HUMAN RESOURCES
DECEMBER 2023
Jeff Rowton - Eclipse
AskHR!
Have a question, but don’t know whom to ask? The Human Resources staff is listening! You can always send an email to Ask HR if you have questions or concerns. Emails will be kept confidential and, if we print your question in the APG newsletter, we will not use your name. Questions may be emailed to AskHR@adamspg.com or sent interoffice to your regional HR representative.
DON’T KNOW WHOM TO CALL?
Contact Human Resources.
KATHARINE GLASS
APG Vice President of HR kglass@adamspg.com 865.981.1101
DEB BROOKS
HR Manager - APG West dbrooks@skagitpublishing.com 360.416.2187
GWEN DAVIS
HR Manager - East gdavis@apgenc.com 252.366.8139
HEATHER MCCALMONT
HR Manager - Wisconsin, MD, OH hmccalmont@adamspg.com 608.755.9442
THÉRÉSE ZADNIK-KLECKER
HR Manager - APG Central therese.zadnik-klecker@adamspg.com 763.712.3559
SUBMIT YOUR PHOTO & WIN! SUBMIT TO SUBMITNEWS.ADAMSPG.COM.
Submit a photo to be featured in the monthly newsletter. Each month, the person whose photo is selected for the front cover will win a $25 gift card!
Adams Publishing Group NEWSLETTER
Human Resources & Safety
Flexible Spending Account Balances REMINDER
OF UPCOMING COMPANY HOLIDAYS CHRISTMAS
Monday, December 25, 2023
NEW YEAR’S DAY
Monday, January 1, 2024
MEMORIAL DAY
Monday, May 27, 2024
INDEPENDENCE DAY Thursday, July 4, 2023
Be sure to use your remaining Flexible Spending Account (FSA) balance by the end of the year to avoid losing money. As you get toward the end of your plan year, it’s important to think about what to do with any remaining funds in your flexible spending account (FSA). Most of the funds you set aside in your FSA may need to be spent before the end of the plan year because you may lose what you don’t spend. Unfortunately, unlike a health savings account (HSA), you don’t get to keep your FSA money as long as you want. Below are some helpful tips to ensure you’re spending your FSA wisely:
What can you spend your FSA dollars on?
Use your FSA to pay for tax qualified out-of-pocket expenses that your health plan doesn’t cover. Your FSA can pay for medical, vision or dental expenses such as: • Flu shots • Prescription sunglasses • Acupuncture • Sunscreen (30 SPF or higher)
• Dental care • And much more! Visit the Eligible Expenses page for a searchable list of IRS-approved expenses that are covered by your FSA.
An FSA is unique, as you can use FSA funds on personal medical expenses and any medical dependent’s expenses. For example, if your 23-year-old daughter is home from college, you could buy her flu shot with your FSA funds. Remember, a dependent does not need to be covered by your health plan. Need a refresher on what is an FSA and how it works? Visit the Learning Center’s Introduction to FSAs. The information features details on using your account and managing your account.
Know your FSA balance
CONGRATS
TO OUR NOVEMBER WINNER
PENNY WEBB
NEWPORT PLAIN TALK The Question Was: Before the official pardoning of the White House Turkey began in 1989, which U.S. President was the first to let the bird off the hook?
You can check your current balance by signing into www.hellofurther.com, logging into the Further mobile app, or by calling customer service at 1-800-859-2144. Understanding exactly how much you have in your FSA will help you avoid any surprises when paying for health care related expenses.
How many ghosts show up in A Christmas Carol? SEND IN YOUR ANSWER FOR YOUR CHANCE TO WIN
Submit your answer to AskHR@adamspg.com. The winner will be drawn on Friday, December 15, 2023.
The Answer Was: John F. Kennedy
Image Source: collider.com/a-christmas-carol-streaming-jim-carrey-disney-animated-holiday-movie/
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Adams Publishing Group NEWSLETTER
Human Resources & Safety
Holiday Stress
Prevention Tips The holiday season is a time full of celebrations with friends and family. However, the holiday season can also bring additional stress due to family conflicts, finances and time constraints. The extra demands and expectations that come along with the entertaining, shopping, decorating, baking and cleaning can lead to extra stress. Use the following tips to help prevent getting too stressed out during the holiday season.
Tips for Everyone • Plan ahead. Make lists for gift giving and holiday meal menus so that you do not spend extra time in the malls or grocery stores searching for the perfect item. Schedule time to go to the mall and other stores so that you can make the most out of each trip. • Learn to say no. Get a calendar to organize your holiday commitments. Having a way to quickly see all of your holiday activities at once can help you to manage your time and avoid overbooking yourself. If the calendar has too many entries, allow yourself the luxury of saying no to new commitments. • Create a budget. Include holiday decorations, gift-giving and meal preparations in your budget. This will help you to keep track of your spending so that you are not overwhelmed by debt after the hustle and bustle of the season is over. • Watch what you eat. Holiday foods often are either heavy and rich or sweet and sugary. Eating too much of these foods can lead to feelings of lethargy. Limit your alcohol intake; remember that alcohol is a depressant and can lower your mood. • Exercise. It is important to stick to an exercise plan even when the holiday season kicks into full swing. The holidays can be a good time to start an exercise program since exercise can help to relieve stress. • Simplify. There is no such thing as the perfect party, decorations or holiday meal. Placing too much emphasis on the little details can cause unnecessary stress. Enjoy the holidays for what they are, and do not worry if they do not match the picture of what you think they should be. • Allow time to grieve. For those of us who have lost loved ones, the holidays can be a painful reminder of their absence. Allow time for grieving and time for remembering. Sharing stories and shedding tears as a family can keep a person’s spirit alive and strengthen family ties. • Delegate. Do not be afraid to ask for help from family members; even children can be assigned ageappropriate decorating or baking tasks.
Travel Tips • Allow extra time. Whether you are traveling by car or by air, allow yourself extra time to reach your destination. Many people travel during the holiday season, leading to heavy traffic and long lines at airports. • Prepare to wait. If you allow yourself extra time to reach your destination, there is a chance that you will arrive there ahead of time. Bring magazines, books and other things to keep yourself and your family occupied if you find that you have to wait. • Have a backup plan. Sometimes even the most careful planning is not enough. A traffic jam or bad weather may cause road delays, or long lines may lead to missed flights. Have a plan in place just in case you are unable to make it to your destination.
Tips for Blended Families • Communicate. In order to make the holidays run more smoothly for everyone involved, it is important for divorced parents to communicate with one another. Talking about travel plans and coordinating gift-giving can show your children the real meaning of the holiday season. • Be specific. When coordinating arrangements with an ex-spouse, be specific with respect to travel times and dates. This is especially important if children will be traveling between homes on the holiday itself. • Create new traditions. Include new family members, such as stepchildren, in the planning and decorating. If you have a shared custody arrangement, you will also need to make new traditions for the years when your children are with the other parent. • Respect children’s feelings. Take the time to talk to your children about how they are feeling, especially if this is their first holiday season without both parents or with new stepsiblings. • Treat everyone equally. Include all names on cards sent out to family members. Make every effort to give an equal number of gifts to each child, and try to keep the amount of money spent on each child equal. Although you may not think that this is an important detail, children often focus on equality in a new family. • Keep the focus on the children. Your children may feel the need to visit with or call family members who are not present, such as the other parent or grandparents. Try to be understanding of this need, and allow for more flexibility as your children get older.
Resources • American Psychiatric Association: www.psychiatry.org • National Institute of Mental Health: www.nimh.nih.gov
Here when you need us. • Call: 888-628-4824 • Online: guidanceresources.com • App: GuidanceNow SM
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Adams Publishing Group NEWSLETTER
Human Resources & Safety
Winter Driving Safety Tips
FROM THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION
Winter Driving Safety
Ready for an Emergency
Driving safely in winter weather can be a challenge for even the most experienced driver. It’s easy to forget after months of mild conditions that snow and ice demand careful driving and special preparation for your vehicle. But when 17 percent of all vehicle crashes occur during winter conditions it’s clear that we could all use a refresher when it comes to making our way through a winter wonderland.
Even if you and your vehicle are prepared, crashes happen. Vehicles break down. Any of us can get caught out in the elements and help might not be just around the corner. Make sure your vehicle is stocked to help get you out of trouble or to keep you safe until help arrives. Keep blankets, flashlights, jumper cables, and flares or emergency lights in your vehicle. Even if you don’t need them, they can be used to help someone else in need on the road.
Ready Your Vehicle Driving safely begins before you even get on the road. Regular tune-ups and maintenance are the starting point for safe driving year-round. In winter, pay special attention to your vehicle’s battery, wipers, coolant, tires, and other systems that can take a beating when the temperature drops. If you’re using snow tires, have them installed before the snow begins to fall. When you know your vehicle is ready for the road, clear your car of snow, ice or dirt from the windows, forward sensors, headlights, taillights, and backup camera.
Ready Yourself Drive slowly. It’s harder to control or stop your vehicle on a slick or snow-covered road. Increase your following distance enough so that you’ll have plenty of time to stop for vehicles ahead of you. Also remember that every vehicle handles differently; this is particularly true when driving on wet, icy, or snowy roads. Take the time to learn how it handles under winter weather driving conditions. Before heading out, know the weather and traffic conditions, and plan your route accordingly. Give yourself more time to get where you’re going because you’ll be driving more slowly in inclement weather.
Safe Driving: Rain, Sleet, Snow or Otherwise Winter driving demands special care; safe driving is a year-round habit. You and everyone in your vehicle should be wearing seat belts for every ride. Children should be in age- and size-appropriate child seats. Never drive after drinking. Never drive when distracted by an electronic device or anything else. Those are the essentials for safe driving, whatever the weather.
More Tips for Safe Winter Driving You can find more winter driving safety tips from the NHTSA at:
nhtsa.gov/winter-driving-tips
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