CONTENTS
Welcome: From the Desk of the Chief Editor: Savor the Seasons, 3
YUM
Work Culture Tips for Engaging Remote Workers, 4 Make the Healthy Choice the Easy Choice, 16
Smoothies, 7 Let’s Eat Mindfully, 14 WW Recipe, 15
Wellness
Finances and Benefits
National Employee Health and Fitness Month, 3 Plant a Garden, 6 Allergy Season Has Bloomed, 8 People Hike with Mike, 12
Missing Money, 11 Resource & Benefits Toolkit, 25
On the Square Anywhere, 11 Acts of Service: Classic Cars & Corn Hole, 19 Celebrating Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month, 20 Pledge of Presence, 23
From the Desk of the Chief Editor: Savor the Seasons As I reflect on life these days, I find myself looking at both the day-by-day and the long term. I am happy to have shed the cold, bleary, short days for the longer days of new found growth, warmth, sunshine, and hope. I have always been excited by the anticipation of summer. Perhaps it is left over from school days or just because I love getting out and enjoying what nature offers—and I like the heat. The past weeks have left me not wanting to rush through each day into another without fully appreciating and being thankful for the present. So while we are springing into summer, I want to gleefully savor each moment of gliding through the air and softly landing in the coming season. Life offers so many opportunities to learn and ways to connect with others. We may have had to make changes lately, but that has helped me broaden my horizon at times and simplify at others. Connections have grown stronger with family, friends and colleagues. Meals are home-cooked and fully enjoyed—rather than squeezed in on the run. Less time has been spent in the car, at stores, and running from errand to errand. The moments are meaningful. I hope this edition provides ideas to help you be well, simplify, learn, and connect, but most of all, to meaningfully engage in work and life! Days go by, seasons come and go, but learning and memories can last a lifetime.
Susan Perry
May is National Employee Health and Fitness Month May is the ideal time for you and your co-workers to get moving! Set up an office-wide 15 minute walk any day in May to show solidarity with employees across the nation, who take time out of their day to take care of themselves to better serve their customers. Please take pictures and be sure to share with us and on the CommonHealth Facebook page. Your successful walk may be just what another state agency needs to see to get motivated! Get moving…Let’s GO! 3
5 Tips for Engaging Remote Workers Keeping remote employees happy isn't complicated—ask them what they may need and make sure they feel included. Try these tips for remote employee engagement. 1. Provide a platform for effective communication
As with all things in business and relationships, communication is key. Use technology to stay in sync. It’s especially important to be able to work closely with the entire team, even when they’re not in the same office. Managers may need a glimpse into what the team is working on — while resisting the temptation to micromanage the process. Tip: Using project management solutions, collaboration platforms, and document sharing tools, like Google Docs or Dropbox, help employees work together easily.
2. Small Talk Matters Water cooler chat, or whatever you want to call a break for idle talk, is important to all workers. Not every communication with employees needs to be workfocused. Send the occasional offtopic email, instant message or funny GIF. Tip: Plan a virtual lunch once a week or so. Spend the first 15 minutes only discussing business and then chat about personal things or anything else while eating. Daily chats or texts have a tremendous impact on providing inclusion for teleworkers.
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3. Develop Remote Onboarding Activities Without clear direction, remote employees may feel out of the loop. Not knowing what to do next or who to turn to may leave them disengaged. Just as you onboard a new employee, make sure remote employees know tips, tools and processes to help them succeed. Tip: Create an online scavenger hunt to answer key questions like: What is the best way to contact your manager? Email, text or another tool? What is the procedure if you are sick or need time off? What is expected? Additional Tip: Use an icebreaker game such as “Two Truths and A Lie” to make introductions and uncover common bonds among employees. Do your best to make onboarding activities memorable and interactive.
4. Emphasize Meeting Presence
Attendance during virtual meetings is important. When planning meetings with remote employees, be respectful and help engage everyone by reducing distracting noise, letting them know who is in the room and asking for their feedback whenever possible. There is such a thing as too much. If a meeting is not necessary, don’t schedule one just because it was agreed to address a specific project every day at 8:30am. Communicate when necessary, and then leave the remote employee alone to do their job. Tip: Make it easier for everyone to contribute by sending meeting agendas and materials ahead of time. Tele and videoconferencing tools such as Skype and Google Hangouts can build cohesion, no matter where participants are.
5. Recognize great work Check in with your team often to see how they are doing. Regular praise and shoutouts are important as well. Be sure to recognize big achievements and publicly announce those to the team. Tip: Newer communication and collaboration tools make highly visible recognition very simple. The best way to motivate people, regardless of where they are, is rewarding positive behaviors.
By using these strategies, you can help your remote workforce feel more connected. A more connected employee is more engaged, and ultimately more productive! 5
Healthy Eating, Fun, and Stress Relief: Plant a Garden
Outdoor Garden Planting Vegetable gardening at home is a great way to save money and grow your own healthy food. Plus tending your vegetable garden counts as exercise! Before planting, think about what you like to eat, how much you will devote to gardening, and where you plan to plant. Vegetables like tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers and squash keep providing throughout the season. Other vegetables, such as carrots and radishes, can be harvested only once and then would need to be replanted. When finding the perfect place to plant your garden, you need three basic requirements for success: sun, water, and soil. Let’s get started! Tending gardens is also fantastic stress relief.
Container Gardening Don’t have the outdoor space that could be used to grow fresh food? Think about a container garden—all you need is a sunny spot or window! It is a fun and easy way to boost your fruit and vegetable consumption. Relieve stress—start a garden. 6
Smoothies Can Be Nutritious and Feel Indulgent! The sun is shining. The air is warmer. It must be that time of year again—smoothie time! While a smoothie can be had any time, it can be a refreshing, energizing way to start your day. Blending fruit, vegetables, and a protein source can make breakfast quick, simple, yummy, and easy to take with you while running out the door to tackle life. A smoothie can be a great source of nutrition. Many foods can be included, and not even tasted— like kale, hard boiled eggs, and avocado. Other ingredients may be added specifically to create a certain taste—like chocolate. Bananas are a great option to sweeten smoothies naturally. Ingredient substitutions can be made fairly easily (types of milk, protein sources, and fruit), which makes smoothies easy to customize. Energy Smoothie - This will get you energized AND fill you up. Makes 1 serving Total prep time – 5 minutes Ingredients: 1/2 cup fresh or frozen sliced strawberries 1 banana 1 cup skim milk or fortified soy milk 3 tablespoons wheat germ 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon Directions: Place all ingredients in blender and blend on high speed until smooth. Serve immediately. Chef's Tips: You can add flax seeds or protein powder for an additional nutrient boost. Be creative! © Food and Health Communications
Sweet Starts—This will make you feel indulgent.
Makes 1 serving Total prep time—5 minutes Ingredients: 1 banana 2/3 cup of Greek yogurt (plain or vanilla) 2 tablespoons of peanut butter Chocolate syrup to taste (Blend in or drizzle in after) Directions: Place all ingredients in blender and blend on high speed until smooth. Serve immediately.
Peachy Keen—Tastes like summer.
Makes 1 serving Total prep time—5 minutes Ingredients: 1 banana 1/2 cup of frozen peaches 1/4 cup of frozen cherries 2/3 cup of Greek yogurt (plain or vanilla) 1/3 cup of spinach or kale Directions: Place all ingredients in blender and blend on high speed until smooth. Serve immediately. 7
Allergy Season has Bloomed The weather is warming, flowers are blooming, trees are bright green with leaves, but your eyes are itchy and you are sneezing so much you have not been able to see any of this. Seasonal allergies affect many of us and are often caused by pollen. According to the National Institutes of Health, pollen is a fine powder spread by plants as part of their reproduction process. Pollen also spreads to us! When we breathe in pollen it can trigger our body to react. The National Institutes of Health explain that while some people may experience sneezing, itchy/watery eyes, runny nose, more severe cases may produce trouble breathing. These reactions to pollen are never fun and can take the spring out of your step when the season has sprung. Written by CommonHealth with information retrieved from National Institutes of Health found on www.NIH.gov. 8
Seeking relief? A V O
Being outside on windy days Mowing and weeding Wearing clothes that were exposed to pollen when returning inside
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N A T U R A
Sinus rinse Acupuncture Probiotics Butterbur (herb) Wear a pollen mask
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P H
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Nasal Sprays Decongestants Antihistamines Prescriptions by physician
A Before taking any medications or treatments, be sure to consult your physician as some medications or treatments may have side effects or react with other medications. 9
Do you use proper hygiene for allergies or viruses?
Feel well, Stay well! 10
Missing Money? We Can Help! The Unclaimed Property Act is a consumer protection law that protects both the property rights of our citizens as well as providing the companies holding unclaimed property relief from liability. If companies lose track of the rightful owner, then after a specified period of time, these properties must be turned over to The Virginia Department of the Treasury Unclaimed Property Program. In this way, Treasury’s Unclaimed Property Program acts as a central “lost and found” for Virginians. Treasury’s Unclaimed Property Program is here to reunite rightful owners with their unclaimed property at no cost to you. Unclaimed property can be uncashed payroll or commission checks, refunds or credits, utility deposits, insurance benefit or claims’ payments, safe deposit box contents, etc. So now that you know, how can you get your
unclaimed property back? We have an easy to use website at www.vamoneysearch.org that allows citizens to search for their
names and start the claim process immediately. The process is free, easy, and there is no deadline to claim because the property stays in our system until the rightful owner or heir files a claim.
Additionally, our program implements multiple proactive initiatives to inform and assist our citizens with this claim process. We do on-site searches for our citizens throughout the Commonwealth at community, employee and corporate events. We collaborate with local treasury
offices, media, associations, etc. We schedule statewide annual newspaper inserts, social media posts, presentations, targeted letters and phone calls. Our staff is determined to reunite rightful owners with their unclaimed property. Last fiscal year we were able to return a record amount of $87.1 million back to citizens! Please go to our free website today to check your name, the names of your family members, the names of your deceased loved ones or for a business. Any entity that can open an account may have unclaimed property. Search and download your claim form now at www.vamoneysearch.org. Are you missing money? You may be, so go to our free search site now and find out!
On the Square Anywhere Even if you are not in the office, still plan for a walk most days of the week. CommonHealth is currently working on a challenge to get you motivated and moving in time for summer! Just keep track of your activity, whether it be walking, dancing, biking, cleaning or gardening. Your activity counts as steps and miles toward the goal. Stay tuned for more information! 11
Hike with Mike: Rivanna River Trail We begin our next Hike with Mike a little further west heading into the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains in Charlottesville. With its rivers, mountains, historic downtown and even horse racing, this area offers an array of outdoor activities providing something for everyone to enjoy. One of these gems is the Rivanna River Trail. Volunteer built and maintained, this 20mile trail circumnavigates the entire city providing a great outdoor tour of the area. The trail is accessible from numerous points around the city. This allows hikers to break the trail up into shorter sections making for a great weekly challenge, or if you are looking for a challenge, you can tackle the entire 20 miles in one day.
The trail’s tread will vary depending on what section you are on. When hiking by the river you will be on a dirt trail with the river within view. Other areas of the trail have a more urban feel with a gravel or even paved path as it passes through several parks and even UVA’s campus. To say this trail offers variety would be an understatement. It truly
Photo credits thanks to http://www.rivannatrails.org/ 12
does have something for everyone, and no part is considered technical or steep terrain. I encourage anyone in the area to take a stroll on the trail. With the tall trees and the sound of the river, you are sure to find yourself with a smile as you take on this 20-mile trail. For more information and directions: http:// www.rivannatrails.org/
Let’s Eat Mindfully With many state employees teleworking, we may find ourselves snacking more. Taking a break from our computer work may lead us to wander into the kitchen to eat when we aren't even hungry. Whether it is stress, anxiety, or boredom, mindless and emotional eating can lead to unwanted weight gain and potential health problems. Increasing awareness and following a few of the simple tips below may help you enjoy a more mindful eating experience.
Why Am I Eating? Before you decide to eat, ask yourself, "Why am I eating?" Make sure that hunger drives your decision instead of opportunity, stress, or boredom. Stop eating once you are no longer hungry.
Eliminate distractions Try not to use a screen: phone, laptop, or TV. Focus on the meal or snack you have prepared. Savor the Flavor As you take each bite, savor the flavor of your food. Chew food completely before taking another mouthful. This helps with enjoying food and provides a positive message about food. Plate It The way you serve your food matters. Put it on a plate and then sit down to eat. You will be less likely to overeat, eat way too much out of a bag, or eat too many calories from over-sized portions. You can even put most takeout meals on a plate. You might be surprised how big the serving is! Save half of the leftovers for your next meal. 14
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Make the Healthy Choice the Easy Choice at Work Where we work has a huge impact on our health. Our environment shapes the many choices we make and can either support or hinder our efforts to be well. Commonwealth employees spend a significant part of their day at work and while there, make choices about what they eat and drink, and about physical activity. As such, having healthy food and activity options are very important in supporting healthy behaviors.
The Office of Workforce Engagement and CommonHealth invite you to join us in making the healthy choice the easy choice. By including healthy options for eating and activity in all things – such as meetings, events, and celebrations – ultimately making the healthy choice the norm – you increase access, support employee health and create a culture of health. Try the following simple ideas to help your workplace develop a culture that supports employee health and safety. 16
Healthy Meetings at Work Made Easy Try walking meetings when possible Provide a brief stretch break when a meeting will last 1-2 hours
Provide an optional 5-10 minute activity break when a meeting will last 2-4 hours
Allow time for a 30 minute (voluntary) activity break for meetings over 4 hours
Encourage those who would like to stand for all or part of a meeting
Provide healthy food and beverage options at meetings
Consider not providing refreshments at mid-morning or midafternoon meetings
Emphasize fruits and vegetables when serving food Have water available
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Other Ways to Make the Healthy Choice the Easy Choice Encourage use of the stairs when practical Award healthy parking spaces at the far end of the parking lot to encourage more activity Encourage participation in activity challenges – join CommonHealth challenges or start your own, form teams Recognize individual and group achievements – celebrate success
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Acts of Service: Classic Cars and Corn Hole Lisa Smith, Chesterfield Residency 2019 CVC Coordinator, edited by N. Elfino
VDOT’s Richmond District, Raised over Chesterfield Residency volunteers chose charities whose mission $8,800 for the spoke to their values to raise 2019 CVC money while having fun. Here’s Campaign! how 2019 Chesterfield Residency CVC Coordinator, Lisa, and her dedicated fellow employees made the magic happen.
In October, the residency held a chili cook-off, bake sale and corn hole tournament. The event was organized by Lisa Smith with the help of the Chesterfield Residency 2019 CVC Committee and many others. It was a huge success, raising $639.00 for the Samaritan’s Purse, an international relief organization known for domestic programs like Operation Heal Our Patriots and Operation Christmas Child. The residency’s next big event was a Classic Car Show held on November 9th, bringing in a total of $881.00, benefiting the Make-A-Wish Foundation Greater Richmond. Tim Reynolds and Chris Feggins of Bon Air AHQ organized the event with the help of Smith and others. Perfectly aligned for colder weather, Dennis Allen and Jason Jones of the Bon Air AHQ planned and executed two fundraisers with the help of their teammates. In November, they coordinated a Brunswick stew meal and a corn hole board raffle. The tasty event raised $624.93, benefiting The Children’s Hospital Foundation of Richmond.
The Chesterfield Residency office employees and all the AHQ locations also raised over $900 for charities of their choice through passive fundraising with a change jar campaign from October to December. Smith stated she was honored to lead her cohorts to success. She acknowledged that this effort would not be possible without Kyle Bates, Resident Engineer, for his support of the campaign.She also praised her curated CVC Committee: members, Kenny Jones, Rosalind Thorpe, David Owens, Chris Feggins, Ted Powell, Carol Jones, Andrew Bateson, Ryan McGrath, Betty Corell, Evan Roberts, Debby Kinton and Kyle Bates for their hard work and dedication to the campaign; Pocahontas AHQ for their hard work helping to set up the chili cook-off event; and the countless others who helped. Lastly, she noted, without the donors at the heart of these acts of giving, this tremendous achievement would not have been possible. What will your agency do this year?
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Celebrating Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month Written by Ryan Bridgett
As we spring into May, let’s recognize Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month (AAPIHM)! AAPIHM runs through the entire month of May and celebrates the service and sacrifices of Asian and Pacific Islanders throughout the United States. During World War II, hundreds of thousands of Chinese, Japanese, Korean, and Filipino Americans as well as Native Hawaiians enlisted in the U.S. Army, Army Air Force, Marine Corps, Navy, Coast Guard, and National Guard. Although Japanese Americans, also known as Nisei, were barred from naval service due to fears stemming from the attack on Pearl Harbor, they fought in some of the Army’s most decorated units in U.S. History. One such unit was the 442nd Regiment, whose motto “Go for Broke” means “wager everything.” In their two years of service, the 442nd RCT earned 7 Presidential Unit Citations, 2 Meritorious Service Plaques, 36 Army Commendation Medals, and 87 Division Commendations. Individual soldiers were awarded 18,000 decorations, which includes 21 Medals of Honor, 29 Distinguished Service Crosses, 560 Silver Stars, 4,000 Bronze Stars, 22 Legion of Merit medals, 15 Soldier’s Medals, and nearly 9,500 Purple Hearts. As we celebrate Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month, let us recognize and thank these brave men and women for their contributions to our United States military. Sources: https://www.deomi.org/DownloadableFiles/humanRelations/documents/508AAPIHM-20200323.pdf https://www.defense.gov/Explore/Features/Story/Article/1805390/go-for-brokearmy-units-motto-now-a-national-day/ 20
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Pledge of Presence The shape of service – charitable engagement of self, time and talent in our communities and online. April 15, 2020 – In 2018, 23% or over 77 million people volunteered in the United States, arguably upholding the core services of civil society. These acts of charitable engagement affect neighbors and their communities at large, through service and expertise.
something beyond oneself. In this arena too, state employees are no less dedicated to civic service outside the workplace in both peaceful and tragic times. It was no surprise during the onset of the recent pandemic that the Office of Workforce Engagement received several queries for ways to volunteer before areas of need had been clearly identified. This eagerness to help is a part of a spirit that keeps us connected and thriving even during the most difficult of times. No matter what disaster dominates the news, there remains ongoing societal challenges too great for any individual to take on alone that can only be met with a concerted effort.
Stepping Up Virginians across the Commonwealth are giving back to their communities through a variety of organizations and activities that speak to their passion projects or locality’s urgent areas of need. The proof is in the numbers, as the rate of volunteering in the metropolitan areas of Washington, D.C./Northern Virginia, Virginia Beach and Richmond ranked in the top 40 Pledges of presence take many forms and are made by of the nation, at 38%, 31% and 21%, respectively. people of varying experience levels, from novice to frequent, to weekend warrior. Let’s take a look at how you In our introductory issue we touched on the benefits of may already be volunteering or ways you can begin your philanthropy, and this extends to non-monetary acts such journey. We’ll also share types of volunteering you might as volunteerism. From social to physical benefits, pledging not have considered that can be accomplished virtually. one’s presence also satisfies the need to be part of Civic areas of contributing to your community run the gambit; you may have volunteered without knowing it. Do any of these seem familiar? Which of these have you given your time or resources to in the last year? Fundraise or sell items to raise money
Coach, referee or supervise a sports team
Collect, prepare, distribute or serve food
Provide general office services
Collect, make or distribute clothing, crafts or goods
Engage in music, performance or other artistic act
Mentor youth / tutor or teach adults or youth
Usher, greeter or minister
Provide gratis professional assistance or serve on a board
Provide counseling, medical care, fire/EMS or protective services
Work a hotline or provide online support
Engage in general labor / supply transportation
These are just some examples of volunteering that you may already be engaged in without realizing it. With regular volunteering, which is considered to be one to two hours a week, you’ll reap the health benefits of longevity, increased mobility and improved mental health. Keep up the good work! Starting Your Journey, or Changing Course Have you wanted to volunteer but didn’t know where to begin? Here are a few things to consider from VolunteerMatch to get started. Find your spark. They’re called passion projects for a reason. What energizes you? What sounds fun? Try free tools like VolunteerMatch.org or HandsOnRichmond to view volunteer opportunities in your area and see if something sparks your interest.
Align your passion with opportunity. Do some research, but don’t let the analysis of your options compound your ability to narrow your options down to a few choices. Where can you make the highest impact? Take it for a spin. Just like a new-to-you bike or pair of shoes,
you need to see if there’s a good fit. The best way to do that is to actually attend a meeting or volunteer for a shift or two. It’s perfectly okay if things don’t work out. Reflect. After your trial, think about what you liked and where there are chances to do meaningful and easy work. Do it again and tell your friends. Once you’ve found the right fit, sign up again and maybe recruit a friend. (continued on page 24)
We cannot do all the good that the world needs. But right now, the world needs all the good that we can do. — Jana Stanfield 23
Non-traditional Volunteering and Collaborating (continued from 23) When one thinks of volunteering, many automatically conjure thoughts of building or cleanup projects, tutoring students, or perhaps caring for shelter animals. However, there are many other ways to volunteer, and several that don’t even require you to leave your seat. Consider the need for crisis hotline responders, voice over specialists, interpreters, IT service gurus, traffic engineers, proof readers, researchers, financial counselors, or even legal coordinators. Organizations offer training and certifications for many volunteer positions through webinars and videos – some are even accessible from your phone. Those aren’t your only options, though. Volunteering can also come in the form of being a social influencer on behalf of an organization. Examples of this would be posting a video of how “Change will not come if we wait for to correctly wash your hands, or talking about what to expect some other person or some other time. when donating blood. Collaborating in conversation or opensource forums to work on larger problems or bottle-necks is We are the ones we’ve been waiting for. another fantastic way to volunteer. A recently FDA-approved method to decontaminate 80,000 thousand used N95 masks at a We are the change that we seek.” time was sparked from a five-year old study and a casual family — Barack Obama, dinner conversation. Brainstorming and open-source forums like HelpfulEngineering offer a virtual space and directed projects to 44th President of the United States be worked on by people from all over the world to kindle that same type of exchange but on a larger scale. You can volunteer without leaving your chair. Have these ideas sparked a new desire or direction in your volunteering goals? Do you have any volunteers or events you’d like to celebrate or highlight in your office from National Volunteer Week? Let us know at EmployeeEvents@dhrm.virginia.gov .
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DHRM’s Office of Human Resources Consulting Services delivers Talent Management, Policy and Employee Compensation Services to state agencies and employees. We focus on family-friendly policies that promote both workplace productivity and work/life balance, the consistent administration of employment practices, performance reviews, and leave benefits, and those designed to promote the development and well-being of employees. Our employment and compensation programs help agencies hire and retain top talent with flexible pay tools to help ensure that employees are treated fairly and equitably. We reach out to under-represented talent to make our workforce more complete. We implement statewide salary increases on behalf of the Governor and develop reports that give the Governor, legislature and external stakeholders an inside view of the great occupational strength and diversity of our workforce. One of our key priorities is to work with agencies to develop short- and long-range workforce plans so that our state workforce continues to be the best in the country. The Office of Employment Dispute Resolution (EDR) is here to work with you to identify the best way to proactively resolve your workplace disputes and answer questions about workplace issues. Whether you have an ongoing workplace dispute, are in need of individual conflict management training, or would like professional skill development for staff, EDR has several online options to meet your needs including conflict management coaching, remedial coaching, virtual mediations for two and three party disputes, and group consultations. Contact EDR’s AdviceLine to learn more about how EDR can help you today: 1-888-23ADVICE (1-888-2323842). An EDR consultant will take the time to listen to your concerns confidentially, help sort through the issues, and provide you with valuable information and available resources. You may also visit our website at http://www.dhrm.virginia.gov/edr. The Office of Health Benefits (OHB) provides access to comprehensive benefit programs for medical, dental, vision and flexible spending accounts for active and retired state employees. OHB strives to furnish varying levels of coverage at affordable costs to employees. Comprehensive coverage is provided through the many plan options available such as COVA Care, COVA HealthAware, COVA HDHP as well as service area specific plans Kaiser Permante and Optima Health. OHB also provides access to comprehensive benefit programs for many localities and school systems throughout the state through The Local Choice Option.
The Employee Financial Wellness Program is a partnership between the State Employee Loan Program (VSELP) and the Virginia Credit Union to provide a holistic financial wellness program for all state employees. The Program offers financial education alternatives and financial planning tips to help employees avoid taking the short-term loans currently offered. The Program has partnered with CommonHealth to offer a wellness approach by providing resources to help deal with the anxiety and stress that comes with financial issues. The Program provides financial webinars with different monthly topics and offers in-person seminars geographically around the Commonwealth. 26
The Virginia State Employee Loan Program (VSELP), is a partnership between the Virginia State Employee Assistance Fund and the Virginia Credit Union, which offers loans exclusively to state employees. The program links a financial fitness education program with loans of up to $500 for a six-month period. Full-time classified, non-probationary state employees who are paid on a monthly or semi-monthly pay schedule are eligible for loans. Employees are eligible to receive only two (2) state loans per calendar year.
The Commonwealth of Virginia provides management oversight of the State’s Workers’ Compensation Program through The Office of Workers’ Compensation (OWC). The Program is also supported by The Office of The Governor through Executive Order 109 (2010) which addresses Workplace Safety and Employee Health. In addition to oversight of the claims functions, the Office of Workers’ Compensation provides assistance to all State Agencies with the development of Return-to-Work program initiatives, loss control support and training, distance learning through the Virginia Learning Center, and coordination of Return-to-Work information with the Virginia Retirement System for VSDP. Services provided include: • Claim Management Services
• Durable Medical Equipment
• Medical Bill Adjudication
• Home Health & Home Modifications
• Telephonic Nurse Case Management
• Job Club
• Preferred Provider Organization (PPO)
• Field Investigations
• Independent Medical Exam Services
• Functional Capacity Evaluations
• Medical Director
• Diagnostic Services
• Medical Vocational Services
• Pharmacy Network
• Loss Control Services
• Transportation/Translation
• Surveillance
• Physical Therapy
• Chronic Pain Management
• Medicare Services
• Payroll and Classification Audits
• Drug Testing Services
Our Weekly Wellnotes have taken a shift. Join us for CommonHealth Connections each week. If you are not receiving CommonHealth publications, contact your Agency Coordinator or email us at wellness@dhrm.virginia.gov Stay well!
Capitol Square Healthcare is a joint venture between the Department of Human Resource Management (DHRM) and VCU Health to provide on-site medical care for Commonwealth of Virginia employees and non-Medicare retirees. Services are provided by a Board-certified Family Medicine Physician and Nurse Practitioner. We treat the following conditions, and more: physicals, diabetes, thyroid conditions, asthma and chronic bronchitis, hypertension, rashes, acute infections. Currently offering virtual visits! Payment amount based on insurance provider For more information: Call us: 844-342-1791 / Visit: capitolsquarehealthcare.com James Monroe building, Mezzanine level 7:30AM-5 PM Monday-Friday 27
Health Care FSA - set aside pre-tax dollars fr om your paycheck for eligible out-of-pocket health care expenses such as medical, dental, vision and pharmacy. Maximum contribution for plan year beginning July 1, 2020, is $2,750.00. You can access the entire annual contribution at any time during the plan year as long as your account remains active. Dependent Care FSA - set aside pre-tax dollars fr om your paycheck for eligible dependent care expenses. Maximum contribution for plan year beginning July 1, 2020, is $5,000.00 for a single person or $2,500.00 per spouse if married and filing income taxes separately. F unds must be in your active PayFlex account to get reimbursement for eligible dependent care out-of-pocket expenses. Claim Filing Deadline for the July 1, 2020 - June 30, 2021, plan year is September 30, 2021, for eligible expenses incurred during the plan year. Plan carefully! Any funds remaining after the deadline are forfeited. The FSA Sourcebook is available on the DHRM website, at www.payflex.com, or call 855-516-8595 for more information.
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Welcome to Virginia Credit Union. We're here to help you take control of your finances with affordable services, knowledge and opportunities for you to take your money further and reach your goals sooner. Regular Checking is free and requires no minimum balance. When you sign up, you’ll get a debit card and access to convenient tools like online banking and bill pay, our mobile banking app with mobile deposit, and even the ability to pay for things directly from your smartphone. Beyond everyday personal and business banking needs, we offer loans and mortgages, insurance, investments, and education through VACU and our affiliated partners. We are here to serve you with knowledge and financial education to help you grow more confident about your money and future. To learn more, visit us at www.vacu.org or email tara.heckstall@vacu.org.
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Thank you to all who voted and submitted titles for the magazine. We appreciate you jumping in to help name it. Now we would like you to help fill it! You can send an article or suggestion, if you like. We truly want this magazine to include YOU, so please send us a photo of you at work— whether you are working remotely or on the job in an office or even out on the road. Send all submissions to susan.perry@dhrm.virginia.gov
