UHR|Connect July 2017

UHR|Connect July 2017 left to right: Myron McNair, Molly Raulin, and Jonathan Herrington

Staff Relations Gets Recognized at the 1st Annual PROPs Awards!

The main event at this year’s VPAF Employee Appreciation Picnic were the Peers Recognizing Other Peers (PROPs) Awards. Employees were asked to nominate their colleagues for five separate categories, each displaying a different facet of excellent performance. UHR had nominees in almost every category, including multiple members in Staff Relations.

Christine Hottel, the Staff Relations Leave Coordinator, won the Extra Mile Award for her exemplary customer service and dedication to her job! Christine is responsible for processing and coordinating all staff requests for Family & Medical Leave (FML), as well as the University’s other extended leave benefits. In 2016 alone, she handled almost 350 cases from start to finish. Winners of the awards received a welldeserved ice cream party, courtesy of the UMD Dairy, for themselves and 12 friends. Great job Christine, and everyone else who was nominated!

If any readers are interested in learning more about the paid and unpaid leave benefits offered by the University, attend Christine’s FMLA training, held from 1:00pm-2:30pm on the second Wednesday of every month. Register here!

Chesapeake Building | uhr.umd.edu | UHRConnect@umd.edu

Vol. 3 No. 7

Got A Plan?

When was the last time you decided to do something life changing, put a plan together, and then … didn't do a thing?

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Lunch & Learn Series Get tips that will take you from financially flabby to fiscally fit!

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Sun Saftey The best way to prevent skin cancer is to protect your skin from sources of ultraviolet (UV) rays.

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Welcome Aboard!

Casandra Lawson now in Staff Relations.

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UHR|CONNECT | Vol. 3, No. 7

Got a Plan?

When was the last time you decided to do something life changing, put a plan together, and then…didn't do a thing? It happens. We have many distractors; money, time, family, friends, work, and it is easy to lose our focus and get off track in our plans.

If one of your plans was to learn a new, careerenhancing skill, or even to change careers, let's look at some accessible and manageable options for you.

As you know, we will always promote Lynda.com as one of the amazing resources - FREE to UMD - that you can access anytime, anywhere, day or night.

Check it out at lyndatraining.umd.edu. With the recent merger with LinkedIn, there are now over 6,000 courses for you at your fingertips.

There are other options, as well.

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Udemy - over 40,000 courses - some free, some cost a fee. But, if you search for a discount through Groupon, RetailMeNot, or just Google Udemy coupon, you can find what you need for $10, $15, or $25.

Khan Academy - their motto is “You can learn anything. For free. For everyone. Forever.”

Sounds good AND, to highlight a few options, the Khan Academy offers test prep for college exams such as the SAT and GMAT. Also available are courses on the Common Core for parents and kids, tools for personal finance management, and determining your career path. If not for you, it is a great resource for K-12 and more.

TED Talks - you may be familiar with TED Talks, but, have you heard of the additional TED learning options? TEDEd - for educators, TEDConferences - such as TEDWomen, TEDGlobal, TEDYouth, and TEDx, which sets up local TED Talks and events for you to attend.

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Coursera - with over 150 college and university partners, from 29 countries, Coursera offers over 2,000 courses you can attend online. When you complete the courses and receive a certificate of completion, there is a fee to attend but if you enroll and do not want the certificate, some of the courses are free. And yes, UMD offers quite a few courses through Coursera, as well.

Coursera also offers Master's degrees, such as the Master’s in Innovation and Entrepreneurship from HEC in Paris, France and Professional Certificates such as in Engineering Management and Leadership certificate from Rice University. Although the fees are in line with what you would expect in obtaining a degree or certificate, Coursera may offer financial aid for the program in, which you are interested.

Are you still reading this article? Get out there and learn more about what you don’t know!

And, don’t forget to check out the training offered

by UHR at training.umd.edu.

June’s Lunch & Learn July’s Lunch & Learn will focus on Financial Management! Looking to get in shape financially? Attend this seminar to learn tips that will take you from financially flabby to fiscally fit! The Lunch & Learn will be held on Friday, July 14, 2017 in 1101U Chesapeake Building from 12:00pm-1:00pm. Please register at training.umd.edu

Sun Safety Month The Basics: Overview The best way to prevent skin cancer is to protect your skin from the sun and other sources of ultraviolet (UV) rays.

UHR|CONNECT | Vol. 3, No. 7

To protect your skin: • • • •

Stay in the shade as much as possible between 10:00am and 4:00pm.

Use sunscreen with SPF 15 or higher.

Cover up with long sleeves, long pants or a skirt, a hat, and sunglasses.

Avoid indoor tanning.

Why do I need to protect my skin?

Protecting your skin today may help prevent skin cancer later in life. Most skin cancer appears after age 50, but skin damage from the sun can start during childhood.

Taking steps to prevent skin cancer may also help prevent: • • •

Wrinkles Blotches or spots on your skin Other damage to your skin and eyes

What is skin cancer?

Skin cancer is the most common kind of cancer in the United States. There are 3 major types of skin cancer: • • •

Basal cell carcinoma Squamous cell carcinoma Melanoma

Skin cancer can almost always be cured when it’s found and treated early. That’s why it’s a good idea to check your skin regularly for new growths (like moles or lumps) or changes in old growths. Tell your doctor or nurse right away if you find a change.

What causes skin cancer?

Ultraviolet (UV) radiation from the sun is the main cause of skin cancer. UV radiation can also come from tanning beds, tanning booths, or sunlamps.

Anyone can get skin cancer. The risk is highest for people with:

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White or light-colored skin with freckles Blond or red hair Blue or green eyes

You are at higher risk for the most dangerous type of skin cancer (melanoma) if you have: • • •

Unusual moles (moles that change color, grow unevenly, or change in texture) A large number of moles (more than 50) A family history of melanoma

Take Action!

Take these simple steps to help prevent skin cancer.

• • •

Cover up with long sleeves, a hat, and sunglasses.

Stay in the shade between 10:00am and 4:00pm.

Use sunscreen with SPF 15 or higher.

Check the expiration date on the bottle to make sure it’s not out of date.

To get the most protection: • •

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Wear sunscreen even on cloudy days. UV rays can still harm your skin through the clouds.

Plan ahead – put sunscreen on 30 minutes before you go outside. Put on more sunscreen every 2 hours and after you swim or sweat.

Be sure to use enough sunscreen (a handful).

Don’t forget to apply it to your lips, ears, hands, feet, and the back of your neck.

If you wear very lightweight clothing (like a beach cover-up or thin T-shirt), put sunscreen on under your clothes.

Avoid indoor tanning.

Tanning beds, tanning booths, and sunlamps are not any safer than tanning in the sun. There’s no safe way to get a tan. Just like tanning in the sun, indoor tanning can cause skin cancer, wrinkles, age spots, and other damage to your skin and eyes.

UHR|CONNECT | Vol. 3, No. 7

Check your skin regularly.

See a doctor or nurse right away if you find any changes that worry you.

Look for changes: • • •

Learn where your birthmarks, spots, and moles are and what they usually look and feel like.

Check the growths on your skin for changes in size, shape, color, or feel.

Check for anything new – a sore that doesn’t heal, a mole that bleeds, or any new growths.

If you find any changes that worry you, see a doctor.

Most changes are harmless, but only a doctor or nurse can tell you for sure.

Don’t forget your Wellness Plan Activities Save money in 2017 by participating in the Wellness Plan Activities. Participation is voluntary.

There is no penalty for non-participation but there are rewards for participation!

The 2017 Wellness Program began 1/1/17. The sooner in 2017 that you complete your activities, the sooner you start saving!

New for 2017: Enjoy waived PCP copays AND reduced specialist copays by: • • •

selecting a PCP (if not done previously), completing the online health assessment, and having your recommended screenings done

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Welcome Aboard Cassandra A. Lawson joined UHR Staff Relations on April 17, 2017. She recently relocated from California where she was the Equal Employment Opportunity Manager for the County of Santa Barbara, fondly known as the American Riviera. Cassandra has over fifteen years of experience in the field of labor and employee relations. She began her career as a Litigation Attorney at a small boutique law firm in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, specializing in labor and employment law. Cassandra moved on to become an Employee Relations Manager with the Georgia Department of Juvenile Justice and by appointment from the Mayor of Atlanta, a Hearing Officer with the City of Atlanta, Civil Service Board, where she served as the Chair for seven years.

Cassandra is well-versed on the subjects of employee relations, equal employment opportunity law, complaint investigation procedures, and other aspects that contribute to a respectful and diverse workplace. In addition, she is skilled at creating and presenting HR training to assist UMD in strengthening programs with respect to these topics.

Cassandra is a sports enthusiast, loves the arts, music, and live theater.

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UHR Benefits: New Employee Benefits Enrollment and Q&A

10 New Employee Orientation & Welcome

Supervisor’s Essentials: • • • • •

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BYOL (Bring Your Own Lunch) Brown Bag Seminars

PRD Performance Improvement Plan FMLA Training Managing Time & Attendance The Disciplinary Process

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UHR Benefits: New Employee Benefits Enrollment and Q&A

24 New Employee Orientation & Welcome

Administrative Professionals Conference

31 UHR Benefits: New Employee Benefits Enrollment and Q&A

**Dates and Times Subject to Change. Please visit the training calendar for up-to-date course listings** Registration graphic Designed by Freepik