Benefits Bulletin August 2025

Welcome to the Benefits Bulletin!

Our goal with this monthly newsletter is to communicate benefit changes and keep you up-to-date and informed on approaching deadlines.

August's Featured Benefit

This month's featured benefit is...

Faculty Staff Computer Loan Program

The Madison CyberZone at the JMU Bookstore and JMU Business Services have partnered to offer an interest-free payroll loan to qualifying JMU faculty and staff for the purchase of a computer from the JMU Bookstore.

All full-time, non-probationary JMU employees are eligible to participate in this program. This is an interest-free loan available to purchase hardware, software, or other computer accessories. All merchandise must be purchased from the JMU Bookstore. The current limit on the loan is $3,600.00, and the repayment period cannot exceed 24 months. Repayment of the loan will be made in payments through payroll deduction on each paycheck.

The JMU Bookstore will consult with the employee on their purchase and when they have decided, a formal quote will be written. That quote will be forwarded to the AVP Business Services Office, and the employee will be instructed to contact that office. At that point, the employee will need to sign their computer loan agreement, which will be forwarded to the Bookstore for the order to be placed. If the item is in stock, the purchase can be picked up at that time. Once the purchase is completed, the loan agreement will be forwarded to the Payroll Office to begin payroll deductions. Deductions will continue until the balance has been paid. Loans must be paid in full upon an employee's separation from JMU.

If you have any questions about this program, contact the Business Services Office at 540-568-5689.

Virginia Retirement System Members News

Be sure to read the latest issue of Member News from VRS. Included in this issue is information on discussing money at home, explaining differences between myVRS and DCP plan accounts, and reviewing your annual Member Benefit Profile. Subscribe to Member News directly for the latest updates.

Need to Talk with an Expert?

Webinars

Find more information HERE!

Find more information HERE!

Upcoming Benefits Training – Retirement 101: Understanding Your VRS Retirement

Are you contemplating retirement? Have you set a retirement date? What do you do next? What benefits will you receive? What is the timing on paperwork?

Come to Retirement 101 and learn the answers to all these questions and more! Learn about your retirement options through the Virginia Retirement System (VRS), discuss the impact on benefits when you retire, and learn how myVRS and Human Resources can aid in retirement planning.

Retirement 101: Understanding Your VRS Retirement (HR1212)

Thursday, September 11, 9:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m.

Register with course number HR1212 in MyMadison

July's Duke2Duke Nominees

Duke2Duke is our peer recognition program giving faculty and staff members an opportunity to show gratitude towards their peers and acknowledge their positive behaviors and actions.

We would like to recognize all of the outstanding employees/departments who were nominated for a Duke2Duke in July!

  • Stephanie Armentrout
  • Debbie Bahr
  • Steven Buchanan
  • Andrea Burkholder
  • Cheryl Doss
  • Lisa Hajdasz
  • Tara Jabeur
  • Kelly Jenkins
  • Julie Love
  • Adam Matthews
  • Dylan Morris
  • Carter Perez
  • Ashley Printz
  • Jakki Rodes
  • David Rourke
  • Jessica Salvatore
  • Whitney Sites
  • Sandra Stump
  • Selyna Velez
  • Gail Winsor

Submit a Duke2Duke here!

Upcoming Benefits Training: ORP Participants - What to Expect When You Retire (HR1352)

Are you contemplating retirement? What do you do next? What are the distribution options from your account? What benefits will you receive? What is the timing of everything? Can you work after retirement?

If you are a faculty member in the ORP and any of the questions above have crossed your mind, you'll want to attend this workhop! Come learn about retirement eligibility, the retirement process and what happens to your benefits when you retire. Attend this workshop to learn everything you need to know to make a smooth transition into retirement!

ORP Participants - What to Expect When You Retire (HR1352)

Thursday, October 2, 1:30 p.m. - 3:00 p.m.

Register with course number HR1352 in MyMadison

Find more information HERE!

2025 Modified Summer Schedule has Concluded

Friday, August 8, 2025 was the last day of the university’s modified summer work schedule for 2025. University hours of business operation have returned to 8:00 am – 5:00 pm Monday – Friday effective Monday, August 11, 2025.

THANK YOU FOR READING!

This bulletin has been brought to you by the JMU Benefits Team. If you have any questions or would like to reach out to us, please give us a call at 540-568-3593, visit us on the web at www.jmu.edu/humanresources/benefits, or email us at benefits@jmu.edu. Look for the Live Chat on our website and reach one of us instantly!

Credits:

Created with images by Janice - "Photograph of apricot colored Dahlias in a field" • ศาศวัต ธีรเศรษฐบดี - "Back to School: Bright Yellow Pencil Case with Colorful Pencils and Apples Ready for a New School Year" • Thorsten Link - "Lüneburger Heide, Sonneuntergang " • Shariar - "red fox in the grass" • Galyna Andrushko - "Powell lake" • happy_lark - "Book with opened pages in shape of heart and stacked books on reading desk in a garden. National library, books lovers day or month. Back to school or education learning background. Copy space" • ZoomTeam - "outdoor shot containing a bunch of red apples on a branch ready" • Lubos Chlubny - "Delicious peach pie sitting on rustic kitchen table in charming farmhouse kitchen" • noppakit rattanathon - "balloon in river" • Mira Drozdowski - "echinacea - coneflowers in the garden - soft focus" • Andrew Mayovskyy - "armagedon canceled" • shymar27 - "Portrait of a black labrador in a field on a summer evening. The church is visible in the background." • FotoMak - "Path on the sand going to the ocean in Miami Beach Florida at sunrise or sunset, beautiful nature landscape, retro instagram filter for vintage looks"