Benefits Bulletin December 2023

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.

December SSA Column Newsletter

Virginia Retirement System Member News

Be sure to read the latest issue of Member News from VRS. Included in this issue is information regarding how to prepare for retirement at any age, unlocking the power of mindful money management, and how the Member Benefit Profile serves as a blueprint for your future. Subscribe to Member News directly for the latest updates.

December's Featured Benefit

This month's featured benefit is...

Anthem Future Moms

Aetna Maternity Program

If you are enrolled in the COVA Care or COVA HDHP health insurance plan and receive the wonderful news that you (or your spouse) are expecting, then the free Future Moms benefit is for you! If you enroll in Future Moms within the first 16 weeks of pregnancy and meet additional program criteria, you can earn a $300 hospital copay waiver!

Other benefits include:

  • A toll-free number where you can speak with a nurse 24/7 about your pregnancy
  • The Mayo Clinic Guide to a Healthy Pregnancy book, showing changes you can expect for you and your baby during the next nine months
  • A screening to check your health risk for depression or early delivery
  • Free phone calls with pharmacists, nutritionists, and other specialists, if needed
  • One additional dental cleaning and exam during the term of your pregnancy, in addition to the normal plan frequency limits
  • Many other helpful tools!

Sign up for Future Moms by calling 1-800-828-5891.

If you are enrolled in the Aetna HealthAware health insurance plan, the Aetna Maternity Program provides support to help you have a successful pregnancy. By enrolling in the program within the first 16 weeks of pregnancy and participating based on your pregnancy risk profile, you are eligible to receive a $300 incentive contribution to your HRA around the 28th week of pregnancy. Sign up for Aetna Maternity Program by calling 1-800-272-3531, or log into the Aetna member website at www.aetna.com and look under Stay Healthy.

Need to Talk with an Expert?

TIAA Live Webinars

Winter Break and Holiday Pay

The university’s winter holiday break begins Tuesday, December 19 and will continue through Monday, January 1. As we approach the holiday season, please keep in mind that in accordance with Department of Human Resource Management Policy 4.25-Holidays, classified employees must either work on, or be on approved paid leave, the workday before and the workday after the holiday in order to be paid for holiday time.

End of the Year Leave Reminder for Classified Employees

Classified employees should review their current vacation balance with their supervisor and plan to use vacation hours that will exceed their maximum carry-over limit. Excess vacation hours and the 2023 Personal Day (taken in its full eight-hour increment) must be used on or by January 9, 2024 with the exception of the vacation hours accrued on January 9 for the final pay period (12/25/23 through 1/9/24). These vacation hours will be counted in the new leave year’s total vacation leave balance.

Please have all leave requests for the 2023 leave year entered in MyMadison by Tuesday, January 9, 2024 at 5:00 p.m. Supervisors will have until 5:00 p.m. on Thursday, January 11, 2024 to approve all requests.

Recognition Leave Reminder

The university granted 4.0 hours of recognition leave on Friday, April 7 to A&P Faculty and classified employees hired on or before April 7, 2023 for the 2023 leave year. Any remaining balances of this recognition leave must be used on or before January 9, 2024 or it will be forfeited. Requests to carry over remaining balances will not be granted. To redeem the recognition, leave, select “RL TAKEN” from the drop-down menu in MyMadison. As a reminder, the recognition leave must be used in its full 4-hour increment and must be approved by a supervisor.

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!