Work-Life

We have a lot to celebrate this month! We have updates for you on the UK @ Work survey and the recent UK Work-Life Supervisor of the Year ceremony, which honored a number of our deserving University colleagues. Please click through from the link below for a full list of this year's finalists and winners.

I also hope you'll take a few minutes to read about the new CRISIS program, which is designed to help our staff colleagues in need. We commend the Staff Senate, Work-Life Office, Employee Benefits and the Office of the Controller and Treasurer for their efforts in launching this program.

If you have questions or suggestions for this newsletter, simply reply to this e-mail. We welcome your feedback.

Kimberly P. Wilson
Associate Vice President
UK Human Resources

Thank you! UK @ Work Survey Achieves 53+% Participation Rate!

A special thanks to the more than 7,000 UK staff and faculty who participated in the UK @ Work survey. Look for separate announcements in the weeks ahead regarding incentive winners, plans for publication of results and more.

Luncheon Honors 2010 Work-Life Supervisor of the Year Winner and Nominees

Congratulations to this year's winner, David Adams, Cooperative Extension Director, District 1. Mr. Adams, a UK alumnus, has been withthe Extension Service in various capacities since 1974. Patricia Bond, Judy Niblett, Gayle Plank, and Barbara Ramlow were finalists for the award. This year saw the first Special Recognition Awards, which were given to Lori Gonzalez, Ph.D., Dean, College of Health Sciences and Chair, Work-Life Advisory Council and Jennifer Swanberg, Ph.D., Professor, College of Social Work and Director, Institute for Workplace Innovation (iWin), for their efforts as excellent supervisors and for advancing Work-Life at UK. More than 80 nominations were submitted. For more information about the 2010 Supervisor of the Year Award, including a list of all nominees, visit the website. To view a video stream of the event click here.

Employees Helping Employees: New CRISIS Program Provides Unique Giving Opportunity

Staff Senate is pleased to announce the newly launched C.R.I.S.I.S. (Crisis Relief In Situations Involving Staff) Program, administered by Work+Life Connections. The program is in place to help University of Kentucky staff members that are experiencing personal hardship by providing temporary financial assistance in the form of a onetime payment of up to five hundred dollars. Funded exclusively by donations from UK employees, C.R.I.S.I.S. needs your help today. Learn more about the program and how to make a donation by visiting C.R.I.S.I.S. on the website. An announcement will be made when the program has adequate funding to accept applications.

Congratulations to Katie Anderson!

Katie Anderson gets a surprise visit from Jody Ensman, Manager of the UK Health & Wellness Program, and the Wildcat.

Katie Anderson was one of the nearly 6,000 UK employees, retirees, and spouses or sponsored dependents who completed the Healthtrac Health Assessment last fiscal year. Katie was the lucky winner of the UK Healthtrac Rewards "Men's Basketball Prize Pack." Katie won two tickets to the UK vs. ETSU game, a basketball signed by Coach John Calipari, and a pass to watch the Wildcats practice. The other two prize packs awarded last year were a football prize pack and tickets to the CATSPY Awards. Katie is a senior laboratory technician in Molecular and Biomedical Pharmacology.

VOTE! VOTE! VOTE! You pick the winner of the 90-Day Challenge!

The 90-Day Healthtrac Transformation Challenge ran from July 13 to October 10, 2010. During the challenge, participants were asked to utilize UK Healthtrac Rewards and other UK Health & Wellness programs to help improve their health. They were competing for great prizes, including the first-place healthy prize package valued at $250!

It's time to vote for the winner of the 90-Day Healthtrac Transformation Challenge. Nearly 500 challengers participated, and nearly 200 submitted success stories. It has been narrowed down to the Top 5 finalists. YOU pick the winner! Each UK employee, retiree, or spouse/sponsored dependent may cast ONE vote. Voting closes at noon, Friday, November 19. Winners will be announced Monday, November 22.

Read the transformation stories and vote for your favorite on the website.

NEW! View Retirement Planning Conference Keynote Online

View author Betsy Kyte Newman's keynote address from UK Work-Life's pre-retirement conference held in October. Newman's speech, "Developing a Vision for Your Retirement," offers tips to help you plan for a happy, productive and fulfilling retirement. Click here to watch now.

Crucial Confrontations Training Coming Soon

New Crucial Confrontations training, available through HR Training and based on the business bestseller, will equip UK managers and process owners of all types to enhance accountability, improve performance, and ensure execution. Learn to prevent problems, manage change or move an individual or your entire team to the next level with this revolutionary, yet simple, approach. The cost for this two-day workshop, which takes place Thursday, January 20 and Thursday, January 27 is $275.00 (includes materials and lunch). To register, log on to myUK and go to Employee Self-Service > Training and search for "Crucial Confrontations."

Training & Development Introduces: Chuck Paskovics

Please welcome Chuck Paskovics, Technology Training Specialist to UK HR Training & Development! Prior to joining UK, Chuck worked as a technical writer and service training specialist at Lexmark International. In his spare time he also runs and maintains a collectibles web site featuring news and reviews on Star Wars collectibles. He also volunteers coaching soccer for his three sons' soccer teams. Chuck will be providing instruction in desktop training applications, HTML, and Adobe Dreamweaver, Photoshop and Flash. All Technology Training courses, including the ones Chuck teaches, can be found through UK Technology Training's web site.

Congratulations to HR's ACE Award Winners

Congratulations to HR's Achievement in Customer Service Excellence (ACE) award winners Jon Gent of HR Administration and Carla Braun of HR Compensation! The ACE award is awarded on a quarterly basis to HR employees commended for great service by internal or external customers. Jon was recognized for achievements in 2nd quarter 2010 and Carla for 3rd quarter 2010 at the November 11 HR division meeting. For a complete list of recent nominees and winners, visit this page.

FREE National Caregivers Month Workshops

Recognizing Alzheimer's and How to Ask for Help

As you spend time with your family during the upcoming holidays, you may notice a loved one's forgetfulness. Learn how to recognize the signs of Alzheimer's disease and know when it's appropriate to ask for help. Dr. Greg Jicha from UK's Sanders-Brown Center on Aging will present information on this topic and answer your questions. Nov. 23, from 12:10 p.m. - 12:50 p.m., Charles T. Wethington Building, Commons Room (127). Register now.

Medicare D Questions Answered

Do you have a loved one that has Medicare Part D: the drug prescription plan? Every year Medicare D plans change in cost and drug coverage. The Open Enrollment period for Medicare D is from November 15, 2010 thru December 31, 2010. Terri Weber, Elder Care Specialist, will be available to answer your questions. Dec. 1, from 9 a.m. - 1 p.m., W. T. Young Library, Keeneland Room. There will be a limited number of time slots; please call 323-4600 or e-mail Terri Weber to schedule an appointment.

Keep the extra pounds away over the holidays and WIN A PRIZE!

Looking for a little extra motivation to maintain or lose weight during the holiday season? Take the Keep It Off! Holiday Challenge. We'll provide tips and encouragement along the way. If you succeed at keeping the weight off, you will earn a prize! The challenge runs from Nov. 22 to Jan 3. Open to any UK employee, retiree, spouse or sponsored dependent. Register by Nov. 19 at this website.

Need a vacation - from the holidays? Get FREE tips for a relaxing holiday season

The holiday season is a joyous time, right? Holiday tunes, twinkling seasonal decorations ... then there is that moment of sheer panic: Endless shopping, cooking, cleaning, decorating, and your entire family is coming to visit! Get simple, realistic tips to help you relax and truly enjoy the holidays. Join us for "I Need a Vacation - from the Holidays," presented by Ann Bassoni, LCSW, UK Work+Life Connections Coordinator, Dec. 14, from 12-1 p.m., Gallery Room, W.T. Young Library.FREE. Register now.

HR Holiday Schedule

HR offices in Scovell Hall as well as our HR Satellite office on South Limestone Street will be closed on Thanksgiving Day (11/25), the Friday after Thanksgiving (11/26), Christmas Eve(12/24) and the Friday before New Year's Day (12/31). Scovell Hall HR offices and the HR Satellite office will be open during the bonus days between December 27 and December 30, 2010 from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

For 75 painless money saving ideas, click here.