4J BENEFITS AND WELLNESS NEWSLETTER
Prepared by Julie Wenzl • 541-790-7682 • wenzl@4j.lane.edu • March 2, 2017 • Issue Number 294
EMPLOYEE ASSISTANCE PROGRAM
Reliant Behavioral Health provides the Employee Assistance Program (EAP) to 4J employees and retirees as part of our OEBB benefits. EAP services include counseling, work-life balance, and wellness resources to help people privately resolve problems that may interfere with work, family, and other important areas of life.
Some EAP highlights:
- Up to 5 counseling visits at no cost, per person, per issue
- 24-hour crisis help: toll-free access for you or a family member experiencing a crisis
- Mediation services: free consultations for personal, family and non-work related issues (e.g., divorce, neighbor disputes, real estate) – a 25% discount is available if a mediator is retained
- Financial services: free telephone consultations for financial issues (e.g., debt counseling, budget, college/retirement planning) – a 25% discount is available if a professional is retained
- Legal services: free will kit with professional review – free half-hour consultation. This initial consultation can be followed by a 25% discount in fees if the attorney is retained. (Legal services are not provided for employer-related issues.)
To access the EAP call 866-750-1327 or go online: https://www.myrbh.com (Access Code: OEBB).
WINTER IQ – HATS & BODY HEAT
True or False: If you don’t wear a hat in cold weather, you can lose more than half your body heat through your head.
False, but it’s still a good idea to wear a hat. It’s a myth that a disproportionate amount of heat is lost when your head is uncovered. While it is true that your head may be the main source of heat loss, that’s only because it is often the only part of your body exposed to the cold. If you went out in a bathing suit in very cold weather, you would lose no more than about 10 percent of your body heat through your head (don’t try it!). That’s what a 2006 study found when it tested subjects in cold water with and without wetsuits, sometimes with their heads out of water (in warm air) and sometimes with their heads submerged.
4J WELLNESS CLINIC – OPEN SPRING BREAK
The 4J Wellness Clinic will be open spring break. Regular hours are Monday – Friday, from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. The clinic is closed for lunch from 1:00 – 2:00 p.m. You can schedule an appointment by calling 541-686-1427.
Please remember that the Wellness Clinic is working hard to accommodate patient appointment needs and times. If a patient arrives more than ten minutes late for a scheduled appointment, he or she may be required to reschedule the appointment.
The Wellness Clinic recommends a 24-hour notice of an appointment cancellation. If a patient arrives more than twenty minutes late for a scheduled appointment, the appointment will be considered missed without proper notice and subject to the cancellation policy. A $20 fee will be assessed for failure to cancel within 3 hours of a scheduled appointment at the Wellness Clinic. A $20 fee will also be assessed for failure to attend a scheduled appointment.
This $20 fee must be paid before the patient will be allowed to schedule another advance appointment. In the event that three appointments are missed, the patient will be limited to scheduling same day appointments only.
The advance appointment scheduling suspension may be lifted after 6 months if the patient has no additional missed appointments.
WAGE STATEMENTS & LEAVE INFO
You can find your current leave balance accumulations in the bottom left portion of your monthly wage statement. When you are reviewing your leave balances, please remember that the used leave column represents the total leave you have used this school year, not just in the pay period.
REFERENCE PRICE PROGRAM UPDATE
The Oregon Educators Benefit Board (OEBB) has a Reference Price Program (RPP) for certain procedures. This program currently includes Bariatric Surgery, Major Joint Replacement Surgery and Oral Appliances. As of March 1, 2015, the RPP for joint replacement surgery applies to the Statewide PPO (Connexus) network but does not apply to the Synergy network.
As of January 1, 2017, Connexus network enrollees who need joint replacement surgery are no longer required to travel out of the Eugene/Springfield area to obtain the highest level of benefits. PeaceHealth Sacred Heart and PeaceHealth Riverbend are both participating facilities for the RPP. Slocum Surgery Center also participates in the RPP but only performs partial knee and hip replacements at its facility.
You can find additional details on the RPP on the Moda website for OEBB members: https://www.modahealth.com/oebb/members/rpp/index.shtml
TEST YOUR NUT KNOWLEDGE – II
Which nuts are highest in calories?
- almonds
- macadamia nuts
- walnuts
- chestnuts
Answer: (b). Macadamia nuts have 205 calories per ounce; chestnuts have the least (70 calories). Other nuts range in calories from 160 to 200 calories. Dry-roasted nuts have as many calories as oil-roasted.
Which is true about peanuts?
- they are not true “tree” nuts
- they are less healthful than other nuts
- they supply resveratrol
- they have more protein and arginine than other nuts
Answers: (a), (c), and (d). Peanuts are technically legumes (like dried beans) but are classified with nuts because of their shared nutritional (and physical) qualities. They contain resveratrol (a potentially beneficial compound also found in grapes and red wine), are richest in arginine, and have the most protein of all nuts. Studies have found that peanuts, like tree nuts, are associated with a range of health benefits.
True or false: Nuts are naturally high in sodium.
Answer: False. Nuts naturally contain little or no sodium. But salt is usually added in processing so that an ounce of nuts can contain 200 milligrams of sodium or more. Unsalted varieties are widely available.
Which nuts are the best source of omega-3 fats?
- pecans
- cashews
- hazelnuts
- walnuts
Answer: (d). Walnuts are richest in heart-healthy alpha-linolenic acid, an omega-3 fatty acid related to those found in fish.
4J SAFETY COMMITTEE
If you have safety concerns related to your teaching environment, the best place to address those concerns is at the building level. Your custodian and building administration can help address issues in your work environment to increase and improve safety.
Another place to share your concerns is with the 4J Safety Committee. This committee is made up of representatives from different departments and employee groups, and meets the first Thursday of each month. The goal of the Safety Committee is to work collaboratively to prevent workplace injuries and accidents, ultimately producing a safer and healthier workplace.
Members of the 4J Safety Committee are: Scott Asbury, Ron Bell, Mark Bennett, Randi Bowers-Payne, Joane Butler, Steve Cooper, Matt Cornwell, Christopher Hawks, Tammy Jeffries, Diana McElhinney, Scott Mayers, Jim Nusser, Eli Plouff, Maxine Proskurowski, and Julie Wenzl. You are welcome to share your safety concerns with any member on the committee, or you can contact the full committee via e-mail: safety_com@4j.lane.edu.
You can find contact information for individual committee members and minutes from committee meetings on the 4J Safety Committee webpage: http://www.4j.lane.edu/hr/safety-committee-minutes/safety-committee/.
