Category Archives: EFAP

EFAP News: Back-to-School Resources

EFAP, For Faculty, For Staff, middpoints, Wellness

lifescope

Back to School is Coming-

Your Assignment: Be Prepared!

24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year, LifeScope specialists can provide you with knowledge, assistance, and resources to address your unique educational and caregiving needs.

Call or live chat to request referrals for:

  • Before and After School Care
  • Tutors and Academic Services
  • Public and Private Schools
  • Boarding Schools
  • Special Needs Programs
  • Other Childcare Information

LifeScope is a free, confidential life service available to all faculty and staff, as well as household and family members. Our professional counselors are standing by 24 hours a day to confidentially assist with any issue that matters to you and your family.

24/7 Toll-free line: 800-828-6025

Website: www.LifeScopeEAP.com

Username: Middlebury College

Password: guest

July EFAP News: Unplug to Recharge

EFAP, For Faculty, For Staff, middpoints, Wellness

lifescope

HOW TO DISCONNECT?
Technology has provided new ways to stay connected to friends, family, and the workplace. But some studies have shown that all this connectivity may lead to more stress and sleep disturbance and make it harder to connect with people outside of the virtual world. By giving ourselves a rest from technology, especially after work hours, we can better recharge our mental batteries.

LifeScope can help with:

  • Articles and tip sheets on  managing technology usage, connecting with friends and family, and mindfulness
  • Audio on daily relaxation tools
  • Video on meditation
  • Information on community recreation and volunteering
  • 24/7 access to confidential counseling to support efforts to improve ‘technology-life’ balance

FREE WEBINAR: INFORMATION OVERLOAD
This free webinar will review practical tips for managing your devices and applications to help eliminate distraction and create more focus in your personal and professional life. To register, log on to www.LifeScopeEAP.com with your institution username and password. In the middle of the homepage, click on ‘Online Seminars‘ then “Information Overload” to sign up. If you are unable to attend, look for the archived webinar under Online Seminars, approximately 7-10 days after the live presentation.

BALANCING SCREEN & FACE TIME
July Tips for Taking Action

You may also be interested in viewing the following tip sheets, which can be found by logging on to www.LifeScopeEAP.com with your institution username and password, and clicking on the ‘Monthly Communications’ button on the top left corner of the homepage.

“Is Your Teenager Bored? How About Volunteering?” – If you find that your adolescent has a considerable amount of downtime, or becomes easily bored when not doing something that involves electronics, volunteering may be a way for your child to explore a new interest, plan for the future, or pursue a hobby or skill. This article lists types of volunteer opportunities and community organizations you might consider as a starting point.

“More Face Time, Less Screen Time”- As certain technologies begin to feel more like a necessity and less like a luxury, some people are finding that they tend to spend less time relating to other people face-to-face. This article provides suggestions for how to re-establish these connections and the benefits of doing so.

“Nomophobia”- Do you experience anxiety or panic over losing your phone, cell reception or battery life? Do you obsessively check for missed calls, e-mails, and texts? Do you miss out on opportunities for face-to-face interactions? If so, you may have cell phone addiction or nomophobia – an abbreviation of “no-mobile-phone-phobia.” Read this article to learn more.

The July Calendar, Poster/Webinar Promo, and Spanish Language Poster can also be accessed on the member website by clicking on the ‘Monthly Communications’ button on the top left corner of the homepage.

24/7 Toll-free line: 800-828-6025

Website: www.LifeScopeEAP.com

Username: Middlebury College

Password: guest

June EFAP News: Improving Workplace Communication

EFAP, For Faculty, For Staff, Wellness

lifescope

WORKPLACE COMMUNICATION & COLLABORATION

JUNE 2015

WHAT CAN I SAY?

With its multi-cultural, multi-generational workforce and increasing reliance on virtual teams, the modern workplace requires effective communication and collaboration more than ever. Effective workplace collaboration is based on interpersonal, professional relationships that are developed through attention to common courtesy, active listening, and situation appropriate verbal and non-verbal communication.

Let LifeScope help by providing you with the tools and resources you need to be a good communicator and collaborator:

  • Articles and tip sheets on communication styles, business etiquette, and team building
  • Audio on listening skills
  • Online training for telephone skills and customer service

24/7 access to confidential counseling and coaching support for workplace issues

FREE WEBINAR: COMMUNICATION SKILLS FOR COLLABORATION
Join this webinar to learn about different communication styles, reasons communication sometimes fails, and strategies to create a respectful and cohesive workplace. To register, log on to www.LifeScopeEAP.com with your institution username and password. In the middle of the homepage, click on ‘Online Seminars‘ then “Communication Skills for Collaboration” to sign up. If you are unable to attend, look for the archived webinar under Online Seminars, approximately 7-10 days after the live presentation.

COMMUNICATING FOR BETTER RESULTS

June Tips for Taking Action

You may also be interested in viewing the following tip sheets, which can be found by logging on to www.LifeScopeEAP.com with your institution username and password, and clicking on the ‘Monthly Communications’ button on the top left corner of the homepage.

“Effective Communication: Basic Skills”- For communication to be effective, it is not enough to merely deliver a message. The message must be received/personalized/understood for the communication to be successful. This article explains the steps involved in the send-receive model of communication, with an emphasis on the importance of active listening.

“Bridging Generation Gaps”- With four generations working alongside one another in the workplace, it is not uncommon to experience generational clashes of attitudes, ethics, values and behaviors. This article offers suggestions for how to work effectively in today’s workplace by respecting differences, looking for commonalities, and leveraging the strengths and ideals of each generation.

The June Calendar, Poster/Webinar Promo, and Spanish Language Poster can also be accessed on the member website by clicking on the ‘Monthly Communications’ button on the top left corner of the homepage.

24/7 Toll-free line: 800-828-6025

Website: www.LifeScopeEAP.com

Username: Middlebury College

Password: guest

February EFAP News: Financial Fitness

EFAP, For Faculty, For Staff, middpoints, Wellness

lifescope

HOW TO LIVE LEAN

Learning techniques to manage your money, reduce debt, and save for the future can improve your financial situation and your overall health!

LifeScope offers tools and resources to help you get financially fit:

  • Free telephonic consultation with financial counselors
  • Financial calculators for personal finance, home finance, retirement, investments, and more
  • Library of financial articles and tip sheets
  • Financial forms and tools available for download
  • Resource links to financial  information you need

FREE WEBINAR – FINANCIAL FITNESS:
LIVING WITHIN A REALISTIC BUDGET

Tuesday, February 17th
12pm ET/9am PT & 2pm ET/11am PT

Financial fitness is like physical fitness; to be successful you need to commit to regular changes in your life and focus on attainable goals. Join this webinar to learn practical and realistic tips for living within a budget. To register, log on to www.LifeScopeEAP.com with your institution username and password. In the middle of the homepage, click on ‘Online Seminars’ then “Financial Fitness: Living within a Realistic Budget” to sign up. If you are unable to attend, look for the archived webinar under Online Seminars, approximately 7-10 days after the live presentation.

IMPROVE YOUR FINANCIAL IQ

February Tips for Taking Action
You may also be interested in viewing the following articles, which can be found by logging on to www.LifeScopeEAP.com with your institution username and password, and clicking on the ‘Monthly Communications’ button on the top left corner of the homepage.

“Choosing a Credit Counselor”- If you’re living paycheck to paycheck, are worried about debt collectors or can’t seem to develop a workable budget, you might consider the services of a credit counselor. This article offers guidelines for identifying a reputable credit counseling organization, and a checklist of questions to ask a potential agency or counselor.

“Learn to Pay Less for Loans”- Did you know that your credit score can affect your ability to quality for a low-cost loan, rent an apartment or find a job? Many consumers have errors on their credit reports, but don’t realize how this affects them. This article offers guidance on how to improve your credit history and pay less for loans.

The February Calendar, Poster/Webinar Flyer, and Spanish Poster can also be accessed on the member website by clicking on the ‘Monthly Communications’ button on the top left corner of the homepage.

LifeScope is a free, confidential program available to you, your family and household members, to help you balance work, family and personal life.

24/7 Toll-free line: 800-828-6025

Website: www.LifeScopeEAP.com

Username: Middlebury College

Password: guest

Free Federal Tax Filing Support from our Employee Family Assistance Program

EFAP, For Faculty, For Staff, middpoints, Wellness

lifescope

Prepare, Print, and E-File Your Federal Tax Return For Free-

TAXACT MAKES TAX PREPARATION LESS TAXING!

For the 2014 tax preparation season, your LifeScope website offers you and your family TaxACT – an online tool for easy tax preparation and filing. Secure and reputable, TaxACT offers a variety of support and filing options including the option to prepare, print, and e-file your federal tax return for free.

By filing with TaxACT, the accuracy of your returns is 100 percent guaranteed. If you are assessed a penalty due to a TaxACT calculation error, TaxACT will reimburse you the penalty and interest associated with that calculation error.

To take advantage of this beneficial resource, log on to www.LifeScopeEAP.com and select TaxACT under “Centers” on the right-hand side of the screen.

 Free, confidential support is always available for tax issues, or any other issue that matters to you and your family.

TOLL-FREE: 800-828-6025

WEBSITE: www.LifeScopeEAP.com

USERNAME: Middlebury College

PASSWORD: guest

Click here to view and download a PDF of this flyer; a copy can also be accessed under the Monthly Communications tab on the member website.

 

Important Benefits Information

Benefits, EFAP, Faculty, For Faculty, For Staff, Health Ins, HR, staff

Employee and Family Assistance Program (EFAP)

For many years our EFAP benefit has been administered by The Wellness Corporation.  Recently, The Wellness Corporation was purchased by E4 Health, a leading provider, under the brand name Lifescope, of holistic life services and wellness solutions for organizations nationwide. The merger of The Wellness Corporation and E4 Health – two experienced and professional organizations – will mean expanded service offerings for our faculty and staff plus continuation of the high quality services and capabilities that we have been accustomed to through our long-standing relationship with The Wellness Corp.  Please take a moment to review the two brief documents attached, which give an overview of our new Lifescope resources as well as updated phone and web contact information.  Please note  –  if you are currently accessing EFAP counseling or other benefits arranged through The Wellness Corporation you will not need to do anything different to continue to see your current provider; this change will be seamless to you.

http://www.middlebury.edu/offices/business/hr/staffandfaculty/benefits/EFAP

Summary Plan Description (SPD)

SPDs are designed as brief, handy, easily understandable explanations of important benefit plan provisions.  Below please find a link to the 2014 version of the Middlebury College Health & Welfare Benefits Plan SPD which provides current information on our: medical, dental, vision, life, voluntary life, short-term disability, long-term disability, flexible spending accounts, and employee and family assistance program benefits.  All employees are eligible for the employee and family assistance program (EFAP); those employees classified as “benefits-eligible” are eligible for the full range of health and welfare benefit offerings.  You can also find this SPD by visiting the Benefits page on the Human Resources website.  If you would prefer to receive a paper copy of the 2014 SPD, please let me know, or stop by the Human Resources Office, and a paper copy will be provided to you.

http://www.middlebury.edu/media/view/470998/original/active_spd.pdf

Please do not hesitate to contact the benefits team with questions about the change to our EFAP provider or the 2014 Health & Welfare SPD.