Dear GW Community,
During the month of November, we celebrate the power of kindness and gratitude and recognize and honor the generations of Veterans who have served and sacrificed. We also highlight the Great American Smokeout, offer resources for new and expecting parents and also share reminders, promotions, events, and opportunities to connect 1:1 with our benefit vendor partners.
Additionally, GW Benefits is hosting our annual fall virtual retirement fair on November 28. For those interested in joining us, please be sure to register for the sessions below. We also invite you to learn about Staff and Personal Leave including eligibility, paid time off coordination and more. If you are a basketball fan, don't miss out on grabbing your discounted GW tickets this season!
For questions about any of the benefits featured in GWell or other benefits programs, please contact us at benefits@gwu.edu.
Be Well,
GW Benefits
Human Resource Management and Development
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Join our Well-Being Campaigns
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Well-being Wednesdays* provide employees opportunities to improve and maintain a healthy lifestyle both at work and at home. Engage with the four pillars of well-being including financial, emotional, physical, and social as we continue to build our community of well-being.
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Grab your GW financial passport and join us on our journey toward improved financial well-being. Explore the following locations* including managing money, growing wealth, and protecting wealth to reach a more healthy and secure financial destination.
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Relax and Rejuvenate With A Complimentary Office Massage |
Faculty and staff can enjoy free seated massages at Foggy Bottom and Virginia Science and Technology campuses on a first come, first served basis. Select your spot below.
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Get to Know Your Benefit Resources
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Thinking about retirement and want to learn more? Preparing for the transition to retirement takes thoughtful planning. Join us on Tuesday, November 28, for GW's virtual Retirement Fair designed to help you understand your GW retiree benefits and the steps to prepare for retirement.
GW Benefits and our vendor partners, TIAA, Fidelity, and Via Benefits will lead the following sessions scheduled for this event:
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Come huddle with a Real Appeal Coach |
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With the holidays approaching, stress can increase and it’s easy to revert to old habits. Real Appeal, an online lifestyle and weight management program that is available to employees on a GW medical plan at no additional cost is offering a webinar this month. Join on Wednesday, November 15 at 2pm ET to learn how to better handle stress, avoid emotional eating and focus on portion control. Whether you’re interested in joining Real Appeal or already a member, this event is open for all.*
*Please note that while this is an open event, individuals interested in enrolling in the program must meet eligibility requirements and provide their medical ID card.
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The Great American Smokeout
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The Great American Smokeout (GASO) is an annual observance to encourage tobacco users to join others across the nation to quit together on November 16th. Tobacco use continues to be the leading cause of preventable death in the U.S., accounting for approximately 480K deaths annually or about 1 in every 5 deaths (American Cancer Society).
Whether you choose to quit on this day, or plan to start your journey toward a tobacco-free life in the near future, the support available to employees, eligible dependents, and students through the Quit for Life program, can help you prepare to make your quitting plan.
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Cultivate an Attitude of Kindness and Gratitude
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| Small acts of kindness can make a profound difference in someone’s day. Try this for yourself — do or say something kind to a friend, loved one, or colleague, and observe the
impact and gratitude.
Being kind and embracing gratitude has been shown to boost feelings of optimism and enthusiasm, increase satisfaction with your present life, reduce fatigue and improve sleep, and help you cope better with life’s challenges.
Let's Celebrate! World Kindness Day was held on November 13th: a time to promote the life-changing values of compassion, empathy, understanding, and goodwill. Because if we could all be a little kinder with ourselves as well as others, the world would be a happier, healthier place.
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Resources for New & Expectant Parents
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Bright Horizons recently expanded resources available to all new and expectant parents, featuring Sittercity, Jovie, and their new partners, BabySparks and NAPS™. You’ll find it by visiting or newly registering for your my.brighthorizons account*.
The new resources can help you:
- Keep your child engaged
New! The BabySparks app gives you thousands of activities to do with your child (ages 0-3), and GW employees can also receive 60% off a premium subscription. - Access guidance from trained medical professionals
New! Webinars, parenting groups, “Ask a Nurse,” and consultations for pregnancy and early parenting through NAPS is now available with a 20% discount. - Book care whenever you need it
The free Sittercity membership allows you to search a national database of professional in-home caregivers or post your own job. - Find a full- or part-time nanny
Professionals at Jovie match you with a caregiver who meets your family’s needs and take care of all the details; GW employees get a $300 or 30% discount.
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*All benefits-eligible faculty and staff have access to Bright Horizons Enhanced Family Support.
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In addition to annual and sick time, FMLA and USERRA leave, the university provides staff with additional time off and leave types to help maintain work life balance. One such leave is Personal Leave
(Benefits-Eligible Staff). This month we invite you to learn more about this leave including eligibility, coordination with paid time off and how to submit a request.
For questions regarding Personal Leave or any of GW's time off and leave offerings, please contact GW Benefits at timeoff@gwu.edu.
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Discounted Tickets for GW Basketball
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GW Athletics offers exclusive discounts on Men's basketball season tickets for Faculty and Staff! Upper Sideline seats are just $180 for the season. Purchase your tickets today using promo code GDUBFS24.
Faculty and Staff can also purchase Women's basketball season tickets for $85 this season.
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UnitedHealthcare Meetings
Meet with GW’s UnitedHealthcare representative, Jessica Wachter, to review outstanding claims and/or ask questions about your medical coverage. She will reach out prior to your appointment to provide a virtual meeting link.
Schedule appointments* via YouCanBook.me.
*For future appointments, please use the arrows in the upper right corner to scroll to the next month.
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TIAA & Fidelity Retirement Counseling
Retirement plan participants can schedule financial counseling by appointment with TIAA or Fidelity. To book an appointment, call your preferred provider or use the online booking systems listed below:
Fidelity Investments - Make an appointment online or call 800-642-7131.
TIAA - Make an appointment online or call 866-843-5640.
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Don't Miss These Upcoming Benefits Webinars
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Mark Your Calendar and Check Back Often!
Did you know we have a GW Benefits events webpage? Be sure to check it out throughout the month as additional opportunities will be added!
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GW Benefits
44983 Knoll Square, Suite 391
Ashburn, VA 20147
Phone: (571) 553-8382
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