Category: Employee Benefits

Open Enrollment is your annual opportunity to reflect upon your current benefit elections and make any needed changes for the upcoming year. During this period, you may add or remove eligible dependents, and change your benefit elections, with most changes going into effect on January 1, 2021.

With this year’s Open Enrollment period fast approaching, you may be reevaluating your current medical plan. Keep reading to learn more about GW’s medical plans and identify what questions to ask when deciding which plan to choose.

Medical Plan Options:

GW offers two medical plan options: GW Preferred Provider Organization (PPO) and GW Health Savings Plan (HSP). Both plans share the UnitedHealthcare (UHC) Choice Plus network, featuring more than 930,000 professionals*, 195,000 counselors and mental health practitioners**, and 5,600+ hospitals.

Both the GW PPO and the GW HSP allow you to visit your doctor of choice, with no requirements for selecting a Primary Care Physician to coordinate your care and no need to obtain referrals for specialty care. Both plans cover in- and out-of-network services (you pay less out-of-pocket for services received in-network), and include 100 percent coverage for in-network preventive care. Take a closer look at the coverage for some of the most common services provided under the GW PPO and GW HSP with this medical comparison chart (PDF).

2021 Deductibles (In-Network)

• GW HSP: $2,000 (individual) and $4,000 (family)
• GW PPO: $750 (individual) and $1,500 (family)

2021 Out-of-Pocket Maximums (In-Network)

• GW HSP: $4,000 (individual) and $8,000 (family)
• GW PPO: $3,000 (individual) and $6,000 (family)

Making Decisions

There are several factors that you may be thinking about when it comes to your medical plan. For example, would you prefer to pay less per paycheck but pay more out-of-pocket at the time of a medical service (your deductible for medical and prescription under the HSP), or pay more per paycheck and less out-of-pocket at point of service (under the PPO)? Remember, under both plans, you’ll pay less if you use providers that belong to the plan’s network. 

GW is a member of the Tuition Exchange, Inc., a national organization that administers tuition scholarships to the dependents of eligible faculty and staff at participating colleges and universities. Tuition Exchange award amounts (averaging $30,000) significantly defray higher education costs, and the process operates similarly to Tuition Remission, with the added benefit of being portable to hundreds of other institutions. GW’s agreement with the Tuition Exchange permits a small number of students each year to enroll in undergraduate degree programs at participating institutions throughout the country.

Who participates in the Tuition Exchange?

More than 660 private and public not-for-profit colleges and universities – representing 47 states, the District of Columbia and four countries – participate in the program. A number of prestigious institutions are members of the Tuition Exchange. A full list of participating schools may be found here.

Who is eligible to apply?

Except as specified, all eligibility requirements for dependent use of the GW Tuition Remission benefit program apply to the Tuition Exchange program. Eligible faculty and staff may apply to compete for tuition exchange scholarships for legally dependent children under age 24* in the academic year following four years of continuous employment in a regular full-time or part-time benefits eligible position. All eligibility requirements must be met prior to the first day of classes, and all faculty and staff must maintain eligibility for tuition benefits at GW for the full duration of the scholarship period in order to receive full benefits under the Tuition Exchange program.

*Dependent children must be under age 24 at the beginning of each academic year in order to maintain eligibility.

What is the application process like?

Once you’ve determined that you’re eligible to apply for the Tuition Exchange benefit, you should attend the Tuition Exchange information session hosted in March of every year. The first step of the formal application process involves a Tuition Exchange Preliminary Application, to be completed and submitted by you during the special tuition exchange open enrollment period. Preliminary Applications are now being accepted for academic year 2021-2022 with a submission deadline of August 31, 2020.

Candidates are selected based on length of service. Applicants who are not selected as candidates will be ranked on a waitlist and notified by the Tuition Exchange Liaison Officer if an opening becomes available. If you are chosen as a candidate, the Office of Student Financial Assistance will send you a second form, on which your dependent will indicate his or her school(s) of interest. If your dependent gains admission to his or her school(s) of interest, he or she must then compete for the tuition exchange scholarship offered by that school.

How do eligible students compete for a Tuition Exchange scholarship?

Tuition Exchange scholarships are not guaranteed; they are competitive awards. In addition to meeting the school’s admission requirements and applicable deadlines, your dependent must compete with other eligible students for the tuition exchange scholarship offered by that school. Some member schools have additional requirements for exchange applicants, such as higher academic standards.

How many students are awarded a scholarship each year?

The Tuition Exchange scholarship availability is dependent on the number of spaces available at the admitting institution. Each member school must maintain a balance between the students it sends to other schools on the exchange (exports) with those it receives on the exchange (imports). When the number of exports exceeds the number of imports, the institution may not sponsor new students. These factors impact your ability to earn a scholarship through the exchange. You can increase your chances of receiving a scholarship if you apply to one or two schools that offer awards to a large percentage of applicants. Many member institutions submit profiles for the upcoming year, and you can discover the award percentage for a particular school by conducting a school search.

What does the scholarship cover?

Each scholarship is awarded for a maximum of eight semesters, to cover four academic years of full-time undergraduate study at participating Tuition Exchange institutions. If a student enters the Tuition Exchange program as a transfer, he or she will receive fewer semesters as required to complete the undergraduate degree.

Tuition Exchange benefits vary on a case-by-case basis. Each member Tuition Exchange institution determines the value of the scholarship that it awards to each incoming student. The awarded benefit may include the costs of tuition, room, board and other expenses, as determined by the institution. Before accepting a Tuition Exchange scholarship, employees and their dependent students should clarify all financial responsibilities of the admitting institution; students are responsible for any costs that exceed the awarded benefit level.

What if I switch jobs or leave GW while my dependent is receiving Tuition Exchange benefits?

In the event that an eligible employee terminates employment or loses GW benefits eligibility while receiving benefits under the Tuition Exchange program, the employee will be responsible for the balance of tuition through the terminating semester as determined by the admitting institution.

Where can I find out more?

Details on the Tuition Exchange program are available at benefits.gwu.edu/tuition-exchange.

The most effective way to maintain your health is by staying on top of recommended preventive care. Under GW medical plans preventative medical visits, such as your annual well visit, are covered at no cost to you.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, visiting your doctor may look different from usual and may take extra time to coordinate, but these tips can help you remain proactive about your care.

• Contact your provider to see if your doctor offers telehealth visits, this may be an option for your situation.
• Prepare, too, for your telehealth session. You might be asked about health insurance information, medical history–including past procedures, medications, and your provider’s contact name and numbers, among other information.
• Your doctor may determine you need an in-person visit, such as if you are an older adult or someone with a chronic condition. If your doctor advises you to come into the office, be sure to carefully read and follow all the health and safety protocols outlined by your provider.
• Keep up with good self-care prevention habits. With many doctor and dental offices not fully open and emergency rooms challenged with COVID-19 patients, it’s important to not only be vigilant about wearing face coverings, social distancing and hand washing, but to also keep up with routine habits that keep you as healthy as possible. Be extra vigilant about daily brushing and flossing, eating nutrient-dense food, limiting alcohol, getting proper sleep, and taking the right safety precautions, such as wearing safety goggles when using power equipment, a helmet when biking, and a life jacket when boating, and protecting against poison ivy and bug bites when outside.

For more information about doctor visits and getting medications during the pandemic, visit:  https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/daily-life-coping/doctor-visits-medicine.html

Recently, President LeBlanc shared an update about the financial impact of our  fall plans and the temporary suspension of the university’s base and matching retirement contributions to the 401(a) Retirement Plan for Faculty and Staff (commonly referred to as the Employer Base Plan).

Please review the following notices to learn more regarding the suspension.

• Bi-weekly- paid employee notice
• Monthly-paid employee notice

Contributions to the 403(b) Supplemental Plan

Your employee contributions will not be affected—if you are enrolled in GW’s 403b Supplemental

Plan, your contributions will continue to be deducted from your paycheck unless you make a change.

We encourage you to review your contributions at netbenefits.com and schedule a 1:1 appointment with a Fidelity or TIAA retirement consultant.

Fall of 2020 will kick off a different kind of school year, and it’s more important than ever to make some preparations to help your child have a meaningful academic experience. Take steps in the last weeks of summer—before school starts—to set your family up for a stress-free first day.

• Start adjusting bedtime before school starts

With more hours of daylight, bedtimes slide. Wrestle them back into submission painlessly by starting now and moving lights-out 15 minutes earlier each night, until you’re back on your school year schedule.

• Set your morning routine

Mornings are always going to be hectic. But the wild can be controlled if everyone knows the routine and kids are empowered to do their part. Come up with a morning list for each kid before school starts; then print it out, laminate it, and put it where they can see it. Lists are great at motivating kids, and they free you up too, since you won’t need to tell anyone to put on their outfits or grab their school supplies.

• Create a school workspace

A quiet, distraction-free spot for your child to learn is a key to success. Look for a location away from TV and younger family members, add good light and make sure your kid has a comfy seat. Creating a spot for only school-related activities makes it feel more official, and will also help your child focus when in that spot.

• Get familiar with school

Even online, first days of school can be scary. You can erase a bit of that fear by doing a school dry run, setting up your home for a pretend first day, and start incorporating online learning games, especially for young children who are new to school.

Due to recent Internal Revenue Service guidance in response to COVID-19, GW is providing increased flexibility for the GW Health Care Flexible Spending Account (HCFSA) and the Dependent Day Care Flexible Spending Account (DCFSA).

The following changes are allowed to be made through December 10, 2020 for both FSA accounts:.

• Newly enroll in a 2020 FSA
• Increase your current 2020 FSA election
• Decrease your current 2020 FSA election*

These changes are allowed regardless of whether a qualifying life event (i.e. marriage, adoption) occurred, or the employee was affected financially by COVID-19.

*Special note about decreasing an FSA election: Employees may not reduce an election below the amount that has already been reimbursed or has been contributed, whichever is higher. For example, if an employee has contributed $500 to a 2020 DCFSA, and would like to cancel all future DCFSA elections, the employee would select $500 as their new contribution.

 

To Make Changes Via EasyEnroll

1) Login to EasyEnroll
2) Select “Click Here” then “Enroll Now” under Benefits enrollment
3) Select “FSA Mid-Year Change” at the end of the Live Events list
4) Continue through the prompts to make changes to your elections
5) Save a copy of your confirmation for future reference

When Are Changes Effective

Your FSA election changes are effective the 1st of the month following the date you make a change in the EasyEnroll System or the 1st of the month if the change is made on the 1st of a month.

Contact Benefits at benefits@gwu.edu at (571) 553-8382.

While it may seem more fun to plan a vacation or celebration, taking time to create an estate plan is among the most important things you can do for your loved ones.  Estate planning benefits you by:

• Allowing you to choose distribution of your assets.
• Giving you the chance to name your children’s guardian in the event of your early death.
• Reducing taxes on what you leave behind.
• Minimizing the chances of family strife and legal battles.

The primary step of estate planning is designating beneficiaries for your assets, whether it’s a summer house or stock portfolio. Without an estate plan, the courts will often decide who gets your assets, a process that can take years, rack up fees, and be an emotional burden to your loved ones. After all, a court doesn’t know which sibling has been responsible and which one shouldn’t have free access to cash. Nor will the courts automatically rule that the surviving spouse gets everything.

If you are new to the concept of estate planning, it is easy to get overwhelmed, but don’t let that deter you. An easy place to start is with the basics:

• Update beneficiary information anytime by logging in to the EasyEnroll System.
  • Click on “Select Benefits” and choose “Change in Dependent or Beneficiary Information” from the Life Events menu.
  • You will also want to update your beneficiary information with your chosen retirement provider(s), either through your provider’s website:
    • TIAA
      24-Hour Service: (800) 842-2776
    • Fidelity Investments
      24-Hour Service: (800) 343-0860
• Prepare a will and funeral/burial wishes.
  • If you have GW’s provided basic group life insurance, the LifeKeys® program provides access to a wide array of services including estate planning, identity theft resources and beneficiary support. Call 1-855-891-3684 or visit GuidanceResources.com (First-time users: Enter Web ID LifeKeys See the LifeKeys info on the Benefits Life&AD&D webpage).
• Assign a Power Of Attorney (durable and/or healthcare, depending on specific needs) who can assist with end of life activities and has your relevant estate documents (including Social Security Number and date of birth for a life insurance claim).

GW’s Wellbeing Hotline, also referred to as the Employee Assistance Plan (EAP), is another option to get the process started.  This service provides legal and financial services, such as a free 30-minute consultation with an attorney.  To access the Wellbeing Hotline, visit my.gwu.edu, click “Sign In” in the left corner. Under the “Working” section, select “Wellbeing Hotline” and you will automatically enter the site.   Under the “Legal Tools and Forms” tab you’ll find a “Personal Document” section with templates for Living Trusts and Wills.

This month we shared a notice with 403(b) Retirement Plan participants about the CARES Act provisions that offer relief options to those affected by COVID-19.

These financial relief options are designed to provide participants access to retirement plan funds in the event they experience financial hardship due to COVID-19.

The following provisions are available under the GW 403(b) retirement plan:

• CARES Act distributions: Waiver of penalties and tax withholding on qualified withdrawals. Distributions are still subject to taxation.
• CARES Act loans: Plan loan limits have been increased and an option to defer loan payments has been added.

Please view the notice linked above for eligibility information and contact information for Fidelity and TIAA financial consultant. It’s important to understand the impact of a withdrawal or loan. You will have to save more in the future in order to replenish any distribution and/or loan.

Who Is Eligible?

You are considered eligible to take CARES Act distributions or loans from your GW 403(b) plan if any of the below conditions are met:

• You, your spouse or your dependent has been diagnosed with COVID-19, or
• You suffer certain financial consequences due to COVID-19, including, as a result of quarantine, reduced work hours, or cannot work due to lack of child care as a result of COVID-19.

If you choose to take a CARES Act distribution or loan, you will be asked to self-certify that you meet the eligibility requirements.

Learning Resources

Fidelity and TIAA have provided the following articles and webinars highlighting important considerations prior to making a withdrawal from your retirement account:

• Take carewhen considering CARES Act distributions or loans (TIAA) 
• Guiding you through turbulent times (TIAA)
• Managing your finances during turbulent financial times (Fidelity)
• Manage unexpected events and expenses webinar schedule (Fidelity)
• Financial Emergency: Consider all your options (Fidelity)

Now that our homes have also become our workspace for many of us, we rounded up key points from the Mayo Clinic and SHRM to help you create a space that supports physical health to avoid straining your neck and back. Use this visual aid to recreate an ergonomic environment at home.

Select an Appropriate Work Location

Consider picking a spot with a table or work surface that is 27-29” high. Any higher, and you may find an increase in shoulder and neck discomfort that comes from working on a work surface that is too high.

Select the Best Chair Available

In an ideal world, this means a fully adjustable office chair that you can adjust to your stature and that allows you to vary your posture during the day. If you don’t own an adjustable office chair, take stock of your kitchen, dining room, and other chairs and pick a chair that provides back support, allowing you to sit upright (hip to back angle of 90-110 degrees) with your upper body weight supported on the backrest.

Monitor

Place the monitor directly in front of you, about an arm’s length away. The top of the screen should be at or slightly below eye level. The monitor should be directly behind your keyboard. If you wear bifocals, lower the monitor an additional 1 to 2 inches for more comfortable viewing. Place your monitor so that the brightest light source is to the side.

Find a Footrest

Your thighs should be parallel with the floor, with your feet firmly planted. If you are of average stature or shorter, there is a good chance that you would benefit from use of a footrest. A stack of legal-sized copy paper, or a large flat book are options you can use while working at home if you do not have a footrest.

Sometimes you want immediate answers to your health concerns and you can’t wait until morning. myNurseLine (1-800-846-4678) is designed for employees on a GW medical plan to help make your health decisions simple and convenient by providing:

• Immediate answers to your health questions anytime, anywhere — 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
• Access to experienced registered nurses who have an average of over 4½ years as a NurseLine nurse.
• Trusted, physician-approved information to help guide your health care decisions.

When you call, a registered nurse can help you:

• Choose the appropriate medical care for your needs — whether that is an emergency room, doctor visit or self-care.
• Find a doctor or hospital that meets your needs and preferences in your area.
• Understand your diagnosis and explore different treatment options and outcomes.
• Achieve a healthy lifestyle and get tips on nutrition, exercise, health screenings and immunizations.
• Learn how to save money on prescriptions, and take your medications safely and avoid interactions

 

* Note: NurseLine is for informational purposes only. Nurses cannot diagnose problems or recommend specific treatment and are not a substitute for your doctor’s care

Call today – 1-800-846-4678

GW is temporarily waiving costs (i.e. related copayments, deductibles, coinsurance) for medical Virtual Visits for employees covered on the GW PPO and GW HSP Medical Plans through UnitedHealthcare.

All virtual visit appointment types (e.g., sore throats, allergies, seasonal flu), including suspected or confirmed COVID-19 cases will be covered at 100%.

Your Virtual Visit will be provided through one of the following UnitedHealthcare vendors: Teladoc, AmWell or Doctor on Demand.

How Do I Register For and Use Virtual Visits?

• Login at myuhc.com or download the Unitedhealthcare app; login with your myuhc username and password
• Navigate to Virtual Visits
• Complete a medical history form

When You Need to See a Doctor Using Virtual Visits

• Visit myuhc.com or open the app. Login with username and password
• Select “Find Care and Costs” and choose Medical Directory
• Select “People”
• Select Virtual Visits
• Choose one of the several virtual visit provider sites. You will then be connected directly to the provider’s group site or app.

• Video chat face-to-face with a doctor in 20 minutes or less.
• Get prescriptions, if needed.

Have these three items ready to register for and complete your Virtual Visit:

• Health plan ID card
• Credit card
• Pharmacy location

The COVID-19 crisis has created interruptions in our lives, not just to celebrations but to the ways that we live our lives and care for our loved ones. In response to the impact this had on your lives, Dana Bradley, recently announced the university is temporarily enhancing the Annual Time Carryover policy.  This enhancement allows all benefits-eligible staff to carry over up to 10 days of accrued but unused annual time.  Additionally, the deadline to use these carryover days has been extended by two additional months. These carryover days must be used by October 31, 2020.

We still encourage you to use annual time when you are able, even under the current stay-at-home orders. While we are all dealing with the anxieties of this challenging time, taking a day off can be invaluable to your mental wellbeing.

Please note: There will be no change made to the number of days eligible for payout upon departing the university. The maximum number of accrued but unused carryover days eligible for payout remains at 5 days.

Headspace, the mindfulness app, is now available at no cost for benefits-eligible faculty and staff. While the app is known for its guided meditations, users also have access to sleep programs, movement exercises and more.  There are even programs specially designed for kids with themes such as calm, kindness, and bedtime.

You can sign up now using your @gwu.edu email for free and unlimited access on your computer or mobile device, such as a phone or tablet. Visit the Headspace webpage for more information on how to sign up, FAQs and additional helpful videos on how to get started if you’re new to meditation.

“The most effective leaders face reality head on, especially in times of crisis. And that’s exactly what parents need to do. Coronavirus is a leadership challenge for working parents.”

COVID-19 is disrupting business as usual. Working parents are facing a complex set of questions about how to manage work, school and daycare closures.

In the following Harvard Business Review article, the authors share a set of guidelines to help prepare for the widespread disruption of school and work that draws on the leadership principles and practices they have applied in their new book Parents Who Lead.

Talk to your boss.

Now is the time to speak to your manager, one-on-one. It will benefit you, your boss, and your children if you create an intentional approach to extended school closures, understanding that you and your boss are both facing difficult, unexpected, and uncharted choices.

Think through scenarios (travel, meetings, schedules, workload etc.) and clarify your mutual expectations for various scenarios: “Here is my understanding of how we might handle this situation. Do I have it right? What am I missing? Remember that the goal is to find ways to make things work for everyone, not just you. These conversations should not launch with how your work must accommodate your family life. Such zero-sum thinking (good for me, bad for my boss) isn’t likely to get you the support you need or build a strong foundation for your on-going relationship.

If you’re in a managerial role or work closely with a team, you may need to have more than one of these conversations. The good news is that genuine conversations like these strengthen relationships and improve performance for everyone.

Get on the same page as your parenting partner.

Even under the best circumstances, figuring out how to share childcare and housework responsibilities with a parenting partner can be fraught with frustration and resentment. (Note that “parenting partner” refers to anyone with whom you share responsibility for raising children.)

Whether it’s working in shifts or creating different zones in the house, seek out creative solutions to support the home together. You will need to continue being willing to adjust on the fly; but if you do your calm and rational talking now, when you aren’t in crisis mode, you will likely be better able to create a plan that will work for everyone.

Leverage technology wisely.

For younger children, recognize that you may have to relax normal screen-time restrictions to free you up to get more work done. For older children, keep in mind that they may be expected to use technology to complete schoolwork from home. If you do not have enough computers and tablets for everyone to use at the same time, consider how you can work with what you have so that everyone can do what they need.

Understand the limitations of your technological capabilities. For example, your internet speed might not support your video conference calls while your kids stream Netflix.

Closings due to coronavirus are different than snow days when children often get together and entertain each other while a parent works from home. Since the goal is to contain a highly contagious virus, social distancing will be the norm and technology may, briefly, need to be your child’s best friend — and teacher.

Mobilize your village.

While it isn’t feasible to trade-off childcare responsibilities (due to quarantine restrictions), consider other ways in which you can make things easier for one another — whether it’s sharing creative activities to keep the kids entertained or taking turns grocery shopping. Similar to how the university is teaching classes via webinar — with each student on their own laptop, having conversations in virtual breakout rooms — kids can get together for virtual play dates, in groups of various sizes. Be open to new ways of doing things.

Remember the bigger picture.

There are countless opportunities to talk with our children about what we value as parents, and this community health crisis demonstrates the importance of helping others, looking out for people in need, the efficacy of small actions (like handwashing or not going to large gathering places) in order to protect others. Hard as it might be to do so, try to place the day-to-day frustrations and compromises within the scope of the larger reason our schools and workplaces are closed — to safeguard the most vulnerable members of our society. As parents who lead, we can teach important lessons about what really matters to our children in this trying time.

Markets are reacting to the impact of the COVID-19 outbreak, leading some to feel financial anxiety about their retirement portfolios. In the following Fidelity and TIAA articles, experts illustrate how markets have historically found strength after turbulent times, reminding us that diversified portfolio can weather the storms.

Financial Wellbeing Webinars in March

Through our partnerships with Fidelity and TIAA we are able to offer a number of learning opportunities with topics that provide something for everyone. Boost your knowledge and know-how by taking advantage of one of these upcoming webinars:

• Fidelity’s Turn Your Savings into Retirement Income, is available as a recorded webinar. Explore the benefits of a retirement income plan, factors to consider when transitioning your savings into income, and ways to develop a plan that suits your goals and lifestyle.
• TIAA’s Market Volatility Webinar –Wednesday, March 25, 2 p.m. ET. Join TIAA’s Chief Investment Strategist for a special webinar covering what’s driving the current volatility. Learn strategies to help handle the current market swings. This webinar is posted to the Live Webinar Lounge and available for registration at TIAA.org/webinars.

Effective March 16, 2020 the university’s Time-Off policy is being augmented specifically for the COVID-19 situation. To support our staff and their loved ones, a new paid time off option, Pandemic Time (PND), is available and can be submitted in Kronos (go.gwu.edu/trs) following the same steps one would take to submit annual or sick time.  PND replaces the previously announced option of using sick time in advance of accrual..

PND is available to use now in Kronos for the following employee types:

• Full Time benefits-eligible staff – 80 hours
• Part Time benefits-eligible staff – 40 hours
• Hourly wage/temporary workers – 20 hours
  • GW temp agency employees who are in an active status may request PND for days they are scheduled to work but unable to do so due to the COVID-19 situations noted below.

What are the eligible situations when an employee can use pandemic time?

• Self-isolation or quarantine, even if they are not sick, when it is required or recommended by a public health authority or health care provider
• Obtaining a personal diagnosis or caring for one’s own COVID-19 exposure or symptom
• Assisting an immediate family member who is self-quarantined because of a COVID-19 diagnosis or is experiencing symptoms of COVID-19 and needs to obtain medical diagnosis or care
• Caring for an immediate family member who is not sick but needs care due to COVID-19 related closures of schools or daycare

A family member is defined in accordance with the Time Off and Leave policy:

• A person related by blood, legal custody or marriage;
• A foster child or child who lives with the employee and for whom the employee permanently assumes and discharges parental responsibility;
• A person with whom the employee shares or has shared, within the last year, a mutual residence and with whom the employee maintains a committed relationship.

For more details on this enhancement and to review a FAQ document on Pandemic Time, please visit the Benefits homepage.

The Spring 2020 Lifestyle, Sport, and Physical Activity (LSPA) free classes are available for faculty and staff on a weekly basis. Classes are being offered from Monday, January 13, 2020 through Thursday, May 14, 2020* at the Foggy Bottom Campus. See schedule below:

Yoga

• Mondays and Wednesdays | 12 p.m. to 12:50 p.m.
• GWSPH B112B | Please bring your own mat.

ME (Metabolic Effect)

• Tuesdays and Thursdays | 12 p.m. to 12:30 p.m.
• GWSPH B112A

Meditation

• Thursdays | 12:15 p.m. to 12:45 p.m.
• GWSPH B109

Housekeeping Notes:

• To be eligible for these classes, the designation on your GWorld card must list Faculty or Staff. Please arrive to class on time.
• Subscribe to the Free Faculty/Staff Classes listserv to stay updated on class offerings
• Contact the LSPA Program Office at LSPA@gwu.edu or (202) 994-6280.

 

*Classes will follow the Academic Calendar and are not held during breaks or holidays. **Due to high demand and limited equipment, some sections of LSPA courses listed on the Registrar’s Page are not available to join. All classes that appear on the “Register Here” page are eligible while space permits. 

In the past few weeks, you’ve likely recently seen an uptick in friends sharing their health challenges on your social media feeds. One challenge that we are committing to this year is meditating.

Meditation studies show that the practice may help reduce anxiety, increase creativity and improve your sleep¹. Not only can it be done in most spaces, it also requires little time (10 minutes) and GW offers meditation sessions for free!

This month we are offering a Fitbit raffle for employees who bring a colleague to our meditation sessions at the Foggy Bottom or VSTC campus.  Sign up below for one of the meditation sessions in February and we’ll include a signup sheet at meditation events. If your name is chosen, both you and your colleague will both win a Fitbit.

Why Fitbit? Not only is Fitbit a great accountability tool when you’re looking to incorporate a new habit, but it also reminds you throughout the day to breathe and relax. If you’re looking for another accountability tool, download this goal tracker, pin it to your cubicle wall and make a commitment to your wellbeing this year.

¹ Mayo Clinic, Meditation: A Simple, Fast Way to Reduce Stress; September 18, 2019 https://www.mayoclinic.org/tests-procedures/meditation/in-depth/meditation/art-20045858