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Human Resources Services

News to Use – June 2023

News to Use – June 2023

News to Use is a monthly summary of HR information for all employees of McMaster University.

 

The Working Mind Mental Health Training  - Human Resource Services, in collaboration with McMaster’s Okanagan Committee, is pleased to be offering The Working Mind mental health training for faculty, staff and leaders.  This training directly supports our shared purpose of promoting and contributing to a healthy and safe community at McMaster University.  

The Working Mind is an evidence-based training program designed to promote mental health and reduce stigma around mental illness in the workplace by initiating a shift in the way you think, act, and feel about mental health.  The training offers practical knowledge and skills to address mental health and mental illness in the workplace.  Three core modules offer the same foundational content to both employee and people leader participants and an additional module focuses on helping leaders support their teams’ mental health.  

Currently, sessions are being offered for people leaders and additional sessions will be added for employees in the coming months.  To learn more about the program and register for an upcoming course, please vising https://hr.mcmaster.ca/twm.  

Upcoming course dates:
July 31 and Aug 1: 10 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. 
August 22 and 23: 10 a.m. – 3:30 p.m.  

Benefit Year Ending June 30th – McMaster’s benefit year ends June 30th, 2023. Eligible employees have until September 30th, 2023, to submit any extended health and dental claims incurred during the period July 1st, 2022 and June 30th, 2023. Review your Group Benefits booklet and the Sun Life claims procedures for more details. Claims can be easily submitted online or through the Sun Life mobile app. More information on how to submit claims online or via the app can be found here. 

Healthcare Spending Account Reminders – A Healthcare Spending Account (HSA) was introduced for members of TMG effective July 1, 2022.  The HSA provides $500 per employee per benefit year that can be used for eligible health and dental expenses.  Be sure to submit your eligible expenses for the July 1, 2022 to June 30, 2023 benefit year to Sun Life by September 30, 2023.  Any unused amount remaining in your Healthcare Spending Account at the end of the current benefit year will be carried forward for one year and added to the $500 allocation for the upcoming benefit year which runs from July 1, 2023 to July 30, 2024.   More information about the HSA for TMG can be found here. 

A Healthcare Spending Account (HSA) is being introduced for members of Unifor Unit 1 effective July 1, 2023.  The HSA will provide $400 per employee per benefit year that can be used for eligible health and dental expenses.  More information about the HSA for Unifor Unit 1 can be found here. 

Important update about a change in the Emergency Travel Assistance Provider effective July 1, 2023 – McMaster’s Emergency Travel Assistance benefit is provided through the Sun Life group benefits plan.   Effective July 1, 2023, Sun Life Global Excel Management (GEM) is the new provider for emergency out-of-country and out-of-province travel assistance. GEM replaces the current provider – Allianz Global Assistance (Allianz).  To help ensure a smooth transition: 

  • Allianz will continue to manage any claims that were incurred prior to July 1, 2023, for the remainder of 2023. 
  • A new travel card will be available for download on mysunlife.ca or the my Sun Life mobile app on or after July 1, 2023.  The new travel card will also be available in the Travel and Medi-Passport which will be available on the HR website on July 1, 2023. 
  • The telephone numbers for Emergency Travel Assistance are not changing.  For 24/7 assistance, call: 
  • In the USA and Canada:  1-800-511-4610 
  • From anywhere else:  1-519-514-0351 

The change will have no impact on your Emergency Travel Assistant benefit plan provisions. The McMaster contract number (25018) and Member ID number (your employee ID number) will remain the same. Should you or your covered dependents have any emergency medical requirements while travelling, be sure to contact GEM using the numbers above.  Additional information about this change is available on the HR website.  

 News To Use