10/15 Weekly + Q4 Newsletter + Gym Access
Hi all,
I have a few new updates and reminders, in the following order this week.
Quarter 4 Newsletter
Baking Contest/Dessert Exchange
Employee Gym Access
Member Meeting Updates
National Disability Awareness Month
1. Quarter 4 Newsletter: The newest edition of our newsletter is now available. I’ve attached a copy to this email and will be delivering copies to bulletin boards in the next 2 weeks. This edition contains information about our 15th anniversary, updates on our communication strategies, winners of both our Photo Contest and Employee of the Quarter for Q4, information about our disciplines and resolutions from the last 3 months, and an updated calendar of local AZ events for the next few months.
2. Baking Contest/Dessert Exchange: UAEA is happy to also announce our 4th Quarter Contest, a Baking Contest/Dessert Exchange happening on November 17th at the Tempe Public Library. We’re letting members bring in and exchange desserts from 10-2PM on that date. Non-members can also participate (we mainly want more desserts to pick from), but only UAEA members will be eligible to enter their treats in the contest portion and/or win prizes. This year we will be accepting 4 types of entries, Sweet, Savory, Non-Traditional, and Allergen-friendly - if applicable, participants can enter one dessert in multiple categories and would be eligible for prizes in each.
A complete list of rules can be found at this link. You don’t need to, but the board would appreciate if members could also sign up in advance at this link so we have a better idea of head count before the day of the event.
3. Employee Gym Access: As a reminder, Tempe employees have free access to the gyms at all 4 of Tempe’s Adult Recreation Center sites. For transparencies’ sake, “free access” means that you do not pay a monthly rate - you will need to pay a few dollars on your annual taxes each year since the IRS taxes certain employee benefits. I’ve included that table below. You are only taxed for the months you use the gym, so if you decide after a month that the North Tempe facility isn’t for you, you will only be charged $2 for the year, not $24 (more on that in a second).
Facility Name
North Tempe Multi-Generational Center
$2.00
Kiwanis Recreation Center
$24.00
Escalante Multi-Generational Center
$2.00
Pyle Adult Recreation Center
$9.00
I recently signed up at one of the sites and found the experience to be quite straightforward. I walked in, identified myself as an employee to one of the front desk staff, and received a quick form I needed to fill out. After filling it out I received a printed QR code. As long as I scan it whenever I enter, I have access to the gyms and work out facilities at the site during their open hours. There is one caveat - due to above-mentioned tax laws, employees do need to refresh their membership on a monthly basis, but this is a pretty quick process. I’ve found that there’s a nice variety of equipment that is kept in good condition - each site also requires that users clean every piece of equipment after use, which keeps things a bit cleaner than other gyms I’ve used in the past. I have also found (possibly because I work out in the evenings), that I usually have the space to myself. At most, I’ve been sharing the space with 2 other people.
For those interested, here are the locations and hours of the sites employees have access to.
Pyle Adult Recreation Center - 655 E. Southern Ave, Tempe, AZ 85282
Monday - Thursday | 8 a.m. - 9 p.m.
Friday | 8 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Saturday | 9 a.m. - 4 p.m.
Sunday | Closed
North Tempe Multi-Generational Center -1555 N. Bridalwreath St., Tempe, AZ 85288
Monday-Friday | 8 a.m. - 1 p.m.
Saturday & Sunday | Closed
Kiwanis Recreation Center - 6111 S All America Way, Tempe, AZ 85283
Monday - Thursday | 7 a.m. - 10 p.m.
Friday | 7 a.m. - 7 p.m.
Saturday and Sunday | 8 a.m. - 6 p.m.
Escalante Multi-Generational Center - 2150 E. Orange St. Tempe, AZ 85281
Monday - Thursday: 8 a.m. - 9 p.m.
Friday: 8 a.m. - 8 p.m.
Saturday: 10 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Sunday: 1 - 6 p.m.
Employees on Tempe’s Dental Plan also have access to the “Active and Fit” program, which gives access to dozens of gym chains for as little as $28/month (base price is $28, premium memberships cost more, depending on the chain). I’ve attached a flyer with some details and employees can sign up here through their Cigna accounts.
4. Member Meeting Updates: The October Virtual Members Meeting will be on Wednesday, October 21st, from 12-1PM. You can rsvp for that here until tonight at 5PM.
5. National Disability Employment Awareness Month: October is a month with a lot of celebrations and recognitions, and I wanted to briefly mention NDEA Month. I mentioned Disability Pride month and the nature of disabilities back in my 7/30 weekly email and wanted to reiterate some of the key points from that - 28% of Americans have disabilities, aging means that everyone will eventually have some kind of disability, and there is a whole world of “invisible” disabilities that impact people but are not immediately apparent. UAEA believes that workers should have protections against mistreatment for disabilities and that employers should work with recently-disabled employees to find ways to accommodate their needs - if you need assistance with requesting workplace accommodations or need help with a FMLA request, please feel free to reach out.
I have also discovered, since my last email, that there is a national organization called JAN (the Job Accommodation Network) which provides helpful suggestions for employees who may need accommodations in the workplace but aren’t sure what might actually help meet their needs. If you’re dealing with a specific disability or just generally have trouble with specific types of tasks, JAN may be able to point you towards some useful tools or tips to help you be as successful as possible.
Retirement Expo: Tempe will be hosting its annual retirement expo from 10-2PM on October 20th at the Tempe Library’s lower level. Representatives from Tempe HR, Nationwide, AZRS, and Galloway will be there to answer questions and give presentations. This is a useful event for all City staff, regardless of how close you are to retiring - proper planning now can make retirement come much sooner or be far more comfortable. No rsvp is needed to attend.
Personal Cellphone/Email: If you would like UAEA updates to be sent to your personal email or phone number, please fill out this survey. We’ll get you added within a week or two to our contact lists.
UAEA Member Retirements: UAEA’s Board would like to start recognizing the retirements of UAEA members. If you’re planning to retire, please feel free to shoot us an email or fill out this form and we’ll send you some nice thoughts to close out your time at the City. If you’d like, we’d also appreciate if you could fill out our exit survey before you go - there’s an option to indicate interest in that in the survey as well.
Community Resources: UAEA is aware of rising fuel prices and how this is impacting members. We are having some internal city discussions about possible workplace changes, but also wanted to post some resources for members who may be struggling to make ends meet. This is a similar list to what we posted in November with a few new additions. Please feel to reach out if you have additional recommendations about local resources.
AZ Food Bank Network: This link contains information about dozens of food banks and assistance sites across Arizona. You can search by the directory and the zipcodes they provide services for to find food banks in your areas.
AZ Medical and Nutrition Assistance: This is an Arizona-State run program that can help connect people with Arizona State programs that provide assistance for people who need medical coverage, WIC support, or additional access to nutrition. I do not know all that the program entails.
Maricopa County Utility Support: This is a Maricopa County program that can help people receive assistance paying for utilities. Some cities have unique offerings while others are covered under one umbrella program.
AZ 211: This is a Arizona-State run help line that can help people connect with a variety of resources and support they may be unaware of in their area.
Tempe Employee Relief Fund: This is a Tempe-run program (paid for by employee donations) that can provide support of up to $1,200 to assist Tempe employees with unplanned emergency bills (housing, mortgage, utilities, etc).
Employee Assistance Program: If you have insurance through the City of Tempe, you can take advantage of the EAP, a group of resources which can provide free therapy, legal consultations, or classes on stress management.
Cheap Recipe Guides: These are two free cookbooks designed for cooking high-nutrition and easy meals on a budget. Even if you’re not a fan of the recipes, there are some good tips on stocking a kitchen with affordable and long-lasting staples.
Free Transit Pass: This contains information on how to obtain your free bus, streetcar, and lightrail pass as a Tempe employee.
Sun Bucks: This program offers direct payments in the summer to families whose children receive free or reduced cost school lunches
Discount Grocery Stores: This link provides a few examples of discount/salvage grocery stores around Phoenix that resell food that supermarket chains don’t want (everything is still good, usually stores get rid of items that are out of season or past their best-by date, even if still viable).
First Time Homebuyer Assistance: These links provide information on a few programs designed to help municipal or low-income employees purchase homes for the first time. Some are loans, some are down-payment assistance, some are direct financial support. The first link is an Arizona program meant for home buying in Maricopa County, but the same program is also available to Pima County residents.
Thanks for a great week, everyone!