1/29 Weekly Email + Free Wills
Hi all,
I have a few updates this week and then a brief discussion about how to obtain your free will through our law firm.
Virtual Bulletin Board: I have recently added a page to our website which contains all of the current information that is posted on our City bulletin boards. If you work in an area that does not have bulletin board access, please feel free to reference this. Please also reach out if your office/work area does not currently have a bulletin board and you would like one - we may be able to add one, depending on space allowances.
Biometric Screenings: Tempe is hosting its annual biometric screenings across the City throughout the month of February. Please see the attached email for details about the screenings and a link to schedule. Remember that these screenings are a mandatory requirement for people to receive their insurance discount, that they count for at least 50 points of the 100pts of your insurance wellness discount, and that they could count for as much as 75 points of your 100 pts if your health metrics see improvements over last year’s scores. Please also don’t forget that you can use the results of a physical at your primary-care doctor to substitute for these screenings if that makes you more comfortable - you can see how to do that in the attached document.
Email Updates: UAEA cleaned up the email list we use for internal City emails and discovered that some members either were never added to that list or somehow fell off in the past year. We believe the current directory is up-to-date and reflective of all of our members, and deeply apologize if you have suddenly started to receive emails again (for future reference, it does appear some Outlook setting changes or updates can remove people from our email list without us knowing). I try to send out weekly emails every Thursday between 8am and 5pm - if you start to no longer receive those, please reach out and we’ll get you added back to the distribution list asap. Please also don’t forget that we have an unlisted online archive of old emails that can be accessed on our website.
EAP and Mental Health Writeup: Our most recent newsletter includes a section on the EAP program written by UAEA Board Member Sandra Jaramillo. The newsletter version had to be cut down slightly due to space constraints - here is the whole writeup, unredacted.
What can your EAP do for you?
Supportlinc offers expert guidance to help you and your family address and resolve everyday issues
Financial Expertise – consultation and planning with a financial advisor
Legal Consultation – by phone or in person with a local attorney
Short term counseling – up to 8 no cost counseling sessions via video or in-person
Referrals – for childcare, elder care, home repair, housing, education and pet care
“Textcoach” is like having a mental health coach in your pocket. Try downloading the app!
For support, contact www.supportlinc.com group code: CityofTempe or call 1-888-881-5462
Support for these services is usually offered 24/7/365
A Guide to Better Mental Health
Managing mental health effectively involves a multifaceted approach that encompasses various strategies:
Self-Care:
Engage in regular physical activity: Exercise releases endorphins, which have mood-boosting effects.
Prioritize healthy sleep habits: Aim for 7-9 hours of quality sleep per night.
Maintain a nutritious diet: Nourish your body with fruits, vegetables, and whole grains.
Practice relaxation techniques: Meditation, yoga, or deep breathing exercises can reduce stress and anxiety.
Connect with others: Spend time with supportive friends, family, or a therapist.
Professional Help:
Lifestyle Modifications:
Reduce stress: Identify and manage stressors effectively through techniques like time management, delegation, and relaxation.
Limit alcohol: Excessive substance use can worsen mental health.
Establish healthy boundaries: Learn to say no and protect your emotional well-being.
Engage in hobbies and interests: Find activities that bring you joy and provide a sense of fulfillment.
Additional Tips:
Practice gratitude: Focus on the positive aspects of your life.
Develop coping skills: Learn healthy ways to deal with difficult emotions and situations.
Take breaks: Allow yourself time for rest and rejuvenation.
Seek support from loved ones: Don't hesitate to reach out to friends, family, or a support group for encouragement and understanding.
Remember, managing mental health is an ongoing process that requires consistent effort and adaptation. By implementing these strategies and seeking professional help when necessary, you can improve your mental well-being and live a fulfilling life. Find yourself in need? Reach out to our Employee Assistance Program (EAP) 1-888-881-5462
Getting your Free Will: More people have been reaching out recently to inquire about the process for obtaining a free will through our law firm (a member-exclusive perk!), so I wanted to provide some basic information that might save people some time if they want to take advantage of that this year.
Why do you want or need a will? Well, wills are fairly important legal documents. If you die without a will, your assets will be distributed based off of Arizona’s “intestate succession” laws, which firmly dictate how your property and possessions are distributed. If you wanted to leave specific pieces of property to certain people, it is very unlikely that the intestate succession laws would account for that. You may also have certain desires about who will gain custody of your children or who will obtain power of attorney over your estate - Arizona has laws regarding that which also may not reflect your desires. I attended an investment seminar last year where an employee from Glendale shared one of the worst case scenarios that could happen - one of the Glendale city employees passed away at a fairly young age without a will, meaning that their estranged parent inherited everything instead of their long-term partner. Since that employee was not married to their partner, the partner had no legal standing and the parent refused to give them anything. Wills are legally binding documents that force the state (and your family) to recognize your desires - it’s thus never too early to start thinking about what you want to do down the road, even if retirement is still quite a ways away.
Free wills are available through UAEA’s law firm, Napier Baillie Wilson Bacon & Tallone, P.C. Any UAEA member can reach out via phone or email to start the process - their contact information is as follows.
Phone: 602-248-9107
Email: mnapierpc@aol.com
The firm will first walk you through the process either via phone or email. Once they’ve completed the initial conversations, they will reach out to the UAEA Board to verify that you are a current dues-paying member. After that, they’ll send you an engagement letter (which outlines their responsibilities and obligations to you as you work with the firm) and a packet of asset-based information that you can fill out at your leisure over the next few days, weeks, or months. If you are legally married, they will also send an engagement letter to your spouse - under Arizona law, spouses cannot be completely excluded from wills. They also need to be aware of any decisions that are made that involve shared assets or your estate.
The information packet is about 7 pages and asks a series of questions about your personal information, the people you want included in your will, your current assets, and the individual you would like to handle your estate. It also gives you the option to work with them on creating Financial and Healthcare Power of Attorney documents, as well as a Living Will (which specifies medical treatments you are comfortable undergoing if you become incapacitated and unable to make or communicate decisions for yourself in a healthcare setting). Those last 3 are additional perks also offered for free. You can fill out this packet over whatever time period you’d like - depending on the nature of your assets and the number of people you want to include, it might be something you finish in a few days or over a few months. Once you finish it, you’ll return it to the firm, where they’ll review your information and ask any clarifying questions they need to finalize the paperwork. Attorneys at the firm will then draft the official will with the information you’ve provided, and return it to you after a few weeks for your approval.
One last note - wills are legally binding but they are not set in stone. You can draft a will now and return to it in a few years to make revisions. As long as you’re a UAEA member you can come back to the law firm and get free changes made to existing wills - the process is also much faster the second time if you’re modifying an existing document rather than starting from scratch.
February Member’s Meeting: Our next members meeting will be on February 19th from 12-1pm at the Tempe Fire Training Center (1420 E Apache Boulevard). (Please note that prior copies of our meeting schedule stated, incorrectly, that the address is 225 E Marigold). This meeting will have representatives from Nationwide present to do a presentation on retirement planning - if you attend this session and ask questions it will count towards your healthymetempe “Financial Wellness” incentive, which is worth 5 points (1/20th of your needed 100 points). You can rsvp here until February 12th.
Tempe IT Trainings: Tempe It is offering Microsoft and Adobe training throughout the Spring, with courses designed both for entry-level employees and those who already use those tools on a daily basis. I think nearly every employee can benefit from these courses - if you handle documents or information on a consistent basis, there are almost certainly ways to simplify some of your existing work processes and transfer information from different programs more easily. Check out the class schedule here.
There are also 30 on-demand computer classes offered through the Tempe IT class portal if there are other skills you want to build. Check those out here.
Thanks for a great week, everyone!