W@D June-July 2012

WORKING@DUKE n NEWS YOU CAN USE n Volume 7, Issue 3 n June/July 2012

INSIDE

Guide To Saving On Summer Fun How To Beat Burnout New Parking Rates Announced

The Gift of Time Duke’s Kiel program allows employees to donate vacation time to colleagues in need

Editor’s Note LEANORA MINAI

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Win A Stay At Washington Duke Inn

end us your best shot, Duke staff and faculty.

You’re invited to submit your best vacation photo and share how Duke’s paid time off benefit helps you relax and recharge. If you submit a photo, you’ll be entered in a random drawing for a mini-vacation: a one-night stay and dinner and breakfast for two at the Washington Duke Inn in Durham.

We’ll use some of the best stories and photos in our print and online publications. We’ll also post all photos in an online album for the Duke community to view.

This project is part of our ongoing effort to provide information about Duke benefits and resources that help you enhance work-life balance.

Taking advantage of vacation time is one way to change the rhythm of life and beat burnout.

“There is something about breaking a routine,” said Carol Retsch-Bogart, a counselor with Duke’s Personal Assistance Service. “Shaking it up a little bit can be energizing.”

Please visit hr.duke.edu/vacationpics to learn more about the project and to upload a photo.

Only one photo is eligible per staff or faculty member. (If you don’t have computer access, send one 4 by 6 print taken in the past two years to Working@Duke, Box 90496. Please include full name, email, phone number and how the vacation helped you renew).

The deadline is July 23, so you still have time to send us your best shot. Meanwhile, I’m sharing an image from Marsha Green, a senior writer on the Working@Duke team, to get you in the spirit.

Marsha, seen here at the right, holds a tarantula in the Mayan ruins of Guatemala, where she visited in 2011.

“Two weeks of hiking in the jungles and highlands of Guatemala among gorgeous scenery refreshed my mind, strengthened my body and reminded me of how important it is to Marsha Green get out of the office and back to nature,” Green said.

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Contents

Working@Duke

Cover: The Gift of Time Last year, 1,415 Duke staff and faculty donated 31,218 hours to help colleagues who have suffered catastrophic injury or illness to themselves (or eligible family members) and have exhausted all of their accrued time.

How to Beat Burnout Changing the rhythm of life with activities like a vacation or exercise can help renew purpose. Take pointers from several Duke employees on how they get reenergized.

Peace of Mind Michael Evans lost his wife to complications from cancer in 2011. As part of Duke’s benefits, he received survivor benefits because his wife worked as an administrative assistant in Duke University Health System.

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Duke to add tobacco surcharge to health insurance Four employees honored with Presidential Award Telecommuting offers balance and savings New parking rates announced

2011, 2009, 2008, 2007 Gold Medal, Internal Periodical Staff Writing 2009, 2007 Bronze Medal, Print Internal Audience Tabloids/Newsletters

This paper consists of 30% recycled postconsumer fiber. Please recycle after reading.

Briefly

Employee Athletic Pass now on sale

Are you prepared for hurricane season?

The Atlantic hurricane season begins June 1 and ends November 30 with peak activity from midAugust to late October.

Take this quiz and test your knowledge of Duke’s severe weather policy and what you should do in the event a hurricane threatens campus.

1. When was the last time Duke activated the severe weather policy because a hurricane threatened Durham?

2. If Duke’s severe weather policy is activated, where should you go for real-time information?

3. What are the job categories when Duke activates the severe weather policy?

4. Who defines the job category for your job – your supervisor or Duke Human Resources?

5. True or False: Staff and faculty can sign up to receive emergency text messages when the severe weather policy is activated.

For more information about Duke’s severe weather policy, visit emergency.duke.edu.

Answers: 1) September 2003 for Hurricane Isabel. 2) Emergency.duke.edu and today.duke.edu/working. 3) Essential service employees are required to report to or remain at work; reserve service employees will be assigned at the time of the event; and delayed service employees should not report to or remain at work.

4) Supervisor. 5) True. Sign up at emergency.duke.edu.

Polish your public speaking Duke now has three Toastmasters International clubs to help faculty, staff and students improve their communication and leadership skills in a friendly atmosphere.

In March, the PRATTically Speaking Club became an official Toastmasters club, joining the Blue Devil Toastmasters Club and the Duke Toastmasters Club.

The clubs meet at varying times and locations and are open to anyone at Duke or in the community.

Sally Allison, Duke’s assistant director of recruitment and manager of the Professional Development Institute, said Toastmasters is always on the list of professional development opportunities she shares with staff.

“Learning how to better present oneself, how to speak without fillers such as ‘um’ or ‘you know’ and developing poise and confidence in front of a group are skills that all of us can use, no matter what job we are in,” she said.

For more information about Toastmasters clubs at Duke, visit hr.duke.edu/toastmasters.

Duke staff and faculty can get in the game with deeply discounted tickets to the upcoming Duke football season, which includes home games against ACC rivals Miami, Clemson and North Carolina.

The Employee Athletic Pass, presented by the Duke Credit Union, is on sale for $88 per reserved seating ticket. The pass gets fans in to seven home football games. The price is a savings of $137 per ticket off the normal cost for seating between the north end zone and 35-yard line (sections seven to 10).

The season opens on Sept. 1 against Florida International.

“We have a great 2012 home schedule and look forward to filling Wallace Wade Stadium for all seven home games,” said Mike Forman, director of marketing and promotions for Duke Athletics.

“We’re especially excited to host North Carolina in a mid-season game that has traditionally taken place on Thanksgiving weekend and will now take place in October.”

Discounted season tickets to Duke women’s basketball games are also available through the Athletic Pass. Details will be available as the 2012-13 basketball season approaches.

New this year is the option to pay by payroll deduction. Faculty and staff who purchase the Employee Athletic Pass will also receive a free gift for each seat bought. Employee pass holders will also have the opportunity to purchase a limited number of tickets to select Duke men’s basketball games. Purchase the Employee Athletic Pass by calling (919) 681-2583.

Discount tickets to American Dance Festival From June 14 to July 28, professional dance companies from around the world will descend upon Durham to present the best in modern dance for the American Dance Festival. Duke staff and faculty can purchase individual tickets at a 20 percent discount.

“You can’t go wrong with ADF performances,” said Elizabeth Amend, a staff assistant for the Office for Institutional Equity who has attended the festival for nearly a decade. “They bring in incredibly talented dancers.”

Employees can redeem their 20 percent discount online, by phone or in person at the box offices at Duke and the Durham Performing Arts Center using discount code ADFEDU2012. For tickets Photo courtesy of American Dance Festival and more information, visit www.americandancefestival.org.

Amend also plans to attend one of the free tours that offer the public a behind-thescenes glimpse of the American Dance Festival summer school. The tours are advertised on the ADF website under the “community” tab.

“I’ve seen so many ADF shows, but I’ve never taken the opportunity to do the tour,” she said. “I think it’s about time.”

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Cover Story

Erin Bartels, right, enjoys a trip to Disney World with her husband, Matt, and daughter, Ada.

The Gift of Time Duke’s Kiel program allows employees to donate vacation time to colleagues in need

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oubled over with abdominal pain, Erin Bartels sat in the emergency room with her husband and 4-year-old daughter, Ada. Suddenly, she slumped sideways, and her eyes rolled.

“I can’t see!” cried Bartels, her words slurred.

Hospital staff rushed Bartels to surgery, the first of three operations in 2010 to find and repair a burst aneurysm pouring blood into her abdomen.

Bartels, associate director of development and alumni communications at the Fuqua School of Business, had saved up 10 weeks of vacation and sick time, but that wasn’t enough to see her through a three-month recovery.

Colleagues at Duke stepped in to help, donating 192 hours of their own vacation time for Bartels to use. The Kiel Memorial Vacation/PTO Donation Program allows staff and faculty of Duke

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University and Duke University Health System to donate vacation or short-term paid time off to colleagues who have suffered catastrophic injury or illness to themselves (or eligible family members) and have exhausted all of their accrued time.

When Bartels’ vacation and sick time ran out after 10 weeks of recovery, the donated hours allowed her to receive a full paycheck and benefits until she returned to work a month later. That financial security was crucial for the family because her husband, Matt, temporarily shut down his home inspection business while Bartels was in-and-out of surgery.

“In the midst of all the mystery about what was going on medically, it was a huge relief not to have to stress out about finances,” Bartels said. “Thanks to the generosity of people at Duke, we had the assurance of at least one steady income.”

31,218 hours donated in 2011 Duke introduced the vacation donation program in 1999 in honor of Susan Kiel, a Duke nurse who died of cancer in 1996.

Julianne Rogers, Cathy Robinson and Jennifer Kell, three Duke nurses who were Kiel’s close friends, proposed the ability to donate vacation time while Kiel was fighting cancer. After Kiel passed away, her colleagues continued to champion the cause.

“We saw Susan’s strength and courage in facing death and it kept us pushing for this program,” said Rogers, a pediatric nurse at Duke. “It took a long time, but it was a huge affirmation when Duke launched the program and named it after Susan.”

Last year, 1,415 staff and faculty donated 31,218 hours to the program – more than 19 months of vacation and paid time off.

Because of these donations, 380 employees were able to use hours from the Kiel program to alleviate the loss of income from a prolonged absence from work.

The program has a profound impact on those who donate and receive hours. “We all felt so helpless when Erin got sick,” said Erin Gasch, who is Bartels’ supervisor at Fuqua. “The Kiel Program was a wonderful way for us to do something tangible so she didn’t have to go without pay during her recovery.”

To receive Kiel donations, employees must be out of work for more than four weeks and have exhausted all of their vacation, sick or paid time off. This means employees who have more than four weeks of vacation and sick or paid time off accrued cannot tap into the Kiel hours until they have used all of their time off. Employees with fewer than four weeks of time off must first use what they have saved up and may have some period of unpaid absence from work before being eligible for time through Kiel.

Bill Phillips, manager of benefits at Duke, said the Kiel program is a safety net for employees when a catastrophic injury or health problem arises.

“The four-week waiting period before Kiel kicks in was set up to encourage prudent accumulation of vacation and sick or paid time off,” Phillips said. “But when people are out for more than four weeks, Kiel can help bridge a gap between accrued time running out and the person returning to work or becoming eligible for disability benefits.”

How Kiel Works To receive donated hours, employees must have suffered catastrophic injury or illness to themselves (or eligible family members) and must have exhausted all accrued time.

Guidelines to remember: A donor must complete a donation form and submit it to his or her supervisor.

Employees can contribute accrued vacation or short-term paid time off in four-hour increments to a specific person or general pool.

Donations are non-refundable. Excess donations go to the general pool.

Learn more about Kiel at hr.duke.edu/kiel

Melinda Swift, left, organized colleagues in the Pathology Department to donate hours under the Kiel program for Duke housekeeper Qianna Cradle, right.

An ‘easy way’ to help Melinda Swift, an administrative assistant in Pathology, learned about the donation program when she tried to help a Duke colleague.

In October 2010, Swift called Environmental Services to find out why a new employee had replaced the Pathology Department’s regular housekeeper, Qianna Cradle. Swift learned Cradle was on medical leave after emergency surgery to remove a fist-sized infected mass from her right hip.

As Cradle lay in a hospital bed, she confided to Swift that she was worried about finances. Cradle had about two weeks of vacation and sick time accrued, but the surgeons thought she would be unable to return to work for at least eight weeks while the deep incision healed.

Swift immediately set to work investigating how to assist Cradle and discovered information about the Kiel Program on the Duke Human Resources website. She emailed colleagues, told them about Cradle’s situation and asked if anyone wanted to donate time.

“It seemed such an easy way for us all to help,” Swift said.

Staff in the Pathology Department and Environmental Services donated 96 hours to Cradle during her recovery. Because Cradle had less than four weeks of accrued vacation and sick time, she missed 13 days of pay before using the Kiel program, but the donated hours provided two full paychecks, carrying Cradle through until she returned to work in January 2011.

“It was really good to see that pay come in,” said Cradle, who has worked at Duke nine years and has two sons at home. “If I hadn’t had the Kiel program, I probably would have had to go to social services for help.” >> continued on page 6

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When Erin Bartels returned to work at Fuqua in June 2010, she offered her thanks during a staff meeting for her colleagues’ help, which also included dinners delivered to her home and offers to help with childcare.

“Their generosity was overwhelming,” she said. “I found out I had a lot of friends.”

By January of this year, Bartels had accumulated enough vacation time to carry out a promise she and her husband made during the

long ordeal: a family trip to Disney World for daughter, Ada. “The whole experience was a tough ordeal for Ada,” Bartels said. “She spent her fifth birthday in the hospital with me, and Matt and I promised each other that when everything settled down, we’d do something really fun for her. Disney World fit the bill.”

BY MARSHA A. GREEN

Alida Cockerham, front row and third from left, received 224 hours from colleagues through the Kiel program.

She is shown here with friends and colleagues during a gathering in Duke Human Resources.

Kiel provides bridge to disability payments Three years ago, doctors told Alida Cockerham she had cancer of the bone marrow. They couldn’t cure the disease, but they said they might be able to slow it down.

For eight months, Cockerham used sick and vacation time to cover her time off for twice-a-week visits to the hospital for chemotherapy, while still working as a benefits representative in Duke Human Resources.

“I was using sick time a whole lot faster than I was accruing it,” she said.

Then in July 2010, oncologists recommended a stem cell transplant. They warned she would likely be unable to return to work, even if the transplant was successful. Cockerham agreed to the transplant and applied to Duke for long-term disability, a benefit that offers 60 percent of salary after a four-month waiting period.

To help Cockerham financially during that waiting period, co-workers in Duke Human Resources donated 224 hours to the Kiel program. After her vacation and sick time was exhausted, Cockerham used 186.8 of those hours to maintain her full paycheck until disability payments began. The remaining hours went back to Kiel’s general pool to be used by someone else in need.

“My co-workers kept me financially whole during that time,” she said. “They were fantastic.”

Cockerham now receives long-term disability and social security disability payments and is cared for at home by her husband and daughter.

“God has been good to me,” she said. “I was diagnosed at stage three, but I’m still here. I can’t complain.”

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Learn more about Kiel at hr.duke.edu/kiel

Your guide to (discount) summer fun

PERQS employee discounts

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ith two young children, Heidi Cope is eager to take vacations that don’t involve long journeys or big spending.

Last year, she used PERQS, Duke’s staff and faculty discount program, to save on visits to Tweetsie Railroad and Biltmore in the North Carolina mountains.

“I always check PERQS when I’m planning a vacation to see what’s being offered,” said Cope, a genetic counselor for the Duke Center for Human Genetics. “It’s a great way to save.”

Here’s a tour of some North Carolina destinations offering discounts to Duke employees:

Heidi Cope and family

at Biltmore.

Biltmore Estate Completed in 1895, George Vanderbilt’s 250-room chateau is regarded as an architectural and historical gem. With Duke’s discount, admission price for adults is $42 to $49 (regularly $49 to $54). Children 16 and under are free to September 4.

Last September, Heidi Cope, visited Biltmore in Asheville with husband Jason, daughter, Emma, and son, Easton. “For my daughter, it was like visiting a castle,” Cope said.

Tw e e t s i e R a i l r o a d Go on a Wild West adventure at Tweetsie Railroad theme park near Blowing Rock. Admission is $29 for adults and $17 for children ages 3 through 12 when using the Duke discount.

North Carolina Zoo Railroad Tweetsie

N o r t h Ca ro l i n a Zo o Get some face-to-face time with animals at the North Carolina Zoo near Asheboro.

Discount admission is $8 for adults and $4 for children ages 2 through 12.

Carolina RailHawks

Carolina RailHawks

Kick back with professional soccer at a Carolina RailHawks game in Cary. Duke employees receive a 20 percent discount on adult tickets. Children ages 3 through 5 get in for $5.

Durham Performing Ar ts Center Don’t miss West Side Story and Chicago this summer at the Durham Performing Arts Center in Durham. Duke faculty and staff receive a 10 percent discount to select shows.

We t ’ n W i l d E m e ra l d Po i n te

Durham Pe rf Arts Cente orming r

Heather Rabalais, administrative assistant in Duke Pathology, uses the discount to save her family $9.49 per ticket to cool off and splash around at the water park near Greensboro.

RushHour Karting Get a group of five adults together and save 20 percent per person on indoor, high-speed go-kart races at RushHour Karting in Garner. Each race includes a five-minute practice, six-minute qualifier and 10-minute race.

Wet’n Wild Emerald Pointe

RushHour Karting

BY MARSHA A. GREEN

go online

For a full list of PERQS discounts, visit hr.duke.edu/discounts

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How to Beat Burnout J

oshua Wilson spends 15 to 20 hours each week double-checking the accuracy of X-ray, CT, MRI and other systems that create images of patients.

When he needs a break from the routine, Wilson takes a stroll through the hospital, taking a few moments to say hello to staff members or notice patients and their loved ones making their way to appointments.

“Seeing patients and staff with fresh eyes helps me remember why I’m here,” said Wilson, a first-year resident with the Clinical Imaging Physics Group in Radiology. “When I get back to work, I can tackle the next task with renewed purpose.”

Divinity staff members take a moment to decompress with a paper airplane contest.

In a national survey by CareerBuilder last year, 45 percent of employers said they thought their workers were burned out, largely due to doing more with less after the economic downturn.

But, experts say, changing the rhythm of life with activities like a vacation or exercise can help with renewal.

“There is something energizing about breaking a routine, whether it is taking a vacation for two weeks or turning off your email for 20 minutes,” said Carol Retsch-Bogart, a counselor with Duke’s Personal Assistance Service. “It’s like hitting the reset button.”

Take some pointers from these Duke employees on how they beat feeling overwhelmed and reenergize themselves.

DeAnna Hall clears her mind by running with the Duke Run/Walk club.

GET A LIFT FROM LEVITY

MAKE TIME FOR EXERCISE

Seven Divinity School employees lined up in the grass outside their building. “One, two, three,” shouted Todd Maberry, Divinity’s director of academic formation and programs.

Suddenly, seven paper airplanes swooped over the Duke Chapel front lawn.

The occasion for the air power was ‘Office Olympics,’ a 15-minute break on Fridays for renewal and fun conversation. “Trying to interact with co-workers in creative ways is important to me,” said Maberry, an organizer of the event whose paper plane went the farthest. “It gives us something to talk about besides the job.”

Over the past few years, Maberry and his colleagues have organized a variety of light-hearted breaks, including holiday cookie exchanges, yoga classes and holiday decorating contests.

“We all have a lot to get done with very small staffs,” said Sheila Williams, director of financial aid for the Divinity School. “I love looking forward to a break from financial aid applications to have a bit of fun.”

DeAnna Hall listened to her sneakers slap the trail as she inhaled the crisp air in Duke Forest. Almost immediately, the tension drained from her body.

Three years ago, Hall started walking and running with Duke’s Run/Walk Club because she wanted to lose weight. She’s lost 75 pounds and still runs with the group after work on Mondays and Wednesdays to clear her mind.

“After a long day, exercising gives me time for myself,” said Hall, IT analyst for Central Administration.

In addition to the Duke Run/Walk club, LIVE FOR LIFE, Duke’s employee wellness program, offers other healthy eating and fitness programs, including two free annual fitness consultations.

Liz Grabosky, fitness manager for LIVE FOR LIFE, said exercise releases endorphins, which improve mood and help the body relax.

“Breaking a sweat doing something you enjoy is a fantastic way to be in the present moment and reduce stress,” Grabosky said. “And research shows that people who exercise regularly are less likely to get depressed than those who stick to a sedentary lifestyle.”

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and Renew Purpose

Kathryn Helene revitalizes herself with a two-week vacation each year.

She is pictured here in Prague, the capital of the Czech Republic.

TAKE A VACATION

Meg Barker helped launch the ‘PRATTically Speaking’ Toastmasters to expand her public speaking and leadership abilities.

REFRESH WITH A NEW SKILL

Kathryn Helene stood in the cobblestone street. She didn’t know where she was. She didn’t know anyone, and she couldn’t speak Hungarian. “It was so disorienting it was liberating,” she said.

That sense of freedom – of being disconnected from a regular routine – is why Helene takes a two-week vacation every September.

“I save up my pennies and my time for one big vacation each year,” said Helene, senior practice partner for Duke’s Learning and Organization Development.

Duke staff and faculty accrue 10 to 20 days of vacation a year, depending on job level and years of service.

Although taking a long weekend or occasional day off helps with stress, the best vacations are long ones, said Carol Retsch-Bogart, counselor at Duke Personal Assistance Service. “Real vacations allow people to completely disengage from work and come back renewed,” she said. “That’s good for both the person and the organization.”

Helene has also traveled to France, Iceland and the Czech Republic, immersing herself in different cultures by visiting with locals and minimizing visits to tourist attractions.

“Going to a totally different place and doing totally different things means that I come back to work with a clean slate, ready to start fresh,” Helene said.

Meg Barker helped launch a Toastmasters Club at the Pratt School of Engineering because she wanted to stretch herself.

That’s also why she took classes on PowerPoint, Adobe Acrobat and web design at Duke. And that’s why she attends seminars and lectures during lunch breaks and applied for additional training through Duke’s Professional Development Institute.

“I love to learn new things,” said Barker, a staff assistant in the Pratt School’s Office of the Dean. “I like the feeling that there is always something new around the corner. That way I never feel burned out.”

Duke offers an assortment of professional development opportunities, including free and low-cost classes through Duke’s Learning and Organization Development and nearly 1,300 free ondemand training tutorials through Lynda.com.

“Even if you face fatigue and frustration in a job, learning something new can lift your spirits,” said Carol Retsch-Bogart, counselor at Duke Personal Assistance Service.

Barker said the encouragement to learn was the primary reason she came to work at Duke four years ago. “There are so many opportunities here,” she said. “I can grow without having to leave.”

BY MARSHA A. GREEN

Win A Stay At Washington Duke Inn Staff and faculty are invited to submit their best vacation photo and share how Duke’s paid time off benefit helped them relax and recharge.

Learn more: hr.duke.edu/vacationpics

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Offering peace of mind in difficult times DUKE SURVIVOR BENEFITS PROVIDE FINANCIAL HELP WHEN LOVED ONE DIES

Michael Evans, center, poses for a portrait with his son, Jamal, and late wife, Wanda.

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In addition, Duke provides $10,000 of basic life and $10,000 of accidental death and dismemberment insurance for active employees regularly scheduled to work at least 20 hours a week and regular rank faculty.

“When you deal with an unexpected death, something like this can be a big help to the family,” said Lois Ann Green, assistant vice president of Human Resources-Benefits. “We want to make sure Duke is there to provide a means to help each family with this difficult time and help deal with any financial commitments.”

The money provided to Evans and his son, Jamal, paid for Wanda’s funeral and helped cover costs as Jamal went back to college at Winston-Salem State University.

“It was a tremendous relief that it was one less thing to worry about,” Evans said. “Having the benefit available to us meant a lot to my family.”

hen Michael Evans lost his wife, Wanda, to complications from cancer in 2011, he knew he’d have to quickly deal with the financial implications of her death – from funeral expenses to clearing credit card debts.

During a tough time for both himself and his son, Evans was grateful to have extra support from Duke. He received Duke’s survivor benefits because his wife had worked as an administrative

BY BRYAN ROTH assistant in Duke University Health System for about 20 years.

“We’re very fortunate to be a part of the Duke family because with everything we had to deal with, the Benefits employees were very supportive and made all the paperwork such a smooth transition,” said In the event of death while employed by Duke, benefits offered include: Evans, a conference center director with Aramark, a food service vendor at Duke. “There was a personal $10,000 of basic life insurance to an employee’s designated touch to all aspects of the process, which made it easier beneficiary. to deal with the situation.”

A lump sum payment of one month’s pay for each complete Duke’s survivor benefits provide a lump sum year of full-time service, up to a maximum of six months of pay. payment to the spouse or registered same-sex partner The payment is made to a spouse or registered same-sex partner. in the event of death while employed by Duke. If If single, the sum is paid to an employee’s estate. Applicable single, the sum is paid to an employee’s estate. This taxes apply. payment is one month’s pay for each complete year of full-time service up to a maximum of six months of Duke also offers voluntary benefits, which include supplemental life pay. For family members to receive the lump sum insurance. For more information, visit hr.duke.edu/supplemental. survivor benefit, an eligible employee must have at least Our package of benefits supports the fact that we strive to be a family-friendly one year of service at Duke and be an active staff workplace, ” said Lois Ann Green, assistant vice president of Human Resourcesmember regularly scheduled to work at least 30 hours Benefits.

Whatever the case, we want a range of options that help fill the gap “ per week or a regular rank faculty member.

Duke’s Survivor Benefits

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for whatever the needs of a family may be.

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Learn more about Duke’s life insurance policies and survivor benefits at hr.duke.edu/life

As part of tobacco cessation programs, LIVE FOR LIFE, the Duke employee wellness program, collects cigarette refuse and distributes tobacco cessation materials outside Duke Hospital.

Duke to add $10 tobacco surcharge to health insurance

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ecause tobacco use drives up health care costs and leads to chronic health problems, Duke will ask staff and faculty who smoke or use other forms of tobacco to pay more for health insurance beginning in 2013.

During the annual open enrollment period in October, employees enrolling in a Duke health insurance plan or verifying dependents online will be presented with a question about whether or not they smoke or use other forms of tobacco.

Staff and faculty who are smokers or tobacco users will be charged $10 per month, beginning in January 2013.

“Because tobacco use is linked to many cancers and other health conditions, it drives up the cost of health care,” said Lois Ann Green, assistant vice president of Human Resources-Benefits. “The surcharge is one way to emphasize this and is an added incentive for employees and their family members to seek support now to quit.”

Duke will remove the monthly surcharge from an employee’s health insurance if the employee successfully completes a tobacco cessation program. LIVE FOR LIFE, Duke’s employee wellness program, offers free smoking cessation support options.

To encourage staff and faculty to quit Some Duke tobacco-cessation resources: smoking, Duke has ramped up efforts to QuitSmart Stop Smoking Kit publicize tobacco cessation programs and QuitSmart Classes sponsored “Why I Want to Quit,” a campaign Nicotine replacement therapy at no cost for employees to share photos illustrating for employees in a Duke health plan what motivated them to give up tobacco.

Three-month supply of prescription Sue Stanton, who quit smoking last tobacco cessation drugs with no co-pay November, submitted a photo of her two for those active in LIVE FOR LIFE cats, Georgia and Tacoie. support programs.

“Smoking not only harms us, but it also Georgia and Tacoie harms those who live with us,” said Stanton, To learn more about these a clerk at the Duke Credit Union. “There have been times I was tempted to try a and other LIVE FOR LIFE resources, email diane.dunder@duke.edu, cigarette, but then I looked around at my cats, prairie dog and cocker spaniel and call (919) 684-3136 or visit thought about what it was doing to them and me.” hr.duke.edu/tobaccofree.

BY MARSHA A. GREEN

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For more information, visit hr.duke.edu/tobaccofree

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Presidential awards Four employees honored with Presidential Award n April, President Richard H. Brodhead recognized Presidential Award winners for their distinctive contributions in the past year to Duke University and Duke University Health System.

“In every one of the thousands of units that make up the university, there are people who lead the effort in bringing the highest competence, the highest imagination, the highest pride in service to their work,” Brodhead said during the awards luncheon in April. “That’s what it takes to make a great university.”

The Presidential Awards recognize winners in different job categories. Each winner receives a Presidential Award Medallion and check for $1,000. Here are the winners:

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Michael W. Golden

Service/Maintenance Michael W. Golden General maintenance mechanic, Duke Marine Lab “In August, Mike was key in helping secure the island in advance of Hurricane Irene,” wrote Professor Cindy Lee Van Dover, director of the Marine Lab. “After the storm, he was on the island straight away, checking on damage to Duke property and starting on the repair and clean up, even though his own home had also borne the brunt of the storm. A culture of outstanding performance is set by example, and Mike Golden sets the standard very high.”

Cynthia A. Sherwood

Clerical/Office Support Cynthia A. Sherwood Program coordinator for education, Duke Institute for Brain Sciences “Cindy has worked energetically, creatively, and productively to make the undergraduate neuroscience program one of the University’s top undergraduate programs in the three years it has been a major at Duke,” said nominator Elizabeth Johnson, associate director of the Duke Institute for Brain Sciences.

“Importantly, Cindy ensures that all allied departments and faculty, whether in Arts & Sciences, Pratt, Nicholas or the School of Medicine, know that they are integral partners in the major.”

Ellen Wilbur

James Hildebrand

Managerial Ellen Wilbur

Clinical/Professional James Hildebrand

Director of the Executive MBA Programs, Fuqua School of Business

Medical technologist and supervisor of the Allergy Lab, Duke Medicine

“Ellen has been instrumental in helping the Executive MBA Programs deliver three newly designed programs for 650 students in five new locations around the world,” said John Gallagher, associate dean for the Executive MBA Programs. “But her most lasting impact has been on the way we support one another through difficult and often ambiguous challenges.

Ellen is inherently collaborative and team-centric, and she rarely, if ever, seeks credit for her individual accomplishments.

As a result, she has created space for everyone else to grow and contribute at a time when it is needed most.”

“In addition to overseeing the production of customized vaccines for patients with allergies and implementing software to reduce the risk of dosing errors, Jim is a willing teacher to trainees at Duke and beyond,” said nominator John Sundy, associate professor of medicine and medical director of the Allergy Lab. “He effectively bridges the interface between physicians, nurses, technicians and patients.”

Merito rio us Awards In addition to Presidential Award winners, 13 staff members were named Meritorious Award winners.

Learn more at today.duke.edu/2012/04/presidentialawards.

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Learn more about the Presidential Award at hr.duke.edu/presidential

August Burns works at her home in Pittsboro once a week. She says telecommuting helps keep her energized and focused on big projects.

Telecommuting offers balance and savings

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ach Wednesday and Thursday, Corky Safley makes a short “commute” down the hall to an office in his home and logs onto his workstation.

Safley, a senior systems programmer in the Pratt School of Engineering, started the practice of telecommuting in 2008, when gas prices in North Carolina Advantages spiked to nearly $4 a gallon and Telecommuting reduces his commute from Wake Forest daily commutes, which can lower stress and personal grew costly. expenses.

“I get up, jump on the computer and start working Telecommuting employees are likely to be more earlier,” he said. “I’ll go from productive because of fewer 8:30 a.m. to 6:30, sometimes interruptions.

7 p.m. I actually think I’m putting in more time because I don’t have to leave my house early.”

Telecommuting is a work arrangement that enables employees to work from another off-site location – typically home. Since working remotely may not be appropriate for all faculty and staff, Duke community members should discuss arrangements with a supervisor to determine the number of hours and days that would be best to telecommute.

“While I wish everyone could do it, not every job is designed for telecommuting,” said Dexter Nolley, director of Staff and Labor Relations. “However, Duke, as an organization, supports the idea of telecommuting as one of many options that can help employees establish a strong work-life balance.”

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Safley discussed with his boss a trial of telecommuting once a week to see if it would be a fit. Because Safley’s job can sometimes have him on call to monitor and handle web server issues, he already had his home office set up to remotely connect to his work computer.

He telecommutes twice a week, cutting carbon emissions and saving $120 a month in fuel.

Challenges “Saving money is a big Telecommuting employees factor, but I also like the level must create and maintain a method for productive, of freedom I’m able to get to constant communication concentrate on tasks,” Safley with coworkers. said. “It can help me be more Telecommuters must secure productive because I’m able data to protect confidential to find focus quicker.” and personal information.

Offering telecommuting is one of the aspects of Duke’s flexible work options that helped the university become listed among Carolina Parent’s top-50 family-friendly workplaces in North Carolina and garner awards like The Chronicle of Higher Education’s “Great Colleges to Work For.” August Burns, departmental business manager for the Fitzpatrick Institute for Photonics, works from home in Pittsboro once a week.

Cutting a commute to Durham lets her catch up on time-sensitive work in silence.

“I feel energized because I get two hours back into my day,” she said. “It’s rewarding because I’m able focus on clearing my inbox and finishing big projects.”

Find out about Duke’s telecommuting policies at hr.duke.edu/telecommute

BY BRYAN ROTH

today.duke.edu/working

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New Parking Permit Rates Announced RATES TO RISE IN AUGUST

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or the first time in three years, Duke parking permit rates will increase as part of an ongoing effort to maintain parking Permit Rate Categories Old Monthly Rate New Monthly Rate facilities and cover operating costs.

RESERVED SPACES/GARAGES $96.50 $106.25 Beginning in August, parking permit rates for 2012-13 will go up between 70 cents to $9.75 UNIVERSAL ACCESS $80.00 $ 88.00 per month depending on the type of permit.

PREMIUM LOTS/GARAGES $62.50 $ 68.75 This will be the first rate increase since GARAGES - PG1, PG2, PG3 $52.25 $ 57.50 2008-09 when officials first held rates flat to MEDICAL CENTER LOTS $34.75 $ 38.25 help reduce the financial impact of the recession on members of the Duke community.

PROXIMATE LOTS $30.50 $ 33.75 During that period, Duke had to defer UNIVERSITY REMOTE LOTS $ 9.65 $ 10.75 maintenance of certain parking lots and garages MEDICAL CENTER REMOTE LOTS $ 6.80 $ 7.50 to manage expenses during the recession. As the Source: Parking and Transportation maintenance issues have piled up the last few years, so have the costs to address them.

“The rate increase may well be the first of several increases over Kyle Cavanaugh, vice president of administration, the next few years to address rising costs related to maintenance of said those needs will have to be met through more significant parking lots and garages, leased space, and the increased demand investment over the next several years. for parking,” he said. “Although no one is ever in favor of a rate

2012-13 Parking Permit Rates

How to Renew Permit renewal begins June 11. Most employee permits expire in August 2013 and require no action. If a permit expires in August 2012, Duke community members can renew permits online at parking.duke.edu/parking/permits. Expiration dates are printed on the bottom of each placard.

New permits are mailed to an employee’s listed address with Parking and Transportation, which is most commonly a home address. To learn more, to update account information and to learn how to change a permit, visit

increase, the challenge is providing a safe and accessible system at a reasonable cost.”

Part of the rate increase will also help offset the price discrepancy between what a parking spot costs and what a student or employee actually pays for it.

“Over the years, Duke has absorbed a portion of the cost for things such as leasing lots to expand capacity for an ever-increasing number of people coming to campus each day,” said Sam Veraldi, director of Parking and Transportation Services. “That practice isn’t sustainable and ultimately limits the funds we have available to address other needs, such as ongoing maintenance.”

BY BRYAN ROTH

parking.duke.edu/parking/permits.

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Working@Duke

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For parking information, visit parking.duke.edu

Sustainable uke YOUR SOURCE FOR

GREEN

N E W S AT D U K E

How To Save On Fuel And Parking Fees On Your Commute

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ith Duke parking steps and tips for being a bike permit rates set commuter on campus. More to rise in August, information: Duke transit officials parking.duke.edu/bike. encourage faculty and staff to consider alternative transportation Carpool to cut costs associated with driving Yanqiang Yang, a senior alone to work. research associate in the Division “There are choices available of Cardiology, started carpooling that save money and give you time with a coworker last spring. By to be productive,” said Brian traveling from Chapel Hill to Williams, Duke’s transportation West Campus in a carpool, he demand management coordinator. saves hundreds of dollars a year “Duke ridership has increased in gas. “I encourage people to over the last four years on DATA carpool, which can save money and Triangle Transit buses. Why Orla Swift boards a Triangle Transit bus from West Campus to Raleigh. She uses on your gas bill, reduce wear on GoPass to ride for free and used transportation savings to buy an iPad. pay $80 a month for gas to drive your vehicle, cut emissions for our to work when a GoPass lets you environment, reduce traffic and ride for nothing?” reading. “I couldn’t have excused buying an save our parking spaces,” Yang said.

Duke’s efforts to bolster its transit iPad were I not going to make the money Registered carpoolers receive reduced system earned national recognition from the back from riding the bus,” Swift said. “I’d permit rates, depending on how many Duke National Center for Transit Research as one say about 80 percent of my use of the iPad community members ride together. Four or of the “Best Workplaces for Commuters” is while I’m riding to and from work.” more participants in a carpool get free and a “Bicycle Friendly University” by the GoPass offers unlimited rides on DATA, parking in a “preferred” lot. All carpoolers League of American Bicyclists.

Triangle Transit, Capital Area Transit and receive up to 24 daily parking permits to use Here are ways to put money in your C-Tran, the town of Cary’s transit service. in case they must drive to campus alone. pocket and cut your carbon footprint: Learn more: parking.duke.edu/gopass.

Learn more: parking.duke.edu/carpool.

Bus Duke community members can try the GoPass, a free public bus pass that allows all students and eligible employees to ride regional and local bus lines for no charge.

Orla Swift, director of marketing and communications at the Sarah P. Duke Gardens, got a GoPass last fall. She bought an iPad and used savings from riding Triangle Transit buses to work to pay off the tablet. On rides between Raleigh and Durham two-to-four times a week, she uses the iPad to check email and get caught up on

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Bike In April, the League of American Bicyclists named Duke a “Bicycle Friendly University.” The recognition reflected enhanced infrastructure on and around campus like “sharrow” bike safety signs painted on campus roadways. Registered bike commuters also receive up to 24 free parking passes and may use showers at Wilson or Brodie recreation centers until 9 a.m. Monday to Friday without a membership. There’s even a website – bikeduke.com – that features registration

Learn more about transportation options at parking.duke.edu/alternative

Emergency ride in a pinch Duke employees who work or live in Durham, Orange or Wake counties and use alternative transportation are eligible for an Emergency Ride Home through Go Triangle. The program provides a voucher for a rental car or taxi ride for carpoolers, bikers, bus riders and walkers who need to leave work at a moment’s notice. More information: parking.duke. edu/emergencyride.

BY BRYAN ROTH

today.duke.edu/working

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WORKING@DUKE HOW TO REACH US Editor: Leanora Minai (919) 681-4533 leanora.minai@duke.edu Assistant Vice President: Paul S. Grantham (919) 681-4534 paul.grantham@duke.edu Graphic Design & Layout: Paul Figuerado (919) 684-2107 paul.figuerado@duke.edu Senior Writer: Marsha A. Green (919) 684-4639 marsha.green@duke.edu Writer/Videographer: Bryan Roth (919) 681-9965 bryan.roth@duke.edu Photography: Duke University Photography and Marsha Green and Bryan Roth of Communication Services.

Working@Duke is published every other month by Duke’s Office of Communication Services. We invite your feedback and story ideas.

Send email to working@duke.edu or call (919) 684-4345.

Don’t forget to visit the “Working@Duke” section daily on Duke Today: today.duke.edu/working

dialogue@Duke “What do you do to beat burnout?”

“

I try to stay at my church in Providence a lot and meditate. I also sing in the choir. I like to just sit around with my family most of the time and watch movies. My daughter loves puzzles and crossword puzzles, so we’ll do those.

I think she got it from me.”

Larry Dunkins Senior recycler, Duke Recycles 9 years at Duke

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I love to work out and go running. I have two dogs, so I like to take them on a run every morning. My goal in training is a half marathon, so an average morning is three to five miles. I also have a dinner group with friends once a month. Even though it’s with other people from Duke, it’s a nice break from the norm.”

Whitney Dunlap Director of special events, Athletics 6 years at Duke

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I used to just go home, relax and read, but now I have three boys I’ve adopted. I used to never like cooking, but now I’m relaxed in the kitchen cooking for them. My favorite meal to make is beef tips with rice and some vegetables. I’m a beginner cook, but I’m getting comfortable in the kitchen.”

Gilbert Singleton Transit supervisor, Parking and Transportation Services 10 years at Duke

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