Affordable Childcare for County Employees Is On the Way!

On 12/07/22, the Board of Supervisors approved funding for the initial phases of a project designed to provide an affordable childcare option to County employees. 

The positive response from those who participated in a recent Affordable Childcare survey indicated strong enough interest to proceed with the project.  

Click here for the latest update from our County Manager, Joy Rich.

More information to come as the project develops!

Season's greetings to all. Have a wonderful, safe holiday season as we welcome the new year. 

County Holiday Closures:

• Monday, December 26, 2022
• Monday, January 2, 2023

A full look at the County's holiday schedule can be seen here. 

What to Expect in 2023?

County benefits will officially transition to a calendar Plan Year on January 1, 2023. Deductibles, out-of-pocket maximums, visit limits, and allowances will reset on the first of the year. 

Any changes made to your benefit contribution amounts will be reflected on the first paycheck of the year: January 4, 2023. Contributions will remain the same if no plan or tier changes to your benefits were made. Employer contributions to HSAs will start on January 18, 2023.

Recruitment Opportunities Await - Save the Date!

Maricopa County will be holding a County-wide job fair this February!

The Career Fair and Community Expo is free and open to all County employees, their families, and the public. 

Participating departments will have a hiring manager present. They'll be available to answer questions, and conduct walk-in job interviews - with potential to make on-the-spot job offers. 

Featured event activities include: 

• ACC – Dog Adoptions on site
• Public Health (outside) – Offering vaccinations onsite via their mobile unit
• Public Health (inside) – The PH Community Wellness Program will provide wellness demonstrations, and the PH Office of Vital Records will educate attendees regarding services rendered, activities performed and the various collaborative efforts taking place 
• Air Quality – Gusty Breeze from 11 a.m. - 12:30 p.m./ Mobile Air Monitoring Kiosk/ Air Monitoring camera  (shows the fumes of gas leaks at pumps)
• Justice Courts – Performing weddings in Chase Field
• Flood - drone and razor on the Plaza outside
• Facilities – T.V. with images of Facilities Buildings 
• CHS - Saving Lives with the LUCAS Compression Device
• Emergency Management - Will be playing an action video of officers going through training and the day-to-day of the security services division

Mark the date in your calendar and join in on this fantastic opportunity!

Date: February 15, 2023

Time: 11:00 AM - 7:00 PM 

Location: Chase Field, Free parking

Join The Employee Network!

As you may have heard, the County recently expanded its Employee Discount Program to include AZ Discount Events (previously Benefairs) and the Employee Network.

For those who remember the in-person Discount Vendor Fairs that were held prior to 2020, the most popular vendor, AZ Discount Events, has some online deals just in time for the Holidays! Click here to learn more.

You can find all the County's employee discounts on the Employee Discount Page. 

More Virtual Nutrition Options For You!

Foodsmart Telenutrition Launches on January 1st!

Wellness Works is bringing County employees another way to help stick with health goals. 

Starting January 1st, you can meet twice* a year with a Foodsmart Registered Dietician for FREE. 

Food is fuel. Yet, everyone has different tastes and nutritional needs. Telenutrition coaching can help you develop a specific, personalized meal plan that works best for you and your family. 

Plus, if you complete two calls with a Foodsmart Registered Dietician between January 1 - December 31, 2023, you will earn credit for one "Your Choice" activity. 

*Note: Two calls per plan year includes one hour-long initial call and a second 30-minute follow-up call. 

For more information, read the Foodsmart Telenutrition FAQ or contact wellness@maricopa.gov. 

Self-Compassion: Give Yourself A Break

Fostering self-compassion can help build resilience, improve relationships, and increase life-satisfaction and motivation. Give yourself a break and join an in-person or virtual 10-15 minute session below. 

Only virtual sessions in this series require pre-registration. In-person sessions are first come, first served.

Please note space is limited for in-person sessions. Arrive 10 minutes early to secure your spot. Doors will close at 12:00pm. 

MCLEAPS Interns Graduate

Congratulations to the 17^th cohort of MCLEAPS interns, who completed their service to the County on December 2!

The Maricopa County Leadership and Education Advancing Public Service program, MCLEAPS, is a NACo award-winning collaboration with Arizona State University's Watts College of Public Service and Community Solutions that offers students the opportunity to compete for paid internships within County departments. MCLEAPS is approved by the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors and Arizona State University.

This semester’s interns include:

• Aryanna Lee (BS, Public Service and Policy) – Emergency Management
• Moncerrath Nava (BS, Public Service and Policy) – Environmental Services
• Mathew John (MA, Architecture) – Facilities Management
• Greer Albaugh (BS, Criminology) – Environmental Services
• Alexis Avila (BS, Criminal Justice) – Juvenile Probation
• Briza Medina (BS, Social Work) – Juvenile Probation
• Audrey Coleman (BS, Business / Public Policy) – Recorder
• Lucia Haten (MA, Global Management) – Recorder
• Mixen Rubio-Raffin (BS, Sustainability) – Procurement
• Julia Richards (MA, Public Administration) – School Superintendent
• Kenya Terrell (BS, Geography) – Assessor

Interviews for the Spring 2023 semester are underway with eleven departments requesting interns. 

To learn more about this initiative, visit http://mymc.maricopa.gov/853/Administration.

UnitedHealthcare Changes

UnitedHealthcare HDHP and PPO medical plans have a new group number: 928525. New ID cards will be issued to ALL UHC members. Please present them to your healthcare provider and/or pharmacy when obtaining services in the new year. 

Additionally, UnitedHealthcare will now be offering virtual physical therapy through Hinge Health in addition to continued access to free diabetes management through Virta.

January is Kindness Month

Kindness breeds joy. As we welcome the new year, be kind to yourselves and those around you. 

Kindness Matters Webinar

Practicing kindness can help you manage stress, reduce anxiety and depression, and improve your overall well-being. 

Join this webinar to learn ways to practice kindness and how it supports your physical and mental health. 

ComPsych Webinars

Strengthening Your Ability to Empathize

Using Kindness to Achieve Personal Success and Happiness

Keep the Fitness Going!

Getting regular physical activity is one of the most important things you can do for your health.

There are onsite fitness centers at certain locations throughout the County that are free to all County employees.

Plus, a variety of group fitness classes are currently offered at the Administration Building Fitness Center. Click here to view the schedule.

Don't have access to a County fitness center yet? Fill out and submit the Fitness Center Application (PDF). It's a one-time form that will grant you access to your preferred onsite center.

Visit the Onsite Fitness Centers page to learn more!

Your One-Stop Shop: Workday

County employees can access the Workday App through their department’s OKTA pages:

Are You Financially Ready For Retirement?

As the year comes to a close, you may be reflecting and thinking about the future.

Maybe you find yourself thinking about whether or not you're saving enough for life after retirement. 

It's never too soon to start future-planning, and if you're able, contributing more to your retirement accounts might cast the right safety net - just when you need it.

Click here to find out if this is the right option for you.

Resources Just for You!

Have you signed up for your free Care.com membership yet? 

It's the latest piece of the County's generous benefit package. 

You can use your membership to find any type of caregiver you need including:

• Nannies and babysitters
• Senior caregivers
• Special needs caregivers

...Or Get Last-Minute Coverage

Employees pay just $2/hour for in-home care and $0/day for center-based care. Prefer to have a trusted friend or family member watch your child?  You can get reimbursed $125/day minus the copay!

Learn more about backup care and other Care.com benefits.