IFB Beat – Week of January 3, 2023

Quick Links:

News to Know
– Welcome New Employees
– For All Employees, All locations: Announcing 2023 Voluntary Benefits Open Enrollment
– Winston-Salem Canteen Market Opens Jan. 3 – Full Menu

Programs and Services
– Volunteers Needed in Winston-Salem Location
– See what S.E.E. is Doing!
– Adult Support Group Meetings

Community Low Vision Centers
– CLVC Item of the Week
– CLVC Item of the Month

Insider Corner
– Connect with Faith Harding, Insider Corner Editor
– World Braille Day: January 4, 2023

Community Connections
– Live Audio-Described Virtual Workouts

HR and Opportunities
– Apply Today: Business Essentials 2023
– Job Announcements

Support Group Zoom Meeting Links

News to Know

Welcome New Employees

Aleecia Hansley Joined the Winston-Salem HR team as an Intern on December 12, 2022. She is a Senior Business Major with a Human Resources concentration at UNC-Greensboro. We are excited to have her here with us!

Colin Shouse started with IFB on December 27, 2022. He is working under the direction of Rikki Moosbrugger in our ACS department. Welcome to IFB, Colin!

The HR team said its goodbyes to David Hampton, the VP of HR as he retired in early December. We wish him the best as he embarks on a new chapter in life. Check out the team photo!

 

For All Employees, All locations: Announcing 2023 Voluntary Benefits Open Enrollment

The open enrollment period is January 1, 2023 through January 13, 2023.

Voluntary Benefits like life insurance and short term disability insurance are different from Core Benefits (medical, dental, and vision). These run on a calendar year enrollment period. Enrollment for these Voluntary Benefits opens January 3, 2023 and closes January 13. Effective date is February 1, 2023.

We are excited to announce a new way to enroll this year: a pre-scheduled phone appointment with a licensed, professional Benefit Coach. The Benefit Coach will review the benefits, costs, answer your questions, and enroll or waive you in the benefits you choose in one easy phone call. You can even include your spouse on your call. Details are below.

MetLife has been our provider for some Voluntary Benefits, and IFB Solutions is now switching all Voluntary Benefits to MetLife. Employees who have Voluntary Benefits with Colonial need to take special note as those will cease effective January 31, 2023.

Voluntary benefits available through MetLife include:

• Voluntary Life Insurance for Employee and Dependents
• NEW: Accident Insurance
• NEW: Critical Illness Insurance
• Short-Term Disability Insurance (Admin and Hourly Admin Employees Only)
• NEW: Worksite Short-Term Disability Insurance (Hourly Employees Only)

Enrolling in or formally waiving voluntary benefits is mandatory and may be done online or over the phone. Online Enrollment Starts January 3, 2023 through Paycom. Phone appointments are available January 5, 2023 through January 13, 2023.

If you choose to take advantage of a phone appointment with a Benefits Coach, we HIGHLY recommend you go ahead and schedule your appointment now with the information below.

• To schedule a phone appointment with a Benefits Coach online: https://IFB.AppointmentNavigator.com (Available 24/7 on your smartphone, tablet, or laptop/computer)
• To schedule a phone appointment with a Benefits Coach over the phone: call 1-877-277-7476, Mon – Fri, 9 am – 9 pm eastern time
• Note that phone appointments with a Benefits Coach are available between January 5 and 13, 203 and take place Monday through Friday between 5pm and 9pm eastern time.

For those who wish to enroll in or waive voluntary benefits online, prompts and instructions will be available in Paycom on January 3, 2023.

If you have questions, please reach out to Ciara Frenette at cfrenette@ifbsolutions.org or 336-245-5644, or ask your supervisor to put in a Benefits Ticket to request a meeting.

Winston-Salem Canteen Market Opens January 3, 6am!

Previously, this article had a listing of the initial menu pricing. We have become aware of some discrepancies between the menu pricing previously provided by Canteen vs. what is ringing up at the register. We are working to correct the issue – either to update the errors in the price list, or for Canteen to adjust how the products scan at the register. We hope to have more information to share soon. For questions on specific item pricing, please see Claudia or Paulet in the cafeteria between 6am and 3:45pm.

 

Programs and Services

Volunteers Needed in Winston-Salem Location

Do you love to work out in the gym and familiar with various equipment? If the answer is yes, this volunteer opportunity is for you!

The Winston-Salem facility is re-opening the exercise room very soon. The updated space will include incredible new equipment thanks to a generous donation from Allegacy Credit Union. We are looking for volunteers who are sighted to teach employees who are blind and visually impaired how to navigate the room, learn equipment button functions, practice safety in the space, and more.

The time commitment for volunteers will be one hour a day during first and second breaks for one week (Monday – Thursday). If interested, contact Anastasia Powell at apowell@ifbsolutions.org or X5698. Thank you!

(Please note, we are still determining the exact date for reopening and hope to announce soon).

See what S.E.E. is Doing!

S.E.E. After School Winston visited England on our eighth journey of Christmas around the world. We enjoyed a cup of hot tea with our Christmas pudding which is much like fruit cake. We pulled a Christmas cracker – a paper tube filled with a toy, a joke, and a paper crown.

S.E.E. After School Winston journeyed to the Ukraine on our ninth day of Christmas around the world. We made a tree topper star from eight paper lunch bags glued together in a stack, the open ends cut into a point, and then expanded into a circle. It crowned our tree while we listened to “Carol of the Bells” and eating cinnamon doughnuts.

 

Adult Support Group Meetings:

• Tuesday, January 3 VIPS Club meeting from 12:00-1:00 in TADS Room.
• Wednesday, January 4 RP support group meeting from 12:00-12:45 in TADS Room.
• Thursday, January 5 Sight Adjustment support group meeting from 12:00-12:45 in TADS Room.

 

Community Low Vision Center

CLVC Item of the Week:

Talking Caller ID with Jumbo LCD Display for $74.95.

A Talking Caller ID can help a visually impaired person know who is calling them. This standalone talking caller ID with a jumbo LCD display works well for people who do not already have caller ID incorporated into their phone or who want to hear the caller’s phone number. The talking caller ID can announce both the name and the number of the person who is calling, while the 3 3/4″ x 2″ LCD display shows the same information in an extra-large size. An LCD back light button will further stay lit up for 8 seconds after a call comes in or other activation. Also, the LCD has five levels of contrast settings to find the best viewing contrast.

 

CLVC January Item of the Month:

2023 Calendars are available! Prices range between $6.95 and $14.99 based on size, including Big Print, Giant, or Jumbo.

 

If you are interested in purchasing Low Vision Equipment through our Loan Program (3rd Party), please contact a Low Vision Coordinator for assistance. 

 

Insider Corner

Connect with Faith Harding, Insider Corner Editor

Have a story, new article, app, or interesting fact you want to share? Email me! Faith Harding at FHarding@ifbsolutions.org.

Have a wonderful week!

Faith Harding

 

World Braille Day: January 4, 2023

Submitted by Kim Shoffner, Braille Instructor

Braille is a tactile way of writing that is used by people who have sight impairments. It is a special code made from six raised dots on a grid. braille can be translated into different languages. Those who are visually impaired can read these dots using their fingertips to feel the patterns.

World Braille Day is a chance to raise awareness of the issues impacting those who are visually impaired. The invention of braille has transformed the lives of those with visual impairments, and it promotes equal opportunities. It is hoped that, by highlighting the methods used by the blind, the world will make greater attempts to promote inclusion.

World Braille Day is celebrated on the 4th of January because it is the birthday of Louis Braille. Louis was born in France in 1809, and he was blinded in a childhood accident. However, he was determined to overcome this setback, he invented what we now know as braille. What’s more, he did all of this at the age of fifteen!

It was not until 1854 that the Braille system became more widely used. It was initially introduced at the school where Louis studied, but it was quickly adopted by other French schools. Eventually, the system became used worldwide! Different countries have gone onto modify braille. In 2015, the UK introduced a modified version of Unified English Braille (UEB) to help bring consistency to those using English-language material throughout the world. World Braille Day is all about inclusion and diversity.

(Adapted from an article on “Teaching Resources by Twinkl”)

 

Community Connections

Live Audio-Described Virtual Workouts, Just-In-Time for those New Year Resolutions!

Submitted by Chris Flynt

Every week Northwest Association for Blind Athletes (NWABA) leads virtual workouts online Monday-Friday at 12 noon Pacific Time (3 pm Eastern Time) at no charge via Zoom. All sessions are high contrast and audio described. Participating athletes from across the country can connect with one another while working out. Join from the comfort of your own home or anywhere. The space needed for each workout is the length of a yoga mat. The weekly schedule includes:

Mondays – Core Stability: focuses on strengthening the core muscles, the foundation for all exercise. This class typically has a Pilates-style flow with occasional abdominal circuits (one exercise after another).

Tuesdays – Circuit Workout: usually consists of four circuits of exercise, creating a full body strength workout.

Wednesdays – Dance Aerobics: encompasses dance fitness through exercise and dance moves, with different sequences of moves and switches called out as the music plays.

Thursdays – Cardio keeps participants moving throughout this cardio workout, completing exercises with active rest in between.

Fridays – Yoga concludes the week with a relaxing yoga session led by an athlete with NWABA who is a certified yoga instructor.

For a preview of the workouts, check out NWABA’s Youtube Channel. To join in the sessions, call 360.787.7335 or email programsteam@nwaba.org.

 

HR & Opportunities

Apply Today: Business Essentials 2023

IFB Solutions is pleased to be partnering once again in 2023 with Guildford College to offer Business Essentials. The target audience for this training opportunity is open to Hourly IFB associates in Winston Salem who meet all criteria set forth on the Business Essentials Application found below.

Some topics that will be covered in this participant focused training include:

• Business-what, why and how?
• Motivating and leading people
• Ensuring quality.

To be eligible to participate in this course, associates must meet the following criteria:

• An application must be completed in full at the below link
• An updated copy of the applicant’s resume must be submitted to Brent Burkholder via email at bburkholder@ifbsolutions.org.
• All associates must be employed with IFB for at least 6 months
• All participants must have satisfactory attendance and job performance
• All associates must have their computer skills assessed by the Workforce Development team (HR will scheduled and coordinate this assessment).
• All participants must be recommended to participate in this class by their supervisor. (HR will obtain recommendation).

Applications are available at:

https://forms.office.com/Pages/ResponsePage.aspx?id=SQbDxA4fmESiHhoGX06NHOYPKmJQb4VLrwA3jsZJq_NUN09ITzFOTjgxUVRNNFVWQVRTOUZDN0pPUC4u

The deadline to have the application and all supporting materials submitted for consideration is Tuesday January 10, 2023. For more information or questions please contact Brent at 336.245.5611.

Job Announcements

Canteen Assistant – Expediter

Education and work experience:
• Must have high school diploma or GED.
• Minimum of 1 year experience in customer service-related role.

Internal candidates may apply at https://www.paycomonline.net/v4/ats/web.php/jobs/ViewJobDetails?job=53897&clientkey=8B43E6E34C5D5C9AA3D07BB04DBEB909&jpt=ce8685cef740a6280b5fcb492b556fa5
External candidates may apply at https://www.paycomonline.net/v4/ats/web.php/jobs/ViewJobDetails?job=53896&clientkey=8B43E6E34C5D5C9AA3D07BB04DBEB909

For more information about any employment opportunities with IFB Solutions, please do not hesitate to contact Brent Burkholder at bburkholder@ifbsolutions.org or X5611.

 

Zoom Meeting Links

Adult Support Groups Zoom

https://ifbsolutions.zoom.us/j/99498078576?pwd=ODJzK0sxcXZrME9yN25YRTdiNXBSQT09
Meeting ID: 994 9807 8576
PASSWORD: 92638
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+13017158592,99498078576# US (Germantown)

13126266799,99498078576# US
+(Chicago)

Dial by your location.
877 853 5257 US Toll-free
888 475 4499 US Toll-free
Meeting ID: 994 9807 8576

 

Assistive Technology Support Group Zoom

https://ifbsolutions.zoom.us/j/94434630872?pwd=aXFYSHYyWkh1SE1tWDNOdDIwVURwUT09

Meeting ID: 944 3463 0872
Passcode: 924496

+13017158592, 99434630872, #, # US (Germantown)

+13126266799, 99434630872, #, # US (Chicago)