A Healthy Outlook Newsletter from your MCPS Employee Assistance Program

Upcoming Workshops for Support Staff Professionals

Last spring, 400 support staff professionals completed a survey from the Employee Assistance Program to provide feedback on workshop topics to support employee well-being. Thank you to those who took the time to share your valuable feedback!

• 78% of employees prefer that the EAP continue to facilitate workshops in a virtual format.
• The most requested workshop topics were positive communication (66%), coping with stress (63%), work-life balance (36%), emotional intelligence (32%), and time management (27%).

As a result of your feedback, the EAP is excited to offer the following virtual courses to support staff professionals this fall:

• Course #90815 “Communicating to Get Through Difficult Situations”: In this two-part series with the Conflict Resolution Center for Montgomery County, participants will learn how to identify their emotions to effectively communicate their message and come up with ideas to resolve differences in a positive way. You will practice recognizing the feelings of others and develop active listening skills to build your communication toolbox. Part 1 will take place on September 28, 2022 from 4:30 p.m.—5:30 p.m. and part 2 will take place on October 26, 2022 from 4:30 p.m.—5:30 p.m.
• Course #91281 “Building Your Resiliency Practice” on October 12, 2022 from 4:00 p.m.—5:30 p.m.: This activity-based course will empower you with skills to manage adversity, change, and stress. This training covers topics such as stress management and prioritizing self-care in a new school year. You will leave with concrete strategies to begin implementing a proactive and responsive resiliency plan right away.
• Course #90816 “Managing Your Time: Maximizing Your Potential” on November 30, 2022 from 4:00 p.m.—5:30 p.m.: This interactive workshop will provide an overview of many of the core challenges related to time management. You will develop time management goals and strategies to prioritize your time. You will leave this workshop with a toolkit to overcome obstacles to effective time management and prioritize your efficiency.
• Course #90814 “You Can Do Both: Navigating Work-Life Balance” on December 14, 2022 from 4:00 p.m.—5:30 p.m.: In this workshop, staff will learn strategies to create more balance in their lives while navigating the unique pressure as a school employee. Participants will gain practical tools to prioritize their wellbeing and develop a plan for change.

For more information and to register, please visit PDO: https://pdo.mcpsmd.org/

You May Qualify for Spouse's Benefits

Social Security benefits are a crucial part of millions of Americans’ retirement income. If you don’t have enough Social Security credits to qualify for benefits on your own record, you may be able to receive benefits on your spouse’s record.

To qualify for spouse’s benefits, you must be one of the following:

• 62 years of age or older.
• Any age and have in your care a child younger than age 16, or a child of any age who is disabled and disability started before age 22.

Your full spouse’s benefit could be up to one-half the amount your spouse is entitled to receive at their full retirement age. If you wait until you reach full retirement age to receive benefits, you’ll receive your full spouse’s benefit amount. If you choose to receive your spouse’s benefits before you reach full retirement age, you will get a permanently reduced benefit.

If you’re eligible to receive retirement benefits on your own record, we will pay that amount first. If your benefits as a spouse are higher than your own retirement benefits, you will get a combination of benefits that equal the higher spouse benefit. For example, Sandy qualifies for a retirement benefit of $1,000 and a spouse’s benefit of $1,250. At her full retirement age, she will receive her own $1,000 retirement benefit. We will add $250 from her spouse’s benefit, for a total of $1,250.

Want to apply for either your or your spouse’s benefits? Are you at least 61 years and nine months old? If you answered yes to both, visit www.ssa.gov/benefits/retirement to get started today.

Are you divorced from a marriage that lasted at least 10 years? You may be able to get benefits on your former spouse’s record. You can find out more by visiting www.ssa.gov/planners/retire/divspouse.html for more information.

Article printed with permission by the Social Security Administration. For more information, visit www.ssa.gov.

Usted Pudiera Calificar Para Beneficios Como Cónyuge

Los beneficios de Seguro Social son una parte crucial de los ingresos para la jubilación de millones de personas que viven en los EE. UU. Si no tiene suficientes créditos de Seguro Social para calificar para los beneficios en su propio registro, es posible que pueda recibir beneficios en el registro de su cónyuge. Para calificar para los beneficios de su cónyuge, debe tener uno de los siguientes:

• 62 años o mas
• Cualquier edad y tener bajo su tutela a un niño menor de 16 años, o un niño de cualquier edad que tiene una incapacidad y cuya incapacidad empezó antes de los 22 años.

El beneficio completo de su cónyuge podría ser hasta la mitad de la cantidad que su cónyuge tiene derecho a recibir a su plena edad de jubilación. Si elige recibir los beneficios de su cónyuge antes de cumplir la plena edad de jubilación, obtendrá un beneficio reducido de forma permanente.

Si tiene derecho para recibir beneficios por jubilación en su propio registro, pagaremos esa cantidad primero. Si sus beneficios como cónyuge son más altos que sus propios beneficios por jubilación, obtendrá una combinación de beneficios equivalente al beneficio de cónyuge más alto. Por ejemplo, Sandra califica para un beneficio por jubilación de $1,000 y un beneficio como cónyuge de $1,250. A su plena edad de jubilación, recibirá su propio beneficio por jubilación de $1,000. Agregaremos $250 del beneficio de su cónyuge, para un total de $1,250. ¿Quiere solicitar sus beneficios o los de su cónyuge? ¿Tiene al menos 61 años y nueve meses de edad? Si respondió sí a ambas, visite www.segurosocial.gov/beneficios/jubilacion para comenzar el proceso hoy.

¿Está divorciado de un matrimonio que duró al menos 10 años? Es posible que pueda obtener beneficios en el registro de su excónyuge. Para informarse mejor, visite www.segurosocial.gov/beneficios/jubilacion/planificador/solicitar7.html.

Artículo impreso con permiso de la Administración del Seguro Social. Para informarse mejor, visite www.ssa.gov.

Ask the EAP

Q: I have a family member who seems to have a serious problem, but won’t seek help. This is bothering me a lot, and I can’t figure out what to do. Is there anything the EAP can do to help?

A: There are a few options the EAP can offer that you might find useful. First, we can provide no-cost and confidential support and counseling to you. It can be distressing when loved ones experience a serious problem. You are not alone. The EAP can also help you explore if intervening with your family member could be done or what to do for yourself and your family member if intervening is not possible. We could provide you with a list of possible resources, should the person become open to receiving help at a later date. Adult household members of MCPS employees are also eligible to receive EAP services themselves, including no-cost and confidential counseling sessions. Overall, getting assistance with a family problem is one of the most common reasons that employees come to the EAP—we are here to help.

Do you have a general question for the EAP you would like to see answered in A Healthy Outlook? Submit your question via email to EAP@mcpsmd.org.