October 2024: Personal Winter Preparedness, Dayforce Enhancements Coming Soon and Login Help, World Mental Health Day and Understanding Depression, and SunLife and RRSP Changes.
Posted on Oct 16, 2024
Personal Winter Preparedness
Winter in Alberta can be tough, with freezing temperatures, heavy snow, and icy roads. Being prepared is important for staying safe and comfortable. Here are some tips to help you get ready for the winter:
- Dress for the Weather:
- Wear layers to stay warm. Start with a thin layer that keeps sweat away from your skin, add a thicker layer to keep in the heat, and finish with a jacket that blocks wind and water.
- Don’t forget to wear a hat, gloves or mittens, a scarf, and warm boots to protect yourself from the cold.
- Keep extra clothes and blankets in your car in case you get stuck.
- Get Your Car Ready for Winter:
- Put winter tires on your car for better grip on snow and ice.
- Pack an emergency kit with blankets, snacks, water, a flashlight, a first-aid kit, and a small shovel.
- Make sure your car’s battery, antifreeze, wiper fluid, and heater are all in good shape.
- Check the Weather:
- Watch weather forecasts and road conditions on apps or websites like Alberta 511.
- Give yourself extra time for travel when road conditions are poor or reschedule outings.
- Prepare Your Home:
- Make sure your home is well-insulated and that your heating system works properly.
- Stock up on supplies like canned food, water, medications, batteries, and flashlights in case the power goes out.
- If you have a backup heat source, like a fireplace or space heater, make sure it’s safe to use.
By following these tips, you’ll be better prepared to handle our cold winters and keep yourself and your family safe.
Exciting News Ahead in Dayforce Enhancement
We're thrilled to announce that we are developing a fantastic new feature in Dayforce designed to improve how employees access open shifts. This upgrade will make it easier and faster to find available shifts at your fingertips!
To get ready, log in to Dayforce and explore all the amazing tools available to you. Stay tuned for more details on this upcoming release—you won't want to miss it! Not too sure how to log in. Are you a first-time user? Let's log on together! Dayforce is a website that runs in almost any internet browser or through an app on your smartphone.
Enter www.dayforcehcm.com or download the Dayforce app.
Once on the landing page there are 3 fields to complete:
Company name: Heartlandh
Username: firstname.lastname (e.g. jane.smith)
First Time Password: BIRTHYEARHeart (e.g. 1975Heart))
Once you login you will land on the homepage as known as the “HUB”. Scroll through the HUB to see some of the latest information released from HHF, your latest earnings details, quick links to helpful resources and other great things to help answer questions about your employment.
You can also access more information about you through the navigation panel on the top left side of the screen. Here you have options to choose EARNINGS to view your latest paystub or T4, your PROFILE to view and update your contact information, find forms to update your tax form or direct deposit, or you can change your security settings or visit WORK>CALENDAR to update your Availability and see your next scheduled shifts.
Get ready for the big launch by logging in to Dayforce or reaching out to your manager if you need any assistance getting Dayforce set up for you!
More Than the Blues: Understanding Depression
For World Mental Health Day on October 10, we’re focusing on the importance of mental health, specifically on understanding depression. Depression can manifest as persistent and deep unhappiness across various aspects of life. So, while it can be easy to identify the cause of sadness in the moment, depression is more intricate and can be more difficult to articulate. The good news is that depression is a treatable condition, and most people experience improvement after getting the treatment they need
Assessing if you are depressed
All of us feel blue sometimes when sad events happen or when life doesn't go according to plan. Usually, we snap out of it after a while and get back on an even keel. This is different from depression, which is a clinical condition requiring expert support and treatment.
Tips and tools you can use
Recognizing when the line has been crossed to depression is a good first step; the next step is finding a solution. It's important to understand that symptoms can vary according to the triggers and your personality. Talk to your healthcare provider about your concerns. Meanwhile, here is some information to help you understand depression:
- Causes of Depression
- Biological changes within the brain combine with a variety of lifestyle, stress, or personality contributors.
- Contributing stresses may include bereavement, divorce, major lifestyle changes, traumatic events, and serious illness of self or a loved one.
- Personality factors can make some people more vulnerable, especially introverts, worriers, and highly sensitive people in unsupportive environments.
- Isolation and lack of social support can be a potential contributor.
- Certain illnesses can trigger an imbalance in biological chemicals in the brain.
- Postnatal depression is a condition that can arise following the hormonal changes of pregnancy and delivery
- Symptoms of Depression
- Disinterest in getting up to start each day
- sad, dark mood
- A feeling of lethargy, fatigue, restlessness, or social withdrawal
- Changes in appetite, weight, and sleeping patterns
- Reduced interest or pleasure in activities
- Lowered self-esteem
- Difficulty with thinking, concentration, and making decisions
- Feeling that life is purposeless and empty
- Irrational feelings of guilt
- Thoughts of hurting self or others
- Thoughts of death or suicide
- Steps You Can Take
- Talk to a health professional. Highly successful treatments are available, and a doctor will recommend the right one for your symptoms.
- If your GP prescribes medication, it is important to keep taking it even if symptoms at first persist. Many medications take 3-6 weeks to be effective.
- Walk, jog, or attend a gym regularly. Exercise aids the release of endorphins, which contribute to a feeling of wellbeing.
- Spend at least two hours a week in nature.
- Follow healthy sleep habits—go to bed at the same time each night. Consider a warm bath or drinking a mug of milk before bed to encourage relaxation.
- Follow a balanced, nutritious diet.
- Cut back or eliminate caffeine, alcohol, and nicotine.
- If you have suicidal thoughts or thoughts of hurting others, call Talk Suicide Canada at 1 833 456 4566 (24/7) or text 45645 (between 4pm to midnight). immediately.
Resources:
- Canada Association for Suicide Prevention (CASP) – Resources for those who are having suicidal thoughts or know someone who is. Offers a Support Services directory.
- Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA) a nationwide organization that provides great information on all matters related to mental health and mental illnesses.
- Employee Assistance Program through Telus Health (formerly LifeWorks) - The Employee Assistance Program can be accessed by all employees regardless of whether you are a part of our Sunlife Benefits Program.
- Username:heartland
- Password:eap
- Toll-Free Phone Numbers:
- To access our toll-free phone services, available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, please call us at: English: 1-844-671-3327 French: 1-855-360-5485 TTY: 1-877-338-0275
Changes to SunLife Benefits and RRSP
RRSP Program Changes
Starting November 1st, the employer portion of your RRSPs will be locked in. This means that the employer portion of your benefits will not be able to be withdrawn from your RRSPs while employed, unless:
- Education (Lifelong Learning Plan)
- Buying a home (Home Buyers’ Plan)
- Retirement
- Financial Hardship
- Leaving HHF
WHY? Great question, to help employees achieve their retirement goals!
If you want to learn more about your RRSPs check out the Dayforce Hub homepage or Capital Estate Planning.
Benefit Upgrades
You may remember that a few months ago we sent out a staff survey on what benefits mattered most to you. Over 60% of you responded, and this upgraded benefit package integrates what we heard from you.
Highlights:
-
- Added $300 every 24 months for prescription glasses per family member
- Increased Paramedical coverage to $750 to a combined maximum of $2500 per family member. Massage, Chiro, Naturopath, Physio etc.
- Increased Dental coverage to 90% up to $1500 maximum per family member (Preventive Procedures and Basic Procedures)
- Increased Health Care Spending Account from $250 to $375 (Extra $125 a year)
We also wanted to note that though these expanded benefits will be effective November 1st, 2024, Heartland Housing Foundation will be offsetting the small increase to your premium costs until January 3, 2025.
Thank you for everything you do to keep our lodges safe, happy, and healthy places for our residents.