News and Announcements

WVU Benefits Strategy partnered with the West Virginia Center for End-of-Life Care (WVCEOLC)  to deliver WVU and WVU Research Corporation employees important advance care planning education and resources.

The WVCEOLC provides coordination, education, and resources so that at the end of life West Virginians will have their wishes for care known and respected. The Center can provide you with resources and assist you with preparing your advance care directives, including Medical Power of Attorney (MPOA), Living Will (LW), Do Not Resuscitate (DNR) cards, and more.

All West Virginia University students, faculty and staff who are above the age of 18 are now eligible to receive the COVID-19 vaccine, as announced by West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice Tuesday (March 22).

Those students and employees who reside outside of West Virginia also are eligible to receive the COVID-19 vaccine at this time. This eligibility pertains to students and employees at the Beckley and Keyser campuses, as well. 

Staff and students can save money and save the planet while helping WVU become a more sustainable, healthier community during the two-week CampusCup 2021 campaign from March 8-22, 2021.  Help the WVU Women’s Resource Center celebrate International Women’s Day and Women’s History Month today by signing up for your FREE reusable OrganiCup menstrual cup!

Typically a $30 value, OrganiCups are reusable, medical grade, silicone menstrual cups that replace pads and tampons. Through a partnership with OrganiCup,the WRC is offering FREE OrganiCups to staff through the Provost's Transform This! grant. 

The Office of the Provost’s “Transform This! Challenge Grants” are back for another round of inspiring initiatives.

In collaboration with a faculty team, the Provost’s Office announces a second round of competitive Transform This! Challenge Grants. Originally launched in Spring 2020 to build on the momentum of the 2019 grassroots Strategic Transformation efforts, each round of Transform This! Challenge Grants will focus on projects and activities that promote one of the Strategic Transformation goals.

Late last week, Gov. Jim Justice issued proclamations declaring the afternoons of Thursday, Dec. 24, and Thursday, Dec. 31, as official holidays for State employees. And since WVU and WVU Research Corp. already observe these days as holidays, the University has modified its holiday calendar.

WVU is granting 7.5 hours of floating holiday time (pro-rated by FTE) to leave-eligible employees, effective Dec. 24. 

The Public Employees Insurance Agency (PEIA) is holding annual public hearings during the month of November in multiple locations around the state. These hearings allow the public to learn more about PEIA’s proposed changes for Plan Year 2022 and to voice their concerns and comments. The Morgantown hearing is scheduled for 6 p.m. Mon., Nov. 16 at Erickson Alumni Center. Registration begins at 5 p.m.; you must register to speak. Details, including social distancing requirements, the hearing agenda, proposed changes and schedule may be found on the PEIA website.

WVU Benefits Strategy would like to share important information regarding Medical and Dependent Flexible Spending Accounts (FSAs). Whether or not an employee is currently enrolled in a Medical FSA or Dependent FSA through Mountaineer Flexible Benefits (FBMC), the information below pertains to all benefits-eligible employees under the special circumstances related to COVID-19.

In accordance with existing IRS guidelines, Medical and Dependent Care FSA enrollment and increasing or decreasing withholdings for the fiscal year are permissible due to the following qualifying life events:

West Virginia University has been made aware that some faculty and staff may be victims of a fraudulent unemployment claims. This issue is not related to anything that has happened at the University — WVU's Information Security team has done multiple checks and continues to monitor our systems, and there is no evidence of any data breaches on the University's systems. However, there are several cases of identity theft leading to fraudulent unemployment claims occurring across the state and throughout the U.S.

Most recently, WVU was informed that some employees have received Key Bank debit cards, which may be tied to a fraudulent Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) claim made on behalf of the employee. If you received one of these debit cards in the mail, please do not activate the card and destroy it immediately.