More than 1,000 University of Houston benefit-eligible employees attended Human Resources’ 2024 Wellness & Benefits Fair in late June to learn more about the benefits available to them. 

The annual event provided employees the opportunity to converse with health and wellbeing vendors such as Fidelity, VOYA, Blue Cross Blue Shield, AFLAC, and university departments like Human Resources, the University of Houston Police Department, UH Staff Council, Campus Smiles, Campus Safety, and UH Family Care Center to name a few. 

“It’s an opportunity for people to come and see everybody who works with the university that provides a benefit to us. It’s an opportunity to have everybody in one place and one time,” said Associate Vice Chancellor and Associate Vice President for Human Resources Gaston Reinoso. 

“A lot of times, people sign up for things, or don’t sign up for things because they don’t know enough. And this is a time of the year when they take the opportunity to come and meet with our vendors.” 

Facilities Planning Office Administrator Terri Linder-Britt falls in that category. She received information about the university’s eye institute and says she will be booking an eye exam soon. 

Each annual fair has a theme, and this year’s theme was Surfing the Benefits and Wellness Wave. 

“Surfing the wave is a way of trying to be stable in something that is moving all the time. So, with that idea is, how to keep balance in a world that is changing every day and one of the things is planning, and you need to plan your benefits accordingly and this fair is that opportunity,” said Reinoso. 

Having an opportunity to speak directly with the representatives of the services and benefits offered to UH employees is a key selling point of the fair. This event allows them to have questions answered, and if possible, fix any issues on site. 

That was the case for Construction Management Administrative Assistant Lillian Harris. June’s Wellness & Benefits Fair was the ninth one she’s attended. 

“I was able to put in a complaint with the vision representative and she was able to get me a good doctor,” said Harris. “We made an appointment right there.” 

Harris appreciated that the fair gave her the chance to speak directly to a representative and have her issues addressed in person. 

Employees also learned about new benefits and services. One of the new services is a health provider, Hinge Health. 

Humans Development and Retail Scientist Administration Coordinator Rachel Alvarado enjoyed learning about Hinge Health. 

“It’s giving us more opportunity to get other medical [visits] outside of our regular doctor,” said Alvarado.