November 1, 2021
Recent posts by BSC Communications
2 min read
EU and Utilities to Begin Phases 1 and 2 of Responsible Re-entry Dec. 1; Phase 3 Begins Jan. 3
Topics: Re-Entry
2 min read
Chris Crane: The Delta Variant and Responsible Re-entry Timing
August 16, 2021
Topics: Re-Entry
6 min read
Dos and Don'ts: New Racial Equity Pages, Access Restrictions, Health Coaches and $2.7 Billion Investment
July 15, 2021
Topics: BSC
3 min read
Chris Crane: It’s Time to Set a Date for Responsible Re-entry
July 14, 2021
Topics: Re-Entry
5 min read
Complete Annual Training, Get Healthier, Customize Connect and More
In this week’s Dos & Don’ts we remind you about the annual ethics and security qualifications training, showcase John Boyd’s Hinge Health story and share how to access a better fitness program, host a Teams meeting for 1,000 people and customize your desktop.
Ethics and Security Training – Annual Qualifications
Our Annual Ethics training is an opportunity to renew our commitment to our company values, our customers, our communities and each other. Beginning in 2021, mandatory Ethics and Security Trainings are now tracked as an annual qualification, due on a four-quarter cycle. For example, if you completed the training on May 25, 2020, your due date this year is June 30, 2021.
This means your training deadline may be approaching. The rolling deadline applies to the following training modules:
Topics: BSC
5 min read
Self Care; Taking Care while Online and Outside the Country and More!
Build Your Resilience!
Accumulated stresses can be damaging to your health. Staying connected to your friends and family, tending to your needs and looking toward the future can go a long way toward building resilience to stress and ensuring a healthy lifestyle. Do learn to build your resilience by joining the Sharecare Resilience Challenge in June. To complete the challenge successfully, track your daily stress levels for at least 15 days during the challenge period (June 1 – June 30). Monitoring your stress levels can help you pinpoint your problem areas and find resilience-building solutions. Do sign up through Sharecare at exelon.sharecare.com. Don’t wait – learn more and enroll in this meaningful wellness opportunity today.
(Note: This challenge is available to all U.S.-based Exelon employees, excluding temporary employees and part-time employees scheduled to work fewer than 20 hours per week and employees represented by Locals 1238 and 1307.)
Working While Away – Rules of the Road
It’s important to relax and recharge, and it’s getting easier to do if you’re vaccinated! Do take a vacation or “staycation” this summer. However, if you plan to travel to an international location, don’t plan to perform work there.
If you plan to travel abroad, engage Exelon’s Travel Safely program before you leave to receive security briefings, best practices and location-based remote access and device restrictions. Additionally, we ask that you do the following:
Accumulated stresses can be damaging to your health. Staying connected to your friends and family, tending to your needs and looking toward the future can go a long way toward building resilience to stress and ensuring a healthy lifestyle. Do learn to build your resilience by joining the Sharecare Resilience Challenge in June. To complete the challenge successfully, track your daily stress levels for at least 15 days during the challenge period (June 1 – June 30). Monitoring your stress levels can help you pinpoint your problem areas and find resilience-building solutions. Do sign up through Sharecare at exelon.sharecare.com. Don’t wait – learn more and enroll in this meaningful wellness opportunity today.
(Note: This challenge is available to all U.S.-based Exelon employees, excluding temporary employees and part-time employees scheduled to work fewer than 20 hours per week and employees represented by Locals 1238 and 1307.)
Working While Away – Rules of the Road
It’s important to relax and recharge, and it’s getting easier to do if you’re vaccinated! Do take a vacation or “staycation” this summer. However, if you plan to travel to an international location, don’t plan to perform work there.
If you plan to travel abroad, engage Exelon’s Travel Safely program before you leave to receive security briefings, best practices and location-based remote access and device restrictions. Additionally, we ask that you do the following:
- Register for the Travel Safely Webinar on June 4, 2021, from 1 PM – 2 PM CT / 2 PM – 3 PM ET to learn more about what Exelon is doing to mitigate the risk of cyber and physical threats when you travel abroad.
- Review the Foreign Travel Security Policy which includes a revised list of countries with restrictions and information about VPN access for countries that do not pose a high cyber-security risk.
- In certain international locations, remote access of any kind is strictly prohibited due to heightened security concerns. For those locations, don’t travel with mobile devices equipped with Exelon applications, email and data or any corporate-issued electronic device.
- Notify travelsafely@exeloncorp.com about any international trip, business or personal, where you will require access to the Exelon network with an electronic device.
- Do report lost, stolen or confiscated electronic devices, or suspicious behavior or information while traveling internationally to the Exelon Security Operations Center at +1-800-550-6154 or +1-410-470-5800.
Cyber Attacks on Energy Infrastructure on the Rise
The number of successful cyber-criminal attacks has been increasing in scale and impact. The recent attack on Colonial Pipeline that disrupted pipelines carrying 45 percent of diesel, jet fuel and gasoline capacity for the East Coast, is just the latest example. Exelon has sophisticated anti-malware tools in place to detect and prevent similar attacks; however, cyber threats are constantly evolving, and you are our first line of defense. Just clicking on the wrong link in a phishing email can introduce a damaging virus into the Exelon network. Do always be on guard and report any suspicious emails to CISS with the “Report Phishing” button. Don’t click on any suspicious links or attachments!
Corporate & Information Security Services (CISS) recently held an engaging webinar to highlight the cyber and physical threat landscape. Do watch the recording to discover what Exelon is doing to mitigate the risk and what YOU can do to help keep Exelon secure.
Customize Connect
Do take a few minutes to learn how you can customize your Connect Dashboard. Want a different image? Upload it. Want a specific greeting? Change it. Do explore all the potential updates, including changing the orange links under your greeting and customizing your “Bookmarks” and “Tools & Apps.” Do check out all the ways you can make Connect work for you by visiting the Connect How-To page. Do get more done —faster — with your customized Exelon Connect.
Reminder: New Vendor Requirements Take Effect This Week
Do know that our new and existing vendors must comply with Exelon’s enhanced due- diligence policies, procedures and practices to determine whether any affiliations exist between vendors and public officials. Starting May 21, both existing and new vendors must have completed a Vendor Affiliation Questionnaire (VAQ) to be awarded new business with Exelon.
This VAQ requirement is integrated into the enhanced Vendor Maintenance Form, which is used to add/update/remove vendors. Ensure the vendors you work with meet the new requirements. Do visit the Vendor Compliance Resource page to learn more about the policy changes, upcoming vendor compliance deadlines and additional informational resources.
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Topics: BSC
6 min read
Making a Difference at Home and Abroad; Taking Care of Yourself and More
In this week’s Dos & Don’ts, we’re sharing a powerful video about giving back and information on how to help people in India, take care of your own mental health and get on board to stop hackers.
Powering the Future and Changing Lives
You don't want to miss this! Last week, CEO Chris Crane held an emotional and life-changing v ideo call, surprising seven young women from the company’s STEM Academy Leadership program with news that Exelon will provide them with full-ride college scholarships.
The STEM Leadership Academy Scholarship is designed to be a supportive and clear pathway from student participation in the academy to entry into the energy workforce, ideally as an Exelon employee. The newly launched scholarship was made available to STEM Leadership Academy alumnae who are graduating from high school in 2021 or who have already begun their post-secondary education at a two- or four-year educational institution. This year’s STEM Leadership Academies, supported by hundreds of Exelon volunteers at all levels of the company, will be held in July and August.
Support India through COVID Crisis
Do consider donating to one of the many organizations supporting India through a COVID crisis right now. With daily case counts above 300,000, India is struggling and needs personnel protective equipment, medical supplies and vaccines. Give to an eligible organization and record it in Powering Communities to secure a dollar-for-dollar match from the Exelon Foundation (up to $5,000 per employee, per calendar year).
Don’t Ignore Your Mental Health
The pandemic has challenged our mental wellbeing on so many levels. Over the past 16 months, our stress and anxiety levels have increased as we’ve had to cope with the loss of loved ones, isolation, fear of getting sick, lack of childcare and many other challenges.
If you’ve felt tired, nervous or had difficulty concentrating, know that you are not alone, and we have resources that can help. Do take advantage of Exelon’s Live and Work Well benefits available to any employee — whether it’s finding the right child daycare solutions, getting help with your finances or coping with other stressors in your life. Through this benefit, you can speak privately with a masters-level clinician who can help you discover healthy ways to cope. Exelon employees may attend six counseling sessions for each problem per year at no cost. You can call anytime, day or night, and your use of the service is kept confidential. For more information, visit liveandworkwell.com (access code: Exelon) or call the Live and Work Well team at 1-866-872-1666. Additionally, if you need work accommodations, your manager or Exelon’s HR team is well equipped to help.
May is Mental Health Awareness Month and an opportunity to educate people about mental illness, and remove any stigma associated with getting help. With that in mind, do consider:
Powering the Future and Changing Lives
You don't want to miss this! Last week, CEO Chris Crane held an emotional and life-changing v ideo call, surprising seven young women from the company’s STEM Academy Leadership program with news that Exelon will provide them with full-ride college scholarships.
The STEM Leadership Academy Scholarship is designed to be a supportive and clear pathway from student participation in the academy to entry into the energy workforce, ideally as an Exelon employee. The newly launched scholarship was made available to STEM Leadership Academy alumnae who are graduating from high school in 2021 or who have already begun their post-secondary education at a two- or four-year educational institution. This year’s STEM Leadership Academies, supported by hundreds of Exelon volunteers at all levels of the company, will be held in July and August.
Support India through COVID Crisis
Do consider donating to one of the many organizations supporting India through a COVID crisis right now. With daily case counts above 300,000, India is struggling and needs personnel protective equipment, medical supplies and vaccines. Give to an eligible organization and record it in Powering Communities to secure a dollar-for-dollar match from the Exelon Foundation (up to $5,000 per employee, per calendar year).
Don’t Ignore Your Mental Health
The pandemic has challenged our mental wellbeing on so many levels. Over the past 16 months, our stress and anxiety levels have increased as we’ve had to cope with the loss of loved ones, isolation, fear of getting sick, lack of childcare and many other challenges.
If you’ve felt tired, nervous or had difficulty concentrating, know that you are not alone, and we have resources that can help. Do take advantage of Exelon’s Live and Work Well benefits available to any employee — whether it’s finding the right child daycare solutions, getting help with your finances or coping with other stressors in your life. Through this benefit, you can speak privately with a masters-level clinician who can help you discover healthy ways to cope. Exelon employees may attend six counseling sessions for each problem per year at no cost. You can call anytime, day or night, and your use of the service is kept confidential. For more information, visit liveandworkwell.com (access code: Exelon) or call the Live and Work Well team at 1-866-872-1666. Additionally, if you need work accommodations, your manager or Exelon’s HR team is well equipped to help.
May is Mental Health Awareness Month and an opportunity to educate people about mental illness, and remove any stigma associated with getting help. With that in mind, do consider:
- Visiting Optum’s Mental Health Awareness Month page and read the top five myths about mental illness
- Visiting Mental Health America’s website to learn about mental health conditions and to take a mental health test — one of the quickest and easiest ways to determine whether you are experiencing symptoms of a mental illness
- Visiting the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) website to read the warning signs and symptoms of mental illness
Most importantly, do take time today to check-in on a friend or coworker — not just to see how they’re doing, but also for your own wellbeing.
Getting on Board to Stop Hackers
In the past six months, the frequency of cyber-attacks on Exelon vendors has increased significantly. Cyber criminals are hijacking vendor email exchanges to send phishing emails to Exelon employees and contractors. Even if an email sender seems familiar, do confirm the accuracy of the sender’s information, and ask yourself if you were expecting the email before you click on a link or open an attachment. Do check for misspellings, grammatical errors or requests that seem unusually urgent, and don’t open suspicious attachments. Do think of the red external banner as a sign to stop, think and review information before clicking a link or opening an attachment.
Do register for the Unite To Fight – Do Your Part to Keep Exelon Secure webinar on May 18, 2021, from 2:00 PM – 3:30 PM CT / 3:00 PM – 4:30 PM ET to learn more about what Exelon is doing to mitigate the risk of cyber and physical threats and what YOU can do to help keep Exelon secure.
Last month, more than 18,000 employees used the Report Phishing Button. Are you on board?
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Topics: BSC
3 min read
Vaccine “Whys”; Rating Teams Calls; Vendor Compliance; and Knowing Your Numbers
In this week’s Dos & Don’ts, we learn from some of our colleagues why they felt it was important to get vaccinated, invite you to rate Teams calls and more.
Find Your Why
Do check out photos of colleagues from ComEd getting their vaccines and sharing their reasons why getting vaccinated against COVID was important to them. Being vaccinated not only helps move us all toward the end of the pandemic, but helps you start enjoying more as things open up and protects your loved ones. It’s a win, win, win!
Unite to Fight – Keep Exelon Secure
Do join Corporate & Information Security Services (CISS) for an engaging webinar to learn more about the cyber and physical threat landscape. Discover what Exelon is doing to mitigate the risk and what YOU can do to help keep Exelon secure. The webinar will take place on May 18, 2:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. CT / 3:00 p.m. – 4:30 p.m. ET.
Find Your Why
Do check out photos of colleagues from ComEd getting their vaccines and sharing their reasons why getting vaccinated against COVID was important to them. Being vaccinated not only helps move us all toward the end of the pandemic, but helps you start enjoying more as things open up and protects your loved ones. It’s a win, win, win!
Unite to Fight – Keep Exelon Secure
Do join Corporate & Information Security Services (CISS) for an engaging webinar to learn more about the cyber and physical threat landscape. Discover what Exelon is doing to mitigate the risk and what YOU can do to help keep Exelon secure. The webinar will take place on May 18, 2:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. CT / 3:00 p.m. – 4:30 p.m. ET.
Rate Teams Calls to Improve IT Quality
Do know that IT tracks Teams call performance and wants you to rate your call experiences to drive IT performance insights? More than 97 percent of calls rated from March received 5 stars, but that only represented 1 percent of the 1.5 million calls made from Exelon. Don’t miss the opportunity to rate the IT quality of your call whenever you see the star rating request pop-up.
New Vendor Requirements to Meet Enhanced Policies
Exelon is committed to ensuring the highest levels of integrity when interacting with our business partners, public officials and customers. Do know that our new and existing vendors must comply with Exelon’s enhanced due diligence policies, procedures and practices to detect vendor affiliations with public officials.
If you work with vendor partners, ensure they’ve met the new requirements. Do visit the Vendor Compliance Resource page to learn more about the policy changes, upcoming vendor compliance deadlines and additional informational resources.
Rev Your Financial Engines
Edelman Financial Engines (“Financial Engines”) recently launched its annual campaign to provide a helpful snapshot of your projected retirement financial savings in your ESP account and tips for improvement. For more information, do refer to the email you received from Financial Engines on April 27 or go to your ESP account and select “Get Advice” from the menu tab. Also, do check out Financial Engines’ upcoming webinar offerings starting the week of May 10. Topics include women and investing, estate planning and financial stress management. Find webinar details and register at https://webinars.on24.com/EFE/forExelon.
(Note: Use of Financial Engines is offered to plan participants as a voluntary service. Financial Engines is an independent third-party financial advisor and is neither affiliated with nor endorsed by Exelon. Financial Engines is a federally registered investment advisor and does not guarantee future results.)
Do know that IT tracks Teams call performance and wants you to rate your call experiences to drive IT performance insights? More than 97 percent of calls rated from March received 5 stars, but that only represented 1 percent of the 1.5 million calls made from Exelon. Don’t miss the opportunity to rate the IT quality of your call whenever you see the star rating request pop-up.
New Vendor Requirements to Meet Enhanced Policies
Exelon is committed to ensuring the highest levels of integrity when interacting with our business partners, public officials and customers. Do know that our new and existing vendors must comply with Exelon’s enhanced due diligence policies, procedures and practices to detect vendor affiliations with public officials.
If you work with vendor partners, ensure they’ve met the new requirements. Do visit the Vendor Compliance Resource page to learn more about the policy changes, upcoming vendor compliance deadlines and additional informational resources.
Rev Your Financial Engines
Edelman Financial Engines (“Financial Engines”) recently launched its annual campaign to provide a helpful snapshot of your projected retirement financial savings in your ESP account and tips for improvement. For more information, do refer to the email you received from Financial Engines on April 27 or go to your ESP account and select “Get Advice” from the menu tab. Also, do check out Financial Engines’ upcoming webinar offerings starting the week of May 10. Topics include women and investing, estate planning and financial stress management. Find webinar details and register at https://webinars.on24.com/EFE/forExelon.
(Note: Use of Financial Engines is offered to plan participants as a voluntary service. Financial Engines is an independent third-party financial advisor and is neither affiliated with nor endorsed by Exelon. Financial Engines is a federally registered investment advisor and does not guarantee future results.)
Topics: BSC
3 min read
Vaccine Conversations and Reporting, New CDC Mask Guidance, a New Yammer and Let Bolt Help!
In this week’s Dos and Don’ts, we share some guidance about talking with colleagues about vaccinations, share some new CDC guidance about masks if you’re fully vaccinated, remind you to report when you get vaccinated, a heads up about a new version of Yammer and a tip for getting help with Exelon Connect.
New CDC Mask Guidance
The CDC has released new guidance easing rules about wearing masks outside if you are fully vaccinated. Do be aware that a team from HR and OHS is reviewing the impact on Exelon and potential changes in company mask protocols for fully vaccinated employees. Even more reason to get vaccinated. More information to come…
Talking About Vaccines…
We do encourage employees to get vaccinated. But do respect the choice and privacy of your co-workers. Don’t ask employees about medical information or discuss medical information in the workplace. Do contact your health care provider or check out Exelon’s Vax Scene site if you have questions about the vaccine.
Get and Record your Vaccine
For vaccine appointments during your regularly scheduled shift, you are eligible for up to four hours of paid time off for time spent getting vaccinated with approval from your manager.
Do be sure to remember to fill out the Vaccine Disclosure form after your first and second shot! This information is confidential and only will be used to determine the amount of additional vaccines necessary, as the company works to procure supplies whenever possible. If you don’t have easy access to a computer, you can report your vaccination by calling the HR Service Center at 1-877-7EXELON (1-877-739-3566), Monday - Friday from 7 am - 5 pm CST.
Modern Yammer Becomes the New Default Experience
If you use the web version of Yammer, you’ve had a choice between using the “new Yammer” experience or the older, classic version. Do know that Microsoft is turning on the newer, richer experience for all web users moving forward. Do check out the cool modern features, such as diverse reactions, enhanced community insights, improved Yammer live events and much more.
Connect with Bolt for Help
Need help with Exelon Connect? Do try chatting with Bolt, the intranet’s chatbot. Bolt can help you find what you need, fast. Simply click on the chat icon at the bottom of your screen on desktop or mobile and ask away!
New CDC Mask Guidance
The CDC has released new guidance easing rules about wearing masks outside if you are fully vaccinated. Do be aware that a team from HR and OHS is reviewing the impact on Exelon and potential changes in company mask protocols for fully vaccinated employees. Even more reason to get vaccinated. More information to come…
Talking About Vaccines…
We do encourage employees to get vaccinated. But do respect the choice and privacy of your co-workers. Don’t ask employees about medical information or discuss medical information in the workplace. Do contact your health care provider or check out Exelon’s Vax Scene site if you have questions about the vaccine.
Get and Record your Vaccine
For vaccine appointments during your regularly scheduled shift, you are eligible for up to four hours of paid time off for time spent getting vaccinated with approval from your manager.
Do be sure to remember to fill out the Vaccine Disclosure form after your first and second shot! This information is confidential and only will be used to determine the amount of additional vaccines necessary, as the company works to procure supplies whenever possible. If you don’t have easy access to a computer, you can report your vaccination by calling the HR Service Center at 1-877-7EXELON (1-877-739-3566), Monday - Friday from 7 am - 5 pm CST.
Modern Yammer Becomes the New Default Experience
If you use the web version of Yammer, you’ve had a choice between using the “new Yammer” experience or the older, classic version. Do know that Microsoft is turning on the newer, richer experience for all web users moving forward. Do check out the cool modern features, such as diverse reactions, enhanced community insights, improved Yammer live events and much more.
Connect with Bolt for Help
Need help with Exelon Connect? Do try chatting with Bolt, the intranet’s chatbot. Bolt can help you find what you need, fast. Simply click on the chat icon at the bottom of your screen on desktop or mobile and ask away!
Topics: BSC
5 min read
Vaccine Time and Recording; It’s Earth Day and More
In this week’s Dos and Don’ts, we have a couple of reminders about time available to get vaccinated and disclosing your vaccination status, as well as temporarily increased Dependent Care FSA limits. We also encourage you to get outside to celebrate Earth Day and live healthier through Sharecare. And please protect your passwords!
Time to Get Vaccinated!
For vaccine appointments during your regularly scheduled shift, you are eligible for up to four hours of paid time off for time spent getting vaccinated with approval from your manager.
Do remember:
Time to Get Vaccinated!
For vaccine appointments during your regularly scheduled shift, you are eligible for up to four hours of paid time off for time spent getting vaccinated with approval from your manager.
Do remember:
- Make every effort to schedule your vaccination in your state or county as soon as you can.
- Should you need to schedule during your working hours, then it must be scheduled in accordance with your department needs and approved by your manager.
- If you had to schedule your vaccination during work hours, you must show your manager proof of vaccination to be eligible to use COVID Pay.
- Use VACCINE-PD code in eTime with your manager’s approval (do not call Actec, the Exelon Absence Reporting Line, for vaccine appointments).
- Most people experience only mild side effects for a day or two. Please contact your health care provider if you have questions. If you are ill and unable to work due to side effects, you may be eligible for an additional day of COVID Pay (VACCINE-PD in eTime). Follow your normal absence reporting procedures. Any approved absence beyond one day will be eligible for pay in accordance with normal sick processing.
- To be eligible to use the VACCINE-PD code, employees must report they received a vaccine on the Vaccine Disclosure form in the HR Solutions Hub or call the HR Service Center at 1-877-7EXELON (1-877-739-3566), Monday-Friday from 7 a.m.-5 p.m. CST, to report their vaccination.
Don’t Forget to Notify!
Do be sure to remember to fill out the Vaccine Disclosure form after your first and second shot! This information is confidential and only will be used to determine the vaccinated percentage of the organization and the amount of additional vaccines needed as the company works to procure supplies whenever possible. If you don’t have easy access to a computer, you can report your vaccination by calling the HR Service Center at 1-877-7EXELON (1-877-739-3566), Monday - Friday from 7 am - 5 pm CST.
Celebrate Earth Day Outside!
It’s spring again and the world around us is bursting with blooms. There’s no better time to celebrate the beauty of nature than Earth Day — today! Do get outside and give back to Mother Nature. Need activity ideas? Don’t forget to search Powering Communities for individual or group events outdoors with your colleagues.
Temporary Increase to Dependent Care FSA Limit
Do be aware that the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 has increased the amount employees can elect in their Dependent Care Flexible Spending Account (DCFSA) for the 2021 plan year. The new limit for 2021 increases the DCFSA limit from $5,000 to $10,500.
Do note this is a temporary change and only applicable for the 2021 plan year. As a reminder, if you are currently making contributions to a DCFSA, you may elect to increase or decrease your existing DCFSA election prospectively without regard to a qualifying change of status, such as marriage, or birth or adoption of a child through December 31, 2021. For questions about this change or to make a DCFSA contribution change, please contact Exelon HR Services at 1-877-7EXELON (1-877-739-3566).
Live Healthier through Sharecare
Whether your focus is on your physical, social, emotional or financial health, do visit exelon.sharecare.com to begin your wellbeing journey. Do take or retake your RealAge Test to help you understand what factors are impacting your overall health and to chart your progress along the way. Do explore all the great features and resources available to you, including Sharecare’s new guided mindfulness program series, which promotes meditation, sleep and mental strength to combat stress. For questions, contact Sharecare at 1-877-440-2181 or log in to exelon.sharecare.com.
Protecting Your Passwords
Passwords are like the keys to your house – you never want them to fall into the wrong hands. Scammers use fake "password reset" emails to lure you into revealing your password to obtain your credentials to access personal and confidential information.
Don’t fall victim to emails with an unusual sense of urgency and always take your time to review the email sender’s information and confirm the legitimacy of the request before clicking a link or entering data. If anything seems unusual, do stop, think and review before clicking a link or providing any information.
When it’s time to update your Exelon password, you will receive notifications from an exelonds.com email address with the subject line, “Exelon password expiration notice.” Update your Exelon password every 90 days using this job
aid.