JLS Employee Newsletter

insight

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DATA INSIGHT

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DATA INSIGHT

WHAT'S HAPPENING DURING THE MONTH OF December?

QUESTIONS?

Get in touch: hr@johnlscott.com

Employee Tidbits and Don’t Forgets

We are proud to be a sponsor for this event benefiting Seattle Children’s. This year, the Seattle Festival of Trees Guild will be hosting a festive in-person dinner and auction, along with offering the option to bid on items online. Learn more

Juneteenth (6/19):

Juneteenth (short for “June Nineteenth”) marks the day when federal troops arrived in Galveston, Texas in 1865 to take control of the state and ensure that all enslaved people were freed. The troops’ arrival came a full two and a half years after the Emancipation Proclamation was issued on January 1, 1863. The newly freed people in Galveston celebrated after the announcement, and the following year, freedmen and freedwomen organized the first of what became the annual celebration of “Jubilee Day” on June 19 in Texas. Over time, the annual celebration expanded beyond the Black community in Texas and was declared a federal holiday in 2021. Juneteenth celebrations focus on education, history, self-improvement, culture, and pride. Learn more

NEW MEMBERS of the John L. Scott team

Don’t toss them out just yet!

KEEPING YOU CONNECTED

LEARN MORE ABOUT ERICA JOHNSON

ABOUT THE PROGRAM

Since the program’s launch in 2020, the Market Ready Plus+ team processed and approved more than 380 applications, totaling more than $8 million in approved advances! To learn more about the program, visit the MRP+ folder on MyDesk or the Training folder in the JLS Library.

Erica Johnson is the Market Ready Program Manager and Director of Accounting Iryna Zhuravel oversees the process. VP of Leadership Development Jeff Cohen is also instrumental in the process and provides MR+ training to all the brokers. The CDC is responsible for tracking all attendees and broker participation agreements.

Erica Johnson, who joined JLS in Dec. 2019, manages all Market Ready Plus+ inquiries, processes applications and payment requests, and corresponds with brokers and vendors. She is also a broker in Washington after previously serving as a broker/agent in California and Arizona.

The Market Ready Plus+ program is a great program to get sellers ready to sell their homes without any upfront cost. The program, which is exclusively offered through JLS company-owned offices can be a useful tool in the marketing and listing presentation process. Participating sellers can receive an advancement of up to three percent of the anticipated list price to help them get their home in market-ready condition.

Welcome to the team!

PEOPLE ON THE MOVE

Congratulations on your promotion!

Happy December! Please join me in recognizing some of the cultural celebrations and holidays that occur this month.

A Message from J. Lennox Scott

Recognizing December’s Cultural Celebrations + Holidays

Worldwide Travel Assistance Program

In addition to emergency services this program provides pre-trip prep, telephonic translation and interpreter services, identity theft services and more. Please keep these phone numbers with you: When traveling within the United States, call 1-800-856-9947. When traveling outside of the United States, call 312-935-3658.

The summer months are just ahead of us, and you know what that means… time to travel! Full-time employees who travel 100 or more miles from their home have 24/7 access to emergency travel assistance through Mutual of Omaha’s program, Worldwide Travel Assistance. Experiencing an emergency while traveling can be especially difficult. Knowing who to call for medical problems, currency exchange issues or lost luggage is critical. Rest assured that Mutual of Omaha Travel Assistance can help.

Shea Cambridge

Accounting Supervisor

Service Center

2025 IRS Benefit Contribution Limits

Information Technology

Prioritizing Your Well-being During the Holidays

Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA) and 401K contribution limits have been announced for 2025. In many cases, limits have been increased. Below are the FSA’s and 401K that impact our JLS employees.

While the holiday season and end-of-year festivities can be fun, they can also be stressful and take a toll on your emotional well-being. Don’t put your emotional wellness on the backburner. Try the below tips from the American Psychological Association:

Living Life as a Contribution

JOHN L. SCOTT FOUNDATION

Ashland/Medford

Micah Heller

Marketing and Technical Support Representative

International Day of Persons with Disabilities (12/3)

In 1992, the United Nations General Assembly proclaimed December 3 to be International Day of Persons with Disabilities (IDPD). IDPD is a day to commit to understanding the rights of persons with disabilities and the importance of disability inclusion. Learn more

Use It or Lose It

We’re at the end of 2024! It is important to plan some downtime, so your mind and body can rejuvenate. As a reminder, please take a moment to review your Paid Time Off (PTO-1) and Personal Paid Leave (PPL) balances and make sure by year end you are below the rollover limit for PTO-1 and do not reach the cap on PPL. You can view your balances from your dashboard on Paychex Flex as well as on your most current pay stub. If you have any questions regarding PTO-1, PPL or any paid time, please reach out to HR@johnlscott.com.

Christmas (12/25)

Christmas is the Christian celebration honoring the birth of Jesus. Christmas is preceded by the season of Advent which historically lasts twelve days. For over 2,000 years, people have celebrated Christmas through a variety of both religious and secular traditions such as exchanging gifts, attending church, decorating Christmas trees, and writing letters to Santa Claus. Learn more

Practice healthy habits. Maintaining a consistent sleep schedule and eating a balanced diet will help ensure you have enough physical and mental energy to tackle responsibilities and challenges. Stick to a routine. It’s important to keep a daily schedule for both work and personal time. Checking items off your to-do list can also help you feel accomplished on a daily basis. Decrease caffeine and alcohol use. Although alcohol and caffeine often appear at celebrations, these substances can provoke feelings of depression, anxiety or other mental health challenges. Maintain your boundaries. Your calendar may quickly fill up with work, personal and social events. Get comfortable saying “no” and reducing extra activities or tasks so you aren’t overloaded. Incorporate positive activities. Get into the habit of taking care of yourself and doing activities that make you happy. During a fast-paced month, it’s vital to slow down and prioritize self-care. Recognize your holiday stress triggers and relievers. Financial pressures and personal demands are common triggers.. Becoming aware of your triggers and unhealthy coping mechanisms allows you to prepare healthy strategies to reduce stress.

Kwanzaa (12/26 - 1/1)

Kwanzaa is an African American and pan-African week-long cultural holiday that celebrates family and community. Kwanzaa focuses on seven essential principles, known as the Nguzo Saba, which are each represented by one day of the seven-day celebration. Learn more

Hanukkah (12/25 - 1/2)

Hanukkah, referred to as the "festival of lights," is an eight-day Jewish celebration of the rededication of the Second Temple in Jerusalem during the second century B.C. During the rededication, there was said to be only enough oil to light the menorah for one day, but the flames continued flickering for eight days. Lighting the menorah each night during Hanukkah has become a symbol of this 'Hanukkah miracle.' Learn more

Service Center

Christina Schatz

Legal and Affiliate Project Manager

Review Your Balances Paid Time Off (PTO-1) or Personal Paid Leave (PPL)

· Healthcare FSA - $3,300 · Dependent Care FSA - $5,000 · Health Savings Account HSA – EE -$4,300 & EE/Dep $8,500 + Additional $1000.00 for EE over age 55 · 401K – $23,500 · 401K – Catch up $7,500 · New for 2025 - 401K – For Ages 60-63 Catch Up $11,500 To learn more about the above JLS programs, please reach out to HR@johnlscott.com.

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It’s essential to stay in tune with your feelings and care for yourself. If you have concerns about your emotional well-being, contact a mental health professional or call the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s National Helpline at 800-662-HELP (4357).

Year-End Reminders

As we prepare for the holiday season, we start to look ahead to year-end. Here are a few reminders:

Flexible Spending Accounts: Make sure you plan ahead to utilize your entire balance of your FSA before year-end. To check your funds available, please visit Navia Benefit Solutions.

401K: Are you on track for meeting your investment goals for 2024? It’s not too late, we have seven payrolls left in 2024. You can change your contribution by visiting Schwab’s employee portal.

PTO-1: Please take a look at your PTO-1 balance to be sure you end the year below the rollover limit. For team members in Washington, Oregon, and Idaho, the rollover limit is 40 hours. That means at midnight on January 1, 2025, balances will be reduced to 40 hours. (Please note Office Leaders PTO-1 policy differs from the team member PTO-1 policy)

Beneficiaries: Check your beneficiaries for your Life Insurance and 401K

Correct Address: Confirm your address is up-to-date in Paychex Flex

Do you need to contact Broker Care?

Learn how to submit a ticket.

Do you need IT support?

Schedule an appointment with a Broker Care Representative! Visit johnlscott.setmore.com or email brokercare@johnlscott.com to create a ticket in our ticketing system.

Holiday travel planned?

Notify IT to help us keep your account secure.

Know when to stop and check - stay scam safe! Learn common signs of a scam.

Mary Bridge Festival of Trees Join us on December 6 for Tinsel on the Town and December 7 for the Gala. At each celebration, enjoy unique holiday trees, vignettes and experiences - all for auction! Learn more

Friday, December 6 - Saturday, December 7

Bender’s One Big GIVE benefiting Seattle Children’s Tune in as 95.7 The Jet Morning hosts Jodi and Bender broadcast LIVE from Seattle Children’s Research Institute for an exciting day filled with heartwarming patient stories and visits from special guests. Funds raised benefit Seattle Children’s uncompensated care fund. Learn more

Tuesday, December 10

Would you like to help kids at Mary Bridge Children’s? You can make a gift online to support our Child Life Services team. Check out the Mary Bridge Amazon Wish List for items we need most.

Toys for Kids

Seattle Portland

New Year's Eve (12/31)

New Year's Eve marks the last day on the Gregorian calendar before the new year begins. Many people spend this day attending celebrations, setting resolutions, and ringing in the new year at midnight with fireworks. Learn more