National Pet Day is April 11, and National Pet Month is right around the corner in May, so it’s the perfect time to celebrate your fur babies and the joy they bring to your life. A growing body of research shows that there are many ways that pets can improve the physical and mental health of their human companions.
If pets are part of your household—which for half of Marylanders, they are—you may want to check out all the pet-centered benefits available to you as a Johns Hopkins employee. These include:
- Discounts on insurance, food and treats for your pets
- Help find dog walkers, veterinarian appointments, and pet-friendly hotels
Nationwide pet insurance
Voluntary pet insurance available at Nationwide will help you protect your pet while managing the rising cost of veterinary care. The program is administered for JHU by Mercer Voluntary Benefits, and you can pay for coverage simply, with a convenient after-tax payroll deduction. Employees can enroll at any time of the year.
MyPetProtection reimburses eligible vet bills and includes benefits for emergency boarding and lost pet advertising. You can choose 50% or 70% reimbursement for the level of coverage that fits your needs, and you can get cash back for accidents, illnesses, hereditary conditions, and more. In addition, a 24/7 veterinary help line (a $110 cost) is included as a service to all pet insurance members.
Learn more about pet insurance from Nationwide on the JHU Voluntary Benefits website.
Caring@Pet care at work
If you and your household members spend most of the day at work or school, you may be looking for companionship for your pets. As a Johns Hopkins employee, you have a free premium membership to Care.com, the world’s largest online community for finding and managing care, including for your pets and home.
On the website, you can explore detailed profiles of sitters in your area and post any job to meet your needs, including pet sitting and grooming as well as babysitting at home, running, and more. You can also check out Care.com’s articles and guides to find home and pet care tips from the experts, as well as the safety center with background check options.
To start using these benefits, register with Care@Work through johnshopkins.care.com using your JHED ID (without @jh.edu). Read more here about the benefits of Care@Work.
LifeMart discounts
If you’re a dog owner, you probably spend more than $1,500 annually on essential pet care, and you may be looking for ways to reduce your spending. A good place to start is LifeMart, the university’s employee discount program.
Head over to the LifeMart website, click on Pets in the green navigational bar, and you’ll see current pet care offers and deals and coupons. Some recent deals are:
- 50% off your first box of food from Farmer’s Dog
- 40% off your first repeat delivery from Petco
- A free YETI dog bowl ($40 value) when you sign up for BarkBox, and 35% off your Bark food order with free shipping
- $20 off your first booking at Rover.com
- 20% off Boscov’s Pet Department
To get started on your LifeMart savings, visit the Discounts page of the university’s HR website.
JHEAP/CCA Perks at Work
Your discounts don’t stop at LifeMart. Your Johns Hopkins Employee Assistance Program (JHEAP) benefit offers the Savings Center, a discount shopping program provided by CCA through Perks at Work.
Log in to CCA (company code JHEAP) and click Centers, then Savings Center, from the home screen.
Search for the Pets category, and you’ll find deals from Spot Pet Insurance, the Farmer’s Dog, BarkBox, Petmate, PetSmart, Petco, Spot & Tango, Ollie Pets, Pet Plate, and Super Chewer.
In addition, Perks at Work offers discounts on everything from gyms to vacation rentals, plus free live and on-demand classes for both kids and adults on topics ranging from wellness as far as personal development. Access 100-plus free online classes for every interest, including goal setting, public speaking, dance, cardio, drawing, karate, cooking, and more. You can also collect WOWPoints with every purchase that can be redeemed for free merchandise. The more you shop, the more you save.
New users first need to click on Register for Free to create a profile for the Savings Center and register with the company name Workplace Options US and the company code EAP. A system generated message will be sent to your email immediately so that you can complete your registration. Then log in to start exploring the site for great discounts.
Having trouble during registration? Click here to contact customer service.
