News for Employees
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Next Gen Network Discovery Sessions Invite Participants
The Next Gen Network project team needs faculty, staff (including IT staff), and students to participate in an exercise that will help UW–Madison develop a modern, business-relevant network strategy. The team wants to know how the UW community uses the network now and plans to use it in the future. The input from these sessions will be used to make decisions regarding networking projects, teams, and investments. The goal is to create a secure, contemporary campus infrastructure for UW–Madison’s wired, wireless, and cloud enterprise network that will serve the university’s needs well into the future. Sessions are an hour-and-a-half long and will be offered at various campus locations in January. Registration is encouraged, but walk-ins are also welcome. Snacks will be served.
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Managing Stress and Finding Vitality at Work
Thrive@UW–Madison is offering a new course, “Managing Stress and Finding Vitality at Work.” In this course, participants will explore sources of stress, reconsider counterproductive stress reducers, explore strategies to regulate the central nervous system, and reframe thoughts. Thrive@UW-Madison courses are available to all employees at no cost. Thrive@UW participants develop skills to navigate times of change, actively listen to others, build trusting relationships, contribute to an inclusive work environment, and solve challenging problems. To learn more about Thrive@UW courses and register to attend, visit go.wisc.edu/k5z59z.
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Workplace Workouts Offer Spring Sessions
Recreation & Wellbeing (Rec Well) is offering lunchtime Workplace Workouts at The Union and the Space Science and Engineering Center. Classes meet once a week for seven weeks. The fee is $40 per seven-week session. All fitness levels are welcome; no Rec Well membership is required. Learn more at recwell.wisc.edu/workplaceworkouts.
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Late-Night Employee Health and Safety Event Jan. 22
A late-night Employee Health and Safety Event will be held on Wednesday, Jan. 22 from 11 p.m.–1 a.m. at Gordon Dining and Event Center. The event is designed for second and third shift employees, although all UW–Madison employees are welcome to attend. Presentations on health and safety resources for employees will be offered in six languages. Advance registration is not required and employees may attend without loss of pay. Please tell your supervisor if you plan to attend. A free sandwich buffet will be served. For more information, visit hr.wisc.edu/hse.
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Courses Help Managers Support Employees
Learning and Talent Development is offering two courses designed to build managerial skills. “Managers Supporting Employee Career Development,” scheduled for Wednesday, Jan. 22, 8:30 a.m.–noon, provides an overview of how managers can support employee growth and development. After completing this course, managers may choose to take a second course, “Creating Time and Space for Employee Career Development,” on Feb. 25. Both courses can be helpful as managers prepare for employee career conversations as part of the Title and Total Compensation (TTC) Project. There is no cost to attend. Registration is required. Additional sessions will be offered throughout the spring; please contact Chris East at christopher.east@wisc.edu for details.
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New Administrator for FSA and HSA Accounts
Effective Jan. 1, 2020, ConnectYourCare (CYC) is the new third-party administrator for Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA), Medical and Dependent Care, and Health Savings Accounts (HSA) for UW–Madison employees. TASC is no longer the third-party administrator effective Dec. 31, 2019. Any 2019 health care FSA claims that were unsubstantiated on Dec. 31, 2019, must be resolved directly with TASC. Employees who had an account balance with TASC and electronically consented to transfer their HSA funds to CYC will have access to the funds previously with TASC on Feb. 29, 2020.
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Review Your Benefits Enrollment
This is a good time to review your earnings statement and make sure the 2020 benefits changes you requested during Annual Benefits Enrollment have been made. Your earnings statement can be found in MyUW at my.wisc.edu. You can also review your benefits elections as listed in the “Benefit Information” module in MyUW. If you have any concerns, please send an email to benefits@ohr.wisc.edu by Jan. 31. You can also ask your local human resources contact for assistance.
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Jan. 2 is Monthly Pay Date for December Earnings
For UW–Madison employees who are paid on the first of each month, the monthly pay date for December 2019 earnings will be Thursday, Jan. 2, 2020. To avoid tax-related issues, the January 1 pay date for December earnings is paid in the new calendar year and must be the first “official banking business day” following the New Year’s holiday.
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TTC Project Extends Timeline
The Title and Total Compensation (TTC) Project is extending the project timeline to allow for a more in-depth quality assurance review. This extension ensures titles will be more consistent across UW–Madison’s schools, colleges, and divisions. Managers and supervisors will also have more time to complete training and engage in conversations with employees. New titles and position descriptions will be effective on July 1, 2020. Employee conversations, some of which have already begun, will be extended through the spring. More information and employee resources are available at go.wisc.edu/ttcproject.
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New Labor Rules Take Effect Jan. 1, 2020
The U.S. Department of Labor has increased the salary threshold for the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) to $684 per week or $35,568 per year for a full-year worker. Employees whose salaries fall below the new threshold must be paid hourly, report hours worked, and be compensated for overtime unless they qualify for a threshold exemption. Only employees with salaries above the threshold may be designated as “exempt.” The new rules go into effect Jan. 1, 2020.
UW–Madison employees who are affected by this change and are transitioning from “exempt” to “non-exempt” status have been contacted directly and invited to informational forums. Those who were unable to attend the forums or would like a refresher can view the forums online at hr.wisc.edu/flsa. UW–Madison is also making short-term, interest-free loans available to employees who are transitioning from a monthly pay date to bi-weekly pay dates as a result of this change.