News for Employees
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Nominations Open for University Staff Award
Each year, a committee of University Staff shared governance evaluates nominations and selects eight winners of the University Staff Recognition Awards. Nominations are now open and UW–Madison employees are encouraged to submit their nominations of outstanding workers by the February 9 deadline. Guidelines for nominations can be found at ous.wisc.edu. Nominations can be submitted online or delivered to the Office of the Secretary, 271 Bascom Hall. Winners will be presented with a plaque and a monetary award at a public ceremony in March.
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Living Wage Recently Increased at UW–Madison
UW–Madison is committed to paying a living wage to all University Staff in hourly positions. The living wage standard has increased from $12.85 per hour to $13.01 per hour as of December 24, 2017. UW–Madison follows the City of Madison living wage standard. The increase applies to all University Staff and Temporary Employees. Employees do not receive the living wage if they are in special employment programs or if an individual indicates that a higher rate of pay would adversely affect their eligibility for benefits programs such as Social Security or disability. The living wage policy does not apply to student employees.
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Review Your Benefits Enrollments
Please review your earnings statement and make sure the 2018 benefits changes you requested during Annual Benefits Enrollment have been made. Your earnings statement can be found in the MyUW portal at my.wisc.edu. You can also review your benefits elections as listed in the “Benefit Information” module in the MyUW portal. If you find any errors or identify other concerns, please send an email to benefits@ohr.wisc.edu by January 30, 2018. You can learn how to read your earnings statement at uwservice.wisconsin.edu/help/earnings-statement. You can also ask the payroll and benefits or human resources representative in your school or division for assistance.
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Check Your Health Insurance ID Cards
Health insurance plan ID cards for 2018 became effective January 1, 2018, and you may need to present your new cards at appointments with health care providers in the new year. You will not receive new cards if you are enrolled in the same health plan you had in 2017 unless you added or removed dependents. Employees who are now covered by Quartz received new health plan ID cards in December. If you are currently enrolled in dental, vision, or Navitus pharmacy benefits, you will not receive new cards unless certain information has changed. Review any new benefits ID cards you have received for accuracy. If you find errors, please contact the benefit plan directly.
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Celebrate MLK Day on Campus January 22
UW–Madison students, faculty and staff are invited to the 2018 MLK Day Celebration on Monday, Jan. 22 from 3 to 8 p.m. in Memorial Union. The event will recognize, celebrate, and honor the life of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. as well as the many ways UW–Madison students, faculty and staff embody Dr. King’s spirit of service. The official holiday is January 15 but will be celebrated on campus a week later. Participants are asked to register for specific breakouts either doing direct service or being engaged in a justice dialogue, a free dinner, and a keynote student panel. For details and to register, visit go.wisc.edu/isgx02.
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Free Sessions Explain Campus Data Governance
Learn how UW–Madison manages data and the ways in which it delivers different data types to its campus users. The Office of Data Management & Analytics Services is offering three upcoming information sessions on UW–Madison’s Data Governance program and the changes that will take place as the UW Query Library is retired. New tools to better support UW–Madison’s institutional data goals will be introduced. The free sessions are scheduled for various locations on campus on Friday, Jan. 12, Tuesday, Jan. 16, and Wednesday, Jan. 17.
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Hours at Campus Dining Locations Dec. 16–Jan. 20
University Housing dining locations on campus will observe special hours during the upcoming winter break. All locations will be closed Sunday, Dec. 24 and Monday, Dec. 25. Liz’s Market, located in Waters Residence Hall, 1200 Observatory Drive, is the only location that will be open from Wednesday, Dec. 27–Thursday, Jan. 11. Hours at certain locations also vary during fall exam week and at the beginning of the winter break, Saturday, Dec. 16 through Saturday, Dec. 23. Dining locations will return to regular academic year hours on Sunday, Jan. 21. For complete details, go to housing.wisc.edu/dining-locations.htm.
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Winter Break Schedules for Campus and City Buses
UW Transportation Services would like to remind everyone that campus bus operations will shift for winter break. From Saturday, Dec. 23–Monday, Jan. 22, campus buses will be on “Recess Service.” There will be no service on December 24–25 or on December 31–January 1. Regular campus service hours resume on Tuesday, Jan. 23. Madison Metro bus service from the City of Madison will operate on holiday schedules December 24–25 and January 1.
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Workshops Offer New Ways to Teach in Canvas
Instructors and teaching assistants can prepare for the new semester by attending “Teaching Effectively in Canvas” sessions in early January. Attendees will gain strategies for using the learning management system to free up their own time and increase student learning. Registration is now open for sessions on applying learning principles, assessment, interactive learning, and individual learning. DoIT Academic Technology will also offer technical trainings in early January for people who would like to learn more about getting started, file management, student wayfinding, and managing grades in Canvas.
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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 2017 earnings will be Tuesday, Jan. 2, 2018. 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.