News for Employees
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Act Now to Take Advantage of Public Service Loan Forgiveness Waiver
Full-time UW‒Madison employees with federal student loans may be able to take advantage of a limited time waiver available under the Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) program. The PSLF program forgives the remaining balance tax-free on Direct Loans after 120 qualifying monthly payments have been made under a qualifying repayment plan while working full-time for a qualifying employer such as UW‒Madison. Private loans do not qualify for PSLF. The limited time waiver, currently set to expire on October 31, 2022, allows borrowers to receive credit for past periods of repayment that would otherwise not qualify for PSLF. Borrowers may benefit from consolidating other federal student loans into a single Direct Loan by the October 31 deadline. Details, links, tools, a video overview, and other resources are available from the UW‒Madison Office of Student Financial Aid at financialaid.wisc.edu/pslf. One-on-one help is available from the Wisconsin Student Debt Hotline at 833-589-0750.
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Upcoming Sessions for Prospective Volunteer Tutors
The Volunteer Tutoring Program at UW‒Madison matches employees with tutors who provide one-on-one instruction in conversation practice, basic English skills for reading and writing, or learning about the U.S. culture. Tutors receive training and may choose to earn an online Tutor Training Certificate. Informational sessions about becoming a tutor will be held online via Zoom on September 1, 13, and 15. Advance registration is not required, and there is no obligation to volunteer after attending. UW‒Madison employees, students, and community members are all welcome to volunteer. Learn more at hr.wisc.edu.cls/volunteer-tutoring-program.
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Session Looks at How Info Sources Affect Attitudes about Women’s Rights
Michael Wagner, professor of journalism and mass communication at UW‒Madison, will present a session on Women’s Rights, Democratic Attitudes, and Information in the 2022 Midterm Elections on Wednesday, Sept. 14 in the Great Hall at the Memorial Union. Breakfast will be served 8‒8:30 a.m., followed by a presentation and Q&A 8:30‒10 a.m. The free event is part of the Coffee and Conversation series hosted by Learning and Talent Development. Additional talks are scheduled for October 27 and November 14. Register in advance.
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New Professional Development Series
The Office of Strategic Consulting is offering new professional development opportunities this fall, including Ignite: Fueling Organizational Excellence and In Scope: Managing Projects at UW–Madison. Both series are designed to promote and support efforts to improve organizational effectiveness at UW–Madison. The sessions will incorporate focused peer-to-peer conversations and present tools and resources. This year’s Ignite series will include a special miniseries on teambuilding through quality improvement. There are no fees to participate. Registration is required.
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Simplified Process Makes Well Wisconsin Program Available to More Participants
The Well Wisconsin program supports participants in meeting their health and well-being goals. Those who complete the program steps by the October 14, 2022, deadline will earn a $150 incentive. UW employees, retirees, and their spouses who are currently enrolled in the Wisconsin State Group Health Insurance plan are eligible to participate. Well Wisconsin has introduced a new, simplified process for people who do not have computer access, need language support, or find the online steps challenging to complete. The simplified process enables people to participate by phone, with language interpretation if needed, or by using paper forms. In addition, the number of required steps has been reduced from three to two. PDF instructions are available for download in six languages.
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Registration Open for Institute on Aging Colloquium
The Institute on Aging will be hosting its 32nd Annual Colloquium on Thursday, Sept. 22, 8 a.m. – 1:30 p.m. at Gordon Dining and Event Center. Local researchers will showcase cutting-edge science in diverse aspects of aging through talks and poster exhibits. The keynote address will focus on current and critical topics of aging. A Health and Resource Fair will include exhibits from community organizations. The event is free and open to the public. Registration is required; space is limited.
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UW South Madison Partnership Community Celebration
A celebration of the UW South Madison Partnership (SMP) will be held on Thursday, Aug. 25, from 4 – 7 p.m. at the SMP space at the Village on Park, 2238 S. Park Street. The free, family-friendly event will feature a complimentary food truck, music, games, face-painting, and visits from Bucky Badger and UW–Madison’s new chancellor, Jennifer Mnookin. All are welcome.
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August 11 Paycheck Will Not Include Deductions for Insurance Premiums
All UW–Madison employees are paid biweekly on Thursdays. Benefits deductions for insurance premiums are split evenly across the first two biweekly paychecks each month. These include health, dental, vision, life, income continuation, and accident insurance. When there are three pay periods in a month, the third paycheck for that month (called the “C’ paycheck) does not include these benefits deductions. The paycheck for August 11 is for the pay period of July 17–30 and will not include benefits deductions for insurance. The next “C” paycheck will be paid on Jan. 12, 2023, for the pay period of Dec. 18–31, 2022.
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Observatory Drive to Close Temporarily
From August 15–19, Observatory Drive will close in both directions near the Veterinary Medicine construction site. This closure will significantly limit options for vehicle traffic between the east and west sides of campus and will cause Metro Transit detours. Recommended reroutes are available on the Transportation Services website at transportation.wisc.edu.
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Update on 2022–23 Parking Applications and Offers
A second round of parking offer assignment letters has been emailed and posted in the eBusiness parking portal at transportation.wisc.edu/ebusiness. These offers must be claimed by August 16. If you have not received an offer, you will be placed on a waiting list for future rounds. A third round of applications is now being accepted and is due by August 16. For more information, visit transportation.wisc.edu.