News for Employees
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Professional Development Opportunities Help Employees Prepare for Fall
Many UW–Madison employees who have been working remotely will soon be returning to onsite work, joining those who have been working on campus throughout the pandemic. Learning and Talent Development has assembled a number of resources designed to help employees adapt to the evolving workplace and navigate change. Several virtual courses have openings in August and employees may register at no cost. Effective communications between employees and managers will be important as we reunite campus. Employees can prepare for these conversations with the course Engaging in High Stakes Conversations with Your Manager, while a corresponding course in Engaging in Tough Conversations is designed for managers. Information on virtual courses, on-demand learning videos, self-guided activities, assessments, and other resources for employees and managers is available at hr.wisc.edu/reuniting-campus.
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Employee Appreciation Events Scheduled for Summer
The Chancellor’s Office is sponsoring three on-campus events to express thanks to faculty, staff, and graduate student employees and celebrate a full campus reopening this fall. The first event, Sunburst to Sunset Terrace Appreciation Day, takes place Tuesday, July 20 at the Memorial Union Terrace. Additional events include a Movie Night (suitable for families) at Camp Randall on Tuesday, July 27 and a Campus Ice Cream Social on Wednesday, August 4. Family members are welcome to attend. Please RSVP online.
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Apply by July 15 to Receive Employee Loan Funds on July 30
UW–Madison is offering short-term, interest-free loans to employees to help with the change from a monthly payroll schedule to biweekly pay. The loan program is designed to provide some financial relief to those employees who may be most impacted by the transition to biweekly pay that will take place in July and August. The loan application period is open through August 15. However, employees who wish to receive their loan funds on July 30 should apply by July 15. No loan funds will be distributed prior to July 30. Details about eligibility, loan amounts, and loan terms are available at hr.wisc.edu/single-payroll/employee-loan-program.
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TTC Project to Host Employee Forums in August
All UW–Madison employees are invited to attend a virtual daytime or in-person late night forum on the Title and Total Compensation (TTC) Project on August 10 or 11. Information will be provided on the project timeline, employee and supervisor conversations, and progression and promotions. Time will be allocated to questions and answers. To submit a question during the virtual event, send an email to ttcstudy@ohr.wisc.edu and use the subject line “TTC Live.” You may submit a question in advance or during the live event. Sessions will be offered in English, Spanish, Hmong, Tibetan, Chinese, and Nepali. The YouTube event will be recorded and posted on the TTC Project website for viewing later. To learn more, visit go.wisc.edu/ttcproject.
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Updates on the Delta Variant
In a new Badger Talks video, UW–Madison preventative medicine resident Devlin Cole addresses questions and concerns about the delta variant of the COVID-19 virus. Additional information for the campus community is available on the COVID-19 Response website, where new FAQs address questions such as whether booster shots and masks will be needed due to the delta variant. Please continue to monitor covidresponse.wisc.edu for the latest campus information.
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TeachOnline@UW Facilitation & Management Summer Course
TeachOnline@UW is a comprehensive faculty learning community intended for new and experienced online instructors who want to explore and apply in-depth best practices—designing (or re-designing) and teaching fully online, credit courses. Applications are now being accepted for the summer Facilitation & Management course held via webinars and online July 26–Aug. 25.
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Plans for Fall Announced
On June 24, Chancellor Blank provided an update on how UW–Madison plans to operate during the fall semester, citing the high COVID vaccination rate in Dane County and on campus as encouraging progress. Plans for fall include a transition to in-person work, relaxed masking and distancing requirements, and a new app to track COVID testing and vaccination. Links to resources for employees and supervisors are also provided. To find the latest updates, please continue to monitor covidresponse.wisc.edu.
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Employees Encouraged to Plan Now for the Transition to Biweekly Pay
As a result of the transition from monthly to biweekly pay for all UW System employees, UW–Madison employees who are paid over 12 months (i.e., have a 12-month appointment) are receiving their last full monthly paycheck on June 30. These employees will receive their next paycheck on July 30 for the first 17 days of work in July (July 1–17), and will receive pay for the remaining days of July (July 18–31) on August 12. The August 12 paycheck will be the first biweekly paycheck; after that, biweekly paychecks will continue to be issued every other Thursday. Employees are advised to prepare for this transition and have a plan to cover bills and expenses in early August. Eligible employees who may experience financial hardship due to this transition can apply for a no-interest Payroll Transition Employee Loan.
To understand how this transition will work, employees are encouraged to review the resources available at hr.wisc.edu/single-payroll. These include a transition timeline for 12-month appointments, a Paycheck Estimator, and a recorded presentation with questions and answers that provides specific examples of how paychecks will be affected by the change to a biweekly pay schedule. Employees who are paid over nine months have a different transition timeline.
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New Process for Reporting No Leave Taken
Faculty, Academic Staff, and Limited Appointees will now use a new process to report No Leave Taken in MyUW. As a reminder, No Leave Taken is reported when no leave (such as vacation, personal holiday, and sick leave) was requested in a given calendar month. The new process allows for one-click reporting and provides employees with a complete view of the status of prior months’ submissions. The No Leave Taken reporting function can be found in MyUW by launching the “Time and Absence” app. Click on “No Leave Taken Reporting” to submit a report. A tipsheet with instructions on how to enter No Leave Taken is also provided. Nine-month employees with a summer appointment will continue to report summer leave on the Summer Appt Leave Reporting page.
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Road Closures and Detours
Campus construction projects will affect commuting routes for motorists, pedestrians, and bicyclists throughout the summer. To view the most up-to-date information, visit the Transportation Services website at transportation.wisc.edu.