News for Employees
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Webinar helps employees cope with grief and loss
LifeMatters and the Employee Assistance Office are offering a virtual webinar, Coping with Grief and Loss, on Tuesday, Jan. 23, noon-1 p.m. via Zoom. Knowing and recognizing the symptoms of grief are the first steps toward feeling good again. Webinar participants will learn about common reactions and symptoms of grief, coping with grief and loss, the stages of grief, and letting go and moving on. The webinar is offered at no cost to all UW–Madison employees. Register online to receive the Zoom link. For more information, go to eao.wisc.edu.
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Project Manager Community of Practice meets monthly
Project managers across campus who are interested in sharing information, improving their skills, or have a passion for the project management practice are invited to join the Project Manager Community of Practice (CoP). The CoP meets virtually on the first Thursday of each month from 3:30‒4:30 p.m. The next meeting will be held on February 1, 2024.
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Pay plan rolls out for eligible employees beginning with Jan. 11 earnings statement
In December, the state legislature’s Joint Committee on Employment Relations (JCOER) issued final approval of a pay plan for Universities of Wisconsin employees, including UW–Madison employees. The pay plan, which was included in the 2023‒25 state budget enacted in July, includes a four percent pay raise for eligible employees, retroactive to July 2, 2023, as well as a two percent increase planned for July 2024.
Eligible employees will receive back pay dated to July 2, 2023, provided as a lump sum, as well as a four percent pay increase going forward. Most employees who are eligible for the pay plan will see their back pay and rate increase in their earnings statement for Jan. 11, 2024. Earnings statements can be viewed at MyUW > Payroll Information > Earnings Statements.
Eligible employees can also expect to receive a written communication informing them of their new pay rate. Answers to frequently asked questions about the pay plan can be found at go.wisc.edu/207287.
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Prepare to Teach offers resources for spring semester instructors
Prepare to Teach brings together information from across campus that instructors can use as they get ready for the start of classes. Resources include a checklist, expert help with Canvas, and assistance making course content more accessible. Ready, Set, Teach! Is a one-day workshop that will help instructors start the semester with confidence and coordination. Registration is now being accepted for the in-person workshop on Wednesday, Jan. 17, at Union South.
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Registration open for Finance@UW Conference
The Finance@UW Conference is a professional development and networking opportunity for campus employees with financial roles, including those with titles in the Finance job group, as well as administrative specialists, department administrators, and others whose positions include responsibility for financial operations. The conference takes places Thursday, Feb. 15, 9 a.m.‒3:30 p.m., at Union South. The $50 registration fee includes workshops, keynote sessions, continental breakfast, and lunch. The registration deadline is January 31.
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Nominations open for Partners in Giving Awards
Nominations are now being accepted for four Partners in Giving volunteer awards. Employees are encouraged to nominate campaign volunteers who have done outstanding work to support the campaign, in their units or across campus. The nomination deadline is Wednesday, Jan. 31, at 4 p.m. For a description of the awards categories and the nomination form, visit giving.wi.gov/campaign-awards.
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Learn how to address hostile and intimidating behavior on campus
UW‒Madison has released an updated training module to help the UW community respond to and/or address hostile and intimidating behavior (HIB). The training is designed for faculty, staff, graduate student employees, and postdocs. Participants will learn about campus HIB policies and characteristics; work with scenarios that explore what HIB is (and isn’t); and review campus processes and resources to address concerning workplace behavior. The training invites participants to consider their shared responsibility when witnessing or hearing about incidents of hostile and/or intimidating behavior. The training is available as both a self-paced, on-demand module and as a facilitated online workshop offered every 4‒6 weeks. Completion will appear on the employee’s learning transcript. Learn more at hr.wisc.edu/hib/training.
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New W-4 Quick Guide available in six languages
A new W-4 Quick Guide is now available online in English, Spanish, Hmong, Tibetan, Chinese and Nepali. This one-page guide provides instructions and tips on how to change the amount of income tax you have withheld from your paycheck. This can help prevent you from having too little or too much federal or state tax withheld from your paycheck. All UW‒Madison employees are encouraged to do a “paycheck checkup” by reviewing their earnings statement. The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) offers a Tax Withholding Estimator to help you determine the right amount of tax withholding for your situation at irs.gov/individuals/tax-withholding estimator. UW‒Madison cannot provide tax advice. Each employee must make withholding decisions on their own or with the assistance of their individual tax consultant. If you would like to make a change in how much tax you have withheld, go to MyUW > Payroll Information > Update W-4. The new W-4 Quick Guide is available at go.wisc.edu/7tbgy4.
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Informational sessions on becoming a volunteer tutor
The Volunteer Tutoring Program matches tutors with UW–Madison employees who have individual learning goals such as practicing English conversation, improving reading and writing skills, understanding culture, or learning basic computer skills. Participating learners are UW–Madison employees and J-1 visiting scholars. Tutors can be UW employees, students, or community members. Tutors receive training in the skills they need and may choose to earn an online Tutor Training Certificate. Cultural Linguistic Services is offering free online informational sessions about becoming a volunteer tutor via Zoom on Tuesday, Jan. 9, 2‒3 p.m., Wednesday, Jan. 17, 1‒2 p.m., and Thursday, Jan. 25, 10‒11 a.m. Advance registration is not required, and there is no obligation to volunteer after attending.
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Chancellor Mnookin shares update on pay plan approval
On Tuesday, Dec. 19, Chancellor Jennifer Mnookin shared an update with employees regarding the state legislature’s Joint Committee on Employment Relations (JCOER) approval of a pay plan for Universities of Wisconsin employees, including UW–Madison employees.
The pay plan, which was included in the 2023‒25 state budget enacted in July, includes a four percent pay raise for eligible employees, retroactive to July 2, 2023, as well as a two percent increase planned for July 2024.
Eligible employees will receive back pay dated to July 2, 2023, provided as a lump sum, as well as a four percent pay increase going forward. Employees should expect to see their back pay and rate increase in their earnings statement for January 11, 2024.
For trades workers, the collective bargaining agreements approved by JCOER still need legislative and gubernatorial approval.
Employees can read Chancellor Mnookin’s entire message online at news.wisc.edu. Answers to frequently asked questions can be found at go.wisc.edu/207287. A summary of the key aspects of the pay plan has been translated into multiple languages and is also available online.