News for Employees
-
Well Wisconsin Program Has New Website
The Well Wisconsin Program administrator (StayWell) has merged with WebMD Health Services. To participate in the Well Wisconsin Program, you need to create an account on the new WebMD ONE website at webmdhealth.com/wellwisconsin. You should also download the Wellness At Your Side mobile app through the App Store or on Google Play (code: SOWI).The Well Wisconsin Program remains the same in 2021. To earn the $150 wellness incentive, you need to complete a health assessment, a health check and one well-being activity by October 8, 2021. The WebMD ONE website and Wellness At Your Side mobile app are where you will track your progress toward earning the $150 well-being incentive. If you are enrolled in the State Group Health Insurance Program, you are eligible for the Well Wisconsin Program.
-
Improvements Coming to Shop@UW, Direct Payments, and Payments to Individuals
UW–Madison employees who currently use Shop@UW, submit purchase requisitions, or submit requests for payments will soon have new tools to support their work. In mid-April, all related transactions will run through a new cloud-based platform, ShopUW+. Users will be able to see the status of orders and payment requests; work more efficiently with electronic approvals; and easily access supporting documentation. Training will be provided in April. Learn more about ShopUW+ on the Procure-to-Pay (P2P) Automation project website and the video library on YouTube.
-
Changes to WiscVPN Effective February 21
The servers that authenticate the WiscVPN service will be getting an upgrade at the end of February. The change will allow Multi-factor Authentication (MFA) to be enabled at a later date. The change, set to take place Sunday, Feb. 21 at 7 a.m., does not require any action on the part of current users and should not cause any interruption in service. WiscVPN users who currently request static IP addresses should also not see any interruption in service. However, the current Static IP assignment website will be disabled on Feb. 19 to allow time to implement the change. After Feb. 21, the website for requesting or releasing a static IP address will move to the URL https://access.services.wisc.edu/IPaddress.
-
Answers to Your Questions about Campus COVID-19 Response
Effective today, students and employees must have a negative COVID-19 test result in order to enter a building on the main campus. The Badger Badge screen on your Safer Badgers app will need to show a green checkmark (access granted). UW–Madison has a website at covidresponse.wisc.edu that includes answers to many common questions about COVID-19 testing and safety measures. If you still have questions, contact covidresponse@vc.wisc.edu.
-
Reminder of Deadlines to Use Personal Holiday and Vacation Carryover
UW–Madison leadership would like to encourage employees to tend to their well-being by taking the time off they have earned. Employees are also reminded of the upcoming deadlines to use personal holiday hours or vacation carryover. Faculty, Academic Staff, and Limited Appointees with 12-month (annual basis) appointments must use all carried-over vacation and personal holiday hours by June 30, the end of the fiscal year. For University Staff, all carried-over vacation and all personal holiday hours must be used by December 31, the end of the calendar year. Any vacation carryover or personal holiday hours remaining after these respective deadlines will be lost. Leave balances can be found under “Time and Absence” in MyUW. Employees who wish to verify their leave balances and the corresponding deadlines should contact the human resources department in their school, college, or division.
-
Town Hall for Employees on Split Benefits Deductions
As previously announced, UW–Madison employees who are currently paid biweekly will have most deductions for benefits split evenly over the first two biweekly paychecks starting with the April 22, 2021 paycheck. UW System will be holding a virtual Town Hall to review this change on Tuesday, Feb. 16 from 2-3 p.m. The event will also be recorded for viewing at a later time. Details available online include frequently asked questions, financial resources, and contact information for employees who need assistance. Visit hr.wisc.edu/split-benefits-deductions.
-
Save the Date for Showcase 2021
The 22nd annual Showcase event, hosted by the Office of Strategic Consulting, is scheduled for Thursday, April 8, 2021. The all-virtual event will feature breakout sessions, poster flash talks, and a keynote presentation. Keely Killpack, PhD and change strategy consultant, will deliver the keynote presentation. Showcase provides an opportunity for colleagues from across campus to share best practices, learn from each other’s successes, and connect. The free event is open to faculty, staff, students, and community members.
-
America Saves Week Promotes Financial Well-being
America Saves Week, scheduled for Monday, Feb. 22–Friday, Feb. 26, provides free resources that can help UW–Madison employees achieve financial well-being, work towards their savings goals, and prepare for retirement. Events include live webinars on a variety of financial topics, individual counseling sessions with UW Tax-Sheltered Annuity (TSA) 403(b) providers, and free credit check-ups with UW Credit Union. To learn more and to register for live webinars or individual sessions, visit wisconsin.edu/ohrwd/americasaves.
-
COVID-19 Spring Semester Training for Employees
All employees are expected to complete the COVID-19 Spring Semester Training, available online at hr.wisc.edu/covid19/workplace-training. This training covers guidelines and expectations for UW–Madison employees in the workplace and for visitors to campus. Most people will be able to complete the training in ten minutes or less. The training module will be available in multiple languages soon.
-
Employees Paid Monthly to Move to Biweekly Payroll Schedule
Beginning in July, all UW System employees who are paid monthly—including UW–Madison employees—will be moved to a biweekly pay schedule. In addition, most benefits will be split evenly over the first two biweekly paychecks each month beginning in August. Trained representatives are available to answer employee questions and can be reached by phoning 608-265-2257 or by emailing 2021payrollchanges@ohr.wisc.edu. UW–Madison is also providing a variety of financial resources to help employees manage the transition to biweekly pay, and Town Halls will be hosted by UW System to explain the change. Details, including frequently asked questions and answers, are available at hr.wisc.edu/pay/single-payroll.