News for Employees
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Guidelines for Riding on Campus Buses
Madison Metro Transit—which operates campus bus routes 80, 81, 82, and 84—is following federal, state, and local public health guidance, including face masks for all riders and drivers. Transportation Services provides health and safety reminders, as well as advice for those who wish to avoid the most crowded campus buses, on their website at transportation.wisc.edu.
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Re-Enroll to Continue Certain Benefits in 2022
The Annual Benefits Enrollment period is currently underway and will end on October 22, 2021. Even if you do not want to make any changes in your benefits elections for 2022, some plans require that you enroll each year to continue your participation. Be sure to enroll if you wish to participate in the Flexible Spending Account (FSA) in 2022, including Health Care FSA, Limited Purpose FSA, and Dependent Day Care FSA. You must enroll in a Health Savings Account (HSA) each year if you choose a High Deductible Health Plan (HDHP). The State Group Health Insurance Opt-Out Incentive requires re-enrollment each year. Employees must choose the Opt-Out Incentive when electing benefits; waiving health coverage is not enrolling in the Opt-Out Incentive.
Virtual and in-person presentations about annual benefits enrollment are available on several dates. On October 7, multilingual sessions will be held from 2–3:30 p.m. and 11 p.m.–12:30 a.m. for the second and third shifts. A full calendar of events, as well as other resources for employees, can be found at benefits.wisc.edu/2022.
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Employee Event to Provide Benefits Enrollment Help and Showcase Campus Resources
An Employee Resource Fair will be held on Tuesday, Oct. 5, noon to 4 p.m. in Varsity Hall at Union South. Approximately 30 units and services from across campus will provide information about resources and opportunities available to UW–Madison employees. Representatives from the Benefits Office will be on hand to answer questions about benefits enrollment. A 60-minute session, “Benefits 2022: What You Need to Know,” will be presented at 1:15 p.m. and again at 2:45 p.m. in the Marquee Theater. An Open Benefits Lab will be available throughout the event for those who have made their 2022 benefits decisions and would like help enrolling using Self-Service. Advance registration is not required. This event is in person; benefits enrollment resources and virtual presentations can also be found online at benefits.wisc.edu/2022. For more information about the fair, visit go.wisc.edu/employee-resource-fair.
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Title and Salary Structure Changes Coming this Fall
As a result of the Title and Total Compensation (TTC) Project, a new salary structure will be posted online on November 1, 2021. Effective November 7, academic staff, university staff, and limited appointees will have updated job titles and new position descriptions. Employees will receive a title notification letter from their local human resources unit by early November. The letter will confirm an employee’s job title, proposed business title, exemption status (hourly or salaried), and salary range. Base pay and benefits will not be reduced because of the TTC Project. The TTC Project creates a market-informed title and salary structure to attract, recruit, and retain a highly qualified workforce. To learn more, visit go.wisc.edu/ttcproject.
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Save the Date for Upcoming Benefits Enrollment Sessions
UW–Madison employees can enroll in benefits for 2022 beginning Monday, Sept. 27, through Friday, Oct. 22, 2021. Employees are encouraged to attend upcoming virtual and in-person sessions that will provide information about benefits options and how to enroll. A 60-minute overview, “Benefits 2022: What You Need to Know,” will be offered virtually throughout the enrollment period. This information session will also be offered twice at the Employee Resource Fair, scheduled for Tuesday, Oct. 5, noon–4 p.m. at Union South. On Oct. 7, in-person sessions will be held on campus, including a daytime session in multiple languages and a late-night session for the second and third shifts in all languages. Additional resources and session details will be added to the Annual Benefits Enrollment website soon; watch this newsletter and the website at benefits.wisc.edu/2022 for updates.
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Employees Invited to Provide Input on the Next UW System President
The Board of Regents recently launched a search for the next president of the UW System. Two listening sessions will be hosted on the UW–Madison campus, on Sept. 30 and Oct. 1, by board Vice President Karen Walsh, who is chairing the search committee. Faculty, students, academic staff, and university staff are encouraged to participate.
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Employees Paid Over Nine Months Will Receive First Full Biweekly Paycheck
As a result of the transition from monthly to biweekly pay for all UW System employees, UW–Madison employees who are paid over nine months (i.e., have a nine-month appointment) will receive their first full biweekly paycheck on Thursday, Sept. 23 for Aug. 29–Sept. 11. Biweekly paychecks will continue to be received every other Thursday. Employees can review the impact of this transition on their Sept. 23 pay statement, which is now available online at MyUW (go to Payroll Information > Earnings Statements). Details, including employee resources, can be found at hr.wisc.edu/single-payroll.
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Madison Metro Seeks Community Feedback
Madison Metro Transit is again seeking community feedback in a Transit Alternatives Survey as part of a complete transit network redesign. Survey responses will help guide Metro Transit as they develop a new system of bus routes that will best serve the Madison area, including campus. The survey is available in English and Spanish and can be completed in less than 10 minutes. The deadline to respond is September 29. For more information, visit transportation.wisc.edu.
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Annual Benefits Enrollment Period Begins Sept. 27
The Annual Benefits Enrollment period is Sept. 27–Oct. 22, 2021. This is the only time you can make changes to certain benefits without having an eligible life event (for example, marriage, birth, or divorce) or qualifying employment changes during the year. Certain benefits require re-enrollment every year. There will be a limited number of benefits plan changes for the 2022 calendar year. Quartz Community will split into Quartz Central and Quartz West. Since Quartz Community will no longer be offered, employees enrolled in Quartz Community will need to select a different health insurance carrier. For details, please visit wisconsin.edu/abe. You can prepare for Annual Benefits Enrollment by reviewing your current benefits elections in MyUW. Additional resources, including helpful checklists and presentations, will be announced in the coming weeks.
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Addendum to Sick Leave Policy Supports Family Caregiving
To support employees who may experience family caregiving challenges related to the pandemic, UW−Madison has temporarily expanded its Sick Leave Policy to allow the use of sick leave for additional COVID-19 reasons under specific conditions. Effective August 30, 2021, sick leave may be used by employees to care for an individual who is quarantining or isolating, or to care for a child for whom school is closed or virtual or hybrid, or whose childcare facility is unavailable. Additional requirements apply; please consult the HR contact in your school, college or division to determine how this addendum to the policy may apply to your individual situation. The existing provisions of the Sick Leave Policy remain in place, and the addendum expires on May 22, 2022. Find the Sick Leave Policy at policy.wisc.edu/library/UW-5051.