News for Employees
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June 14 Town Hall to Address Upcoming Campus Transitions
University Health Services will be hosting a virtual Town Hall entitled “Where we are now” on Monday, June 14, noon–1 p.m. Campus experts will provide information about reuniting on campus and changing public health guidance. With safe and effective vaccines now available to everyone age 12 and older, all members of the campus community will need to navigate these transitions together. The Town Hall will be live on YouTube at go.wisc.edu/covidtransition and will be captioned and interpreted. A recording of the presentation will be available for viewing on covidresponse.wisc.edu.
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Mid-Year Changes to Healthcare FSA and Dependent Day Care Accounts
Flexibility has been added to Healthcare FSAs and Dependent Day Care Accounts in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. For Healthcare FSAs, the annual carryover limit has been increased to $1,000 (from $550) from plan year 2020 to plan year 2021. In addition, a number of changes are in effect for Dependent Day Care accounts, including an increase in the age limit for qualifying dependent children, an added annual carryover limit, and an increase in the annual contribution limit. There is also a one-time opportunity to increase one’s annual contribution to a Dependent Day Care account without a qualifying life event outside of Annual Benefits Enrollment in the fall. The deadline to submit a completed form is June 30. For questions about your FSA account, contact Optum Financial / ConnectYourCare at 833-881-8158. For questions on your FSA payroll deductions or on submitting a Dependent Day Care change form, contact your local HR department.
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Legal Holiday Falls on July 5 This Year
UW–Madison will observe a legal holiday for Independence Day on Monday, July 5. When a legal holiday falls on a Sunday, the legal holiday is observed and UW–Madison is closed on the Monday following the legal holiday.
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Policy Changes Address Face Coverings on Campus and More
Effective June 2, fully vaccinated people will no longer be required to wear face coverings in most indoor spaces on the UW–Madison campus. Unvaccinated people should continue to wear face coverings indoors. Masks are not required in outdoor settings; however, those who are not vaccinated are encouraged to wear them when physical distancing is not possible. Physical distancing is no longer required outdoors for vaccinated people. Individuals who are not vaccinated should maintain 6 feet physical distancing outdoors and if physical distancing outdoors is not possible, wear a face covering. The indoor physical distancing requirement remains at least 6 feet, regardless of vaccination status. No-cost vaccination is available on campus at University Health Services.
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Student Employment Summit Welcomes Registrations
The Student Employment Summer Summit is scheduled for Tuesday, June 15, 9 a.m.-1 p.m. This virtual event will bring together supervisors, hiring managers, and others who support the student employment experience. The theme of the summit, which features both keynote presentations and breakout sessions, is Inclusive Excellence within Student Employment. The Student Employment Team will be sharing the results of the recent Student Employment Experience Survey. Everyone in the campus community is welcome to attend. Details are available at studentjobs.wisc.edu/summit.
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Program Helps Pay for Broadband Access
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has launched a new program to help people pay for broadband access. The Emergency Broadband Benefit program will help people struggling to afford internet service during the COVID-19 pandemic, connecting them to jobs, critical healthcare services, virtual classrooms and more. The program provides discounts of up to $50 per month towards broadband service for eligible households and up to $75 per month for households on qualifying Tribal lands. The program also provides one-time discounts of up to $100 to purchase a laptop, desktop computer, or tablet from participating providers if they contribute more than $10 and less than $50 toward the purchase price. Each qualifying household is eligible for a monthly service discount and one device discount. Information on who is eligible, approved providers, and how to apply can be found at fcc.gov/broadbandbenefit.
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2021–22 Parking Applications Open
Parking applications for the 2021–22 parking year, which starts Sept. 1, are now open. Transportation Services is offering an adjusted 2021–22 parking application calendar to allow flexibility as on-campus work schedules change. In addition, Flex (pay-per-use) parking will continue to be available in a greater amount, and the multi-day pass program and reduced and low cost parking options will continue. Permit applications for 2020–21 are closed for the remainder of the current parking year (through Aug. 31), but permits and passes can still be purchased. Bus passes, multi-day passes, and afternoon, night, moped and motorcycle permits for 2021–22 will be available to purchase starting Aug. 1. Find details at transportation.wisc.edu.
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New Location for Vaccine Appointments as of May 27
Beginning Thursday, May 27, COVID-19 vaccine appointments will transition from the Nicholas Recreation Center (The Nick) to the University Health Services (UHS) clinic on the sixth floor of 333 East Campus Mall. Appointments for vaccines are still recommended. UHS will continue providing no-cost vaccinations to campus and the Madison community. UW–Madison is encouraging students and employees to get vaccinated. If you were vaccinated off-campus and haven’t yet done so, please upload your documentation of vaccination to UHS. Visit go.wisc.edu/covid19vaccine for more information about scheduling appointments, instructions for getting to and parking at the vaccination site, and more. If you have questions, please email uhs@uhs.wisc.edu.
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Research Professionals Conference Invites Registrations
The 2021 Research Professionals Conference will be held via Zoom, with sessions scheduled for Tuesday, June 15–Thursday, June 24. This free conference is designed for research staff functioning as laboratory technicians or laboratory managers. The theme this year revolves around science communications. The conference is sponsored by the Office of Human Resources, Office of the Secretary of the Academic Staff, Office of Vice Chancellor for Research and Graduate Education, and Wisconsin Institute for Discovery. For more information, including a conference schedule and links to registration, visit hr.wisc.edu/research-professionals-conference.
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University Travel Policy Updated
Significant changes have been made to UW–Madison sponsored travel policy. Effective Wednesday, May 26, the ban on university-sponsored domestic travel is lifted. All such travel should follow current campus health protocols as well as CDC Domestic Travel Guidance. It is recommended that individuals delay travel until fully vaccinated. All international travel remains restricted.