News for Employees
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Free Group Fitness Classes Include Virtual Options
UW–Madison Recreation & Wellbeing (Rec Well) offers group fitness classes that are open to faculty and staff. For the week of March 1–7, Rec Well is partnering with American Family Insurance to offer free group fitness classes (no pass required). Virtual classes are offered via Zoom. Visit recwell.wisc.edu/groupfitness for a list of classes and information on how to register. Registration opens 48 hours in advance.
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COVID-19 Vaccination Updates Available Online
University Health Services is vaccinating eligible members of the campus community under Wisconsin’s COVID-19 vaccination program. The university is committed to distributing no-cost vaccines to the UW–Madison community equitably, safely and effectively. Those who are eligible for the vaccine separate from their work or education on campus will be vaccinated through Public Health Madison and Dane County. Individuals in the Phase 1b eligibility group who are aged 65 or over may also be able to receive the vaccine through a health care provider. All individuals are encouraged to seek the vaccine as they become eligible, though the vaccine is not currently mandatory and vaccine supply remains limited. Information about vaccine eligibility and other resources can be found at uhs.wisc.edu/medical/covid19vaccine.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.