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.

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.

Applications are now being accepted for the Fall 2021 Academic Staff Professional Development Grant program. The program is offered to academic staff members who meet the eligibility requirements and hold at least a 50 percent appointment. Grants are for activities beginning between January 1, 2022, and June 30, 2022. There will be informational sessions offered virtually on Tuesday, Sept. 21 and Wednesday, Sept. 22 from noon to 1 p.m. The deadline to submit completed applications is Friday, Oct. 22, 2021.

The Office of Sustainability and the Wisconsin Energy Institute have teamed up with Focus on Energy to offer heavily discounted energy- and water-saving products to UW–Madison faculty and staff, as well as to students who live off-campus. The Focus on Energy Home Energy-Saving Fair runs from Sept. 13–Oct. 4, and exclusive discounts are available during this time period. There will also be a Lunch and Learn on Wednesday, Sept. 22 to help answer questions about products.