Starting in 2024, the payroll deduction schedule for most benefits will be changing. Currently, benefit insurance premiums for most benefits are deducted one month prior to the coverage month. Starting in 2024, benefit insurance premiums will be deducted in the same month as the coverage month.

Benefit insurance premiums will not be deducted from Dec. 14 and Dec. 28 paychecks for the following insurance plans: State Group Health, dental, vision, life insurance, accidental death & dismemberment, and/or accident insurance. Employees may see more take-home pay on these paychecks. Benefits coverage will remain active in December 2023. Deductions for benefit insurance premiums will resume on the Jan. 11, 2024, paycheck.

The deadline for University Staff employees to use vacation carryover balances, personal holiday hours, and floating legal holidays granted for 2023 is Dec. 31, 2023. If this leave is not used by Dec. 31, 2023, it will be lost. Carried-over vacation hours that were granted in calendar year 2022 must be used or banked (if eligible) by Dec. 31. In addition, floating legal holidays occur on Dec. 24 and Dec. 31, and University Staff must use these floating legal holidays by Dec. 31, 2023. Leave balances can be found under “Time and Absence” in MyUW at my.wisc.edu. Employees who wish to verify their leave balances and the corresponding deadlines should contact their local human resources department.

Parking permits are not enforced on Thursday, Nov. 23 (Thanksgiving), and most surface lots will not require parking permits on Friday, Nov. 24. Metro Transit will operate holiday or recess schedules, including campus bus routes. For exceptions and details, go to transportation.wisc.edu.

The College of Agricultural and Life Sciences (CALS) Community of Wellness is partnering with LifeMatters to offer virtual wellness sessions at no cost to all UW‒Madison employees. Topics include Holiday Stress on Nov. 16, Winter Blues on Dec. 7, and First Aid Kit for the Mind on Jan. 11, 2024. All sessions are one hour and take place around lunchtime. Register to receive the Zoom link.