As previously announced, all UW System employees who are paid monthly—including UW–Madison employees—will be moved to a biweekly pay schedule beginning in July. A virtual Town Hall will be hosted by UW System on Wednesday, March 3, noon–1 p.m., to provide information about the upcoming change. Time will be included for questions and answers. The event will be repeated on May 4, 13, and 17, and it will be recorded for viewing later on demand. Advance registration is not required. Frequently asked questions, financial resources, and contact information for employees who need assistance can be found at hr.wisc.edu/pay/single-payroll.

As UW–Madison responds to the ongoing health crisis, the need to communicate with employees in their native languages has become increasingly important. A new multilingual website is available at covidresponse.wisc.edu/translations to provide important information about the campus response to COVID-19 in English, Spanish, Hmong, Tibetan, Chinese and Nepali. In addition, language assistance is available on request at all COVID-19 testing sites on campus. Employees are also encouraged to sign up for a WhatsApp Group to receive key campus information sent directly to their smartphone or mobile device. Instructions to install and join the Whats App Groups are available at hr.wisc.edu/cls/whatsapp.

UW–Madison leadership is urging all members of the campus community to continue to take steps to prevent the spread of COVID-19. If you test positive, please isolate immediately and follow all public health guidelines. If you are identified as a close contact, please protect the rest of the community by following quarantine instructions. Everyone should observe the following precautions: wear a face covering when outside your household; continue regular COVID-19 testing; limit trips out; practice physical distancing; and wash hands frequently. Employees may wish to review the UW–Madison COVID-19 Workplace Safety Policy. Updated information continues to be posted at covidresponse.wisc.edu.

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.