UW–Madison will pause its implementation of changes related to the federal Fair Labor Standards Act that were scheduled to take effect on Dec. 1. A federal judge determined that the U.S. Department of Labor lacked statutory authority to make the changes and blocked their enforcement pending further review by the court. In response, UW–Madison is pausing most of the 3,300 previously scheduled position changes. This means that employees who were going to move to nonexempt (hourly) status will not make that change at this time.

Upgrade to Office 2016 ProPlus for Windows or Mac using the Office 365 portal as soon as possible. Microsoft will end support for Office 2013 in February. Individuals who continue to use Office 2013 after February will not receive critical updates and feature enhancements. The DoIT Help Desk will provide best effort support on issues related to Office 2013. Learn more about Microsoft Office 2013 path to retirement and upgrading to Office 2016 ProPlus.

In November, members of the Academic Staff were sent a link to a survey about the recent implementation of consistent performance reviews across campus. Please consider sharing your thoughts. Have you had a performance review as part of a new, consistent process at your workplace? Check your inbox and make sure to take part in the new Academic Staff survey.

The DoIT Tech Store has tech gadgets and gear for everyone on your shopping list at its three convenient locations. In addition, faculty and staff can now take advantage of Payroll Deduction to pay with six or 12 interest-free monthly paycheck deductions. The store even provides a list of recommended holiday gifts, including Bluetooth Headwear such as beanies, hats, ski masks and headbands; scarves with smartphone pockets; wireless headphones; and more.