For UW–Madison employees who are paid on the first of each month, the monthly pay date for December 2019 earnings will be Thursday, Jan. 2, 2020. To avoid tax-related issues, the January 1 pay date for December earnings is paid in the new calendar year and must be the first “official banking business day” following the New Year’s holiday.

The Title and Total Compensation (TTC) Project is extending the project timeline to allow for a more in-depth quality assurance review. This extension ensures titles will be more consistent across UW–Madison’s schools, colleges, and divisions. Managers and supervisors will also have more time to complete training and engage in conversations with employees. New titles and position descriptions will be effective on July 1, 2020. Employee conversations, some of which have already begun, will be extended through the spring. More information and employee resources are available at go.wisc.edu/ttcproject.

The U.S. Department of Labor has increased the salary threshold for the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) to $684 per week or $35,568 per year for a full-year worker. Employees whose salaries fall below the new threshold must be paid hourly, report hours worked, and be compensated for overtime unless they qualify for a threshold exemption. Only employees with salaries above the threshold may be designated as “exempt.” The new rules go into effect Jan. 1, 2020.

UW–Madison employees who are affected by this change and are transitioning from “exempt” to “non-exempt” status have been contacted directly and invited to informational forums. Those who were unable to attend the forums or would like a refresher can view the forums online at hr.wisc.edu/flsa. UW–Madison is also making short-term, interest-free loans available to employees who are transitioning from a monthly pay date to bi-weekly pay dates as a result of this change.

This is the final issue of Working at UW for 2019. Our next issue will be published on Wednesday, Jan. 8, 2020. All the best in the new year, and see you soon!