The Annual Benefits Enrollment period is currently underway and will end on October 27, 2017. Even if you do not want to make any changes in your benefits elections for 2018, some plans require that you enroll each year to continue your participation. Be sure to enroll by October 27 if you wish to participate in the Flexible Savings Account (FSA) in 2018, including Health Care FSA, Limited Purpose FSA, or Dependent Day Care FSA. The Health Savings Account (HSA) requires that you enroll each year you are enrolled in a High Deductible Health Plan (HDHP). If you wish to decline health insurance, you must opt out every year to participate in the State Group Health Insurance Opt-Out Incentive Plan. Visit www.wisconsin.edu/abe for details.

UW–Madison faculty and staff can obtain no-cost, confidential help for mental health issues and stress management support through SilverCloud, an online service offered by the Employee Assistance Office (EAO). Using a cognitive behavioral model, SilverCloud offers self-guided exercises to help employees learn about and manage symptoms of anxiety, depression, and stress. The program can supplement face-to-face counseling, while some individuals may use it without seeing a counselor at all. SilverCloud is available to students through University Health Services. Go to eao.wisc.edu/silvercloud to learn more.

UW–Madison employees who work second or third shift receive additional compensation when they work nights between 6 p.m. and 6 a.m. or weekends between 12:01 a.m. on Saturday and midnight on Sunday. This additional compensation, known as “differential pay,” will increase beginning November 12, 2017. The differential will increase from $0.45 to $0.80 per hour for hours worked at night and from $0.60 to $0.80 per hour for weekend hours worked. In announcing the increase, UW–Madison administrators stated that they appreciate the hard work and contributions of second- and third-shift workers to the mission of the university.

The Wisconsin Department of Administration has launched a new fleet asset management system, Enterprise Fleet Management System. All Electronic Vehicle Use Agreements (EVUA) will be submitted and stored electronically in this system. To avoid an interruption in service, all employees who drive fleet vehicles for university business must complete a new EVUA by October 27, 2017. The new form can be found at fleetportal.wi.gov.