The Annual Benefits Enrollment period is currently underway and will end on October 21, 2022. Even if you do not want to make any changes in your benefits elections for 2023, some plans require that you enroll each year to continue your participation. Be sure to enroll if you wish to participate in the Flexible Spending Account (FSA) in 2023, including Health Care FSA, Limited Purpose FSA, and Dependent Day Care FSA. You must enroll in a Health Savings Account (HSA) each year if you choose a High Deductible Health Plan (HDHP). The State Group Health Insurance Opt-Out Incentive requires re-enrollment each year. Employees must choose the Opt-Out Incentive when electing benefits; waiving health coverage is not enrolling in the Opt-Out Incentive. WEA Trust will no longer be available as a health insurance plan carrier. If you are currently enrolled in a plan with WEA Trust, you must choose a new network to use in 2023.     Virtual, live presentations about annual benefits enrollment are upcoming on October 13 and 14, and a recording of the presentation is available online for viewing on demand. These and other resources for employees can be found at benefits.wisc.edu/2023.

Everyone should be vaccinated for the flu annually. Getting vaccinated helps protect each of us in addition to limiting the spread of influenza. University Health Services has scheduled free flu shot clinics for employees and students through December 8 at multiple campus locations and various times of day. Appointments are encouraged but not required. Employees should bring their insurance card to the clinic for drop-in appointments. Employees without proof of insurance will still receive a flu shot at no cost. To view the list of clinics and to schedule an appointment, go to uhs.wisc.edu/medical/flu-shots.

The Office of Sustainability and Nelson Institute for Environmental Studies will host the UW–Madison Sustainability Symposium on Oct. 26, 2022, from 1‒5:30 p.m. at the Discovery Building. UW–Madison faculty, staff, and students are encouraged to submit a poster or flash talk or register to attend. The deadline to express interest in presenting a poster or flash talk (lightning talk) is Friday, Oct. 7. The event is free and walk-ins are welcome, although registration by October 21 is encouraged.

Full-time UW–Madison employees with federal student loans may be able to take advantage of a limited time waiver available under the Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) program that expires on Oct. 31, 2022. The PSLF program forgives the remaining balance tax-free on Direct Loans after 120 qualifying monthly payments have been made under a qualifying repayment plan while working full-time for a qualifying employer such as UW‒Madison. The limited time waiver allows borrowers to receive credit for past periods of repayment that would otherwise not qualify for PSLF. Borrowers who also have FFEL/FFELP and/or Perkins loans need to consolidate these loans into a single Federal Direct Loan by the deadline in order to make these additional loans eligible for the PSLF waiver. Details, links, tools, a video overview, and other resources are available from the UW‒Madison Office of Student Financial Aid at financialaid.wisc.edu/pslf. One-on-one help is available from the Wisconsin Student Debt Hotline at 833-589-0750. The waiver expires at 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time (10:59 p.m. Central Time) on Oct. 31, 2022, so it is important to act now.