Author: danielsk

Live Webinars Scheduled for February

ETF is offering a series of 30-minute, live, interactive webinars designed to increase your understanding of Wisconsin Retirement System benefits. Individuals can also ask questions at the end of these sessions.

Overview of the Wisconsin Retirement System:  This webinar will cover participation in the WRS, vesting requirements, how the WRS is funded and benefits available under the WRS. Also included is a brief overview of the Core and Variable Trust Funds and how the WRS is structured.

• Feb 16, 2016 11:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
• Feb 22, 2016 12:00 p.m. – 12:30 p.m.

WRS Effective Rates and Annuity Adjustments: Do WRS accounts receive an investment return? Do investment returns affect how much a retiree will initially receive when they begin their pension? Do those retired in the WRS receive adjustments to their monthly pension amount over the years? This webinar will cover the process of how account effective rates and annuity adjustments are calculated, starting with the investment return. Also covered are the Core and Variable Trust Funds and the calculations specific to each fund for effective rates and annual adjustments.

• Feb 17, 2016 11:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
• Feb 23, 2016 6:00 p.m. – 6:30 p.m.
• Feb 25, 2016 12:00 p.m. – 12:30 p.m.

Additional Contributions: Find out how making additional contributions to your WRS account can potentially increase your retirement. This webinar also provides examples of how contributions grow over time with interest, how to pay additional contributions (payroll deduction or direct pay), etc.

• Feb 18, 2016 11:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
• Feb 23, 2016 12:00 p.m. – 12:30 p.m.
• Feb 25, 2016 6:00 p.m. – 6:30 p.m.

Beneficiary Designation: Do you have a beneficiary designation on file with ETF and does it reflect how you’d want your WRS death benefits paid? This webinar reviews the importance of having a beneficiary designation on file and keeping it updated as life events occur. The webinar also review the process of how to correctly complete a designation form, what it means if you do not have one on file with ETF, and how to request a copy of your current form.

• Feb 11, 2016 11:00 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.
• Feb 15, 2016 11:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
• Feb 24, 2016 12:00 p.m. – 12:30 p.m.

 

Register for a webinar

Please contact Human Resources at (920) 465-2390 or payrollandbenefits@uwgb.edu with any questions.

Most participants in the group health insurance program should have received new ID cards from their health plans and dental plans (if enrolled) for 2016. If you have not received your card(s) by the end of January, contact your plan.

It’s a good idea to:

• Review the card for accuracy. Are all of your dependents listed accurately? Are your primary care providers (if applicable) listed accurately?
• Remember that “latest is greatest” – if you receive more than one set of cards, always carry the most recent with you.
• If you are participating in Uniform Dental Benefits for 2016 and have not received your new ID card, you can print one online. Present this card when receiving dental services, and tell your provider this is new coverage if you had Delta Dental previously through your health plan. Please note that the ID card is not required to receive benefits; if you do not have your card, simply provide your name and date of birth to your dentist office instead.
• You will not automatically get a new Navitus ID card for prescription drug coverage for 2016, unless you have the Navitus MedicareRx Medicare Part D prescription drug coverage. Contact Navitus or Navitus MedicareRx directly if you have questions.
• State employees: If you have VSP vision insurance, you will not receive a card, but you can print one online. VSP assigned new member numbers for 2016. When your provider looks up your coverage, suggest they use your name and date of birth if your coverage doesn’t show under the member number in the doctor’s records.

Please contact Human Resources at (920) 465-2390 or payrollandbenefits@uwgb.edu with any questions.

We have learned that the 2016 HSA employee and employer contributions have NOT been loaded to the employee TASC accounts as of Wednesday, January 13, 2016. 2016 funds are not available for use at this time.  The UW Service Center is working with TASC to fix the issue and HSA funds should be loaded by Tuesday, January 19, 2016.

 

TASC is transitioning to a new system platform effective January 1, 2016. Therefore the websites for plan years 2015 and 2016 are separate and distinct.

Use the following website for the 2016 plan year: https://partners.tasconline.com/ETFEmployee

Please Note: If this is your first time logging into the 2016 TASC system, use the below logic to log in.  You will be prompted to change your password upon first login.

Username: First initial of first name + full last name + date of birth (mmddyy) + last 4 digits of your Social Security Number. Example: jsmith0315815643

Password: Same as username

HSA Transfer Form: Employees who were enrolled in the 2015 HSA and are re-enrolled in the 2016 HSA will have two separate accounts to manage, unless they take action to complete a form to have the two accounts merged.  TASC will be sending a communication to all employees enrolled in a HSA outlining the options available to them.  Participants who would like to have their two accounts merged should fill out this form and send it to TASC:  https://www.wisconsin.edu/ohrwd/admin/download/HSA-Transfer-Merge-Form.pdf

Please contact Human Resources at (920) 465-2390 or payrollandbenefits@uwgb.edu with any questions.

TASC is transitioning to a new system platform effective January 1, 2016. Therefore the websites for plan years 2015 and 2016 are separate and distinct.

Use the following website for the 2016 plan year: https://partners.tasconline.com/ETFEmployee

Please Note: If this is your first time logging into the 2016 TASC system, use the below logic to log in.  You will be prompted to change your password upon first login.

Username: First initial of first name + full last name + date of birth (mmddyy) + last 4 digits of your Social Security Number. Example: jsmith0315815643

Password: Same as username

 

Health Care Flex Spending:

For health care expense claims incurred within the 2015 Plan year (1/1/2015-12/31/2015), you can file claims through the end of the run-out period, which is March 30, 2016.  After the run out period, you can carry over up to $500 of unused health care flex spending funds into the 2016 plan year. Any unused funds over the $500 carryover limit are forfeited. Carryover funds will be transferred and available in your 2016 health care flex spending account in mid-April 2016.

Dependent Day Care Flex Spending:

With the 2015 change to implement the $500 carryover provision to the health care flex spending, the grace period option was changed to a runout period for all Employee Reimbursement (ERA) Programs. The IRS prohibits an ERA plan to have both a carryover provision and a grace period option. Dependent day care expenses incurred after December 31, 2015 are not eligible for reimbursement with 2015 funds.

For dependent day care expense claims incurred within the 2015 plan year (1/1/2015-12/31/2015), you can file claims to your 2015 dependent care flex spending account through the end of the run-out period, which is March 30, 2016.  Any unclaimed dependent day care funds are forfeited.

Please contact Human Resources at (920) 465-2390 or payrollandbenefits@uwgb.edu with any questions.

Live Webinars Scheduled for December

ETF is offering a series of 30-minute, live, interactive webinars designed to increase your understanding of Wisconsin Retirement System benefits. Individuals can also ask questions at the end of these sessions.

5 Basic Steps to Retirement  Consider this webinar your quick reference guide to starting the retirement process within the next 12 monhts.  It’ll review:  choosing a termination date, how to request a retirement estimate- and how to read and understand it.  It’ll also cover how to schedule a retirement appointment and how to submit the retirement application.

• Thu. Dec 3 2015 11:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
• Tue. Dec 8 2015 11:00 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.
• Wed. Dec 9 2015 6:00 p.m. – 6:30 p.m.
• Thu. Dec 10 2015 12:30 p.m. – 1:00 p.m.

Additional Contributions Find out how making additional contributions to your WRS account can potentially increase your retirement. This webinar also provides examples of how contributions grow over time with interest, how to pay additional contributions, etc.

• Thu. Dec 3 2015 12:30 p.m. – 1:00 p.m.
• Tue. Dec 15 2015 12:00 p.m. – 12:30 p.m.
• Mon. Dec 21 2015 11:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.

Choosing When to Retire This webinar will focus primarily on choosing your optimal termination and WRS benefit effective dates. The focus will include not only the “December versus January” decision, but also how retirement timing at any point during the year can affect your retirement annuity amount and other employee retirement benefits.

• Wed. Dec 2 2015 12:30 p.m. – 1:00 p.m.
• Thu. Dec 10 2015 11:00 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.
• Wed. Dec 16 2015 11:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
• Tue. Dec 22 2015 12:30 p.m. – 1:00 p.m.

Beneficiary Designation Do you have a beneficary designation on file with ETF and does it reflect how you’d want your WRS death benefits paid?  This webinar reviews the importance of having a beneficiary designation on file and keeping it updated as life events occur.  The webinar will also review the process of how to correctly complete a designation form, what it means if you do not have one of file with ETF, and how to request a copy of your current form.

• Tue. Dec 8 2015 12:30 p.m. – 1:00 p.m.
• Thu. Dec 10 2015 6:00 p.m. – 6:30 p.m.
• Thu. Dec 17 2015 11:00 a.m. – 11:30 a.m

Retirement Annuity Options This webinar will help to increase your understanding of the WRS annuity options and to explain the difference between a beneficiary and a named survivor. There will be time at the end of the webinar to ask questions regarding the annuity options.

• Wed. Dec 9 2015 11:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
• Wed. Dec 16 2015 6:00 p.m. – 6:30 p.m.
• Tue. Dec 22 2015 11:00 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.

WRS Employer and Employee Contribution Rates This webinar will review how employer and employee contributions help keep the WRS fully funded. We will discuss how the contribution rates are calculated, why they change annually, where those dollars go and the contribution rate changes for 2016.

• Tue. Dec 1 2015 11:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
• Fri. Dec 18 2015 11:00 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.

 

Register for a webinar

Please contact Human Resources at (920) 465-2390 or payrollandbenefits@uwgb.edu with any questions.

 

 

 

As we near the end of the 2015 calendar year, University Staff employees are reminded to review their leave balances.

Vacation Carry Over
Normally, vacation time must be used within the calendar year during which it is earned.  Employees may carry over any unused earned vacation into the following calendar year.  Any vacation carried over from the previous calendar year must be used by December 31 of the following calendar year.

The Human Resources System (HRS) will automatically take any vacation absences entered first from carry over balances before taking from the current year’s allocations.

Compensatory Time
Compensatory time is able to be carried into the following calendar year if approved by the immediate supervisor.  If carried over, unused compensatory time must be used by April 30^th of the following year or it will be paid out on the pay period that includes May 1^st.

Personal and Legal Holidays
Personal and Legal holiday hours may not be carried into 2016 and if not used by December 31, 2015 will be forfeited.

Annual Leave Conversion Option (Sabbatical)
Forms for all employees eligible for the Annual Leave Conversion Option are now available on the My UW System Portal, under the Time and Absence section, Statements tab.  All completed forms must be submitted to HR no later than Friday, December 4, 2015.

Please contact the Payroll & Benefits office at 920-465-2390 or payrollandbenefits@uwgb.edu if you have any questions.