Category: Occupational Wellness

Occupational wellness is the ability to get personal fulfillment from our jobs or our chosen career fields while still maintaining balance in our lives. Our desire to contribute in our careers to make positive impact on the organization we work in and to society as a whole.

2011-13 Compensation Plan

Proposed 2011-13 Compensation Plan  

If approved, the new compensation plan would be effective January 1, 2012.  Below are links to a summary of the proposed changes and the draft 2011-13 Compensation Plan:

http://oser.state.wi.us/docview.asp?docid=7275

ftp://doaftp04.doa.state.wi.us/doadocs/2011-2013CompPlanJCOER.pdf

If you have questions regarding the new plan, please send your email to compensationplan@uwsa.edu and UW System will be fielding your questions at this time. UW System will be developing an FAQ document that will supplement a similar document developed by OSER and we will provide that information to you once it is available.

Please contact Human Resources at hr@uwgb.edu or ext. 2390 with questions.

Statewide Employees Combined Campaign

 2011 Statewide Employees Combined Campaign (SECC)

The Statewide Employees Combined Campaign (SECC) annual workplace campaign began on October 10, 2011.  You can make a pledge anytime between October 10, 2011 and November 30, 2011.

The campaign is online, making it easier for you to give and make a difference in your COMMUNITY and the WORLD.

To make your pledge, go to www.seccstatewide.wi.gov

The SECC Statewide is Wisconsin’s largest voluntary fundraising campaign.  Thanks to your help, the campaign raised money for more than 400 participating charities.

The CHOICE is yours…

As the only annual, cooperative, on-the-job campaign authorized to run at your workplace, SECC offers you many choices.

You decide:

* How you want to give – choose payroll contribution, cash or check.

* Where your dollars go – when you designate your gift to specific charities, only the charities you choose will receive money from you. Pick from more than 400 state, national and international charities.

To make your pledge:

* Go to www.seccstatewide.wi.gov

* Click on the link for University employees

* All University employees are pre-populated.  To login click on “Login Now” in the upper right hand corner OR click on “Log In” in the middle of the screen.

* Log in using the following information:

     – Username:  Your first and last name as it is displayed on your earning statement (use all caps with no spaces between words). Example: JOHNDOE

     – Password:  Last 4 digits of your social security number.

* Find out more information about the charities and decide who you would like to give to.

* Follow the instructions on the website to complete your pledge.

For additional information, if you have any questions or if you would prefer paper materials please ask your coordinator or call 608.256.1066 extension 201.

Your GIFT makes a difference! PLEASE GIVE!

Year-End Information for Classified Employees

**Important information regarding vacation carry over, compensatory time, and personal & floating holidays**

Please be advised: Employees eligible to utilize the Annual Leave Conversion Option will receive written notification of this by the end of November.

Attention Classified Employees and their Supervisors:

UW-Green Bay requires that vacation for classified employees be taken in the calendar year in which it is earned.  It is UW-Green Bay’s practice to allow up to 40 hours of vacation to be carried over into the following year, if approved by the employee’s supervisor.  A request to carry over more than 40 hours of vacation must be approved by Human Resources.  Any vacation carried over from 2011 into 2012 must be used by June 30, 2012.

Please complete the Vacation Carry Over Request Form (http://www.uwgb.edu/hr/documents/2011ClassifiedVacationCarryOverRequestForm.pdf)

ONLY if requesting to carry over more than 40 hours of vacation into 2012.

Requests must be submitted to HR, ES 107, no later than Friday, December 9, 2011.  A scanned, signed copy of the form may be e-mailed to hr@uwgb.edu in lieu of a hard copy submission.

If a new employee completes his or her original probationary period between July 1 and December 31, 2011, all vacation may be carried over (without supervisor or HR approval).  However, the leave must still be used by June 30, 2012.

In-so-far as possible, all 2011 Compensatory Time earned should be used by December 30, 2011.  Under exceptional circumstances, approval to carry unused compensatory time into 2012 may be granted by the immediate supervisor.  All 2011 compensatory time must be used by April 30, 2012 or it will be paid.

Personal holiday hours may not be carried into 2012 and if not used by December 30, 2011 will be forfeited.  Also, please remember that Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve both fall on a Saturday, resulting in two floating holidays.  You must use these floating holidays by December 30, 2011 or they will be lost.

Please visit the Legal Holidays section of our website to view 2012 Legal Holiday dates.

Please contact Human Resources at x 2390 if or via e-mail at hr@uwgb.edu you have any questions or concerns.

Benefits Enrollment and Change Period

Annual Benefit Enrollment and Change Period October 3 – 28, 2011

There are important changes to benefits for 2012 that may require action to be taken during the Benefit Enrollment and Change Period that begins October 3, 2011 and ends October 28, 2011 for all participating plans.  All changes made during this period will be effective January 1, 2012.  Detailed information is available on the UW System Benefit Enrollment and Change website www.uwservice.wisc.edu/2012, as well as the fall enrollment flyer: http://www.uwgb.edu/hr/documents/FallOpenEnrollmentFlyer.pdf.

New this October – Make Your Benefit Elections Online:  This the first year that we are eligible to make our benefit elections online through HRS self-service.  Beginning on October 3rd, we may use self-service by logging into My UW System and going to the Benefit Information module and clicking on the Open Enrollment link.  Please refer to the Open Enrollment Quick Start Guide and the Open Enrollment Knowledge Base document for additional information.

If elections are not made through HRS self-service, employees will need to submit paper applications to the UW-Green Bay Human Resources office.

The Following Benefit Plans Will Offer Enrollment and/or Change Opportunities October 3 – October 28

  • State Group Health Insurance – see the It’s Your Choice Decision and Reference Guides for details:  http://etf.wi.gov/members/benefits_state_health.htm
  • Dental Wisconsin Dental Insurance
  • EPIC Benefits+ (graduated dental benefits if you enroll during special enrollment)
  • VSP Vision Insurance
  • Anthem DentalBlue Dental Insurance (change period only)
  • UW Employees, Inc. Life Insurance
  • Individual and Family Group Life Insurance (annual increase period only – no new enrollments)
  • Employee Reimbursement Account (ERA) Program – you cannot use HRS self-service to enroll in ERA – you must use Fringe Benefit Management Company’s online enrollment process available at: http://www.myfbmc.com

Important Benefits Changes for 2012

  • State Group Health Insurance – true open enrollment period (can enroll if not currently enrolled); implementation of 10% coinsurance for non-preventive services (up to an annual maximum)
  • Anthem DentalBlue: change period only – no new enrollments allowed for 2012.  Plan will no longer be available in 2013.
  • EPIC Benefits+: removed excess medical benefit; added Surgery & Hospital benefit
  • Change to Adult Child Eligibility: adult children will be eligible for coverage under health, vision, dental and Benefits+ until the end of the month in which they turn age 26 (they were previously eligible until the end of the month in which they turned 27).
  • Employee Reimbursement Account (ERA) program:  the coinsurance that you pay under State Group Health Insurance for eligible services qualifies for reimbursement under the ERA program.
  • Change to Coverage End Date:  coverage under all benefit plans, except State Group Life Insurance, will end at the end of the month in which you terminate employment or retire.

Some of the Actions That May Be Taken During the Benefit Enrollment and Change Period Include:

  • Change health insurance plans and enroll in health insurance if not currently enrolled.
  • Change from single to family health insurance or add additional eligible family members to family health insurance.
  • Enroll in plans that have an enrollment opportunity.
  • Increase Individual and Family Life Insurance coverage if already enrolled.
  • Add or remove vision insurance from EPIC Benefits+ if already enrolled.
  • Cancel health, vision, dental or EPIC Benefits+ coverage for 2012.
  • Remove eligible dependent children ages 19-25 or a domestic partner from benefit plans.

Do not delay.   All benefit elections must be submitted by 4:30p.m., Friday, October 28, 2011.  Remember, the Benefit Enrollment and Change Period is typically the only time during the year when you are eligible to make benefit plan changes unless you have a life event (marriage, birth, divorce…) that allows you to add or change benefits.

Please contact Human Resources at hr@uwgb.edu or ext. 2390 with questions.

New Personnel System

New Personnel System (Human Resource Related Policies and Procedures)

The 2011-13 biennial budget (Act 32 of 2011) created s. 36.115, authorizing and directing the development of personnel systems (human resource related policies and procedures) separate and distinct from the personnel system under ch. 230 for all University of Wisconsin-Madison employees and separately a personnel system for the balance of all University of Wisconsin System employees.  The new personnel system will encompass policies and procedures for both unclassified and classified employment categories.

As with any business change, one of the most important steps is to assess the current state in order to effectively build the future state.  The assessment of the current personnel systems will rest primarily with the institutions.  Each of the institutions is in the best position to judge what, in the current personnel systems, prohibits its ability to manage effectively its workforce. The institutions’ assessments of current state problems, symptoms and limitations will serve as a starting point to begin building the framework of the future state of the new personnel systems.

We are looking for your assistance in outlining issues you can see within the process.  Two informational sessions have been scheduled for all employees to attend to learn about this initiative on the following dates and times:

Monday, October 3rd at 3:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. in the Alumni Rooms, University Union

Tuesday, October 4th at 2:30 p.m. – 3:30 p.m. in the Alumni Rooms, University Union

If you plan to attend one of these sessions, rsvp at hr@uwgb.edu.

Feedback outlining current issues will be due to hr@uwgb.edu no later than October 24, 2011.  Your feedback should be in response to the following two guidelines:

1. Current state problem, symptom or limitation  (example:  Number of candidates required to interview is too many in classified search)

2. What is the impact of the problem, symptom or limitation  (example:  Need to stay competitive in hiring the best workforce possible.  The number of candidates to interview can be prohibitively time consuming.)

Please contact Human Resources at hr@uwgb.edu or ext. 2390 with questions.

Benefits & Wellness Fair

Tuesday, October 4, 2011

11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.

Phoenix Rooms – University Union

UW-Green Bay is hosting an Employee Benefits & Wellness Fair to provide employees with the opportunity to learn more information about their benefits.  Mark your calendar to attend!

Refreshments will be served and door prizes will be given out.  Aurora will have “Nutrition Wheel of Fortune” and Body Mass Index (BMI) checks. The following vendors will be available to talk with you:

  • Ameriprise
  • Ameritas
  • Arise Health Plan
  • Aurora
  • Bay Care Clinic
  • Bellin Health
  • Dental Associates
  • ETF
  • Health Choice Long Term Care Solutions
  • HRS eBenefits Team
  • Humana
  • Lincoln Financial
  • Network Health
  • Standard Plan
  • TIAA-CREF
  • UnitedHealthCare
  • VSP (Vision Care)
  • WEA Trust
  • Western Racquet
  • Wisconsin Deferred Compensation

Please e-mail benefits@uwgb.edu or call 465-2390 if you have any questions.

T. Rowe Price Free Webinar

Tuesday, September 13, starting at noon and 6 p.m., central time

Getting to and through retirement: How investing in a T. Rowe Price Retirement Fund Can Help

T. Rowe Price, one of the investment companies in your UW TSA 403(b) Program, offers this free webinar to employees of the institutions it serves.  Discover how the Retirement Funds are designed to work for you up to and through retirement. In this live 60-minute webinar led by Wyatt A. Lee, associate portfolio manager, you’ll learn how the funds are invested, explore the potential benefits of investing in one, and feel more confident in this investment strategy.   A Question & Answer session will conclude each online seminar.

Register at  http://video.webcasts.com/events/trpr001/39252/  Please note the times at the registration site are indicated as eastern.

Please contact Human Resources at hr@uwgb.edu or ext. 2390 with questions.

HRS Reports

Attention Student Supervisors:

Open Lab Hours – Reporting in HRS

If you are interested in learning how to generate reports in HRS relating to your student employees, please stop in during the following open labs.

     * Thursday, July 7
2:00 p.m. – 3:30 p.m.
IS 1004

     * Friday, July 8
9:00 a.m. – 10:30 a.m.
IS 1004

Please contact Human Resources at hr@uwgb.edu or ext. 2390 with questions.

Act 10 Update

Below is communication from the Department of Administration’s Office regarding implementation of Wisconsin Act 10.  Please note the underlined/bolded sentences regarding deductions to paychecks and that health insurance premium deductions and WRS deductions will not be collected retroactively.

Wednesday, June 15, 2011

DOA Media Line: 608-266-7362

Secretary Huebsch Statement on Implementation of 2011 Wisconsin Act 10

MADISON –Wisconsin Department of Administration Secretary Mike Huebsch today released the following statement regarding the implementation of the budget repair bill:

“The Department is moving forward with plans to implement Act 10. In the coming days, I will be working with my staff to set a timeline and develop a plan for increasing state employee pension and health insurance premium contributions. Based on initial discussions, the soonest that the change could appear on state employee paychecks is late August.”

“With regard to local government employees, I will also be setting a timeline for pension contributions. However, the timing of changes to the health insurance premium contributions of local government employees will depend on when existing contracts expire and the status of any current contract negotiations.”

“We will not be applying the provisions of Act 10 retroactively.”

http://thewheelerreport.com/releases/June11/0615/0615doa.pdf

Below is an e-mail message received from Alan Crist, Associate Vice President for Human Resources at UW System Administration, regarding the recent events surrounding Wisconsin Act 10.

As you have probably heard, the Wisconsin Supreme Court yesterday issued a decision that overturned the injunction that had been placed on the implementation of Wisconsin Act 10. The law will become effective following publication by the Secretary of State, which may be by the end of this month. We are awaiting clarification on implementation dates regarding increased contributions to the pension plan and health insurance premiums, as well as elimination of union dues deductions, and will pass that along as soon as we find out. We have contacted OSER and advised them that our HRS leadership will need to be given as much advance time as possible to make the transition as smooth as it can be.

Act 10 will also significantly affect or eliminate collective bargaining rights for university employees. The Faculty and Academic Staff Labor Relations Act (FASLRA) that gave rights to collectively bargain to faculty and academic staff was repealed in its entirety. The unions that were formed under the law will of course still have the right to be ‘associations’ of individuals; however, those groups will no longer have the statutory right to collectively bargain with the UW System. Shared governance is not impacted by the repeal of FASLRA and all practices and procedures that were in place before FASLRA are in effect.

The classified employees and graduate assistants who are represented by unions that were formed under the State Employment Labor Relations Act (SELRA) have had collective bargaining agreements in place for a number of years. Extensions of those agreements have ceased, but we will still abide by the letter of those agreements in a ‘status quo’ period until a compensation plan for represented employees is developed by OSER.  We do not have a clear sense from OSER how long it will be before the represented employee compensation plan is ready.  We will be able to provide input to OSER in development of the plan and will let you know when it may be issued. SELRA unions will continue to represent employees provided those unions go through an annual certification election in which 51% of the bargaining unit elect to continue that respective union as its exclusive representative. The unions that successfully go through a certification election will then have the right to bargain wages alone, and no other terms or conditions of employment. Once it is developed, the represented employee compensation plan, mentioned above, along with existing, applicable statute and administrative code, will cover all other terms and conditions of employment.

Please contact Human Resources at ext. 2390 or hr@uwgb.edu if you have any questions.