Category: Payroll & Benefits

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.

Health Insurance Changes

The implementation of the provisions of Wisconsin Act 10 will affect employees who are enrolled in the State Group Health Insurance program.  Please review “Changes Coming to State Group Health Insurance” http://www.wisconsin.edu/hr/benefits/ins/sgh2012.pdf to learn how you will be affected by these changes.

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

Budget Repair Bill Update

Now that the Budget Repair Bill (Act 10) has been upheld by the Wisconsin Supreme Court and is in effect, the Budget Repair Bill FAQ has been updated to include clarification on health insurance and WRS contribution effective dates.  Information regarding changing or cancellation of various benefit plans is also included in this FAQ.

The effective dates for the additional payroll deductions are as follows:

* Classified (or others paid bi-weekly):  August 25, 2011 paycheck

* Unclassified (12 month):  September 1, 2011 paycheck

* Unclassified (9 month):  September 30, 2011 paycheck

Academic year (9 month) employees who had multiple health insurance deductions taken from the June 1 paycheck will have an adjustment made to reflect the amount that should have been paid for the payroll month of August (for September coverage).  More specific information will be made available at a later date about this additional deduction.

Also attached to the Budget Repair Bill FAQ is a letter that was recently sent to all agency heads from Cynthia Archer, Department of Administration Deputy Secretary, regarding the status of the Supplemental Health Insurance Conversion Credit (SHICC) program.  The letter states that there are no provisions in Act 10 that would impact SHICC benefits and at this point there are no provisions in the 2011-13 biennial budget that would impact SHICC benefits.

Weblinks:

* Budget Repair Bill FAQ:   http://www.wisconsin.edu/hr/benefits/repairbillfaq.pdf

* High level two page summary of the impact of the legislation:  http://www.wisconsin.edu/hr/benefits/budgetsummary.pdf

* Main resource page on the budget is available at:  http://www.wisconsin.edu/hr/benefits/budgetbill.htm

We will continue to provide you with updated information as it becomes available.  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.

Summer 2011 Training

All UW-Green Bay employees are invited to attend the following summer 2011 training workshops.

Becoming a Progress-Making Leader in Your Sphere of Influence

The trainer for this workshop is Phillip Clampitt, Ph.D.  He is a Hendrickson Professor of Business for the Information Sciences Program at UW-Green Bay.  His workshop will cover how to become a progress-making leader, as well as leadership for the 21st century.  Dr. Clampitt recently wrote the book “Transforming Leaders Into Progress-Makers – Leadership for the 21st Century” with Robert De Koch.

Wednesday, August 3rd

1:00 – 4:00 p.m.

Phoenix A & B Rooms in the University Union

There will also be two LGBTQ workshops this summer – the first training featuring basic information regarding LGBTQ issues and a second training that will go more in-depth for those who already have the basic knowledge but seek more information and a deeper knowledge about how to be an Ally.  

LGBTQ Issues 101

In this session faculty, staff and administrators are invited to learn about the growing student and faculty population who identify as Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer or Questioning (LGBTQ).  This session will highlight basic information regarding stereotypes, common myths and share resources that are available to support LGBTQ students and coworkers.  This training will enhance the participants understanding of LGBTQ issues, concerns, contributions, and resources.

Wednesday, July 27th

1:00  – 3:00 p.m.

1965 Room in the University Union

LGBTQ Issues on a College Campus: Beyond the Basics

This session will be much more in-depth and will assist participants in working with students on a day to day basis, finding ways to infuse curriculum with LGBTQ supportive materials and how to create a non-homophobic campus environment.  This session will also highlight the Sexual Identity: Cass Model and explore the stages of identity development for LGBTQ individuals.  Also, in this session participants are encouraged to bring their questions and suggestions.  It will be a facilitated discussion where we can learn from the experience in the room in a safe, supported and confidential manner.

Thursday, August 4th

1:00 – 2:00 p.m.

1965 Room in the University Union

The trainers for the above LGBTQ workshops are Deborah Rezac and Shiyanke Goonetilleke.  Deborah Rezac is the Diversity Director for the American Intercultural Center at UW-Green Bay.  Shiyanke Goonetilleke is a Graduate Student in Student Affairs at St. Cloud State University in Minnesota, and a summer Intern with the American Intercultural Center at UW-Green Bay.

If you would like to attend any of the above training workshops, please e-mail hr@uwgb.edu five business days prior to the workshop date to ensure we have enough materials.  There is no charge to you for attending these workshops.

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

Student Employee Rehire Process

ATTENTION ALL SUPERVISORS OF STUDENT EMPLOYEES

Student Rehire Process

It’s time to think about the student employees you plan to rehire for the summer 2011 and/or academic year 2011-2012.  E-mails with spreadsheet attachments containing a list of all active student employees will be sent out to the primary supervisor on Thursday, May 12th.  This will need to be updated/completed and sent back to payroll@uwgb.edu for processing.  Please watch for this email.  Complete instructions will be provided within the email.

NOTE:  You will need to complete the Student Employment Form to continue/rehire current student employees beyond 5/21/11 that are not listed on the spreadsheet.

Graduating Seniors

Student employees that will be graduating at the end of this semester can work in their student appointments through the last day of exams, Friday, May 13.  If you want to continue their employment after that date, you will need to hire them as an LTE by submitting the Authorization to Hire an LTE form.  If they are enrolled in classes at any university, technical school or vocational/trade school in the summer or fall semester 2011, they can continue to work in their student appointment at UWGB until their classes have ended.  They will need to provide documentation that verifies they are enrolled in classes at a non-UWGB school.

Employment Periods/Payrolls

Summer 2011 Payrolls:   June A – August B (5/22/11 – 8/27/11)

Academic Year 2011-2012:  September A – May B (8/28/11 – 5/13/12)

NOTE:   Federal Work Study is awarded according to academic year.

* The 2010-11 academic year ends on 5/13/2011

* New student employee’s can begin their summer work period on or after 5/23/2011

* Continuing student’s who were awarded summer work study can begin earning their award on 5/14/2011

* The 2011-12 academic year begins on 9/6/2011

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

United of Omaha Long Term Care Insurance

Please click on the following link to view information regarding United of Omaha Long Term Care insurance policies that were approved by the State of Wisconsin Group Insurance Board.

http://www.uwgb.edu/hr/documents/LongTermCare.pdf

This long term care insurance plan, Health Choice, is available to all state employees, UW employees, retirees, and their family members.   You can request information about this plan through the link above.

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