Category: Payroll & Benefits

Annual Benefits and WRS Statements

NOTICE TO ALL WISCONSIN RETIREMENT SYSTEM (WRS) EMPLOYEES

The 2011 UW Staff Benefit Statement AND the 2010 ETF Annual Statement of Benefits (WRS) Issued 2011 are now available in your My UW System Portal.   You will find them in the bottom section titled “Benefit Information” on the Statements tab.

You will find a link to the Explanation document for both Statements located in the same section on your Portal.   Both statements are issued every April and provide an overview of your WRS account and your benefit plan enrollments, level of coverage, projected annual deduction costs, and the projected annual UW Contribution.  Both the (current) employee and the UW contribution amounts are projected for the calendar year and are based on the assumption that your salary and benefit costs remain the same for the remainder of the year.  The benefit statement basically reflects the traditional benefit plans.

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

Unavailability of HR Transactions

The new Human Resource System (HRS) will soon be implemented.  During the “cutover” period from April 8th through April 18th, we will be unable to process new appointments or make various changes in the current system due to unavailability.

If you intend to hire any students, limited term employees (LTE’s), or unclassified employees who will start before Tuesday, April 19th, please ensure the new hire paperwork (i.e. Student Employment form, LTE Request form, or PA form) is received in the Human Resources office no later than Wednesday, April 6th.  This will help ensure that network and e-mail access is available for the new employee on his or her first day of employment.

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

Long Term Care Insurance

Introducing John Hancock’s New Custom Care II Enhanced Long Term Care Insurance Policy

Any state, University or University Hospital and Clinic employee or annuitant may apply for this coverage.   Spouses/domestic partners and parents of state employees and annuitants can also apply.   This voluntary Long Term Care Insurance policy is offered at a discounted premium.   The John Hancock Life Insurance Company (U.S.A.) represents stability, financial strength and dependability for your future care and estate conservation.

The John Hancock Life Insurance Company (USA) has been a dependable Long Term Care Insurance carrier for the State of Wisconsin program since 1998, and Senior Care Insurance Services has been the marketing agency.

The policy emphasizes HOME CARE Benefits as well as traditional coverage in Assisted Living Facilities and Nursing Homes.

Home Care Benefits include:

* Skilled & Unskilled Visits

* Home Modification

* Emergency Response System

* Primary Care Giver Training

* Homemaker Services

* Necessary Medical Equipment

* Monthly Cash Benefit Rider- additional premium to allow for the use of friends or family for care or other expenses.

* Return of Premium. If the policyholder dies prior to age 65, there is a refund of  paid premiums less any claims paid.  An optional rider can extend this benefit beyond age 65.

IMPORTANT NOTICE

This John Hancock Long Term Care Insurance policy also qualifies for the Federal and Wisconsin Governments’ recently enacted PARTNERSHIP PROGRAM. Be sure to ask us about the program’s benefits and advantages.

If you would like a personal quote and more information about this state plan, please contact John Hancock at (toll free number) 1-877-578-8400 or e-mail  seniorcare@seniorcareinsurance.net.  Premium will vary with the choice of benefits selected.

Personal Budget Planning Presentations

To help with the upcoming changes to our personal finances, employees are invited to attend a personal budget planning presentation.  Ken Knauf, Lecturer in Finance, Accounting, and Statistics for the Austin E. Cofrin School of Business at UW-Green Bay, will be presenting “Making Your Own Personal Budget.”  Ken is a licensed C.P.A. and has been teaching for over 20 years.  Please mark your calendar to attend one of his insightful presentations:

Tuesday, April 5th

1:00 to 2:00 p.m.

Phoenix Room B

Thursday, April 7th

1:00 to 2:00 p.m.

Phoenix Room B

If you would like to attend, please R.S.V.P. to hr@uwgb.edu by Monday, April 4th and include which day you will be attending.  Please contact Human Resources at hr@uwgb.edu or ext. 2390 with questions.

Workforce Emergency Guidelines and Employee Demonstration/Job Action FAQs

Please click on the following links to view information UW-System Administration has provided regarding workforce emergencies and employee demonstrations or job actions:

* Workforce Emergency Guidelines: http://www.uwgb.edu/hr/documents/WorkforceEmergencyGuidelines.pdf

* FAQs regarding potential demonstrations and job actions: http://www.uwgb.edu/hr/documents/FAQsPotentialDemonstrations.pdf

Please contact Human Resources at hr@uwgb.edu or 465-2390 if you have any questions.

Employee Resources

Uncertainty about the future and financial concerns can affect an employee’s personal well-being and cause stress in your life.  The Office of Human Resources and the Counseling and Health Center have developed an Employee Resource webpage at http://www.uwgb.edu/hr/employees/resources.html that provides web links to information about:

* UW-Green Bay Employee Assistance Program (EAP)

* State Group Life Health Insurance Plan contacts and procedures for seeking non-urgent care for mental and behavioral health issues

* A Brown County community resource guide that includes information about topics such as counseling, domestic abuse, and support groups

* Brown County United Way 211 (phone number that connects people with community services)

You can also access this webpage by going to the Human Resources home page, and click on “Employee Resources” under the “Employee Quick Links” section.  Please contact Human Resources at x2390 or the Counseling and Health Center at x2380 if you have questions or need additional information.

Long Term Care Insurance

Consider the following realities:

  • Did you know that over 40% of those receiving long-term care services are between the ages of 18-64?
  • Did you know that the average cost of certain kinds of long-term care services can cost more than $50,000 annually?
  • Did you know that almost 70% of individuals your parents/grandparents age (or those aged 65 or older), will require at least some type of long-term care?
  • Are you aware that Medicare and private health insurance do NOT cover these kinds of care expenses?
  • Did you know that there is a new plan that pays a monthly CASH BENEFIT – starting DAY ONE?

Are you prepared for these possibilities? Do you have the resources to pay for this care when you need it?  Protect your hard-earned assets and learn about your State of Wisconsin Long Term Care voluntary benefit that is offered to State and University employees from HealthChoice.  Many people feel that Long Term Care Insurance is an integral part of planning for retirement.

Attend the session being offered on Wednesday, March 23rd, from 12:30-1:30 p.m. presented by Mark Anderson, Account Executive for HealthChoice.  His presentation will provide you with important information on the HealthChoice Long-Term Care insurance CA$H-First policy.  The presentation will be held in the University Union room 103.

Health Insurance Satisfaction Survey

Attention All Participants in the State of WI Group Health Insurance Program:

Each year the Department of Employee Trust Funds (ETF) contracts with a survey vendor (Synovate) to conduct a health insurance satisfaction survey.  The survey is expected to begin on Thursday, March 3rd.  Randomly selected employees will be contacted via e-mail beginning this week.  The survey will take 10 to 15 minutes to complete and your responses will be kept confidential.  This study is important because the results will be published in a health plan report card in the 2012 It’s Your Choice Decision Guide (Open Enrollment) booklets and will also be considered during health plan premium negotiations for the 2012 plan year.

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

T. Rowe Price Webinars

T. Rowe Price, one of the investment companies in the UW TSA 403(b) Program, is sponsoring the following webinars:

  • Financial Markets Update
    Thursday, March 10th at 12:00 noon
    Thursday, March 10th at 6:00 p.m.
  • Retirement Investing From Beginning to End
    Wednesday, April 13th at 9:30 a.m.
    Thursday, April 14th at 10:00 a.m.

You can watch the presentations on your own computer, and listen to the audio portion on your telephone.  The March 10 “Financial Markets Update” requires preregistration, and the April 13 and 14 “Retirement Investing From Beginning to End” does not.  For more information, please go to http://www.uwsa.edu/hr/benefits/retsav/trpwebinar.htm.

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