Posted 8:38 a.m. Monday, Aug. 29, 2022
A welcome message from the Chief Human Resources Officer for the opening of the 2022-2023 Academic Year. It is hard to believe how fast the summer went. I wanted to take this opportunity to welcome you back, or to welcome you to, UW-La Crosse and to say thank you. The work you do will change the lives of so many of our students. It is truly an honor to work alongside so many outstanding and dedicated employees!
Human Resources has been busy preparing for the new academic year. Below are several changes and reminders you should be aware of to help make this a successful year!
Updates from Human Resources
Conflict Resolution Services. The university is committed to fostering a collaborative and positive working environment for our employees. Interpersonal conflict, while undesirable, is an inevitable byproduct of working in a dynamic, complex, resource-constrained workplace. When these conflicts go unaddressed, the well-being of our employees is at stake, resulting in a reduction in engagement and productivity.
The Office of Human Resources provides an informal resolution to the conflict between university faculty, staff, and students who are experiencing employment-related conflicts. The Office of Human Resources utilizes a network of professional, certified, UWL, and non-UWL employees that are skilled in mediation and conflict resolution. Services rendered, with limited exceptions (such as safety or abuse), are entirely confidential.
For more information, please visit: https://www.uwlax.edu/human-resources/services/employee-relations/conflict-resolution/
Overloads/Lump Sum Form. Over the summer, the Overload/Lump Sum form became automated. Employees can now expect to receive an email when they need to agree to an overload and when it has been finalized. The finalization email will also provide information as to when the overload will be paid. Learn more.
Student Employee Action Form. The SEAF, as it is commonly referred to, also has been updated and automated. In this new process, stakeholders are automatically notified of events occurring with the onboarding of their students. It also automates the reminder process for students as well - to act on their onboarding tasks. We estimate this will save between 60-70% of our time processing SEAF requests as the bulk of the process is focused on reminding and having students act on their onboarding tasks. Learn more.
Career Progression. When we parted in the spring, the initial phase of Title and Total Compensation project was concluding. As an update, UWSA continues to provide new titles or updates to the Standard Job Library. HR continues to closely monitor these developments and, when appropriate, adjust titles in consultation with the supervisor and employee.
That said, Career Progression continues to remain top of mind for employees and for HR. UWSA has committed to providing campuses with guidance on Career Progression sometime in late summer. UWL has yet to receive those finalized guidelines, but until then Career Progress remains on hold. Over the fall, HR will continue to communicate updates and involve governance groups, when appropriate.
Engagement Survey. After a two-year hiatus due to COVID, the Employee Engagement Survey will be deployed later in September. The Employee Engagement Survey is sent to all active employees and solicits feedback on several topical areas to help measure an employee's connectedness to their work and UWL. The tool helps assist the Human Resources Advisory Committee to assess where there are opportunities for improvements within the workplace. Learn more about the Engagement Survey.
LinkedIn Learning. In May, UWL announced a new, optional tool, to help enhance employees' (and students') skills, by launching LinkedIn Learning. LinkedIn Learning provides thousands of hours of content to help enhance existing skills or to help you learn new ones. This tool does not replace any current program that may be related to compliance training but rather augments existing tools to help promote learning and growth in your career. Log into LinkedIn Learning here.
1% Lump Sum Payment. At the Chancellor's address on August 31, 2022, he announced that university employees who meet the Pay Plan eligibility requirements and were employed before July 1, 2022, would be eligible for a 1% (of your budgeted base pay) Lump Sum payment later this fall and then again in the spring. The timing of these dates is targeted for December and March, but please watch your email for communication from HR on the timing and amounts you can expect if you are an eligible employee.
Annual Benefits Enrollment and WEA Trust (Mayo Network)
On July 1, 2022, UWL learned that WEA Trust, the health insurance provider that manages the Mayo Clinic Network insurance program, decided to leave the health insurance marketplace after December 31, 2022.
The good news is that a replacement plan, which includes Mayo Clinic has been identified. These changes will take effect on January 1, 2023. For information on the upcoming changes and migration to the new insurance plan, Dean Health Network, visit https://www.uwlax.edu/human-resources/news/2023-health-insurance-update/. Please note that ALL employees who are currently on WEA Trust MUST actively enroll in a new network during the Annual Benefits Enrollment Period, which begins on September 26, 2022 (and ends on October 21, 2022).
Health & Wellness Fair and Flu Vaccine Clinic
The in-person Health & Wellness Fair along with the in-person Flu Vaccine Clinic will be on October 5, 2022, in the Union. More information is forthcoming on the Fair, but to register for the Clinic visit: https://www.uwlax.edu/human-resources/news/sign-up-for-a-flu-vaccine/.
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Again, thank you for all you do for our university! Have a safe, healthy, and great Academic Year!
/ John Acardo, CHRO
