General Employee Information

Overview

We are pleased you have chosen to join a dynamic and innovative group of employees whose contributions are vital to the success of public higher education in Wisconsin.

As an employee at Universities of Wisconsin, your benefits are an important part of your total rewards package. Universities of Wisconsin offers a variety of benefit plans. Most benefits require enrollment within 30 days of date of employment or a qualifying life event. You also can enroll in most benefits during the Annual Benefits Enrollment (ABE) period. Some plans offer enrollment year-round.

Health & Retirement Contributions Estimator

As a Universities of Wisconsin employee, you will receive an excellent total rewards package. Use the Health & Retirement Contributions Estimator to calculate the estimated value of your compensation and benefits.

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Benefit Eligibility

Depending on whether or not you are covered by the Wisconsin Retirement System (WRS), you will have one of the following benefits packages.

Wisconsin Retirement System (WRS) Benefits Package

You may be eligible for benefits under the WRS Benefits Package if you meet the below criteria based on your employment category:

WRS participating employee on or after July 1, 2011:

 

Faculty, Academic Staff, and Limited Appointees
  • 2/3 of full-time is equal to 880 hours for at least one year*
    • ~42% for 12-month employees
    • ~56% for 9-month employees
University Staff Employees
  • 2/3 of full-time is equal to 1,200 hours for at least one year (~58%)

WRS participating employee prior to
July 1, 2011:

Faculty, Academic Staff, and Limited Appointees
  • 1/3 of full-time is equal to 440 hours for at least one year*
    • ~21% for 12-month employees
    • ~28% for 9-month employees
University Staff Employees
  • 1/3 of full-time is equal to 600 hours for at least one year (~29%)

*For 9-month employees, one year is considered the academic year and an expectation to return the following year.

For more information on WRS eligibility, including details on returning to WRS-covered employment within 12 months and not being eligible at your time of hire, see the WRS Eligibility Information web page.

Graduate Assistant / Short-Term Academic Staff Benefits Package

You may be eligible for benefits under the Graduate Assistant / Short-Term Academic Staff Benefits Package if you meet the following criteria based on your employment category:

Student Assistants

Must be in one of the following titles: Research Assistant, Fellow, Advanced Opportunity Fellow, Scholar, Trainee, Teaching Assistant, Project Assistant or Program Assistant, and be expected to work at least 33% time:

  • For at least six months if you are a twelve-month employee; or
  • For at least one semester if you are a nine-month employee
Employees-in-Training

Must be in one of the following titles: Grad Intern/Trainee, Postdoc Fellow, Postdoc Trainee, Postgrad Trainee (1-7), Intern (non-physician), Research Intern or Research Associate, and be expected to work at least 33% time:

  • For at least six months if you are a twelve-month employee; or
  • For at least one semester if you are a nine-month employee
Short-Term Academic Staff**

If not covered under the WRS, you are eligible for insurance benefits if you are expected to work:

  • At least 21% for at least six months if you are a twelve-month employee; or
  • At least 28% for at least one semester if you are a nine-month employee

**If you do not initially meet the Wisconsin Retirement System (WRS) Benefits Package eligibility requirements, you can become eligible if the expectation of your hours worked and/or your duration of employment changes. At the time the expectation change you will be enrolled in the WRS. Your employment will also be evaluated for the WRS Benefits Package eligibility at your one-year anniversary. If you worked the minimum amount of hours to be eligible you will be enrolled in the WRS.

Your Benefits Package

Benefits vary according to your appointment type and benefits package you are eligible for. Refer to your appointment letter to confirm your appointment type or review the Employee Categories web page.

The following resources can be used to review your benefits package:

  • Benefits Quick Guides: For an overview of the benefits available to you, see the applicable quick guide below.
  • Benefits Summaries: For more in-depth information about the benefits, see the applicable summary below.

2025 Benefits Quick Guides

2025 Benefits Summaries

 

How to Enroll

Enrollment must be done within 30 days of date of employment, within 30 days of a qualifying life event, or during the Annual Benefits Enrollment (ABE) period.

My.Wisconsin.edu:

  • New employees can login to my.wisconsin.edu to enroll in most benefits online. If you are eligible to enroll using my.wisconsin.edu view Benefits Enrollment resources (Tip sheet|Video). Help Documents for the my.wisconsin.edu are available.
  • After you enroll using my.wisconsin.edu, you will receive an e-mail within 48 hours with instructions on how to view your benefits enrollment confirmation. Review your benefits enrollment confirmation to ensure your elections and dependents are accurate. If you do not receive a confirmation email, reach out to your benefits contact. 

Paper applications:

  • If you have worked for the Universities of Wisconsin or for a State agency in the past, you may need to enroll using paper applications.

Questions:

  • If you are unsure how to enroll, reach out to your benefits contact to determine if you will be able to enroll using my.wisconsin.edu or if you will need to submit paper applications.

Important: Enrollments must be completed within 30 days of your benefits eligibility date.

For most plans, the elections you make are for the entire calendar year and cannot be changed outside of Annual Benefits Enrollment (ABE). However, if you experience a qualifying life event, you may be able to enroll in coverage or make changes to your existing benefits.

If you experience a qualifying life event, most benefit plans have a 30-day window to enroll or make changes. To enroll or make changes due to a qualifying life event, complete and submit paper applications to your benefits contact.

Annual Benefits Enrollment (ABE) is available each fall. Eligible employees may enroll or make changes during ABE by using my.wisconsin.edu. Eligible employees will receive email notifications before and during ABE with additional information.

Below are the plans that eligible employees are able to enroll in or make changes to during ABE:

  • State Group Health Insurance
  • Preventive Dental Insurance
  • Supplemental Dental Insurance
  • Vision Insurance
  • Individual & Family Life Insurance (annual increase option also available for current participants)
  • Accidental Death & Dismemberment (AD&D) Insurance
  • Accident Insurance Plan

Re-enrollment in the below plans is required each year:

  • Health Opt-Out Incentive
  • Flexible Spending Accounts (FSAs)
  • Health Savings Account (HSA): If the High Deductible Health Plan (HDHP) or Access HDHP is elected

After you enroll using my.wisconsin.edu, you will receive an e-mail within 48 hours with instructions on how to view your benefits enrollment confirmation. Review your benefits enrollment confirmation to ensure your elections and dependents are accurate. If you do not receive a confirmation statement email, reach out to your benefits contact. 

The changes you make during the ABE period are effective January 1st following the ABE period.

Additional information can be accessed on the ABE web page.

MyWisconsin Portal

Enroll in benefits (if applicable), access payroll documents, leave statements and benefits information. Help Documents for the MyWisconsin Portal (my.wisconsin.edu) are available

Go to my.wisconsin.edu

Forms & Resources

Resources

New Employee Forms

Payroll Information

  • Payroll information including the payroll schedule, taxes and deduction schedule can be accessed on the Payroll web page.

notices

Have Questions?

Reach out to your benefits contact

Each Universities of Wisconsin institution has staff available to assist you with benefits-related questions.

Benefits Contacts

Every effort has been made to ensure this information is current and correct. Information on this page does not guarantee enrollment, benefits and/or the ability to make changes to your benefits.

Updated: 11/12/2024