Employee Benefits and Resource Fair Adds Hours and Features

The Employee Benefits and Resource Fair is an annual tradition at UW‒Madison, timed to correspond with the start of the annual benefits enrollment period for all employees. This October, the event returns to longer hours after going to an all-virtual format in 2020 in response to the pandemic, followed by scaled-back hours and displays in 2021.

The event, hosted by the Office of Human Resources, will be held on Monday, Oct. 3 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Union South. One of the main purposes of the Employee Benefits and Resource Fair is to provide help with annual benefits enrollment. The enrollment period began Sept. 26 and ends on Oct. 21, 2022. Annual Benefits Enrollment is the only time employees can make changes to certain benefits without having an eligible life event (for example, marriage, birth or divorce) or qualifying employment change during the year. Benefits chosen during this period will be effective Jan. 1, 2023.

For employees new to UW‒Madison who are seeking personal and professional enrichment or who would like to get more involved with colleagues across campus, the Employee Benefits and Resource Fair is an ideal place to start. All employees are encouraged to drop in throughout the day as their schedules and interests dictate. The event is free, and there is no need to register in advance. No leave needs to be taken to attend. Employees should notify their supervisor if they plan to attend.

Representatives of UW‒Madison Benefits Services will be on hand to answer questions about enrolling in benefits. In addition, a one-hour seminar, “Benefits 2023: What You Need to Know,” will be offered at 9:15 a.m. (before the fair begins), 10:30 a.m. and 1:15 p.m. in the Marquee Theater at Union South. This seminar will also be offered live via WebEx on select dates throughout the enrollment period, and a recording of the seminar will be posted on benefits.wisc.edu/2023.

A staffed Open Benefits Lab will be available for those who have made their 2023 benefits decisions and would like help enrolling using self-service computers.

A flu vaccination clinic for employees will be offered during all fair hours. Employees who are interested in getting a flu vaccine at no cost should schedule an appointment in advance, although appointments can also be made at the event as available.

The Employee Benefits and Resource Fair is also a one-stop shop to learn about many of the services and opportunities available to UW‒Madison employees. Representatives of a wide range of employee organizations and units will have display tables at the fair, including Academic Staff Governance, Campus Supervisors Network, the Communities of Practice Network, Cultural Linguistic Services, Employee Assistance Office, Employee Disability Resources, Learning and Talent Development, Transportation Services, the Wisconsin Union and more. Selected health insurance plans and other vendors offering services related to health and financial well-being will be on hand to provide information and answer questions.

A presentation on the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program (PSLF) will focus on the program’s  temporary waiver and steps borrowers can take to benefit from this time-limited opportunity. A session hosted by the UW‒Madison Retirement Association, “If I Knew Then What I Know Now,” will feature a panel of academic staff, university staff and faculty who will share their personal insights about the transition to retirement.

For a complete list of event features, visit the Employee Benefits and Resource Fair web page. Information on other resources to assist with Annual Benefits Enrollment — including sessions in multiple languages and for second and third shift employees — can be found at benefits.wisc.edu/2023.