Happy Holidays

This year Monday, December 25, 2006 and Monday, January 1, 2007 are legal holidays; therefore, the university will be closed.

Sunday, December 24 and Sunday, December 31, 2006 are floating legal holidays.

• Unclassified staff must use these floating legal holidays by June 29, 2007 (leave records are credited on a fiscal year basis).

• Classified staff must use these floating legal holidays prior to December 31, 2006 or the hours will be lost (leave records are credited on a calendar year basis.)

All Employees

HR is pleased to introduce "My Human Resources," where you will be able to verify your personal information along with your previous UW-Eau Claire employment information and make address changes.  We are very excited about this new feature.  "My Human Resources" is available through your browser anytime throughout the year.

Please click on this link http://my.uwec.edu/administration/hr to access "My Human Resources."  You will be asked to enter your campus user name and password.  You may review employee information, employment history, and salary payments.  "My Human Resources" may also be accessed through HR's Web site.

If there are changes that need to be made to your data, e-mail HR Data Review, persn102@uwec.edu.  Your information is important to us.  If you have any questions, please contact Diane Willer, e-mail willerdm or phone 36-6007.

It is very important to periodically review your beneficiary information.  If you are uncertain whom you have named as beneficiary, you may contact the insurance company and verify your benefit information.  Forms are available in the Human Resources office or at http://www.uwec.edu/hr/forms.htm#beneficiary in the "Beneficiary Forms" section.

W2 statements will be mailed to all employees at the end of January 2007.  The statements will be sent to employees' permanent addresses.  Please verify that your permanent address is accurate to avoid any delay in receiving your statement.  Unclassified, classified, and limited term employees may check "My Human Resources."  Students may check their personal information under their "My Blugold."

UW-Eau Claire employees who are prepaying their 2007 State Tax Withholding will receive a document from the Wisconsin Department of Revenue.  This form must be forwarded to Human Resources no later than December 15, 2006 to assure that state tax will not be withheld from 2006 wages on the employee's first paycheck in 2007.

Paying Too Much State and Federal Taxes?

Consider taking advantage of pretax benefits by participating in a 403(b)Tax Shelter Annuity or 457(g) Wisconsin Deferred Compensation program.  Check out the TSA Investor newsletter!  For more information on these supplemental retirement programs, please contact Barbara Bowers at 836-3871 or e-mail bowersba@uwec.edu.  You may also check HR's Web site under Benefits, Retirement and Savings.

The minimum contribution is $8.00 per bi-weekly pay check, or $20.00 per month.

TSA
Maximum (2007)	$15,500.00
Over age 50 catch-up	$5,000.00 (additional)
Total	$20,500.00
WDC
Maximum (2007)	$15,500.00
Over age 50 catch up	$5,000.00 (additional)
Total	$20,500.00

Catch-up based on 15 years of service

If you are eligible for the catch-up based on 15 years of service, you may also contribute $3,000.00 per year in addition to the above amounts.

For a list of participating vendors or for more information, visit the UW-TSA Web site at: http://www.uwsa.edu/hr/benefits/retsav/vendors.htm.

Navitus Health Solutions is the State of Wisconsin's pharmacy (prescription drug) benefit manager.  All employees who carry health insurance through UW-Eau Claire are automatically enrolled in Navitus Health Solutions without additional premiums. For more information on Navitus Health Solutions, select Health Insurance Links under the Benefits dropdown on our Web site.

If you changed health insurance plans for 2007 coverage, you will receive a health insurance card reflecting your new coverage.  You will also be receiving a new card from Navitus Health Solutions.  Please verify all information on both cards.  Any corrections must be reported to the appropriate vendor.

2006 Charitable Campaign

For all who contributed, a big THANK YOU from the campus campaign committee.  It is not too late to contribute.  If you wish to make a contribution but have lost your pledge card, call us at 36-3871 and we will gladly send you another one.  Send your contribution before December 31 for calendar year 2006 tax deductions.

Classified Staff News

• Non-represented, WSEU represented, craftsworker, health care, and engineering employees.  Compensatory time earned as a result of overtime or working on a holiday during 2006 will automatically carry over into 2007.  The hours carried over must be used by April 30, 2007 or they will be paid off at the employee's April 30, 2007 rate of pay.
• WPEC and science employees.  Employees represented by WPEC and Science unions have until June 30, 2007 to use carryover comp time.  Comp time not used by that date will be paid off at the June 30, 2007 hourly rate.  If you have questions, contact Kris Bremness at 36-5389.

Employees represented by WSEU are allowed by contract to carry over up to 16 hours of vacation without requesting approval.  If the employee wishes to carry over more than 16 hours, but less than 40 hours, the supervisor must approve the carryover either verbally or in writing.  Payroll does not need to see these approvals.  If the employee wishes to carry over more than 40 hours, the request must be in writing, approved by the supervisor, then submitted to Donna Weber for approval.  Any vacation carried over must be used prior to June 30, 2007 or it is lost.  Letters requesting approval of 40 hours or more of carryover must be submitted to Human Resources prior to December 30, 2006.  Employees not represented by WSEU need supervisor approval for carryover of up to 40 hours, plus approval by the Director of Human Resources for carryover of more than 40 hours.  NOTE:  Personal holidays may not be carried over into 2007.

Unclassified Staff News

Paycheck Distribution

Because of tax implications, the January 1, 2007 paychecks cannot be distributed prior to January 1.  Electronic deposits will be in employees' accounts on Tuesday, January 2, 2007.

Social Security Taxable Wage

The Social Security taxable wage base will be $97,500 next year, up from the current figure of $94,200.  The Social Security tax rate (6.2%) will remain the same.  There will be no maximum income ceiling for Medicare taxes.  The Medicare tax rate (1.45%) will apply to all earned income.  The combined tax rate for Social Security and Medicare will remain unchanged at 7.65%.

 Unclassified Leave Statements/Reports

Unclassified Leave Statements are distributed early each month.  In order to comply with the requirements of Unclassified Personnel Guideline #10 http://www.uwsa.edu/hr/upgs/upg10rev_oct7_2005.pdf  (Section 10.10), all unclassified employees who are eligible for retirement must submit a leave statement each month reporting any paid leave time they have used (sick leave, vacation, etc.) Even if there was no paid leave time used, according to UPG 10, the statement must be completed, signed by the employee's supervisor, and submitted to Human Resources each month.  The reports are due in Human Resources by the 10^th day of each month.

Student Payroll News

 Early Timesheet Deadline

Questions regarding student payroll may be directed to Stacie Moyer at 836-5260 or moyers@uwec.edu. 

 Student Employment Eligibility

Students who graduate from UW-Eau Claire in December can continue to be employed as students (non-federal work study only) through the end of Winterim (January 19).  Students who will graduate in May or August may continue to be employed as students through the Summer Session eligibility period (August 25, 2007).

Students may start using 2nd semester work study allocation with hours worked December 17, 2006.

W-2 statements will be mailed directly from Madison.  They will be mailed to students' permanent address.  Students can view their address information on the Blugold System used for registration by using option #3 - "View Your Personal Data" on the main menu.  Any changes should be submitted to the Registration Office, 128 Schofield Hall, prior to December 15, 2006.