Reminder: Proof of full vaccination for employees will eliminate requirement for Covid-19 Testing

Since January 19, 2021, it has been a UW System requirement that any employee who comes into any UW-Green Bay building once a week or more to conduct business must obtain a negative COVID-19 test through an antigen test, or through a subsequent confirmation test administered not more than 14 days prior to accessing the campus building. In response on the recent update to SYS 600-02, Interim: Summer 2021 COVID-19 Testing Requirements, it is with pleasure, that we share the news that any UW-Green Bay employee that is fully vaccinated and does not have symptoms of COVID-19 will no longer be required to participate in bi-weekly surveillance testing effective today, May 10, 2021.

Employees who are fully vaccinated can get an exemption from the testing requirement by completing the Immunization Record Form located in the MyUWPortal. As part of the form, employees will be required to upload proof of vaccination, by providing a copy of their vaccination record from the Wisconsin Immunization Registry. Instructions on how to complete the form can be viewed here.

An individual is considered fully vaccinated:

  • Two (2) weeks after receiving both doses of a two-dose vaccine (Pfizer or Moderna); or
  • Two (2) weeks after receiving a one-dose vaccine (Johnson & Johnson)

Employees who are not fully vaccinated or choose not to receive the vaccination will still be required to obtain a test through the UW Green Bay Testing Center or have the testing administered at a medical service provider of their choice or an alternative testing location. Please note campus testing locations and hours have changed.

On-Campus Testing Logistics:

Green Bay Campus (East Gym located in the Kress Events Center)

  • Week of May 10th
    • Mon & Tues 7:00am-2:00pm
    • Wed & Thurs 12:00pm-4:00pm
    • Fri 9:00am-12:00pm
  • Week of May 17th
    • Mon & Tues 12:00pm-2:00pm
    • Wed & Thurs 10:00am-4:00pm
    • Fri 10:00am-12:00pm
  • Starting the week of May 24th and moving forward
    • Mon/Wed/Thurs 10:30am-12:30pm
    • Tues 2:00pm-4:00pm
    • Fri 9:00am-11:00am

*All appointment availability will be listed on the MyPrevea app, please plan in advance to guarantee availability for a testing appointment.

Marinette Campus (Cafeteria)

  • Last day for on-campus testing will be  Tuesday, May 11th, hours will be 10:00am – 12:00pm

Manitowoc Campus (Gym)

  • Last day for on-campus testing occurred Tuesday, May 4th.

 

Sheboygan Campus (Fine Arts Gallery – Theater Building)

  • Last day for on-campus testing occurred Wednesday, May 5th.

 

 

Employees who are unable to obtain a test on campus can find a local community testing site. Testing at these sites are provided at no cost and may require an appointment. Wisconsin residents may also request an at-home specimen collection kit at no cost. It is important to know that many of these testing sites are only administering PCR (lab resulted) tests and may take 3-5 business days to get the result.

 

Daily Self-Assessment:

 

Employees who have completed the Immunization Record Form exempting them from testing will no longer be required to complete the Daily Self-Assessment prior to arriving to campus each day.

 

As a reminder, all employees should remain diligent and continue to practice the 3 W’s (Wash your hands, wear a mask and watch your distance) while on campus. Employees should continue to monitor for symptoms and stay home if they are experiencing any COVID-19 symptoms.

 

Should you have questions related to any of the information contained within this e-mail, please feel free to contact Human Resources at hr@uwgb.edu or (920) 465-2390.

Melissa Nash named director of HR

Announced by Senior Vice Chancellor Sheryl Van Gruensven on Monday, Jan. 4, 2021, Melissa Nash was promoted to the position of director of Human Resources and Affirmative Action Officer, effective Jan. 4, 2021. Nash joined UW-Green Bay in January of 2012 in the Office of Human Resources and Workforce Diversity. Since that time, she has progressively advanced in her career, most recently holding the title of assistant director of Human Resources and Affirmative Action Officer. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Music Education from St. Olaf College, a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration (emphasis in human resources) from UW-Platteville, and a master’s degree in Organizational Change Leadership (emphasis in strategic human resources) from UW-Platteville.

Christopher Paquet, assistant vice chancellor for Policy and Compliance, led the Office of Human Resources and Workforce Diversity for the past three years. He will continue to serve as campus contract officer, risk manager, Title IX Officer and provide oversight for University compliance.  His role will expand to serve on the Chancellor’s Cabinet to provide advice and counsel to Cabinet members and the University community.

Employee Assistance Program Vendor Change

Effective January 1, 2021, the Employee Assistance Program (EAP) vendor will change from FEI to Kepro. The EAP is a free, confidential program available to you and the family members living in your household. You can contact Kepro for assistance with:

  • Emotional Situations: relationships, parenting, grieving
  • Work/Life Challenges: child care, elder care, adoption
  • Legal and Financial Circumstances: managing expenses or debt, preparation of simple wills, child custody or child support

You may contact Kepro online (code SOWI) or by calling 833-539-7285. You will need to create an account to access the EAP resources online.

Professional counselors are available via phone, virtual visit or on an in-person basis. The program will continue to provide up to six sessions per person per issue per year. If additional counseling is necessary, Kepro will assist you with accessing providers covered by your health insurance plan.

If you are currently receiving counseling sessions through FEI: Since the EAP is a confidential program, the UW System does not know what services, if any, you are using. Although your sessions will end with FEI on December 31, 2020, you may contact Kepro on/after January 1, 2021 to initiate services with Kepro. FEI notified their counselors of this change. However, you may also want to talk to your current counselor to find out if they are a Kepro provider.

  • If the counselor is already a Kepro provider you may begin scheduling your sessions to occur on/after January 1stwith the same counselor.
  • If the counselor is not yet part of Kepro’s network, the counselor may work with Kepro to become a Kepro provider so you may continue your sessions with the same counselor. If your counselor does not become a Kepro provider or if you would like to see a different counselor, you should contact Kepro for assistance.

Privacy is strictly protected within legal limits. Information about your contact with the EAP will not be released without your prior consent except in cases of imminent threat of harm or when abuse of a child or vulnerable adult may be occurring.

You may not need assistance now, but if you or a household member needs help in the future, Kepro will be available to help. For additional information, go to the UW System EAP webpage.

Welcome back and reminder about workplace expectations

Please note this reminder from UW-Green Bay Human Resources: As we welcome the UW-Green Bay faculty and staff community back to campus in accordance with the Phoenix Forward: Return to Workplace Plan, the Chancellor has expressed his gratitude to those who have worked towards a responsible opening through a video message. As you are returning to your on-campus workplace, please ensure that you have reviewed the Employee Workplace Expectations for July 1, 2020 – August 31, 2020 and completed the electronic acknowledgment form. It is expected that employees returning to campus on or after July 1, 2020 have completed this acknowledgment. It is also recommended that all employees review the Interim Building Hours and Access Policy. Should you have further questions, please contact Human Resources at hr@uwgb.edu.

Thank you to all faculty and staff who have for your adaptability and flexibility throughout the COVID-19 event. Welcome back!

 

Melissa

 

All UW-Green Bay employees must sign electronic acknowledgement form

Consistent with UW-Green Bay Chancellor Alexander’s communication on June 15, 2020, the University will allow access to campus buildings from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m., Monday through Friday starting July 1, 2020. Access will be permitted for employees, students, and members of the public transacting University business.

All employees will be allowed to return to their work areas during the above listed times, but will be required to adhere to the established Employee Workplace Expectations which are set forth in the attached document. These expectations have been established to protect both employees and members of the public who access University facilities. Please carefully review the attached, and confirm your receipt and understanding by completing this electronic acknowledgment form. Employees will not be permitted to return to campus on or after July 1, 2020 until the acknowledgment is completed.

The University continues to encourage all employees to work remotely so long as they wish to do so and are able to perform their assigned work in a remote environment.  Prior to returning to your work area, please advise your supervisor of your desire to return so they can appropriately establish staffing as well as secure the necessary safety materials for your office space.  If you have been requested to return to work and do not feel comfortable doing so, please advise your supervisor who can work with Human Resources to resolve the issue.

If you have any questions about the attached documents, provisions of safety materials, or other concerns, please contact Human Resources hr@uwgb.edu for assistance.

Impact MBA, woman facing away, looking at a backdrop of data visualization charts

Seeking applications for the ‘Impact Leadership Program’ through the Impact MBA, July 3 deadline

The Impact Leadership Program recognizes the critical role of UW-Green Bay employees in preparing the institution to serve as a model for the University of the future. As an institution of higher learning, we recognize that great leaders are the result of great talent, great educations, and great organizational culture. In the spirit of this vision, the Office of Human Resources and Workforce Diversity and the Austin E. Cofrin School of Business are collaborating to offer the Impact Leadership Program to support one university employee interested in completing the Cofrin School of Business’ executive Impact MBA program.

Employees are encouraged to review the Impact Leadership Program Guidelines for more information about eligibility and process for application. Interested employees must return the Impact Leadership Program Interest Form to their Area Leader no later than Friday, July 3, 2020. For questions about the Impact Leadership Program interest form submission process, please contact hr@uwgb.edu.

 

UW employees welcome to join the virtual status update for the ‘Administrative Transformation Program’

Join the Administrative Transformation Program (ATP) on Wednesday, June 17, 2020 for a virtual Status Update, 10 to 11 a.m. ATP Program Director Nick Tincher and Program Executive Steve Kish will highlight the program’s recent accomplishments, revised strategy and timeline in light of the COVID-19 pandemic, and current and upcoming work.

The Administrative Transformation Program is the University of Wisconsin’s response to the rapidly evolving higher education landscape. The overall objective is to right-size the administrative complexity to support the UW System’s missions of education, research, and outreach. Doing ATP correctly will involve a transformation with people and on policies and processes supported by technology.

“We are starting by streamlining administrative processes and implementing a single cloud-based Human Resources System (HRS) and Shared Financial System (SFS)—also known as enterprise resource planning (ERP) software—across the entire UW System. In doing this, we are improving the quality and availability of data and financial controls, as well as enhancing information security. Ultimately, ATP’s goal is to better the working experience at the University of Wisconsin.” (definition in an earlier communication)

Tune in to the live event via the ATP website or YouTube. Submit your questions to atp@vc.wisc.edu. Unable to participate? The recorded presentation will be posted to the ATP website; interested viewers can share their comments via the ATP feedback form.

The live presentation and recording will be captioned. To request additional accommodations, please email atp@vc.wisc.edu.

UW-Green Bay announces extended furloughs, plans to reopen on July 1 | #wearegreenbay.com#

GREEN BAY, Wis. (WFRV) – The University of Wisconsin-Green Bay has announced it will extend furloughs through December 2020 as well as plans to reopen its campuses on July 1 in preparation for the fall semester.Latest coronavirus in Wisconsin updatesIn a Thursday announcement, Chancellor Michael Alexander stated the extended furlough plans come as the University continues to manage the financial impacts brought on by the coronavirus pandemic. He explains that the plan requires faculty and staff to take unpaid leave, resulting in about $826,830 in savings from June-December 2020.

Source: UW-Green Bay announces extended furloughs, plans to reopen on July 1 | #wearegreenbay.com#

Reminder: Interim policy on extension of carryover for vacation, personal holiday and compensatory time

The COVID-19 crisis has had a disruptive effect on employee schedules, including the ability to take planned time off. Some employees have vacation or personal holidays that must be used by June 30, 2020 or they risk forfeiting those benefits/paid time off entitlements. UW System has recently published SYS 1200- Interim 05, Vacation, Compensatory Time and Personal Holiday Carryover. This interim policy temporarily amends several policies related to the carryover of paid leave to allow employees the option of carrying over these leave balances for an additional year. See more at the HR site.

University Staff Committee Statement on Adjusting Goals for Staff on Performance Reviews and Recording Time and Effort

The University Staff Committee recently petitioned approval on adjusting goals for staff on performance reviews and recording time and effort. The action was approved by campus leadership. See it here:

Overview

The COVID-19 impact on the university began during the annual performance review period for University Staff. The University Staff appreciates the deadline extension for performance review; however, some reviews were completed and submitted prior to COVID-19. The pandemic has increased the workload and/or changed the work performed. Many staff members have taken on additional responsibilities to assist with the University’s shift to remote working and distance learning. For employees whose reviews were completed before the shift, the pandemic may result in many performance goals for the upcoming year being difficult, if not impossible, to meet. Staff members could end up in the position where they are working hard, but not toward the goals they – and their supervisors – set for the year. As a result, annual reviews and goal setting must account for the unprecedented disruption caused by COVID-19.

Furthermore, work and life circumstances for staff may have been altered dramatically. Most University Staff employees are now required to keep a log of hours worked, recording how much time is being spent on each task. For some it is burdensome, with supervisors requiring details down to the minute. For others, a simple list suffices. Many budgets are frozen, which leaves staff without the financial resources they need for their work. Others do not have access to the human resources (i.e. student workers) and physical resources (i.e. equipment) they require. Moreover, the added labor of caretaking for family members, adjusting to an alternative work schedule, setting up a home office, and the overall stress of working and living during a global pandemic could undermine the ability of staff to complete their goals set before this crisis began.

Recommendations

For these reasons, we would like to advise supervisors and campus units to take the following steps when considering work performance and goals for annual reviews, and in requiring documentation for time and effort during the work day.

1) All goals not completed before December 31, 2020 should transfer to next year’s (2020-21) review cycle, unless the supervisor and employee agree that the situation surrounding the pandemic has obviated the goal.

2) Supervisors should encourage employees to discuss with them any new tasks they undertook, outline any temporary increases in workload/responsibilities, and summarize how priorities shifted in light of the COVID-19 pandemic on their self-evaluations.

3) Supervisors should consider new tasks that employees undertook, temporary increases in workload/responsibilities, and how priorities shifted quickly as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic in their assessments of the employee’s performance.

4) Supervisors and employees should not merely add new goals onto the carryover goals from 2019-2020. Rather, employees and supervisors should work together so that employees have roughly the same amount of goals for 2020-21 as they did for 2019-2020.

5) Recording time and effort worked is useful, especially where there may be distractions in some peoples’ new work environments. However, record keeping should not need to be so detailed that every minute must be recorded. As professionals, University Staff have a commitment both to the University and to our positions in the work that needs to be accomplished.

This recommendation and proposed action is endorsed by:

-Chancellor Mike Alexander

-Provost and Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs Kate Burns

-Senior Vice Chancellor Business & Finance Sheryl Van Gruensven

Statement approved as to form by UW-Green Bay Human Resources