Benefits information

Each heading contains a brief description of the benefits offered at UW-La Crosse. Click the heading for more information including eligibility, plan costs, etc. Some benefits programs offered at UW-La Crosse vary slightly based on employee type. It is helpful to know your appointment percentage and employee type to make the best use of this benefits information.

INSURANCES

Detailed information about insurances offered to UW-La Crosse employees can be found by clicking the link heading below.

Health Insurance

Information about health, prescription, and dental insurance through State Group Health. Also contains information about plan designs, enrollment, and opt-out incentive.

Dental & Vision Insurance

Information about supplemental dental and vision plans, including Dental Wisconsin, EPIC Benefits+, and VSP vision.

Life Insurance Plans

Information about disability, life, and accident plans, including State Group Life, Individual and Family Group Life, UW Employees life, UIA, AD&D.

Disability & Income Replacement Insurance

Information about short- and long-term disability, including Income Continuation Insurance, worker's compensation and Social Security disability.

Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA) and Health Savings Accounts (HSA)

Employees can establish flexible spending and/or health savings accounts to reimburse certain expenses, including medical, dental, and child care expenses. These accounts allow for pre-tax payroll savings.

LEAVES

Detailed information about leave time, leaves of absence, and reporting leave can be found by clicking the headings below.

Annual Paid Leave

Eligibility for sick leave, vacation, and personal holiday leave allocation are dependent upon employee type and appointment percentage.

Military Leave

Employees who meet certain requirements are eligible for military leave benefits though the State of Wisconsin.

Catastrophic Leave

The catastrophic leave program allows university employees to voluntarily donate unused leave to co-workers within their employee category who have a catastrophic leave. Be sure to contact Human Resources if you are considering the use of catastrophic leave.

Family and Medical Leave

The Federal Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) and Wisconsin Family and Medical Leave Act (WFMLA) provide eligible employees the right to take job-protected leave for FMLA eligible reasons. Please make an appointment with Michelle Jambois in the Human Resources office for forms and information about FMLA and WFMLA.

Miscellaneous Leave Provisions

Use of leave for the death of a family member, time off to vote, jury duty, election official time off, faculty sabbatical, hostage leave, and bone marrow and human organ donation leave are covered at the link above.

Reporting leave time

Faculty and academic staff are responsible for reporting leave time used in full- and half-day increments (part-time report in 15-minute increments) on their monthly electronic leave reports (reporting instructions on the monthly leave reporting webpage).

University staff are responsible for reporting leave time in 15-minute increments on their bi-weekly electronic time sheets (reporting instructions available on the biweekly payroll webpage).

RETIREMENT & SAVINGS

Detailed information about retirement and savings programs available to UW-La Crosse employees can be found by clicking the headings below.

Are you an employee looking to retire? Refer to UW System website for specific information on benefits at retirement.

Wisconsin Retirement System (WRS)

The WRS provides retirement (pension) benefits to most UW System and other Wisconsin state employees. WRS eligible employees will have automatic contributions deducted pre-tax from their earnings.

Tax-sheltered annuity 403(b) program (TSA)

The TSA program is an optional supplemental retirement savings program in which employee set up an account with their choice of participating vendors. All university employees, including students and graduate assistants are eligible to participate, regardless of appointment percentage.

Wisconsin deferred compensation program (WDC)

The WDC is an optional supplemental retirement savings program administered by the Department of Employee Trust Funds (ETF). All university employees, including students and graduate assistants are eligible to participate, regardless of appointment percentage.