In the new UWF Employee Newsletter, the focus is on you! You'll find the features you've always enjoyed, but now there's a Team Spotlight, highlighting activities going on across UWF, and a Pet of the Month, featuring pics of our furry friends.
Do you have a work story or a pet too cute to be ignored? Email uwfnewsletter@uw.edu to submit it for the newsletter.
SAVE THE DATE
The Winter All-Hands meeting will be Tuesday, March 5! Enjoy food, music, recognition and a chance to connect with colleagues across campus.
TEAM SPOTLIGHT (NEW!)
On Nov. 30, Maintenance & Construction hosted a Combined Fund Drive pancake breakfast fundraiser at the Samuel E. Kelly Ethnic Cultural Center. Together, they raised $470 for the Combined Fund Drive's 2023 featured nonprofit, National Alliance for Mental Illness (NAMI) Seattle.
SAFETY FOCUS 2024
Safety Focus 2024 is a new initiative that will focus on the top four safety issues identified by review of the last five years of UWF Online Accident Reports (OARS), including near miss, first aid, property damage and OSHA recordable cases.
Each quarter the focus will change: Q1 will focus on ergonomic solutions; Q2 will focus on safe driving; Q3 will focus on avoiding slips, trips, and falls; and Q4 will focus on avoiding contact with objects. Each shop or area will be asked to implement a tool or piece of equipment, or be asked to try a change in practice/procedure, and then report back if it improved safety performance.
Watch for emails from fssafety@uw.edu or go to the Safety Focus 2024 website to find more information about each quarter’s focus and ideas for tools, equipment and tip sheets to implement.
PARTNER RESOURCES UPDATE
WASHINGTON STATE PAID FAMILY & MEDICAL LEAVE
The Washington State Paid Family & Medical Leave (PFML) premium rates will decrease for UW personnel whose work is performed in the state of Washington. The rates will decrease from 0.8% to 0.74% of your gross wages up to $168,600 of taxable income. These changes will be reflected in your Jan. 10 paycheck.
To calculate your 2024 PFML premium contribution and to learn more about PFML benefits, please visit paidleave.wa.gov.
CAMPUS CONNECTION
Access your W-2 in Workday
Your electronic W-2 for the 2023 tax year is now available in Workday. To access it, log in and then click Menu, Pay and My Tax Documents. Click here for detailed instructions.
Setting New Year's intentions
New Year's resolutions often lead to unrealistic expectations. UW School of Medicine experts recommend values-based guiding goals for a more flexible and successful approach.
14 exercises for financial fitness
Resolve to become more financially fit with help from the experts at BECU, who offer 14 essential exercises to expand your financial education and get control of your money.
PET OF THE MONTH (NEW!)
Marshall, half Black Lab, half Australian Shepherd
Owner: Matt Phelps, insulation worker, Shop 17
"Marshall is a very sweet boy who is eager to be involved in anything the family is engaged in. If he sees me playing with my kids or Everest [another family dog], he immediately tries to insert himself in between me and the other offending party to hog all my attention."
RECOGNITION
Welcome Welcome to our newest employees: Amelework Akalu, Custodian Area B, Building Services; Zack Collier, Plumber/Pipe/Steamfitter Shop 43, C; David Diehl, Shuttle Driver, Transportation Services; Marques Gillespie, Custodian Area G, Building Services; Rafeeq Islam, Maintenance Mechanic 2 Shop 17, Maintenance & Construction; Elle Mendiola, Custodian Area A, Building Services; Nathan Michel, Maintenance Mechanic 2 Shop 56, Maintenance & Construction; Jack O'Neill, Custodian Area D, Building Services; Jay Severson, Control Technician Shop 26, Maintenance & Construction; Matthew Sierer, Maintenance Mechanic 2 Shop 15, Maintenance & Construction; Peter Wendland, Refrigeration Mechanic Shop 59, Maintenance & Construction; Hannah Whobrey, Program Coordinator UW Recycling, Building Services; David Williams, Shuttle Driver, Transportation Services; Luke Winslow, Gardener 2 Shop 10, Maintenance & Construction
Promotions Congratulations to the following people on their new roles: Dipali Desai, Construction Programs Manager, Maintenance & Construction; Michael Grumm-Albert, Procurement Specialist, Finance & Administration; Albert Mendoza, Construction Project Manager, Maintenance & Construction; Sabina Nieto, Portfolio Manager, Asset Management; Eric Shen, Report Developer, Business Innovation & Technology
Retirements Lastly, a very sincere thanks to recent retiree Teresita Perry (24.5 years).
