Furlough Resources

Wisconsin Unemployment Insurance Benefits

Employees may file for Unemployment Benefits during a furlough. Eligibility and benefit amounts are determined by Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development. To learn more about eligibility and how to file a claim please visit the links below.

Department of Workforce Development – Unemployment Benefits

Apply for UI Online

Apply for UI via Phone (Monday – Friday 7:35 AM – 3:30 PM): 1-844-910-3661

Unemployment COVID-19 Public Information

Intermittent Furlough

• Employees will continue to accrue vacation and sick leave at their normally scheduled rate. You will receive holiday pay provided that the holiday does not coincide with your identified furlough day.
• Employee health and supplemental benefit plan deductions will continue through regular payroll processing. There will be no change in coverage levels.

Consecutive Day Furlough (Targeted)

• Employees will continue to accrue vacation and sick leave at their normally scheduled rate. Employees will not receive holiday pay for holidays that occur during the furlough.
• Employee health and supplemental benefit plans may continue at the employer contribution rate even when the employee is not in paid status. You will be enrolled in benefit billing if you are scheduled to be on furlough for one or more payroll periods. Employees should complete and submit the Furlough Selections Form to Human Resources (hr@uwp.edu) prior to going on Furlough. If you do not submit a Furlough Selections Form prior to your furlough beginning you will be enrolled in benefits billing.

Paying for your benefits on furlough if furloughed for one or more pay periods.

• You have the option to have benefit deductions prepaid through payroll prior to starting your furlough.
• You may utilize sick leave credits to pay for health insurance premiums while on consecutive furlough. Sick leave credits cannot be used to pay for supplement plan premiums. You will be billed for these premiums. If you elect to use sick leave credits to pay for your health insurance and you are enrolled in Income Continuation Insurance this could affect your premiums and / or elimination period during the next annual evaluation period.
• You may opt to pay for all benefits via benefit billing. 
• You may opt to lapse your coverage while you are on furlough. To reinstate benefits you must complete and submit an application to Human Resources for processing within 30 days of your return from furlough.

All benefits billing payments must be received by the 10th of the month by UW Shared Services. All payments should be mailed directly to UW Shared Services. The Human Resources Department is unable to accept and process these payments.

For more detailed information regarding your benefits during furlough please visit: https://www.wisconsin.edu/ohrwd/benefits/life-events/empcha/furloughs/

Recording Furlough Time in HRS

All employees are required to enter furlough time taken in the HRS system. Employees that are on a Consecutive Furlough of 30 days or more will not need to enter furlough hours into the HRS system. Human Resources will complete this entry.

University Staff Employees (Paid Bi-Weekly)

Furlough time entry should be completed on your biweekly timesheet. All regular payroll entry and furlough entry are due on the same date as regular payroll entries.

• Time Sheet Entry Deadlines
• Instructions to Enter Furlough Time on Timesheet (Bi – Weekly)

Academic Staff/Limited (Paid Monthly)

Furlough time entry should be completed on the new biweekly timesheet for monthly employees. All hours worked and the furlough entry must be completed for any week the employee is furloughed.

Employees that are on an Intermittent Furlough are limited to one 8 hour furlough day per bi-weekly period and may only work a maximum of 32 hours within the week they are furloughed. There are no exceptions to this policy.

• Furlough entry and hours worked are due by the end of each bi-weekly pay period.
• Time Sheet Entry Deadlines
• Instructions to Enter Furlough Time on Timesheet (Monthly Employees)
• Furlough Leave Timesheet Entry (Monthly)

Regular monthly leave reports are still due on our regular reporting deadlines.  Employees that have only used Furlough Leave should report No Leave Taken.

Payroll Approvals – Furlough (For Supervisors Only)

All approvals should be made on a bi-weekly basis based on the currently established bi-weekly payroll period.

If you have questions or concerns regarding the furlough process regarding benefits or payroll processing please do not hesitate to contact contact Amy Chostner.