Employee Benefits and Resource Fair

Save the date for the UW–Madison Employee Benefits and Resource Fair. This free event features information and assistance to help you enroll in benefits for 2027. You will also discover resources and opportunities available to you from organizations across campus.

Learn about Benefits Open Enrollment

• Representatives from Madison Benefits Services will be on hand to provide materials and answer questions.
• Live, one-hour sessions, Benefits 2027: What You Need to Know, will be presented at 9:15 a.m., 10:30 a.m., and 1 p.m. in the Marquee Theater.
• If you have decided your 2027 benefits, get help enrolling at the on-site Open Benefits Lab in the Traditions Room.
• Prefer to get help with benefits enrollment online rather than in person? See our online resources at benefits.wisc.edu/2027.

Discover resources for UW employees

• Find out about the many resources and opportunities available to you as a UW–Madison employee.
• Units and services from across campus will have representatives on hand.
• Meet with representatives from the organizations that administer your benefits plans.

Schedule

• Open Benefits Lab

  Room: Traditions Room, Second Floor

  Hours: 9:00 a.m.–3:00 p.m.

  Hosted by Madison Benefits Services

  Have you made your 2027 benefits decisions? Are you ready to make your elections/changes? If you want help with the enrollment process, attend this open lab where UW–Madison Benefits Services staff will be available to assist you and answer your questions. You can immediately confirm your online submissions.

• Benefits 2027: What You Need to Know

  Room: Marquee Theater, Second Floor

  Sessions:

  • 9:15–10:15 a.m.
  • 10:30 a.m.–11:30 a.m.
  • 1:00–2:00 p.m.

  Hosted by Madison Benefits Services

  Open Enrollment is October 5–30, 2026. Insurance premiums and plan designs change from year to year, and some plans require re-enrollment to continue into 2027. Attend to learn about 2027 plan changes, your benefit election options, and the decisions you need to make by the deadline. In most cases, Benefits Open Enrollment is the only time employees can enroll in or make changes to benefits for the coming year.

• Building Your Financial Foundation Workshop: Retirement Basics

  Room: Northwoods, Third Floor

  Time: 9:15–10:15 a.m.

  Presented by Frederick Ballenger, Fidelity Investments

  With this presentation, you will learn how important it is to save for your future, see the power of saving small amounts over time, and learn about different savings vehicles for retirement.

• Navigating Employee Support Services: A Collaborative Overview

  Room: Northwoods, Third Floor

  Time: 10:30–11:30 a.m.

  Presented by Courtney Realpozo and Sarah Walters, Employee Disability Resources Office; Jamie Dregne, UW–Madison Benefits Services; and Michelle Discher, Office of the Associate Vice Chancellor for Finance

  This session provides a high-level overview of accommodations (ADA/PWFA), leave (FMLA/medical), disability benefits, and Worker’s Compensation, including how these services may intersect to support employees. Participants will learn when to engage each area and what to expect when navigating these processes.

• Libraries at UW-Madison

  Room: Fifth Quarter, Second Floor

  Time: 10:30–11:30 a.m.

  Presented by Christopher Perez, UW–Madison Libraries

  A crash course on the most popular resources the libraries offer for staff. The presentation will include time for hands-on participation and Q&A.

• Your Journey to Retirement

  Room: Fifth Quarter, Second Floor

  Time: 11:45 a.m.–12:45 p.m.

  Presented by Wisconsin Deferred Compensation

  Whether you are participating in the State of Wisconsin Deferred Compensation Program (WDC) or not, join us to learn about the value and the benefits of saving and investing for your retirement, especially through the WDC. In this session, we will help you understand:

  • WDC basics such as enrolling, contribution limits, investment options, and pre-tax vs. Roth contributions
  • Risk and asset allocation
  • Rollovers into the WDC
  • What is included in a Retirement Readiness Review

• Talking about Retirement Together: Sharing Resources and Wisdom for Employees at All Stages of Work Life

  Room: Northwoods, Third Floor

  Time: 11:45 a.m.–12:45 p.m.

  Presented by Retirement Issues Committee (RIC) and University Retirement Association (UWRA)

  This session invites participants at all stages of their work life to ask questions and share their experiences related to preparing for retirement (and other big transitions). Our goal is to inspire employees to learn more about their options, explore resources, and approach preparing for retirement with curiosity. Participants will learn about contributing to university-sponsored retirement saving options; developing habits that build financial confidence; developing financial, mental, and emotional resilience in times of transition; and using available resources for retirement planning. Participants will also receive a useful collection of resources created by the UW Retirement Issues Committee, to explore further on their own. This session outlines a process employees can use to initiate and facilitate conversations about preparing for retirement within their own work units. Feedback from those who have attended past sessions indicates that having better conversations about preparing for retirement can contribute to wellbeing and resilience.

• Retire with Confidence: Unlocking the power of Retirement Journey

  Room: Fifth Quarter, Second Floor

  Time: 1:00-2:00 p.m.

  Presented by Jeff Begovatz, TIAA

  Ready to take charge of your retirement future? Join us for this engaging session where you will discover how TIAA’s Retirement Journey Planner can put personalized, on-demand advice right at your fingertips. Whether you are just starting to plan or fine-tuning your strategy, this session will show you how to understand your current financial picture, make more informed decisions, maximize your savings, and build a sustainable retirement income—all with tools designed to adapt as your life changes. You will get a guided, step-by-step tour of the platform, learn how to access it easily through the TIAA website or the TIAA mobile app, and see firsthand how simple it is to turn your retirement strategy into action. As Gandhi once said, “The future depends on what we do in the present,” so do not wait to start building the retirement you deserve.

• Health Insurance Literacy

  Room: Northwoods, Third Floor

  Time: 1:00–2:00 p.m.

  Presented by Caroline Gomez-Tom, Covering Wisconsin

  Learn key terms and concepts in health insurance such as deductibles, copayments, coinsurance, and provider networks. Then apply your learning to real-life scenarios to understand how different health insurance plans affect your health care expenses.

  Covering Wisconsin is a free program of Extension that helps Wisconsin residents navigate Medicaid programs and HealthCare.gov (the Health Insurance Marketplace). The program promotes health insurance literacy throughout Wisconsin.