A job loss or income loss presents challenges to one’s finances, lifestyle, career, and overall well-being. This can be a stressful and uncertain time. UW–Madison is committed to providing information, support, and resources to employees who are navigating this transition. Some of these resources are also available to family members and significant others of UW employees or even members of the community at large.
Learn more about free classes and webinars, articles, online tools, and opportunities for individual counseling and guidance on this page.
- Emotional support
- Financial resources
- Career, job change, and job search resources
- Professional development resources
- Employee benefits and changes in job status
- Changes to access to UW–Madison services
UW–Madison employees who are facing a job loss or a significant loss of personal or family income are encouraged to educate themselves, seek help, and take advantage of the many resources available to members of our community.
Questions?
If you have questions or need assistance, please contact:
- The local human resources contact where you work.
- The Office of Human Resources at 608-265-2257.
Language Assistance
For assistance in the following languages, contact Cultural Linguistic Services:
- Español / Spanish
- Hmoob / Hmong
- བོད་ཡིག / Tibetan
- 中文 / Chinese
- नेपाली / Nepali
Emotional Support
Employee Assistance Office
Job loss or income loss can raise many questions and concerns, whether you are an employee experiencing a layoff or working in a unit experiencing layoffs, a supervisor wanting to consult on budget and staff reductions, or a family member dealing with a loss of steady household income.
The Employee Assistance Office (EAO) offers counseling and consultation at no cost to UW–Madison faculty, staff, graduate student employees, significant others, and family members.
Along with emotional support and stress management, EAO counselors can help with other aspects of the transition from employment at UW–Madison, such as financial challenges, parenting and caregiving issues, and changes to family relationships. If you need services beyond what the EAO can offer, a counselor may refer you to other campus or community resources.
LifeMatters
LifeMatters provides UW–Madison employees with free, confidential telephone access to professional counselors in support of personal and work-related concerns. LifeMatters counselors are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and provide statewide coverage for UW. One to five sessions with a counselor may be arranged for personal or work-related issues.
Appointments are available via phone, text chat, or video. To set up a counseling appointment with a LifeMatters counselor, call 800-634-6433.
The LifeMatters website provides articles, webinars, podcasts, and self-assessment tools, including information about emotional well-being, financial wellness, coping and resiliency, and more. To access the LifeMatters website, send an email to lifematters@mailplus.wisc.edu and you will receive UW-Madison’s company password. The password will be provided immediately and can be used to access all the LifeMatters features.
Financial Resources
Those who are facing a job loss or a reduction in income may experience financial instability or worry about their financial future. This can erode mental resilience, strain relationships, and hinder personal growth at a time when it is needed most. UW–Madison employees have access to a variety of resources that can help maintain or restore financial wellness.
LifeMatters
LifeMatters offers a variety of resources that can help maintain or restore financial wellness. These include helpful articles and webinars, as well as financial education, learning modules, and interactive webinars from Balance. (To set up a free account with Balance, follow the link to “Balance Financial Wellness” found on the LifeMatters Financial Wellness page.)
UW Credit Union and Banzai
Banzai has partnered with UW Credit Union to provide information on financial topics. Create a free account with Banzai to get started. Then explore the many resources available, including courses, collections, articles, calculators, and online coaching sessions.
The following resources from Banzai may be of interest.
- Suddenly Unemployed? Your Action Plan After Job Loss (4-minute read, coaching sessions available)
- When Times Get Tough (4-minute read, coaching sessions available)
UW Extension
UW Extension offers free resources that can help families and individuals achieve financial wellness.
- An online self-study program, Money Matters, teaches money management skills and addresses specific topics such as making a spending plan and managing debt.
- Getting Through Tough Times offers a collection of free articles on topics such as managing finances, keeping up with credit and debt, cutting expenses, and resilience.
- Financial coaching is available at no cost to anyone in Wisconsin.
Office of Child Care & Family Resources (OCCFR)
OCCFR support UW families with navigating child care options, exploring financial resources for families, free parent programming, and referrals to campus and community resources.
Career, Job Change, and Job Search Resources
Employee Career Counseling
Employee Career Counseling provides confidential appointments and online resources at no cost to UW–Madison employees.
One-on-One Appointments
The experienced counselors in this office are available for confidential, one-on-one sessions. Their goal is to provide support, guidance, and resources that can help employees navigate a wide range of career transitions. These include the career and emotional issues often associated with job loss, workplace stress, organizational changes, and job searches.
The Employee Career Counseling team can assist on virtually any issue related to careers, from managing one’s career to having challenging conversations at work and preparing for retirement. Their services will be customized to your needs, goals, and circumstances.
Online Career Resources
Many self-service resources are available on the Employee Career Counseling website to help employees manage their careers and explore new job opportunities. These include: a comprehensive career toolkit, a “do-it-yourself” career planning resources, tips for an effective job search, professional development opportunities, and more. Employees who prefer to work one-on-one with a career counselor are encouraged to get an early start on their career planning by exploring these online resources.
Although a prompt start on your career needs or job search is recommended, you may take advantage of the services of Employee Career Counseling within six months of the end of your UW–Madison employment, as long as your employment is ending due to a layoff or non-renewal. (Employees who choose to leave UW–Madison employment are not eligible for these services after their UW–Madison appointment ends.)
Referral Priority
Referral Priority is a service provided by the Office of Human Resources (OHR) to help support eligible employees find new employment after layoff and in some cases, nonrenewal. Employees enrolled in Referral Priority (RP) receive expedited consideration of their job application and are eligible to bypass the full recruitment process.
Eligible employees may immediately enroll in Referral Priority after receiving their notice of layoff or non-renewal.
Referral Priority services are available to:
- Exempt University Staff who are laid off due to lack of funds or organizational change/shortage of work
- Academic Staff who are laid off
- Long-term Academic Staff who are nonrenewed due to funding loss
- For purposes of nonrenewal, long-term Academic Staff are defined as employees who have six or more years of Academic Staff service at UW–Madison within the prior seven years. Contact your department or division HR representative if you have questions about your years of service.
For more information, see the Referral Priority Guide for Employees.
Professional Development Resources
Professional development can provide meaningful support to those who are planning a job search and/or expect to be exploring new career opportunities. Learning new skills can help individuals build resilience, improve their communication skills, master new technology tools, or even prepare for work in a new field.
These services are available only to UW–Madison employees with active appointments. If you believe that professional development would be helpful as you navigate the transitions associated with job loss or income loss, be sure to take advantage of these resources before your UW appointment ends.
Learning and Talent Development
Learning and Talent Development at UW–Madison offers a variety of courses and programs to help employees develop the skills to adapt to change and thrive personally and professionally. A comprehensive list of offerings is available on the Professional Development website.
Most courses and programs are available to UW–Madison employees at no cost. You must have an active UW–Madison appointment to participate in these professional development opportunities.
The following instructor-led courses are recommended for those facing a job loss or income loss. They are available virtually on Zoom or in person at a campus location, and are offered at no cost to UW–Madison faculty and staff. Please sign up for the waiting list if the session you would like to attend is full, as more sessions may be added based on demand.
LinkedIn Learning
LinkedIn Learning is an online learning platform that gives UW–Madison employees free access to thousands of courses and personalized learning recommendations. These are available virtually to suit any schedule and support learning at one’s own pace. Video courses help beginners and more advanced learners discover and develop business, technology-related, and creative skills through expert-led courses.
Be sure to log in with your NetID (not your personal LinkedIn account) to gain access to the full catalog of offerings. You must be an active UW–Madison employee with a current appointment to access LinkedIn Learning.
Employee Benefits and Changes in Job Status
Employee Benefits at Layoff
Information is available from the Office of Human Resources on the status of employee benefits at layoff or in the event of reduced hours.
Retirees and Emeriti
UW–Madison retirees and emeriti have access to certain privileges.
Changes to Access to UW–Madison Services
Technology Services
There are steps you should take if you are losing access to your UW–Madison email account or have files that will be deactivated. Some applications are only available to those actively enrolled or employed at UW–Madison.
- Steps to Take Before Leaving UW–Madison (from DoIT)
Transportation Services
If you are no longer employed at UW–Madison, you should cancel any parking permits, passes, or other transportation services products you have.