New system to track human resources services by mid-2011

A new state-of-the-art system for administering pay and benefits stands to fundamentally improve how faculty and staff receive human resource services.

The new Human Resources System, or HRS, is expected to launch between April and June 2011, handling a more than $2 billion annual payroll for UW System employees and improving how data about employees are entered, as well as how employees sign up for benefits, account for their time and leave, and view work records.

The current system, which dates from the 1970s and now serves all UW campuses, runs on a mainframe computer and employs a computer language that’s all but obsolete.

Darrell Bazzell, UW–Madison vice chancellor for administration, said implementation of HRS will emphasize extensive communication with all university employees about the new system’s advantages for benefits administration, payroll and other human resources areas.

“The HRS project represents a significant challenge for our campus, and it’s a change that we are addressing in a thoughtful and deliberate manner,” Bazzell says. “Campus administration is working closely with academic and administrative units to make sure we will have a successful rollout in the spring.”

That rollout will include detailed training for employees who will be involved with the implementation of HRS and using the new technology. In the coming months, Wisconsin Week and other campus publications and Web sites will offer regular updates about the system and what employees should know about using it.

“We’re working to get something in place that provides more services to employees and is also more adaptable to future needs,” says Elise Barho, project manager for HRS.

HRS is being developed and managed by the UW System with oversight provided by the Board of Regents.

Student hourly employees and some classified employees who now track their work hours electronically will be among the first to account for their time using the new system. HRS will replace the similar Kronos system student hourly employees now use to input their time and get supervisor approval for their hours.

Those hired as of July 2011 and after will be able to enroll in their benefits programs online.

By the time the fall benefits enrollment period begins next October, users should be familiar with the new system and current employees will be able to make dual-choice selections through the self-service options.

“When you go into open enrollment, you’ll get an easy-to-follow presentation about what your current selections are, what choices you can make and what it’s going to cost you,” Barho says. “It’s a lot simpler than wading through all the paper we have today.”

One of the most visible initial changes for all UW System employees will involve their work records, which will still be found at MyUW at UW–Madison but will include more information than they have in the past, says Carla Raatz, lead for the HRS project at UW–Madison.

The other self-service features of the new system, including benefits enrollments and changes, recording vacation and sick leave use, as well as other features, will be phased in after HRS is launched. Alternative solutions will also be provided for those who will be unable to use the automated self-service options.

The changes brought by the HRS system will also benefit employees who are newly hired at the university.

With HRS, instead of waiting to sign up for benefits until after they’ve started, new employees can start filling out benefits forms as soon as their hiring information is entered in HRS — ensuring they receive their benefits as soon as they’re eligible.

In the past, payroll and benefits administration have been separate, Raatz says. That will change because PeopleSoft is integrated with the human resources information used to determine employees’ benefits eligibility and how they appear on the payroll, she adds.

In addition to payroll, benefits and work records from human resources, the system will also manage time and leave reporting, as well as track funds for positions.

“HRS is a large, complex system but will deliver significant benefits to current and future employees,” says Bob Lavigna, UW–Madison’s director of human resources. “It is very important that we all continue to work together to make it succeed. Colleagues in our schools, colleges and divisions have provided great support to help prepare for when the system launches.”