Employee Benefits
Unclassified Employees
- are engaged in teaching, university administration, and/or professional services related to instruction and research
- include permanent and short-term executives, deans and directors, faculty, academic staff, and student assistants
- are paid monthly and are usually appointed to work either during the academic year or year-round.
- are eligible for Wisconsin Retirement System coverage and related benefits. Eligibility rules are based on the date of hire and previous employment with a WRS participating employer.
- The employee must be expected to work at least one year (365 days; academic year appointees who have an expectation of renewal meet this standard); and
- The appointment type is not excluded by statute (e.g., student assistants, some visiting professors, and others listed in s. 40.22 (2), Wis. Stats.); and
- If the employee is initially employed by a WRS participating employer on or after July 1, 2011, must work at least 880 hours per year (equivalent to a 56% appointment for one academic year or a 42% appointment for 12 months);
- If the employee worked for any WRS participating employer prior to July 1, 2011, must work at least 440 hours per year (equivalent to a 28% appointment for one academic year or a 21% appointment for 12 months). Even if the employment prior to July 1, 2011 was not covered by the WRS, this eligibility rule applies.
- If you were not expected to qualify for retirement and related benefits when hired, you become eligible when the employer's expectations for your position change or when you have been employed by the University for at least one year and have worked at least 880 hours in the last 365 days (if initially hired by a WRS-participating employer July 1, 2011 or later) or 440 hours in the last 365 days (if you worked for any WRS participating employer prior to July 1, 2011). See also Short-term academic employees.
- Student assistants are considered unclassified but are excluded from retirement coverage by state statute.
Read more about eligibility for Wisconsin Retirement System coverage.
Read more about unclassified positions in the Unclassified Title Definitions Book.
This document was last revised on July 29, 2011
