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 if the appointment:
- requires at least 440 hours per year (equivalent to a 28% appointment for one academic year or a 21% appointment for 12 months);
- is expected to last at least one year (365 days; academic year appointees who have an expectation of renewal meet this standard); and
- is not excluded by statute (e.g., student assistants, some visiting professors, and others listed in s. 40.22 (2), Wis. Stats.)
- 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 440 hours in the last 365 days. 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 November 17, 2006
