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Human Resources

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Supporting Our Teams During a Stressful Time

Recent news and uncertainty related to immigration enforcement have created real fear and anxiety for some members of the University of Washington community. During moments like this, leaders and managers play an important role in helping employees feel supported, informed, and grounded.

UW Human Resources encourages managers to check in with their teams and connect employees with available resources when they are experiencing stress, fear, or uncertainty. 

Support for employees experiencing stress, fear or uncertainty

Confidential support is available through the Washington Employee Assistance Program (EAP):

More information is available on the UW WorkLife Employee Assistance Program webpages.

UW protocol for requests from federal law enforcement: We all share responsibility for being prepared and responding appropriately. Please take time to review UW guidance related to university spaces as well as guidance on limitations on federal immigration enforcement power, limits on state and local agencies from participating in immigration enforcement, and the rights of individuals and entities within Washington. These resources are designed to provide clarity and consistency in how we respond.

Supporting employees who are fearful about coming to work: Some employees may express fear or hesitation about leaving home or coming to the workplace. Managers should approach these conversations with care, listen without judgment and focus on what support is available. Depending on the situation, this may include discussing flexible work options when feasible, the use of available time off and/or connecting the employee to support through the Employee Assistance Program. As always, decisions should be made on a case-by-case basis, balancing compassion for individual circumstances with the operational needs of the unit.

Time away from work for marches, protests or walk-outs: Time away from work for these activities must be requested by the employee and approved by their manager, consistent with standard absence practices. Managers are encouraged to be flexible whenever possible, while also considering the operational needs of their units. If approved, employees may use eligible time off such as vacation time off, compensatory time, holiday credit, personal holiday or discretionary time off. If an absence would impair operations, it may be denied.

Transition guide packages are in the mail – get all the details on the UWRP/VIP changes

Changes to the UWRP and VIP are coming in 2026

The University of Washington is moving forward with the changes to the UWRP and VIP retirement plans announced earlier this summer.

  • New TIAA accounts were issued in late October, which you can access to change investments for future contributions and update beneficiaries at tiaa.org/washington.
  • Welcome Kits were sent (one per plan), which have your new TIAA account information and can also be accessed once you log in at tiaa.org/washington under Statements and documents.
  • Fidelity balances will move to TIAA during the blackout period between December 31, 2025 at 1pm PT and the week of January 26, 2026. See below for more information on the blackout period.
  • All UWRP and VIP retirement plan balances will be accessible at TIAA after the blackout ends in late January.

 Look for your transition guide package in the mail

For all the details on the transition and how money will transfer from Fidelity to TIAA, be on the lookout for a complete transition guide package that was mailed last week. You may also access these documents at tiaa.org/washington.

Here are some important reminders:

  • Your Fidelity balances will come to TIAA in the same investments you have when the blackout period begins on December 31, 2025, at 1 p.m. PT.
  • During the blackout
    • Your balances may not be visible at either Fidelity or TIAA for a period of time while the transfer is completed.
    • You will no longer have access to your Fidelity accounts.
    • You WILL still be able to access your TIAA account and make changes to any current TIAA balances, update your beneficiaries, and make changes to investment elections for future contributions.
  • Once the blackout ends, expected the week of January 26, 2026, you will see all of your UWRP and VIP balances in your new TIAA account(s) and will be able to change your transferred balance investments.

Learn more and ask your questions

We want you to be prepared and understand the retirement planning options available to you. To make the most of the transition, every UWRP and VIP participant should:

  1. Register for a webinar – Learn what’s changing and how it affects your UWRP/VIP accounts.
  2. Book a 1:1 consultation – Meet with a licensed TIAA financial consultant for personalized advice on your investments and retirement planning.

In partnership with The Whole U, you can also find TIAA at pop-up events across UW’s campuses and medical centers.  See the full schedule and register now for events happening through mid-December.

Where to go with questions

The move to TIAA is designed to make retirement planning easier, more secure and more cost-effective for you. If you have questions now, both UW and TIAA are ready to help:

 We are also continually updating our dedicated support webpage with information and FAQs to help guide you through the transition.

Get ready for UWRP/VIP changes: Register and book your 1:1

Changes to the UWRP and VIP are coming in 2026

The University of Washington is moving forward with the changes to the UWRP and VIP retirement plans announced earlier this summer. The changes will be effective in January 2026 and will affect every participant in the plans.  

Join us to learn more

We want you to be prepared and understand the retirement planning options available to you. To make the most of the transition, every UWRP and VIP participant should: 

  1. Register for a webinar – Learn what’s changing and how it affects your UWRP/VIP accounts. 
  2. Book a 1:1 consultation – Meet with a licensed TIAA financial consultant for personalized advice on your investments and retirement planning. 

In partnership with The Whole U, you can also find TIAA at pop-up events and benefits fairs across UW’s campuses and medical centers. See the full schedule and register now for events happening between now and mid-December. 

What’s next 

The move to TIAA is designed to make retirement planning easier, more secure and more cost-effective for you. Learn more about TIAA’s digital enhancements. As part of the transition, TIAA and UW will send the following communications regarding the plan transition to your home address on file with Fidelity or TIAA: 

  • Week of October 20: TIAA account and plan information. 
  • Week of November 17: A transition package that contains all the details about the transition experience and a detailed timeline. 

Please review all of these materials carefully-they will be important as you prepare for 2026.  

What’s Fidelity’s role in the transition

Fidelity is partnering with UW and TIAA to ensure a smooth transition. Participants may continue to contact Fidelity through December 31, 2025 for retirement savings guidance and to access their UWRP and VIP accounts through the Fidelity platform. Please notify benefits@uw.edu if you have questions or receive conflicting guidance on what to expect from this transition. 

Where to go with questions

If you have questions now, both UW and TIAA are ready to help: 

We are also continually updating our dedicated support webpage with information and FAQs to help guide you through the transition. 

On track for August 18: Workday Recruiting go-live

The following message was shared with UW leaders and the HR Community of Practice on August 8, 2025.

We’re pleased to share that we remain on track — on time and on budget — to launch Workday Recruiting on August 18. This milestone reflects the tireless work of teams across UWHR, UW-IT, our Workday implementation partners, and the engagement and support of our campus and medical center partners. Thank you.

As a reminder, we’re following an Implement–Adapt–Evolve model. We will launch with core functionality and a list of known defects already scheduled for resolution during the first three weeks of Adapt. A broader set of improvements is queued for the Adapt phase.

In recent weeks, the Campus and UW Medicine HR Recruiting Teams have participated in focused, hands-on training that will continue through stabilization. This week, hiring managers and HR partners are completing their training and for several weeks after go-live they’ll have access to drop-in office hours to support their learning and adoption. Their assigned Recruiting Office Partners will help with navigating hiring activities while everyone learns the new system.

To our Change Champion Network members, thank you for the engagement and enthusiasm you’ve shown during training — and a special shoutout to POD for delivering an excellent experience in close collaboration with the Functional Team.

As we approach go-live, here are the key cutover dates and activities that were previously announced and are provided below for your convenience:

  • August 11 (5:00 p.m.) – UWHIRES and job application pause begins. No new applications will be accepted during this time. Hiring managers will have read-only access to the UWHIRES Hiring Manager Workbench but can still phone screen, interview, make or renegotiate verbal offers (if Sexual Misconduct Disclosures are cleared), and screen candidate bank applicants.
  • August 18 (Go-Live!) –
    • Requisitions posted as of August 11 will automatically repost in Workday Recruiting and will appear in the new UW Jobs Hub for employees.
    • 1:00 p.m. – Departments can enter new requisitions and request edits to converted ones; hiring managers can access in-progress requisitions in Workday; UW employees can access the new Jobs Hub in their Workday menu.
    • 2:00 p.m. – External applicants can access the new Careers at UW site via the UW Jobs page.

Looking for more project information, visit the Workday Recruiting project page. Applicant information can be found on the Workday Recruiting implementation page and the Internal Applicants support page.

We know there will be bumps, and we’re standing by to triage and support both hiring managers and applicants. We also ask for your continued leadership in modeling patience, assuming best intentions, and reinforcing confidence that concerns will be addressed. Your understanding as we prioritize the most critical issues first will help us resolve them quickly and keep momentum.