Category: Uncategorized

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):

• 24/7 confidential, in-the-moment counseling by calling 877-313-4455
• Three free counseling sessions for employees who complete the client intake form
• Organizational consultations for managers seeking guidance on how to support teams experiencing stress, fear, or uncertainty

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.

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.