After the UW System excluded University of Wisconsin student employees from its COVID-19 Leave Policy, UWM student employees will now receive a one-time, $200 COVID-19 leave payment from UWM, according to Chancellor Mark Mone.
Former and current student employees will receive the payment on April 23 as long as they worked on or since Feb. 1, 2020. Student employees who are still working right now will receive the payment in addition to their regular paychecks.
“This will be a one-time action to help UWM student employees who have not been able to continue in their jobs,” said Chancellor Mark Mone in an email sent to student employees Thursday.
This one-time payment is supposed to cover two weeks of pay, according to Mone. Two weeks would typically be enough time to find a job, but because of the coronavirus, many businesses are closed down or aren’t letting people into their buildings for interviews.
Amber Smith is the Union Station Student Administrator. She appreciates that the university is trying to help student employees, but she thinks the money could’ve been more appropriately distributed. Her rent is $400 excluding utilities.
“I personally always work right around 25 hours, so $200 is less than half of what my paycheck normally is,” said Smith. “I know many people work less than 10 hours weekly, so that will be more money than they would have gotten had they been at work anyways.”
Ryan Marincic is a B.O.S.S. driver and a campus ambassador for the Office of Undergraduate Admissions. Each month, she pays $400 for rent, around $40 for utilities, $27 for Wi-Fi, $100 for medical bills and a $40 phone bill.
“I appreciate the efforts, and I know there are a lot of student employees they want to help, but honestly that’s not going to help anyone,” Marincic said.
Grind employee Alyssa Josephs said every little bit helps and is grateful for the support, no matter how little.
“I know that this aid may not be as much as student workers were hoping for, considering that this is to supplement for the rest of the semester,” Josephs said. “However, I’m happy to see that the university is trying to help in a small way.”
Markeisha Thomas, a UWM student employee, also appreciated the university’s attempt to help students in her position, but said the check, which covers roughly half the average monthly used car payment in the United States, just won’t cut it.
“It’ll help me by adding a tad bit money towards bills, but only one $200 check for one month won’t do justice for the next bills, and what’s $200?” Thomas said.
UWM student employee Christina Tuttle is grateful for getting compensated. It will help tide her over until she can find another job.
“I’m lucky enough that I’m able to live with my parents now that housing is closed,” said Tuttle, “but I know that other students still have bills to pay.”
Mone also pointed to resources available for students. Students can apply for the Student Emergency Grant Fund that’s administered by the Dean of Students Office to help pay for distance learning, food, housing, moving expenses and travel expenses. Students can also get groceries from the UWM Food Center and Pantry located in the Student Union on the third floor. Additionally, UW Credit Union members can apply for a short-term, interest-free personal loan.
The UWM Post previously reached out to UW System for comment about why student employees were excluded from receiving the same 80 hours of PTO that non-student employees will receive as part of the COVID-19 Leave Policy.
“Student hourly workers are not covered under the new leave policy because they are not covered under the existing leave policy,” UW System’s Director of Media Relations Mark Pitsch said.
The UWM Post reached out to the UW System Board of Regents to ask who has the power to change the existing policy, and why, in such unprecedented times, that policy isn’t being changed. Nobody at the UWM Post has received an answer at the time of publishing. The Board of Regents establishes policies and rules for governing the UW System, according to its website.
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