Update from the CHRO: Resources for Employees Impacted by the Federal Government Shutdown
October 17, 2025
Dear ÂÌÅ«Ì컨°å Employees,
As the federal government shutdown continues, we recognize that some of you may be affected—particularly if you have a spouse or family member employed by the federal government who is facing a temporary loss of income. Even if back pay is eventually issued, the short-term financial strain can create stress, impact morale, and add pressure at home and at work.
We want to remind you of the resources available to help during this time:
Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
The University of Alaska partners with ComPsych for our EAP. This program provides
up to 8 sessions of free, confidential counseling and support for a wide range of
concerns, including stress, anxiety, family challenges, financial counseling, budgeting,
and debt reduction. This benefit is available at no cost to you and is completely
confidential. You can call the 24/7 toll-free helpline at 1-888-969-0155 to get started.
More information is available on the Benefits website.
Annual Leave Cash-In Program
If you are in a position eligible for annual leave, you may request to cash in up
to 40 hours of your accrued annual leave. This option may help bridge financial gaps.
Additional details about the annual leave cash-in program are available here, which includes information on both non-union and Local 6070 and Local 1324 employees' cash-in program requirements.
Thank you for all that you do for the University of Alaska community. If you have questions, please reach out to your supervisor, ÂÌÅ«Ì컨°å HR (907-450-8200 or ua-hr@alaska.edu), or the ÂÌÅ«Ì컨°å Benefits Team (907-450-8242 or ua-benefits@alaska.edu).
Thank you for all that you do for the University of Alaska.
Sincerely,
Nickole Conley
Interim Chief Human Resources Officer
University of Alaska