Parking & Transit Accounts

Overview

The UW System offers eligible employees the opportunity to pay certain work-related parking and transit expenses with tax-free dollars through Parking & Transit Accounts.

You may use the funds in your parking and transit accounts until exhausted or you become ineligible. These accounts include a carryover provision that allows you to carryover the remaining balance from one year to the next as long as you remain an active employee on December 31st.

NEW Carryover Eligibility Requirement: To be eligible for carryover from 2023 to 2024, you must have a minimum balance of $50 in your account at the end of the run-out period (March 31, 2024) OR re-enroll for the 2024 plan year.

If eligible, carryover will appear in your parking and/or transit account on/around April 15th.

Optum (formerly ConnectYourCare) is the plan administrator for the Parking & Transit Accounts.

Eligibility

All employees, including rehired annuitants and student hourly employees, are eligible for this program, except:

  • Student Assistant with one of the following titles: Fellows, Scholars, Trainees
  • Employee-in-Training with one of the following titles: Grad Intern/Trainee, Post-Doc Fellow/Trainee

Account Types

There are two types of accounts offered to UW System employees:

Parking Account

Covers work-related parking expenses such as parking ramps. If you pay for University parking through payroll deduction, your costs are already deducted pre-tax; therefore, they are not eligible for reimbursement with a Parking Account.

The maximum monthly contribution amounts are:

  • 2023: $280
  • 2024: $300

A list of eligible Parking expenses can be accessed in the Forms & Resources section below.

Transit Account

Covers work-related commuting expenses such as public transit passes to and from work (for example: bus, train, subway), and commuter highway vehicles (such as: vanpools).

The maximum monthly contribution amounts are:

  • 2023: $280
  • 2024: $300

A list of eligible Transit expenses can be accessed in the Forms & Resources section below.

Enrollment

You can enroll in or change your Parking or Transit contribution amount at any time. Your new contribution amount will begin on the first of the month on or following your enrollment/change. When you enroll in a Parking or Transit Account, you designate an annual contribution amount. There is a minimum annual contribution amount of $50. Contributions will be deducted from two paychecks each month. You must re-enroll each year to participate.

Enrollment can be completed as follows:

  • Online: 1) Log into the MyUW Portal, 2) Find the ‘Benefit information’ tile and click ‘Launch full app’, 3) On the ‘Summary’ tab, scroll down and click ‘View Benefits Summary Detail’ 4) In the left hand navigation, click on ‘Parking & Transit Selections’, 5) Then click the ‘Add a New Value’ button or to see a form previously submitted, click ‘Search’. For additional enrollment help, review the Parking & Transit Selections Form tip sheet.
  • Fillable PDF or Paper Form: 1) Click on the Enrollment Form located in the Forms & Resources Section below 2) Complete the form and submit it to your institution benefits contact. The form is a fillable document that can be completed and submitted via email, or printed and delivered in person or mailed.

Claims Submission

If you enroll in a Parking Account, you will receive a payment card. When used, payment will automatically be deducted from your Parking Account.

For both the Parking & Transit Accounts, you may pay expenses out-of-pocket and then submit claims to Optum for reimbursement. To comply with IRS requirements, documentation is required to substantiate expenses to show they are eligible for reimbursement.

If you pay for your expenses out-of-pocket, there are several methods to submit your claims for reimbursement.

ELECTRONIC Claims Submission

  • Mobile App: Allows you to access your account information wherever you are, 24/7/365. To download, visit the Apple App Store or Android Marketplace and search for “Optum Financial Mobile App.”
  • Optum Website: Follow the instructions on the main page to file your claim.

Paper Claims Submission

  • Complete the Parking & Transit Account Reimbursement Claim Form (available on the Optum website) and submit it with the appropriate documentation to the mailing address or fax number included on the form.

Automatic Premium Conversion

If enrolled, you will automatically have premiums deducted from earnings on a pre-tax basis:

You may choose to waive automatic premium conversion and have your premiums taken on a post-tax basis by filling out the Automatic Premium Conversion Waiver (available in the Forms & Resources section below).

Forms & Resources

Every effort has been made to ensure this information is current and correct. Information on this page does not guarantee enrollment, benefits and/or the ability to make changes to your benefits.

Updated: 08/11/2023