Understanding Your Paycheck

Direct Deposit

Employees are encouraged to sign up for direct deposit. Funds are automatically deposited to your bank account(s) each payday. Employees may elect to automatically deposit their pay to an unlimited number of bank accounts each pay period.

Employees with direct deposit of their pay will receive an email notification on pay day instead of a paper direct deposit advice. Employees can view and print their direct deposit advice for current and prior pay periods. These are generally available to view three to five days prior to pay day.

Paper Paycheck

The default option for new employees is a paper paycheck. With this option, it is the employee’s responsibility to physically cash or deposit the check to his/her bank account each pay period. Paper paychecks are delivered to the employee’s home department on payday. See your department administrator to obtain your paycheck.

Pay Periods and Pay Dates

Pay periods for employees paid weekly begin on a Thursday and end on a Wednesday. Pay for the pay period is on the following Wednesday.

Pay periods for employees paid semimonthly begin on the 1st and end the 15th of the month and begin on the 16th and end on the last business day of the month. Pay for these pay periods is on the 15th and the last business day of the month, respectfully. When the 15th is a Saturday, pay will be made on Friday, the 14th. When the 15th is a Sunday, pay will be made on Monday, the 16th.

Pay Periods and Pay Dates

Paycheck/Direct Deposit Advice Descriptions

The following information is included on the paper paycheck and the direct deposit advice.

  • Pay Group: Codes used to classify workers for payroll purposes
  • Pay Begin Date and Pay End Date: Beginning and ending dates for the pay period
  • Advice/Check Date: Date check issued
  • Name and Address: Verify that your name matches your legal name on your Social Security Card to ensure correct reporting of your wages for Social Security purposes. Contact Payroll immediately if anything is incorrect.
  • SUID: Your 9-digit SUID number, which is also listed on the SUID card. Use this number for identification when contacting Payroll.
  • Department and Location: Your home department and work location.
  • Job Title and Pay Rate: Your business title and current hourly or semimonthly pay rate
  • Tax Data: Federal and state withholding status, allowances, and any additional amount specified to be taken out each pay period. For assistance reference Updating your Tax Withholding Allowances.
  • Hours and Earnings: Earnings paid by type (e.g., regular, overtime, vacation, holiday, etc.) and, when applicable, the hourly rate and number of associated hours. The paycheck also includes year-to-date (YTD) hours and earnings for each earnings type.
  • Taxes: Federal and state tax amounts for the current pay period and YTD
  • Before Tax Deductions: Current and YTD general and benefit deductions taken from your gross pay before taxes are withheld. Federal Taxable Wages = Total Gross Wages – Before Tax Deductions.
  • After Tax Deductions: Current and YTD deductions for benefits, other general deductions or garnishments taken from your net pay after taxes have been withheld
  • Employer Paid Benefits: Current and YTD University contributions to benefits and retirement plans
  • Paycheck Summary: Summary of current and YTD gross earnings, federal taxable earnings (this will correspond to Box 1 of your W-2), total taxes, total deductions and net pay
  • Leave Balances: Leave accrual balances for vacation, sick, personal, and floating holiday. Employees not eligible (e.g., faculty, temps, and students) will show a zero balances.
  • Net Pay / Direct Deposit Distribution: Net pay for the pay period and distribution by bank account