Payroll Information for

Employee Orientation

Department of Accounting Services

Suite A-323

Direct Deposit is Mandatory for all new Employees!

Once your user ID and password have been established, you will be able to access the features of employee self-service. Employees should enroll in direct deposit and update their tax information (W-4) once access is established. Please follow the directions provided to sign up for direct deposit and to update your tax information on-line. This will be done through Employee Self Service. Self Service is also the feature that will enable you to view/print your paystubs and consent to receive W-2’s on line.

Your tax status (IRS Form W-4) will automatically be established as ‘Single With Zero Exemptions’; you will be required to update your tax filing status using the W-4 Tax Information section in Self Service. Upon submission, you will receive an email confirming your filing status.

If you do not have a checking or savings account at this time you will be given a grace period of two (2) pay days to acquire such an account. During this period, paper checks will be issued and mailed to the home address on record. After two (2) pay days have passed, employees electing not to establish electronic direct deposit will be paid by an alternative method determined by the School District.

Employees must remain on direct deposit, but you may change accounts as needed. Should you change accounts in the future, a wait period will occur while we validate your information with your bank. During this period, which is a minimum of one pay period, paper checks will be issued and mailed to the home address on record.

How to get into Employee Self Service - QUICK GUIDE

1. If you are using a District operated computer, your browser will default to the District’s portal page. Click on the ‘Oracle/PeopleSoft’ icon.

2. If you are using a non-District operated computer, please go to the District website at www.palmbeachschools.org and on the home page click the ‘Sign In’ as shown below: This will direct you to the District’s portal page log in screen; log in using your network userID and password.

3. This will link you to the PeopleSoft Home page.

4. Click on the My Payroll and Compensation icon.

Additional Information and Job Aids for Employee Self Service can be found

on the Payroll website.

Employees will use Employee Self Service to enter and receive information about

payroll.

For more detailed information on the subjects below, refer to the ‘Self Service

Directions and Information’ section on our Payroll website:

Enroll or Change Direct Deposit

Important Instructions for Direct Deposit

View/Print Your Paycheck

Update Your W-4 Tax Information

View/Print W-2/W-2c Forms

View Reported Time and Payable Time

One Giving Campaign

Any questions regarding Employee Self Service features should be directed to the

EPaygroup@palmbeachschools.org or via phone at 561-434-8944 Option #0.

What you need to know about Paydays and Your Paycheck

When are paydays? Employees are paid Fridays on a biweekly basis. Employees are paid for the two week period

ending on the Friday just before pay day. A current year Pay Calendar is published on the Payroll website and should be posted at most work locations.

The current Pay Calendar can be found in the ‘Resources’ area in the Payroll section of the District website.

Payment Information - On your first few checks, we recommend that you verify your personal information for accuracy.

Review your name, address, deduction information, etc. Maintaining accurate address information is crucial. If your address is incorrect or you need to change your address, please go to Employee Self Service to make the changes on-line. If you require assistance contact Human Resources at ASKHR@PalmBeachSchools.org or you may call the HR Customer Care Center at 561-434-8777 or toll free at 1-877-477-3722.

Payroll Contact – At all schools and departments there is a Payroll Contact. If you work in a school, it will usually be

the school secretary. If you work in a department, it will usually be the department secretary. You should bring any concerns you encounter regarding your pay or general questions you may have about payroll to your Payroll Contact. Your Payroll Contact is knowledgeable in most payroll matters and is readily accessible to you. The Payroll area on the other hand is a centralized office dedicated to processing the payroll of over 30,000+ regular and temporary employees. Your Payroll Contact should be able to answer most questions you have regarding your pay or will directly contact Payroll for answers.

What pay frequency am I on? Employees whose duty day schedule falls between 180 – 187 duty days receive 22

paychecks per year. All other duty groups are on a 26 pay frequency. If you are unsure about your duty day schedule, please see the hiring contact at your work location. Your biweekly salary will be displayed on the pay stub. By taking your annual salary and dividing it by your number of pays (22 or 26) permanent employees can calculate their biweekly pay. Your biweekly pay will generally remain the same whether there are holidays or days during the period you are not expected to work. Please keep in mind that your first paycheck as a new hire will compensate you for the number of days in the pay period in which you begin working and the balance owed paid to you at year end. The main reason employees see a difference in pay is when you receive other earnings in a pay period such as a bonus or overtime or you have taken time off and don’t have sufficient leave to cover your absence.

Hourly Employees – This group includes Aftercare workers and Adult/Community education instructors. Employees

in this category are paid biweekly on Friday for the period ending the previous Friday.

Year Round Employees - Year round employees work and are paid biweekly throughout the year.

What does 22 pay frequency mean? Employees who are in positions that are 187 duty days or less are paid on a

22 pay frequency which means they are not paid during the summer months. The Department of Compensation and Employee Information Services will determine your annual salary. Once determined it will be divided by 22 to arrive at your biweekly pay. Employees will earn and defer monies each pay period to provide consistent paychecks over the 22 pay periods. This group includes bus drivers, paraprofessionals and school food service workers.

What does 26 pay frequency mean? Employees who are not year round and on a 26 pay frequency are paid during

the summer months. The Department of Compensation and Employee Information Services will determine your annual salary. Once determined it will be divided by 26 to arrive at your biweekly pay. This group includes employees in positions greater than 187 duty days such as teachers who are generally 196 duty days, clerical staff and most administrators. Employees in this category defer or set monies aside so that you may be paid during the summer months when you are not working.

What happens to my paychecks during the summer months and other school breaks if I do not work year round? Employees who are on a duty day schedule of 190 – 226 duty days are considered ‘deferred employees’.

They are paid equal amounts biweekly, regardless of the number of days in the pay period assuming they work a full contract year (see page on late starts and leaves of absence). As employees work a portion of their earnings are set aside (deferred), held in a reserve, to be paid during times of the year when they are not scheduled to work, such as Winter/Spring Breaks and summertime. In order to be paid consistently throughout the year, employees must begin their position on the first day of the contract date for their duty day as designated by the School Calendar. They must also have no breaks in service, such as unpaid leaves of absence. Similarly, employees who are 187 duty days or less defer funds to pay over Winter/Spring breaks but are not paid during the summer.

Voluntary & Involuntary Deductions - The District processes two types of deductions. Voluntary deductions are

deductions that you initiate and authorize to have deducted from your pay, such as; health insurance, life insurance, dues, charitable contributions, etc. An involuntary deduction is a deduction of a legal nature, such as, tax levies, child support, defaulted loans, court orders, etc. If we receive a deduction order, we will notify you by mail when the deductions from your pay are scheduled to begin and the amount of the deduction. If you should have any questions or concerns with the amount to be deducted from your pay, you should contact the entity issuing the deduction order. Two months of each year employees will receive 3 pay checks. Depending on the calendar, the months in which this occurs will vary. In the months that employees receive 3 paychecks, employees on a 26 pay frequency schedule will experience a ‘Deduction holiday’ for most deductions; however, all involuntary deductions will be taken.

You can find more information on deductions during the third paycheck of the month in the ‘Frequently

Asked Questions (FAQ)’ area in the Payroll section of the District website. Click on the link entitled:

“What Happens to Deductions When I’m Paid Three Times in one Month”.

Direct Deposit – All new employees are required to enroll in direct deposit. You must use the Employee Self Service

feature on-line to complete your direct deposit information once you have access in PeopleSoft. You can direct deposit your pay to any checking or savings account with a financial institution that’s part of the Federal Reserve System and you may deposit to one or two accounts such as one checking and one savings. With direct deposit, your net pay will be placed in your account on payday. You will be able to view/print your pay stub on-line using Employee Self Service. If a delay in enrollment occurs you will receive your pay through an alternate means.

How do I change my federal tax status and/or allowances? You must use the Employee Self Service feature

on-line to complete a W-4 form for the current year once you have access in PeopleSoft. Once the form is completed on-line, the new calculations will take place on the following payroll processing cycle. You will be able to make changes to your W-4 form anytime during the year using the Employee Self Service feature on-line.

Caution is advised on the section for tax exempt status. Make sure that you thoroughly read this section regarding the conditions. If you file tax exempt, no withholding tax will be taken from your paychecks. If you have questions, discuss with your tax professional.

Late Starts and Leaves of Absence

What happens if I do not begin my position at the beginning of the school year? Employees’ deferred pay or balance of contract pay over the summer months is directly impacted by a late start in the position. In order to receive full pay, employees must work their entire duty day contract. As employees work their duty day contract, a portion of their earnings is set aside (deferred) and held in reserve, and then paid out over the summer (final checks). The number of remaining checks for summer is determined by the first pay date of the year for your duty day. (See Pay Calendar attached which shows when your first paycheck is scheduled to be received). When employees start late, they are not depositing a portion of their earnings into the deferred pay account previous to this time. The running balance of contract earnings versus salary paid fluctuates due to holidays and periods of time when school is closed.

At the end of the school year, a reconciliation is performed to compare contract days worked to days paid. Days worked but not paid constitute the deferred pay reserve. In order for an employee to receive 26 or 22 equal checks, they must have worked the entire duty day contract. If you are a late start, your final checks of the school year will be adjusted and the adjustment spread evenly over the remaining final checks. The number of final checks varies from two (2) – five (5) depending on your duty day group.

An example of a late start salary calculation can be found in the ‘Frequently Asked Questions’ area in the Payroll section of the District website. Click on the link entitled: ‘How Does a Late Start Affect My Paycheck’.

What happens if I take a leave of absence during the school year? Employees’ deferred pay or balance of contract pay over the summer months is directly impacted by an unpaid leave of absence, whether you return to active status during the same year or remain on leave of absence through the end of the school year. In order to receive full pay, employees must work their entire duty day contract. As employees work their duty day contract, a portion of their earnings are set aside (deferred) and held in reserve, and then paid out over the summer (final checks). The number of remaining checks for summer is determined by the first pay date of the year for your duty day group. (See Pay Calendar posted on District website which shows when your first paycheck is scheduled to be received). When employees are on an unpaid leave of absence, they are not depositing a portion of their earnings into the deferred pay account while on unpaid leave. The running balance of contract earnings versus salary paid fluctuates due to holidays and periods of time when school is closed.

At the end of the school year, a reconciliation is performed to compare contract days worked to days paid. Days worked but not paid constitute the deferred pay reserve. In order for an employee to receive 26 or 22 equal checks, they must have worked the entire duty day contract. If you are in a leave of absence situation, your final checks of the school year will be adjusted and the adjustment spread evenly over the remaining final checks. The number of final checks varies from two (2) – five (5) depending on your duty day group.

An example of a leave of absence salary calculation can be found in the ‘Frequently Asked Questions’ area in the Payroll section of the District website. Click on the link entitled: ‘How Does an Unpaid Leave Affect My Paycheck’.

How and When Do I Accrue Sick and Annual Leave?

How do I accrue sick leave hours?

At the beginning of every fiscal year each regular employee is credited with four (4) sick days.

Classroom teachers and others in the instructional classification such as Guidance Counselors, School Psychologists and Media Specialists receive their four (4) sick days as of the first day of their contract year and may use them immediately per State Statute.

Remaining regular employees are credited the four (4) sick days on the first day of the month following the start of their contract year.

Credited days are indicated in the Sick Leave portion of the Paid Time Off section on your pay stub.

Sick leave will be credited to the employee at the end of the month and may not be used before it is credited. Each employee is entitled to earn one (1) day of sick leave times the number of months of employment during the year provided they have eleven (11) or more compensated days in that month.

For employees who begin their positions later in the year the amount of sick leave credited/earned is reduced accordingly.

Please be aware that should you terminate prior to the time that all leave is earned, or be in an unpaid status during the year, such as a leave of absence, the Payroll Department will adjust your sick leave balance for the unearned sick days.

Each employee is entitled to six (6) personal days every fiscal year, if you use a personal day it is also deducted from your available sick leave.

Employees are entitled to roll unused sick leave balances from one fiscal year to the next per School Board policy 6GX50-3.80.

How do I accrue annual or vacation leave?

Employees in positions of 250 duty days or more earn one day of vacation leave a month for each month you have eleven (11) or more compensated days.

This time rolls from year to year, but is capped pursuant to State Statute 1012.95 and Board policy 6GX50-3.80 Leave of Absence.

An employee with less than five (5) years of continuous service earns at a rate of one (1) day per month, cumulative to twelve (12) work days per year.

An employee with five (5) to ten (10) years continuous service earns at a rate of one and one-quarter (1 1/4) days per month, cumulative to fifteen (15) work days per year.

An employee with ten (10) years or more of continuous service earns at a rate of one and one-half (1 1/2) days per month, cumulative to eighteen (18) work days per year.

Employees transferring from another FRS (Florida Retirement System) agency and who have no break in service may be eligible for accrual rates defined in bullets 4 and 5 above. Please contact Human Resources at 1-561-434-8777 at the time of hire to ensure there is no delay in determining your accrual rate.

Transfer of Sick Time from another FRS Employer -

If you are transferring from another Florida district or another FRS (Florida Retirement System) employer, you may

transfer your sick time to the School District of Palm Beach County. After we receive the sick leave balance remaining

with your prior employer, Payroll will credit you 50% of the transferred leave balance. Thereafter, you will be credited

an additional one day per month for every day you earn as an employee. This will continue until the remaining 50%

dwindles to zero. Please note that it is your responsibility (after 30 days) to verify the information has been updated. If

it has not been updated, you will need to contract Human Resources as 1-877-477-3722. We also note that if you

should leave the employment of the District prior to earning the remainder of your transferred balance, Board Policy

does not allow us to pay you for any days not earned with the District.

Important Numbers to Remember

The Payroll Contact at your location should be your first point of contact for assistance.

Human Resources For all questions related to Salary Inquiries, Certification, Supplements, Leaves of Absence, Sick Leave

Transfers, Retirement, Name/Address Changes, HR Policy and Procedures:

HR Help Desk at 1-877-477-3722 (PX 48777) or 561-434-8777 or via email at AskHR@PalmBeachSchools.org

Substitute Office- Linda Everline PX 48704

Risk Management-(Employee Benefits) 561-434-8580 (PX 48580)

For all questions related to:

Health, Dental and Vision deductions,

403(a), 401(a)

Wellness

Short/Long Term Disability

Life Insurance

Flexible Spending Accounts:

COBRA/TSA/TSM/403(B)

Life Insurance Claims

Health Insurance

Retiree Benefits

Worker’s Compensation Initiate Claim: 561-434-7440 (PX47440)

Payroll Processing: 561-434-8944 Option #0 Marc Leroux

13 Week Wage Statements: 561-434-8944 Option #0

Union Dues: Contact your Union directly to start/stop deduction:

Palm Beach Classroom Teachers Association (CTA) 683-4623

Association of Educational Secretaries and Office Professionals (AESOP) 965-0077

Service Employees International Unit/ Florida Public Services Unit (SEIU/FPSU) 965-0077

Palm Beach County Police Benevolent Association (PBA) 689-3745

Staff Association Email Kim.Haugen@palmbeachshools.org

Payroll For all questions related to Self Service (W-4 tax form information, W-2’s, View Paycheck, View Timesheet or

Direct Deposit) or any of the below: 561-434-8944 (PX48944) or via email at EpayGroup@palmbeachschools.org

Direct Deposit: Option #3

Stop Payments: Option #3

Self Service Inquiries: Option #4

Wage Verifications: Option #5

Garnishments: Option #6

Child Support: Option #6

Sick Leave Transfer: Option #0