Payroll Office's Frequently "Answered" Questions
When do I get paid?
What do I do if I have questions about my check?
What is a Student Assistant position - and what is a 'departmental' employee?
What is a Work Study position?
What do I use to track my time worked?
Where is my check?
What Pay Period do I follow?
When is my timesheet due?
When are PTR's due?
Are my work-study earnings tax-exempt?
Can I claim 'Exempt' on my Form W-4?
What should I claim on my W-4 for withholdings?
What does FWS, MOM, etc stand for on my check?
Can I get copies of my previous pay check(s)?
Can I get copies of my previous year W-2 form?
My question isn't above, who can I ask?
When do I get paid?
Specific PayDates*
Salaried Faculty and Staff: Payday is the last working day of the month.
Adjunct Employees: Payments are made in 4 payments during the semester. Fall semester payments are made September through December while Spring payments are made February through May.
Hourly Employees: Payday is on the 15th of each month. If the 15th falls on a non-work day, payday is on the last working day of the proceeding week.
Casual/Temporary Employees: Payday is on the 15th of each month. If the 15th falls on a non-work day, payday is on the last working day of the proceeding week.
Student Assistants: Payday is on the 15th of each month. If the 15th falls on a non-work day, payday is on the last working day of the proceeding week.
College Work Study/Financial Aid Student Workers: Payday is on the 15th of each month. If the 15th falls on a non-work day, payday is on the last working day of the proceeding week.
*All paperwork has to be received by the Payroll Office by due dates to insure payment by date stated.
What do I do if I have questions about my check?
If you have questions concerning earnings or taxes, please contact the Payroll Office or call to make an appointment to discuss any issues.
If you have questions concerning leave balances or benefit enrollment, please contact Human Resources.
What is a Student Assistant position - and what is a 'departmental' employee?
Student Assistants employees are paid via department funds and are authorized to work only after a Student Employee Request (SER) is completed and approved. The SER needs to be submitted prior to a student starting work. The form is to be completed by the department and signed by the Department Head. The form will then be submitted for approval to Financial Aid, the Budget Office and to the Human Resource Office. The form is fully approved when it reaches the Human Resource Office fully signed.
A 'departmental employee' is a term used prior to new forms and approval practices being set in place for Student Assistants.
What is a Work Study position?
College Work Study is a federally funded grant program based on student need. The work study program is overseen and administered by the Financial Aid Office. The timesheet for Work Study students is unique and is available at the Financial Aid Office (Room 103 in Young Hall).
What do I use to track my time worked?
If you are a regular hourly, casual appointment or Student Assistant employee, please use the LINCOLN UNIVERSITY MONTHLY TIMESHEET (link opens in Excel) for keeping track of your hours during the month. Please complete all information at the top of the form, or have your supervisor complete it. Information about funding source and rate of pay ARE important items. Please ensure the timesheet is submitted promptly, no later than the first work day of the next month, to the Payroll Office. Specific deadlines can be found here.
If you are a College Work Study/Financial Aid student worker, please contact the Financial Aid Office (Room 103 in Young Hall) for a timesheet that is specifically for your use.
If you are a salaried employee, please contact your department head or supervisor about what method of tracking you will need to follow - or contact Human Resources.
Where is my check?
All checks are released at the Bursar's Office/Cashier's Office, 105 Young Hall.
What Pay Period do I follow?
Regular hourly and Casual Appointment employees as well as Student Assistants should keep track of their daily hours worked from the 1st through 31st of the month. Completed timesheets are due to the Payroll Office on the first working day of the month after just worked.
Salaried employees follow a normal monthly payroll schedule. They are paid on the last working day of the month.
When is my timesheet due?
Regular hourly or casual employees and Student Assistants timesheets are due to the Payroll Office the first work day after the month just worked. (Example: July 1 to 31 hours are due the first working day in August). Financial Aid student employee hours are due to Financial Aid on the 22nd of the month for the hours worked from the 20th of the previous month to the 21st of the current month.
When are PTR's due?
Specific due dates
In general, PTR's need to submitted and fully approved/signed 10 to 15 days prior to the payroll date. Upcoming PTR due dates can be found here. Keep in mind the full extent of the signature process and allow adequate time.
Are my work-study earnings tax-exempt?
No. Federal work-study earnings are taxable earnings.
Can I claim 'Exempt' on my Form W-4?
Being able to claim exempt from withholding will depend on your individual circumstances. Please refer to Publication 505, Tax Withholding and Estimated Tax at IRS.GOV for specific information.
In general, you cannot claim exemption from withholding if (a) your income exceeds $950 and includes more than $300 of unearned income (for example, interest and dividends) and (b) another person can claim you as a dependent on his or her tax return. (Source: http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/fw4.pdf, 2010)
What should I claim on my W-4 for withholdings?
Form W-4 instructs the University of your desired tax withholding status. Please consider completing a new Form W-4 each year and when your personal or financial situation changes.
For those employees that do not complete a W-4 form, the maximum withholding status will be applied (IRS Pub. 15; Circular E, Sect. 9). For advice on withholding status, you might consult with a family member or a tax advisor. Also, the IRS.GOV website has a Withholding Calculator to help you calculate your status on the Form W-4. {Please note, University representatives are prohibited from providing tax issue advice.}
What does FWS, MOM, etc stand for on my check?
The University uses codes to denote different payment types or tax status. The following are some normal codes found on University checks:
REG - Regular earnings
CAS - Casual Appointment earnings
ADJ - Adjunct faculty earnings
OVL - Overload earnings
STU - Student employment earnings
CWS - College Work-Study earnings
VAC - Vacation payout/earnings
MED - Medicare
SOC - Social Security
FWM - Federal Withholding, Married
FWS - Federal Withholding, Single
MOM - Missouri State Withholding, Married
MOS - Missouri State Withholding, Single
MOH - Missouri State Withholding, Head of Household
SLT - St. Louis Local Income Tax
Can I get copies of my previous pay check(s)?
Yes. From the WebAdvisor Employee Menu select "My Pay Advices". This link will list your current year of checks issued by check date. Select the check you need to view or print and it will open in a new page. Print as you would any other web page. If you need a previous years check, select from the drop down menu the year needed and select the check date.
If you do not have access to WebAdvisor please call or email the Payroll Office and our staff can print a copy for you to pick up. Kindly give our staff a minimum of 24 hours for processing.
Can I get copies of my previous year W-2 form?
Yes. From the WebAdvisor Employee Menu select "Available W-2 Statements". Select the year you need to view or print.
If you do not have access to WebAdvisor please call or email the Payroll Office and our staff can print a copy for you to pick up. Kindly give our staff a minimum of 24 hours for processing.