OVERVIEW
UCPath categorizes retroactive payments due to employees into two categories: Retro Pay and Missed Pay.
Retro Pay is income owed to an employee from a prior pay period that is the difference between the rate an employee should have been paid and the rate the employee was paid. Standard retro processing relies on confirmed pay history – this means the employee must have processed pay for the hours worked. When an update to pay rate is made the Retro Pay Module is triggered and retro pay will be added to the next on cycle paycheck.
Missed Pay is earnings due to the employee that have never been paid, as opposed to earnings paid at the wrong rate. Missed pay can be processed off-cycle if:
- The employee is experiencing financial hardship
- The amount of missed pay is significant (> 25%)
- No pay was submitted for the employee
- An Off-Cycle Payroll Request is the only way to request the earning
Otherwise, missed pay can be processed on-cycle through late time entry, if that is an option.
When to use
- Retro Pay can be processed by making updates to Job Data or Additional Pay that trigger the Retro Pay Module in UCPath. If the updates are approved locally by the employee data change deadline, the difference in pay will be added to the next on cycle paycheck.
- Missed Pay can be processed by Off Cycle Payroll Request (E-078) or if available Regular Time Entry or via a Regular Time Entry File (I-181). Off cycle checks are issued outside of the normal on cycle paychecks.
Intended Audience
UCPath Transactors
BEFORE YOU BEGIN
Tasks to Complete Before Starting
- Review the Retro Pay Matrix 2024.xlsx (file will download to your computer) for more information on retro pay vs. missed pay processing scenarios.
- Review the Operational Alignment Deck on Retros for more information on Retro processing.
- Review the Retroactive Additional Pay March 2024.pptx slides for more information on retroactive additional pay.
- Review Job Data and correct any information that is driving incorrect pay before submitting the off-cycle pay request, if applicable. Ensure earnings entered via Off-Cycle Payroll Request are not also submitted to UCPC via our regular Time & Attendance file (I-181).
For Best Results
- Locations are able to submit off-cycle payroll requests for payout codes. The following earnings codes will be available options when submitting payouts:
- CTP – compensatory time paid
- CTT – compensatory time termination
- HCP – Holiday compensatory time paid
- HFP – Holiday float compensatory time paid
- MTV – Medical resident termination vacation
- PHP – Personal holiday payout
- PTP – Paid time off payout
- TRM – Terminal vacation pay
- A Payroll Adjustment that cannot be accurately submitted via an Off-Cycle request/Overpayment request, must be submitted via UCPath Inquiry. The Payroll Adjustment form is available in the Forms Library. Navigation: Log in to UCPath > Forms Library > Access Forms > Payroll > Payroll Adjustment Form Template. Submit a completed Payroll Adjustment Form by logging in to UCPath and clicking “Ask UCPath.” Instructions for completing the form can be found in the Payroll Adjustment Scenarios presentation in the UCPath Location Support Site. Use the following options when creating your inquiry:
- Topic: Payroll
- Category: Select "Submit Form – Payroll Administration"
RETRO PAY CONSIDERATIONS
- The Retro Pay Module in UCPath is an automatic payroll process that consists of a Retro Pay Program and a Retro Pay Trigger Program. During normal UCPath payroll activities, these system processes specifically looks for employee records that have retro changes to their Job Data or Additional Pay Data that could possibly impact pay. Their pay is recalculated and, if there is an adjusted amount due to the employee, it is paid on their next pay check. In order to calculate an adjusted amount, the process requires confirmed status paychecks in the system for the retroactive Effective Date. If they do not exist, the retro process errors and no pay is generated. If you submit a Job Data Update form to change one of the fields that triggers the Retro Pay Module, that retro pay will be included in the employee’s next on-cycle check.
- A retroactive change to FTE does not trigger retro pay. A retroactive change to FTE is a missed pay scenario because the employee worked some percent of time for which they did not receive any pay. If you make a retroactive update to FTE, process an Off-Cycle Payroll Request for the percentage of pay the employee missed. Refer to the Retro Pay Matrix 2024.xlsx for HCOMP scenarios.
- A late hire does not trigger retro pay. The Retro Pay Module relies on confirmed pay history – this means the employee must have processed pay for the hours worked. A late hire has not had any pay generated, so will not trigger retro pay. Retroactively adding a new Comp Rate Code to an employee's job data will not trigger the Retro Pay Module. The Retro Pay Module will only be triggered for a change in the Compensation Rate of an existing Comp Rate Code/Earn Code. If you have retroactively added a new component of pay, you must submit an off-cycle payroll request for the amount retroactively owed to the employee.
- If the Additional Pay is the employee’s only pay or the employee is experiencing financial hardship, you can provide the missing Additional Pay via an Off-Cycle Pay Request You will use regular Earn Codes.
- If an employee has received an Additional Pay payment, but did not receive the full amount (e.g., the rate was incorrect), you are in a retro pay scenario. The retro pay will be generated by the Retro Pay Module and provided on the employee’s next on-cycle paycheck. Follow the Initiate Update to Additional Pay PayPath Transaction (Staff/Acad) UPK on the UCPath Help Site for Transactional Users.
- Entering an Additional Pay with end date has already passed will not generate retro pay. In these cases, use One-Time Payment.
- If using One-Time Pay, the Flat Dollar Amounts File, or the Regular Time Entry File, you will need to enter an Earn Code. In these cases, use the appropriate retroactive Earn Code and flat dollar amount.
- Retroactive Earn Codes require a flat dollar amount
OFF CYCLE PAY CONSIDERATIONS
- Off cycle payments are used to provide missed pay.
- Off Cycle requests uses regular Earn Codes not retroactive Earn Codes.
- Retro pay, stipends, awards, and bonuses are not processed off-cycle, unless it is the employee’s only pay or if an off-cycle is the only way to provide the pay.
- Off-Cycle refers to processing payments that make corrections to finalized payroll results outside of the normal payroll schedule. Off-cycle processing will be limited by UCPC as follows:
- ITEMS THAT MAY BE ACCEPTED FOR OFF CYCLE PROCESSING
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- Time not submitted due to department oversight
- Hire transactions not entered into UCPath
- Faculty Relocation Allowance
- Employee (hourly or salary) missing significant portion of regular pay
- Final pay for:
- Represented employees (voluntary or involuntary terminations)
- Non‐represented employees (involuntary terminations)
- Situations requiring expedited payments due to:
- Adherence to legal contract or agreement
- Financial hardship
- ITEMS THAT MAY NOT BE ACCEPTED FOR OFF CYCLE PROCESSING
- Refunds for local deductions
- Corrections for hours paid to incorrect job
- Difference in rate of pay
- No change in rate of pay
- Retroactive pay owed to an employee due to:
- Promotion
- Mass wage increase
- Lump sum payments
- Premium pay owed to an employee:
- Overtime
- Shift differential
- Any type of pay not included in regular salary
- Additional pay (unless it is the employee’s only pay)
- Bonus
- Relocation incentives
- Admin stipends
- For non-exempt employees, missing hourly pay must be entered day-by-day, earn code by earn code. There is one exception: if an employee is missing 80 hours of REG pay, that entry may be made in a single row in the payroll request.
- For hourly pay, enter the Earnings Begin and Earnings End dates (these must match) and the Hours worked that day.
- For flat dollar amount pay, enter the Earnings Begin and Earnings End dates (these may be a range) and the Earnings amount. (Remember, stipends and other additional pay are not paid off-cycle unless it is the employee’s only pay or it is the only way to provide the pay).
- For salary pay, enter the Earnings Begin and Earnings End dates to reflect the first and last days of the pay period; you must enter one row per pay period.
- Salary % = (Standard Hours associated with Earnings Dates / Total Working Hours for the Month) x FTE
- Find the total working hours for the month on the UCPath Monthly Working Hours Calendar (Quicklinks > Payroll Resources > Location Users - Administrators > Payroll Processing Schedules & Working Hours > Working Hours Calendar)
- Salary % calculation examples:
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- Employee with 1.0 FTE worked the whole Month of February (100% Salary) Total working hours for February: 160. Standard Hours associated with Earnings Dates: 20 working days * 8 hours = 160. Salary % = (160/160) x 1.0 FTE = 1 = 100%
- Employee with 1.0 FTE worked the 1st to the 8th of February (30% Salary). Total working hours for February: 160. Standard Hours associated with Earnings Dates: 6 working days * 8 hours = 48. Salary % = (48/160) x 1.0 FTE = 0.30 = 30%
- Employee with 0.50 FTE worked the 1st to the 8th of February (30% Salary). Total working hours for February: 160. Standard Hours associated with Earnings Dates: 6 working days * 8 hours = 48. Salary % = (48/160) x 0.50 FTE = 0.15 = 15%
- For an employee who had a retroactive FTE increase from 0.25 to 0.50 and is owed the difference of 0.25 FTE for the whole Month of February, include the difference in FTE for the Salary % calculation. Total working hours for February: 160. Standard Hours associated with Earnings Dates: 20 working days * 8 hours = 160. Salary % = (160/160) x 0.50 FTE x 0.25 (difference in FTE) = 0.125 = 12.5%
- The Hours and Calc Salary data are automatically calculated. For discrepancies with the Calc Salary value, provide detailed notes in the Comments - do not modify the Salary %.
- The Pay End Date field defaults based on the current pay cycle (monthly or biweekly), and cannot be updated. For exempt/monthly records, it may also show the upcoming BW on-cycle pay period end date. This field can't be changed but will automatically update after the GL Post Confirm of the current pay cycle. Either wait to enter or use the Initiator Comments to enter any pay owed after the Pay End Date. Any time worked after the Pay End Date must be entered in the comments with the Earnings Code, Earnings Begin/End dates, and Hours Amount.
- Use the Leaves tab to enter accrual hours s (e.g., sick, vacation, etc.) used. The Earnings Begin and Earnings End dates must match and enter the Hours used that day; click the [+] to enter a separate row for each day of leave take. To view all entries, click the View All link; there will be blank rows on this tab that correspond to rows entered on the Earnings tab and vice versa, this does not affect data entry but DO NOT delete the blank rows as this will delete the rows on the Earnings/Leave tabs.
- Initiator Comments should include:
- Summarize pay being provided and reason for off-cycle
- The off-cycle pay is the employee’s only pay, if applicable
- Any issues with the Calc Salary, including reasoning/math
- Details of any time worked or accruals taken outside of what is entered on the Earnings and Leave tab
- When checking the status of off cycle pay, the expected distribution date will default the check date for the upcoming on-cycle until the pay is distributed. Once the pay is distributed, it will update to the actual distribution date.
| TERMS | DEFINITION |
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Death Pay
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Payroll request submitted for deceased employee
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Involuntary
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Final payment for involuntary separation
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Retire
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Final payment for retiree
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Voluntary
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Final payment for voluntary separation
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Financial Hardship
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Employee will suffer financial hardship if not paid quickly
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Exception – Damage Pay
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Missed pay for employee who has not signed oath
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Partial Pay Late Hire
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Partial missed pay for new hire entered after the cut-off for on-cycle processing
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Partial Pay FTE Increase
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Partial missed pay for employee with an increase in time entered after the cut-off for on-cycle processing
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Partial Pay No Access Time Rpt
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Partial missed pay for employee that could not access time report for timely submission for on-cycle processing
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Partial Pay Late Timesheet
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Partial missed pay for employee where the timesheet was submitted/approved after the cut-off for on-cycle processing
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No Pay Submitted Late Hire
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Full missed pay for new hire entered after the cut-off for on-cycle processing
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No Pay Sub No Access Time Rpt
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Full missed pay for employee where the timesheet was submitted/approved after the cut-off for on-cycle processing
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No Pay Submitted Late Timesheet
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Full missed pay for employee where the timesheet was submitted/approved after the cut-off for on-cycle processing
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Emergency Pay – EEMGLN
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Missed pay for employee where location issued pay from their local AP. The difference owed is processed off-cycle and issued to employee. (Refer to deck on the Emergency Pay Process details)
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Instant Pay – PAYCRD
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Missed pay for employee where location issued pay via expedited (instant) pay card. The difference owed is processed off-cycle and issued to employee. (Refer to deck on the Expedited (instant) Pay Card Process for details)
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Legal Insurance, (Court Order)
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Payroll request where pay to employee is set out in legal terms of an agreement
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Current Year
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Submission for overpayments
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Prior Year
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Submission for overpayment
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STEPS TO TAKE IN UCPATH
WHAT TO DO AFTER
UCPath Center uses established off-cycle timelines for processing payroll requests:
- Processing is daily except for UC holidays and Pay Confirm days
- Payroll Requests (E‐078) received by 2:00pm will be processed on the next business day
- Payroll Requests (E‐078) received after 2:00pm will be processed within two business days
- Check issue date will be 2 days from processing date
- Pay will be received however the employee normally receives pay (direct deposit or paper paycheck)
Reference UCPath Knowledge Article: When are off-cycle payroll transactions processed?
Monitor off-cycle pay request status on the Off-cycle Dashboard on UCPath Online and use the Review Paycheck Summary page to review off-cycle pay once distributed.
Current turnaround times for off cycle requests and other metrics can be found on UCPath Metrics Dashboard - Home.
IF YOU NEED ASSISTANCE