Paychecks

General Paycheck Information

  1. Employees will receive their paycheck in one of three forms:
    1. State Warrant - Checks issued on the State of Arizona's bank account.
    2. Direct Deposit - Payment issued by employee's selection of direct deposit.
    3. Off-Cycle Check - Checks and Direct Deposits issued on the University of Arizona bank account.
  2. All three payment devices provide information regarding the employee's current and year-to-date gross pay, deductions, employee reimbursements, and net pay.

Departmental Distribution of Paychecks Modified

While the University is working remotely, paychecks will continue to be mailed to the employee's home address on file instead of the department. Employees are strongly encouraged to sign up for direct deposit following How to Enroll for Direct Deposit.
  1. Home departments receive paychecks from University Postal Services on the Friday of pay week between 9:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. If you have not received your department's paychecks by 3:00 p.m., contact Financial Services Customer Service at 520-621-9097.
  2. For proper internal control, the department should assign a person other than the Time Coordinator the task of distributing paychecks. This will ensure that payroll duties are properly segregated. For additional information, refer to Segregation of Duties
  3. The person who distributes the paychecks should verify that the paychecks correspond to a list provided by the Time Coordinator. 
  4. Employees who have requested direct deposit of earnings will receive an electronic format of the advice of direct deposit through UAccess Employee. 
  5. Deliver paychecks directly to the employees. Follow the procedures below when the employee is not available.
    1. If the employee is temporarily out of the office - Leave a note instructing the employee to pick up the check in your office. Do not leave checks on desk or in employees’ mailbox.
    2. If the employee is out of town - Hold the paycheck in a secure facility, such as a vault or locked drawer (with limited access), until the employee returns (maximum 30 days), or if authorized in writing by the employee, mail the paycheck or give the check to a designated person.
  6. Employees may sign a log signifying receipt when they pick up their paychecks. Logs are effective in departments with a large number of employees and/or high turnover.

Undistributed Paychecks

  1. Store undistributed paychecks in a secure facility until they are distributed or returned to Financial Services Customer Service.
  2. Return checks to Financial Services Customer Service when:
    1. A paycheck was received for a person who does not work in the department. Immediately call Financial Services Customer Service at 520-621-9097.
    2. A paycheck was issued in error or for the incorrect amount. Immediately call Financial Services Customer Service at 520-621-9097.
    3. You will not be able to distribute the paycheck within thirty days.
    4. The thirty day holding period for undistributed paychecks has expired. Paychecks should not be held in the department for more than 30 days. NOTE: Every attempt should be made to distribute paychecks. If, after 30 days, you were unable to distribute the paychecks, return them to Financial Services Customer Service.
    If you need to return paychecks to Financial Services Customer Service for one of the above reasons, attach the paychecks to a memo written on departmental letterhead to Financial Services Customer Service explaining the reason for return and listing the names of the employees whose checks are being returned. Do not write across the face of the check(s).

Missing Paychecks

  1. When the department does not receive a paycheck for an employee who is due hours for the pay cycle the Time Coordinator should perform the following checks:
    1. Review the time sheet to see if hours were reported for the employee. If the hours were not reported, the Time Reporter/Coordinator should report the hours on the time sheet. The employee will be paid on the next regular scheduled pay date.
    2. If hours were reported:
      1. Determine if the employee received a Check Pull Letter. If the employee’s paycheck was re-routed to Payroll, the employee must go to Financial Services with the necessary information as instructed on the check pull letter to obtain his or her paycheck.
      2. If the employee did not receive a Check Pull letter, contact Financial Services Customer Service at 520-621-9097 and provide the following information: Employee Name, Employee Identification Number, Department Number
    3. Payroll will determine if a paycheck was issued and provide further instructions. If it is determined that a paycheck was issued, it may be an indicator that the paycheck was routed as follows:
      1. Distributed to the employee’s home department when the employee is employed with another department on campus, OR
      2. Misrouted. The paycheck may have been included with another department's distribution. In most circumstances, all paychecks are located by Monday of the following week. 
    4. Financial Services Customer Service will consider the paycheck lost after Monday. Refer to “Lost Paychecks” procedures below.
    5. If a paycheck was not issued, Operations will research the problem and resolve with the department.

Lost Paychecks

  1. In the event that a state warrant is lost or destroyed, the employee should contact the Payroll Department immediately in order to place a stop payment on the check. The employee or Time Coordinator should call Payroll with the following information:
    1. Employee's full name
    2. Employee Identification Number
    3. Issue date of check
    4. Whether or not check has been endorsed
    5. Local address
    6. Phone number
    A Warrant Replacement Request Certification Form will be prepared by the Payroll office. The form must be signed by the employee and notarized before the stop payment goes into effect. A notary is available in Financial Services to witness and notarize the form. The Warrant Replacement Request Certification Form and notary signature are requirements of the State of Arizona.

    Once the form is signed and received by Payroll, it is faxed to the State Payroll Office in Phoenix. At this point, it will take 5 - 10 working days for the bank to process and notify Payroll when is it possible to re-issue the warrant. However, if the original warrant is found, it is not cashable. The warrant should be returned to the Payroll Office and a replacement check can be issued the following day, whether or not Payroll has received notification from the State to reissue.
  2. If the lost paycheck is recovered by the employee, the employee must return the paycheck to Financial Services Customer Service, University Services Building, room 402; PO Box 210158 Campus. If the lost paycheck is returned to Financial Services Customer Service endorsed, the employee must go to Financial Services-Customer Service to verify his or her endorsement on the check within 24 hours after notification by Financial Services Customer Service. 
  3. Off Cycle Check:
    1. Notify Payroll who will place a stop payment on the check and reissue the check. This takes approximately 48 hours.
    2. The employee picks up the replacement check from Financial Services-Customer Service with a valid photo ID and signs and dates the Check Register Log.
    Advices: Employees can obtain a copy of the advice on UAccess Employee.

Payroll Distribution of Paychecks

  1. When a department has requested payment for the employee out of the normal pay cycle, the employee must pick up their paycheck from Financial Services Customer Service. The employee must provide photo identification and the proper documentation, if required. Paychecks may be picked up between the hours of 8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.
    1. If the employee has not picked up their paycheck from Financial Services Customer Service by Tuesday pay week, the paycheck will be pulled and sent through regular payroll distribution on Friday pay week. The paycheck will no longer be available for pickup from Financial Services Customer Service.
    2. If the employee has terminated from the university and the employee has not picked up their paycheck, Financial Services Customer Service will mail the paycheck to the home address listed within UAccess Employee or the address supplied by the department at the time of termination.