Transition to a Biweekly Pay Cycle - Monthly Employees

No. The pay cycle transition changes the timing and frequency of pay, not your annual salary. 

Under a biweekly schedule, annual salary is divided across 26 paychecks instead of 12 monthly paychecks. 

Yes. Employees will be paid every other Friday.  Please review the Biweekly Transition Pay Schedule for upcoming payment dates.

Employees should begin preparing for the transition as early as possible.

Recommended steps include:

• Review personal budgets and monthly expenses  
• Evaluate automatic payments and bank drafts  
• Plan for the timing difference during the transition  
• Review direct deposit allocations  
• Review federal and state tax withholding elections  

Additional Tax Withholding Reminder

Because additional tax withholding elections are applied on a per-paycheck basis rather than a monthly basis, the elected amount will be withheld from every biweekly paycheck under the biweekly pay schedule.

Employees who wish to update their withholding elections should complete a new Form W-4 (federal withholding) and/or Form L-4 (state withholding), as applicable, and submit the completed form(s) to the Payroll Department.

Some deductions will be spread across 26 biweekly paychecks, while others will be withheld only twice per month. 

Generally taken every paycheck:

• Percentage-based deductions  
  • Federal and state taxes 
    • Including additional tax withholding amounts 
  • Mandatory retirement contributions 
  • Garnishments

Generally taken twice per month:

• Flat dollar deductions 
  • Health and supplemental insurance (dental, vision, etc.)
    • There may be a temporary increase due to timing difference during the transition period.
  • Voluntary deductions, including foundation and athletic contributions, as well as 403(b) and 457 retirement contributions.
    • Deduction amounts per pay cycle will be converted to biweekly deductions based on the current authorization form.
      • For example, an employee currently authorizing a $100 deduction per monthly paycheck will transition to a $50 deduction per biweekly paycheck, resulting in 24 deductions annually.
    • Any changes to the deduction amount beyond this automatic conversion will require submission of a new authorization form.  Forms are available on the Human Resources website.

Three-Paycheck Months

In months that contain three biweekly paychecks (typically occurring twice each year), certain flat-dollar deductions will not be withheld from the third paycheck.  As a result, employees may see a temporary increase in net pay during those pay periods.

No. Employees will continue to earn the same amount of leave annually. Leave will simply accrue on a biweekly basis instead of monthly.