Payroll

This page includes general information about your pay dates, amounts that may be withheld or deducted from your pay check, and tax information for citizens and non-U.S. citizens. For tax forms, brochures and extensive information, visit the IRS and Wisconsin Department of Revenue web sites.

For more information about rates of pay for unclassified staff, including graduate assistants, see: Unclassified Personnel Guideline #4.

Rates of pay for classified staff are determined by the applicable collective bargaining agreement, if any, or by the non-represented employee compensation plan adopted by the Office of State Employment Relations (OSER). These documents as well as others are on the OSER web site.  

Calculate the value of your total compensation (competitive salary, comprehensive health coverage and employer paid retirement contributions) by entering requested information into the Total Compensation Estimator.  

Pay check distribution

Classified employees (are paid every two weeks with deposits distributed on the second Thursday of a two-week pay period. New classified employees will receive their first paycheck during their second pay-period on the job.

Time sheets are due in the Human Resources Office by noon on Monday following the completion of the pay period.

Unclassified employees are paid monthly with paychecks distributed the first of each month. If the first falls on a holiday or weekend, payment is made the Friday before. The only exception to this is the January 1st paycheck which cannot be distributed early and will be payable on the 2nd. Any additions, changes or updates must be received in Human Resources by the 15th of each month to allow adequate time for processing and ensure payment on the next month's payroll.

  • Salaries for annual appointments are paid in 12 equal installments.
  • Salaries for academic-year appointments are paid in nine equal installments, the first on October 1 and the final on June 1. Any insurance plan for which the employee has a premium is tripe deducted from the June 1 check to pay for coverage over the summer months if employment is continuing in August.
  • Salaries for summer session contracts are paid in full on August 1 if all of the work has been completed prior to August 1. If some of the work is completed after August 1, the whole contract is split and payments are made in two equal installments on August 1 and September 1.
  • Overload payments are for work of an unusual, short-term and non-recurring nature, providing services in a different position. Wisconsin state statute places a $12,000 limit on the amount a full-time employee may earn in a calendar year from a single source. UW Stout represents a single source.

A leave report must be submitted each month, regardless of whether any leave was taken. Failure to submit leave reports on a timely basis will result in a reduction to your sick leave accrual. Regent policy requires that you provide medical certification for sick leave used for more than five consecutive full work days, except when the use of sick leave is authorized in advance. Sick leave must be reported for absences during a designated 40-hour week. If no week is designated, it defaults

to the standard state work week. It is important to note this "standard work week" exists only for the purpose of reporting sick leave. Refer to www.uwsa.edu/hr/benefits/leave/40hrweekrationale.pdf for more detailed information.

W-2 Statements

W-2 Statements indicating your total earnings and taxable earnings from the university are distributed in January via U.S. Mail. These statements show total deductions for Federal, State and FICA (Social Security and Medicare) taxes as well as Tax Shelter Annuities, Employee Reimbursement Accounts and taxable benefits.

Mandatory Deductions

State and Federal Income Tax based on exemptions claimed is withheld from employee paychecks. It is therefore necessary for each employee to complete a W-4 form indicating the number of exemptions claimed. The number of exemptions may be changed at any time by filing a new W-4 form with the Human Resources Office. The Social Security/Medicare deduction is mandatory and is taken at the rate established by the Social Security Administration each calendar year. Your employer (State of Wisconsin) contributes an amount equal to your deduction to your Social Security account.

Most unclassified personnel and all classified personnel are included under the Wisconsin Retirement System. The State deposits the required WRS contribution to each employee's WRS account. Information on retirement is available in the Human Resources Office.

Optional Payroll Deductions

A wide variety of optional payroll deductions are also available. Examples include:

Information on deductions is available in the Human Resources Office.