Payroll System Changes

Significant Changes to Life Insurance Coverages

The insurance values associated with Part C and Part D of the HCA life insurance program have been merged, and renamed "Employee Supplemental," for over 2,700 employees at WSU. The following have been updated as a result of these required changes:

Rename elements in payroll calc and update data dictionaries
Change view/input screens QPMT, QEB, MEB
Change employee view of life insurance enrollment data in ZZUSIS and Web PBS
Change description and money display format on paychecks and online earnings statements
Change description and money display on microfiche earnings statements
Change description and  amount on Payroll Audit Rept (PAR) hardcopy and microfiche
Change Vsam dump and maps
Update paycycle feed of payment data  to HCA
Update payroll calc report of life insurance activity and other report writer programs
Change payroll calc logic to use combined C and D life
One-time conversion program merging C and D life

New State Minimum Wage

The State hourly minimum rate of pay for those age 16 and older has been increased from $8.67 to $9.04 effective 1/1/2012. The increase affects 2,787 employees and 3,179 positions. For a history of minimum wages click here:

http://www.lni.wa.gov/WorkplaceRights/Wages/Minimum/History/default.asp

New Medical Aid Rates

The Department of Labor and Industries has changed the rate of payroll deduction from .08860 to .07685 and changed the contribution rate from .21130 to .18395 effective January 1, 2012.  The minimum monthly deduction for an employee who works 160 hours in the month has changed from $33.81 to $29.43.

New Life & LTD Insurance Premiums

The new rates for Life and Long Term Disability Insurance have been implemented as provided by the Health Care Authority. To view the premium tables click here:

http://www.pebb.hca.wa.gov/rates_life.html
http://www.pebb.hca.wa.gov/rates_ltd.html

Federal Health & Life Insurance Rates

New premiums and a new health plan have been updated to the Federal Health Plan Table.

Qualified Tuition Reductions

One-ninth the semester value for Qualified Tuition Reduction (QTR’s) have been processed this pay cycle. The full value is $4,544.00 divided by 9 = $504.89 per pay cycle. QTR’s cannot be charged to State funds. QTR’s are contributions paid by the department. The cost of the QTR is shown in the contributions portion of the QPREXP conversation in HEPPS/DEPPS Inquiry. 308 QTR’s were processed.

Graduate Health Insurance

One-ninth the semester value for Graduate Health Insurance (GTN 251) has been processed this pay cycle. Like QTR’s the contribution for Graduate Health is shown in the contributions portion of the QPREXP conversation of HEPPS/DEPPS Inquiry. The full value is $740.00 divided by 9 = $82.23 per pay cycle. Graduate Health contributions were processed for 1,552 graduate assistants on appointments of 50% or greater.

Spring Work Study Limits

The 2012 Spring Semester Work Study limits from Financial Aid have been updated in the Payroll System affecting 1,095 students.

2011 W-2 Forms

IT has completed the printing of the W-2 Forms and Mailing Services should have them in the mail the week of January 20th.  The on-line version of the W-2 Form was made available January 17, 2012.

Retiree Life Insurance Premiums

The life insurance rates for 5 individuals on the retiree life plan GTN 051 has changed from $2.19 to $6.57 a month.

Benefit Override Table

Install benefit override accounts for County Agreements for Calendar Year 2012 and remove prior year accounts.

Supplemental Benefit Fund

Effective 1/1/2012 higher education institutions in the state of Washington must report and pay .25 of the total higher education retirement plan salaries to the Department of Retirement Systems per ESHB 1981. A new report now generates the earnings amount based on the retirement object and subobject used on the period payroll. WSU is required to pay this fee for the next 2 years. Funding of fee has yet to be determined at WSU.

Please contact Alice Smethurst at (509) 335-1277 or alice@wsu.edu if there are any questions.