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Payroll: Off-cycle Checks

Certain circumstances call for an interim or “off-cycle” check to be issued before the next scheduled pay date.  The off-cycle check provision is not to be used as an alternative to submitting payroll information timely.

Criteria  An off-cycle check will be processed for one of the following circumstances:

1. The employee received no money at all on the regular pay day
2. The employee is missing more than $50.00 from a biweekly check
3. The employee is missing more than $250.00 from a monthly check
4. The employee's job is being involuntarily terminated

Exclusion:     Pay for extra compensation (in addition to base pay) is not eligible to be processed on an off-cycle check, regardless of the amount.

Required Paperwork  An off-cycle check request will be considered for payment only after the following documents have been received in Payroll:

• Job documentation (PAF)
• Work authorization (proof of I-9 completion for a new hire or a rehire with a break in employment)
• Time record or other appropriate substantiation of payment needed
• Off-cycle Check Request form (either copied to the FO if submitted via email or signed by the FO if submitted on paper)

Requests  A request for an off-cycle check that meets the criteria and is submitted with all appropriate documentation to the Payroll Department by 9am of an off-cycle processing day will be included with that day's off-cycle payroll.

Processing Days The off-cycle payrolls will be processed on:

• Monday
• Thursday

Note:  An individual off-cycle payroll may be temporarily moved to another day of the week to accommodate an SMU holiday or irregular scheduled payroll processing.  Notice of such changes will be communicated to the financial officers as the affected processing day nears.

Distribution  An off-cycle paycheck will be available for pickup at the Payroll Department after 4:00 p.m. on the processing day.  The employee and/or requesting department will be notified when the off-cycle check is ready to be picked up.

* NOTE * Direct deposit is not available for off-cycle payments! 

Procedure to Request an Off-cycle Check

1.      Determine that the payment meets one of the criteria listed above

2.      Complete the Off-Cycle Check Request Form (open as “Read-Only”)

3.      Submit the Off-cycle Check Request Form to Payroll (instructions are on the form)

4.      Ensure that Payroll has all necessary pay documents (PAF, time card, work authorization) to process the payment