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HR Memorandum 01-3:
Paycheck Distribution Guidelines

TO:                 Deans, Directors and Departmental Chairs

FROM:            Office of Human Resources Management

DATE:             December 12, 2001

SUBJECT:       PAYCHECK DISTRIBUTION GUIDELINES

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This is a policy memorandum and should be filed in your "Human Resources Memoranda" binder. It supercedes Memorandum 93-6, which was issued September 8, 1993.

Please share this information with all persons in your department who handle and distribute paychecks.

POLICY

The University at Albany is committed to maintaining appropriate control regarding the security and distribution of its resources. As a supervisor of University employees, you have accepted responsibility for implementation of, and compliance with, these policies and procedures.

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DISTRIBUTION PROCEDURE

• Departments must assign a representative to be responsible for the distribution of employee paychecks in accordance with these guidelines. Human Resources must be notified of changes in department representative.
  
  
• Employee paychecks are available for pick up by department representatives on payday at:
  
  
  • Campus Center B52 10am-11am;
  • Human Resources Management, UAB 300 (by arrangement) 8:30am-5:00pm (4pm during summer hours); or
  • by messenger to off-campus locations.
    
    
  All department representatives assigned to pick up paychecks should be prepared to show photo identification. Paychecks may not be released if photo identification can not be produced.
  
  Paychecks that have not been picked up at Campus Center B52 by 11am on payday will be returned to UAB 300. After 11am on payday an employee may pick up their paycheck individually at UAB 300 or a department representative may pick up the department's checks. In both cases, photo identification is required. Individual paychecks will not be distributed from Campus Center B52 between 10am and 11am.
  
  
• Paychecks for night employees are available after 3:00pm, in UAB 300, the day prior to payday. There is no night pick-up if the day before payday is a holiday.
  
  Office of the State Comptroller guidelines prohibit the release of any checks before 3:00pm the day prior to the date of the check.
  
  
• Department representatives should review the distribution list and checks to ensure that each employee works in your department and is entitled to receive the check (e.g. has not terminated, etc.). If there is any questions, contact Human Resources at 437-4700 immediately.
  
  
• If you receive a check for an employee not assigned to your department or for a new employee who failed to report to work and thus not entitled to the paycheck, please call Human Resouces at 437-4700 immediately.
  
  
• Paychecks must be secured in a locked desk or file when they are not being personally distributed.
  
  
• Employees must be given reasonable access to pick up their checks. Deviations from usual distribution procedures within a department should be communicated as early as possible to employees. Human Resources is available to distribute a department's checks if no one is available within a department on a particular payday.
  
  
• All employees receiving paychecks are required to sign the attached departmental list. Employees receiving deposit stubs (indicated by a D after the check number printed on the outside of the check) are not required to sign the departmental list.
  
  
• Employees who are not regularly available to pick up their paycheck or stub from the departmental secretary (e.g. adjunct faculty teaching evening courses), may request to have their paycheck or stub placed in their mailbox. This is acceptable if:
  
  
  1. the paycheck/stub is placed in a sealed envelope
     
  2. the mailroom is kept locked
     
  3. the employee has requested this distribution method in writing.
  
  In this case, write "mailbox" and the date the check was placed in the mailbox next to the employee's name on the distribution list.
  
  
• Employees may request that you mail their check or stub to their home. If you do, write the word "mail" next to the employee's name and write the address used.
  
  
• Paychecks which are not distributed by 12:00 noon the Friday following payday, must be returned to Human Resource, UAB 300 by 3:00 p.m. that day. DO NOT keep undistributed checks in your office beyond this deadline for any reason.
  
  
• If an employee loses a paycheck or if you are missing an employee paycheck, call University Payroll 437-4700 immediately. DO NOT delay. You will be given instructions.
  
  
• You are required to keep the signed departmental list in a file for at least two years. At a later date, you may be required to produce these lists as part of an internal audit. The distribution lists also provide useful information in the event of a discrepancy.