Instant HR: Payroll, FLSA, premium holiday, ePAFs reminders
Dear HR colleagues,
Please share the important updates and reminders below with employees in your area.
Payroll update
VCU Payroll Services is committed to protecting employee data and providing high-quality customer service to members of the university community. Due to a recent increase in phishing and scam attempts, Payroll has changed the available options for submitting direct deposit forms. Employees may deliver the form in person or submit the form digitally using VCU Filelocker. To access the direct deposit form, email payroll@vcu.edu.
VCU Payroll will contact the employee for verification before processing the direct deposit form. Please submit the form at least seven days prior to the pay period in which the employee would like the change to take effect. We believe this is the best solution to protect employee data and ensure compliance with university standards. If you have questions, please call VCU Payroll at 828-0740 or email payroll@vcu.edu.
FLSA overtime rule change
On Sept. 24, the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) released the final rule increasing the salary threshold for white-collar exemptions to the federal overtime pay requirements under the Fair Labor Standards Act from $23,660 to $35,568. The final rule does not make any changes to the duties test. Employers must comply with the new rule by Jan. 1, 2020. At VCU, this change has a minimal staff impact and virtually no impact on teaching and research faculty.
VCU currently employs 17 individuals who make less than $35,568 across seven schools and units. VCU HR will work with the respective HR Professionals to confirm FLSA exemption status of the position(s) and then develop appropriate steps for moving forward. The Office of the Provost and the Office of the VPHS will work with schools that employ non-teaching adjuncts who do not meet the new salary threshold.
Premium holiday for health coverage
As you may know, the Commonwealth of Virginia state budget for 2019-2020 includes a premium holiday in October 2019. This means that VCU faculty, staff and former employees who participate in COVA, Kaiser, and Optima health plans will not pay any premium for October health coverage. This premium holiday for state plan participants applies to the October 16 and November 1 pay dates. Under normal circumstances, half of the monthly premium for October health coverage would be collected on each of these paychecks, however, participants who owe premiums for previous months may still see payroll deductions on October 16 and November 1 pay dates for balances due. Please keep in mind that the premium holiday does not apply to the TRICARE Supplement Plan.
ePAF reminder
When employees separate from the university or move to another position within or outside of the unit, HR associates must submit the appropriate termination ePAF to VCU Human Resources before the effective date. Timely employee separation helps to ensure proper internal controls as part of VCU’s Enterprise Risk Management Program, VCU’s Code of Conduct, and the state’s Agency Risk Management and Internal Control Standards (ARMICS). Refer to the separating checklists to document separation actions.
As always, thank you for your partnership and support.
All my best, Cathleen C. Burke Assistant Vice President for Human Resources Virginia Commonwealth University
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