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My Pay

To ensure an accurate pay, all University of Pittsburgh employees are responsible for:

  • Providing all information required to issue accurate payments (e.g. current address, direct deposit information, tax forms, etc)
  • Reviewing your pay statements and reporting any errors to your departmental Personnel Administrator or the Payroll Department in a timely manner

The University of Pittsburgh offers employee self-service through Pitt Worx for securely viewing your payslips and making changes to your address, direct deposit, and IRS Form W-4.

Pay Schedules

Faculty, Graduate Students with Academic Appointments, Postdoctoral & Research Associates, Postdoctoral Scholars, and Predoctoral Fellows & Training Grant Recipients

The University of Pittsburgh pays Faculty, Graduate Students with Academic Appointments, Postdoctoral & Research Associates, Postdoctoral Scholars, and Predoctoral Fellows & Training Grant Recipients monthly via direct deposit on the last working day of the month.

Staff

The University of Pittsburgh pays all Staff employees via direct deposit.

Full-Time Non-Exempt Staff, Part-Time Non-Exempt Staff, Union Staff and All-Temps are paid biweekly. Non-exempt biweekly employees must submit weekly timecards through Pitt Worx. Review the appropriate reference guide for submitting a time card in Pitt Worx.

The biweekly pay schedule, deductions schedule, and compensatory and overtime payout timelines can be viewed below:

Full and Part-Time Exempt Staff are paid monthly on the last working day of the month.

The monthly pay schedule can be viewed below:

Student Employees

The University of Pittsburgh pays Student employees, including federal work study students, are paid biweekly via direct deposit. 

Students must submit weekly timecards through Pitt Worx. Review the appropriate reference guide on submitting a time card in Pitt Worx.

Viewing Your Pay Statement

Your current payslip will be available online on your scheduled pay date. Learn how to view your current and prior pay statements by visiting the employee self-service page.

For details of a payslip, please see the example biweekly payslip and example monthly payslip.

Earnings

Faculty
  • Salary: This is your monthly base salary. Faculty members paid on 8, 9, and 10 month contracts may elect to receive their pay over 12 months. However, the IRS has the following restrictions on this election. The election must be made before the start of the term, and your total annual salary must not exceed a threshold amount. Read more about 409A Salary Deferrals.
  • Overload: It is University policy to assign work on an overload basis only in the most pressing circumstances. For additional information, refer to University Policy AC 50, Payroll Base Period and Overload Pay (formerly 02-06-02).
  • Ben Credit: The monthly benefit credit for individuals enrolled in medical coverage is reflected in the employer contribution portion of the medical insurance premium. Individuals who do not elect medical coverage receive the $50 credit in their pay.  For more information, please visit the Office of Human Resources website.
  • Deferred Pay: Faculty at the University of Pittsburgh with contracts for 8, 9, or 10 month appointments may elect to have their contract salary evenly distributed over a 12-month period provided they fall within Section 409A of the Internal Revenue Code. The deferral pay is the amount that you accrued during your actual worked months, to be paid through the summer term. Read more about 409A Salary Deferrals.
  • Summer Term and Session Appointments and Payments: Summer term and session salaries are paid on a per credit basis. Read more about Summer term and session appointments schedules of payments. For additional information regarding these payments, please refer to the Faculty Handbook.

You may download our faculty pay worksheet (XLSX) for assistance with calculating salary and deferred pay amounts based on appointment length, appointment details, contract dates, and annual salary.

Staff
  • Salary: If you are paid on a salary basis, this is your monthly base salary.
  • Time Entry Wage: If you are paid hourly, this is your submitted hours and wages for that pay period(s). You will be paid on a biweekly basis.
  • Overtime 1.5:  Overtime pay in excess of over 40 hours worked per week. Paid at your hourly rate multiplied by .5
  • Comp Time Auto Pay: Pay in excess of over 37.5 to 40 hours worked per week. Paid at your hourly rate
  • Retro Salary: Salary due from a prior pay period
  • Retro Time Entry Wage: Hours due from a prior pay period.
  • Ben Credit: Individuals who do not elect medical coverage receive a benefit credit in their pay. The total credit amount is $50 per month. For more information, please visit the Office of Human Resources website.
Student Employee
  • Time Entry Wages: This is your submitted hours and wages for the pay period. Students may work 20 hours per week for the Fall and Spring Terms. Additional hours may be worked over breaks and during the Summer Term. Overtime is not permitted.
  • FWS Wages: If you are receiving Federal Work Study, this is your submitted hours and wages for the pay period. Students may work 20 hours per week for the Fall and Spring Terms. Additional hours may be worked over breaks and during the Summer Term. Overtime is not permitted.
  • Retro FWS Wages: Federal Work Study hours due from a prior pay period.
  • Retro Time Entry Wage: Hours due from a prior pay period.
Graduate Students with Academic Appointments
  • Salary: This is your monthly base salary.
  • Retro Salary: Salary due from a prior pay period
Postdoctoral Associate & Research Associate Employee
  • Salary: This is your monthly base salary.
  • Retro Salary: Salary due from a prior pay period
  • Ben Credit: The monthly benefit credit for individuals enrolled in medical coverage is reflected in the employer contribution portion of the medical insurance premium. Individuals who do not elect medical coverage receive the $50 credit in their pay.  For more information, please visit the Office of Human Resources website.
Postdoctoral Scholar
  • Post Doc Scholar: This is your monthly fellowship or grant payment.
Predoctoral Fellows & Training Grant Recipients
  • Your fellowship or training grant payment is reported to you in the Earnings section of your pay statement.

Taxable Fringe Benefits: Imputed Income General

Faculty, Staff, and Postdoctoral & Research Associate Employees: 

  • The value of non-cash awards provided to employees may be included in an employee’s compensation at the fair-market value subject to applicable taxes unless they can be excluded as a “de minimis” fringe benefit or other exception. The value of gift cards is always fully included in an employee’s compensation, regardless of the dollar amount.
  • The most common allowable IRS exclusion is the “de minimis” fringe benefit exception. In general, the IRS will consider a gift, award or prize “de minimis” if it has a small dollar value, is non-recurring, and is not cash or a cash equivalent (e.g. gift cards).

Student Employees and Graduate Students with Academic Appointments: 

  • If a student receives an award or prize in connection with services rendered to the University, the value of the award is considered wages and reported through Payroll. Awards given to students in connection with academic activities are paid through Payment Processing.

Tax Information

US tax information can be found under the US Tax Information page.
Taxation for Foreign Nationals can be found under the Global Payroll pages.

Deductions

Please note the following deduction schedule based on your University role: 

Faculty: Scheduled each month

Staff: Deductions for staff members paid monthly are scheduled each month.  Deductions for staff members paid biweekly vary in frequency. See the biweekly deductions schedule for more details.

Students: Vary in frequency for each biweekly pay.

Graduate Students with Academic Appointments: Scheduled each month

Postdoctoral and Research Associates: Scheduled each month

Please reach out to the appropriate voluntary deduction contact with any questions regarding your voluntary deductions.

Pre-Tax Deductions

Your benefit and retirement deductions are administered by the Benefits Department in Human Resources.

Individuals are responsible for reviewing the benefit deductions and retirement plan contributions on their pay statement for each benefit plan every pay period.  Contact the Benefits Department immediately if there are any discrepancies. 

Predoctoral Fellows and Trainees and Postdoctoral scholars are not eligible for pre-tax deductions. 

Health and Wellness Benefit Deduction Frequency

  • 4/4 Faculty appointments – If your appointment is Sept – December, health and welfare benefits are only deducted through December.  If your appointment is January – April, the benefit deductions are doubled to cover January – August since no deductions are made during the summer term.  If your appointment is May – August, you will be manually billed.
  • 8/8, 9/9, 10/10 Faculty appointments – Monthly benefit deductions are withheld for September – December. Double deductions are withheld for January – April to cover the January – August period since no deductions are made during the summer term.

Information about rates can be found at the Benefits Department website.

Benefit Taxation

This section only applies to Faculty, Staff, and Postdoctoral & Research Associate Employees

The University of Pittsburgh offers a wide variety of benefits to our faculty and staff. IRS section 125 allows for certain employer provided health and welfare benefits to be excluded from wages when calculating an employee’s taxable income. These excludable benefits are sometimes referred to as “cafeteria plans.” Other benefits such as parking and retirement are excluded from income based on separate IRS sections 132 and 403(b) respectively. The deductions for these benefits are subtracted from gross wages prior to taxation. They appear on the pay statement under the pre-tax deductions heading. View the pre-tax benefit deductions chart to learn more about the pre-tax benefit deductions.

After Tax Deductions

Deductions listed in this section do not reduce your taxable earnings.

Involuntary After Tax Deductions

Deductions from your pay may be mandated by a court order.  The University complies with the direction of the court for designated amounts. Deductions may be specified in detail by the court or may be based on employee disposable income after other deductions. Generally, the levies remain in effect until the court or other organization indicates that the amount due has been paid in full. The University only accepts changes or suspensions of these deductions from the entity issuing the garnishment.

Involuntary Deductions may include:

  • Domestic relations orders: Child Support Orders
  • Tax levies (federal, state or local)
  • Bankruptcy orders
  • Garnishments for educational loans, including the Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency (“PHEAA”)

Voluntary After Tax Deduction

All voluntary deductions must be authorized by you. Please reach out to the appropriate voluntary deduction contact with any questions regarding your voluntary deductions. Common voluntary deductions include:

  • Pitt internal campaign
  • Credit union contributions
  • Retirement ROTH
  • Supplemental ROTH
  • Retirement AT (After-tax)

Predoctoral Fellows and Trainees and Postdoctoral scholars are not eligible for voluntary after tax deductions listed above. For more information about Postdoc Scholars visit this training page. 

University Contributions

Faculty, Staff & Postdoctoral & Research Associate Employee

This section of your pay statement lists contributions that the University pays on your behalf as part of your benefit package. The contributions are excluded from your income.

University Paid Contributions may include:

  • Health care contribution (Gold, Advocate, Plus, Basic): University’s Employer portion of your Medical plan premiums
  • Social Security: University’s Employer 6.2% portion of your Social Security Tax Contribution
  • Medicare: University’s Employer 1.45% portion of your Medicare Tax Contribution
  • Long Term Disability: University’s Employer cost for Long Term Disability Coverage
  • Retirement (Pretax/ROTH/AT) ER: University’s Employer contribution for retirement income plans
  • Basic ADD: University’s Employer cost for Accidental Death and Dismemberment Coverage
  • Basic Life: University’s Employer cost for Life Insurance at one times your annual salary
Student Employees & Graduate Students with Academic Appointments

This section of your pay statement lists contributions that the University pays on your behalf as part of your benefit package. The contributions are excluded from your income.

University Paid Contributions may include:

  • Social Security: University’s Employer 6.2% portion of your Social Security Tax Contribution
  • Medicare: University’s Employer 1.45% portion of your Medicare Tax Contribution
Post Doctoral Scholars

This section of your pay statement lists contributions that the University pays on your behalf as part of your benefit package. For more information about University contributions for Postdoc Scholars visit this training page. 

Predoctoral Fellows & Training Grant Recipients

Payments for predoctoral fellows and trainees do not have any associated University contributions.

Frequently Asked Questions: 

Payroll Deduction FAQ's

What action should I take if I authorized a deduction and it was not taken from my earnings?

Contact the initiating department who authorized the deduction. If you are not sure who to contact, submit an inquiry to Payroll.

If an employee is paid on a biweekly basis, what deductions are taken from each paycheck?

Biweekly employees can review the biweekly deductions schedule to determine which deductions are taken from which biweekly pay(s) each month.

Direct Deposit FAQ's

When is the money credited to an account when an employee authorizes direct deposit?

Payroll deposits are made no later than the actual pay date.

Is it possible to credit part of a paycheck to a savings account and part to a checking account?

No, direct deposits must be made entirely to either a checking account or a savings account.

If I transfer to another Department within the University do I need to complete a new Direct Deposit Form?

No, direct deposit will not change as long as you are in “Active” status.

Miscellaneous FAQ's

What action should I take if I lose my paycheck?

Notify your supervisor and the Payroll Department immediately. The Payroll Department will submit a “Stop Payment” to the bank. Payroll will reissue the check after receiving the confirming stop payment notice from the bank.

If you recover the lost check after notifying the Payroll Department but before receiving a new check, do not try to cash or deposit the check. The bank will reject a check with a stop payment order.

What does the heading “Taxable Fringe Benefit” mean on my pay statement?

A taxable fringe benefit is the taxable fair market value of a non-cash award given to an employee. The amount may be included in an employee’s compensation unless the benefit can be excluded as “de minimis” or through another exception.

Is it possible to obtain a salary advance or an early release of my paycheck?

Requests for payroll advance and/or early release of paychecks prior to the normal payday will not be approved under any circumstances. If an employee is away during the normal pay date, arrangements should be made with the department administrator to forward or deposit the check.