Frequently Asked Questions
Personal Information
A: All employees should complete the following two forms and send or deliver them to the Payroll Office:
1) Employee Personal Information Change form (click here for Word format).
2) Residency Certification from (click her for PDF format).
A: Timesheets are generally due to your supervisor for approval one business day after the end of the pay period. Your supervisor then has one day to approve.
Administrative leave reports are due on the fifth business day after the end of the month.
Other paperwork, for payroll changes, additional compensation, etc. are due at least two weeks prior the pay date for which you want to make the change. Specific deadlines may vary.
Click here for the official deadline policy (PDF), an attachment within the "Payroll Time and Leave Reporting Policy" found on Policy Central.
A: Please refer to the W-2 (Payroll) vs. 1099 (Accounts Payable) Payment and Classification Guide (pdf).
A: Employees submit their time sheets using the online application in Employee Self-Service. Instructions for both the employee and the supervisor can be found here. (Information for student employees can be found here.)
If a submission deadline is missed, then a paper sheet must be submitted. Instructions are also listed on the page above.
A: Click here for the policy for paid holidays and planned closures. A chart that highlights how to record hours for essential and non-essential employees can be found here. And see the Holiday Schedule to view our College-approved holidays.
A: Click here to view the college policy. A chart that highlights how to record hours for essential and non-essential employees can be found here.
Pay Stubs
Employee Self-Service
Taxes
A: This is a $52 annual tax paid to the district in which you reside. A small amount will deducted from each paycheck over the course of the entire year. For additional information, click here.
A: Statements must be mailed on or before January 31. The Payroll Office usually mails them out the last week in January. You may be able to download a copy a few days earlier than you receive it in the mail. For additional information, click here.
A: The Messiah University academic Business Department (not the payroll office) is partnering with the United Way of the Capital Region and offering employees, students and the community two free tax services, MyFreeTaxes.com and VITA (Volunteer Income Tax Assistance). Click here for details on these free services (www.messiah.edu/vita). Additional information may be available at 717-766-1800 ext. 7300.
A: In 2018: Click here for the brief payroll memo about changes (pdf). The federal government passed what is known as "The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act," which will reduce federal income taxes for most employees.
A: In 2013: Click here for the brief payroll memo about changes (pdf). The social security tax will return to the level it was prior to its reduction a couple of years ago. This will increase your social security tax by 2% of your gross wages.
A: In 2012: Click here for information about local tax changes for 2012 (pdf).
A: For More Information: Visit the federal, state, local and city government websites for details about tax laws. You can find links to these government web sites in the "links" page using the menu at the top of this page.
A: Complete a new W-4 form. Click here to go to the payroll forms page where you can find the current W-4 form.
A: IRS Publication 505 explains federal income tax withholdings in detail. It contains a flow chart which can be used to help you determine if you are eligible for a withholdings exemption.
Click here to download the complete Publication 505 (pdf, 45 pages, 830 KB).
Child Labor Law
A: Summary Information: The Payroll Office has downloaded a few summary pages of the Pennsylvania (PA) Child and Labor laws. Here are some links.
- Abstract of the PA Child Labor Law (pdf)
- FAQ of the PA Child Labor Law (pdf)
- Detailed PA Child Labor Law (Act of 1915, P.L. 286, No. 177) (pdf)
- YouthRules! website with FAQ (US Department of Labor)
- Form to post at the worksite where minors are working (pdf)
A: Detailed Information: Complete, detailed information can be found on the Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry website.
- PA Dept. of Labor & Industry website