Payroll

Earnings, Tax, Leave, and Benefit Statements

All Universities of Wisconsin employees have access to their earnings, tax, leave, and benefits statements through the MyUW portal. Earnings statements are available on the pay date and remain on the portal for 24 months. For help with accessing your earnings statements in the MyUW Portal review Earnings Statement Help web page.

Pay Schedules

All Universities of Wisconsin employees are paid every other Thursday for the prior two week period.

The pay schedules can be accessed at the links below.

• 2022 Pay Schedule
• 2023 Pay Schedule
• 2024 Pay Schedule

The Universities of Wisconsin deducts the required federal and state taxes from an employee’s earnings:

• Social Security Tax
• Medicare Tax
• Federal Income Tax
• State Income Tax

All employees must complete a W-4 tax withholding election.

For tax resources and information on how to request a duplicate tax statement, review the Tax Statement web page.

Employees Exempt from Taxes:

• Advanced Opportunity Fellows, Fellows, Grad Interns/Trainees, Post-Doc Fellows, and Scholars/Trainees are exempt from Social Security and Medicare taxes. These employees are not exempt from federal and state income tax but the University will not withhold federal or state income tax from their earnings. Employees may be responsible for paying taxes on income when they file their tax return if they work in one of these positions. See IRS Publications 505 and IRS Publication 970 for more information.
• Universities of Wisconsin student employees are exempt from Social Security and Medicare taxes if enrolled and attending classes as a graduate or undergraduate student at the University of Wisconsin on at least a half-time basis. Half-time status is defined by each institution and is determined at the end of the add/drop period each semester. See UW System Administrative Policy 206 (formerly G18A), Student FICA Exemptions for specific rules.

Employees are eligible to have certain benefits deducted on a pre-tax basis. Having benefits deducted on a pre-tax basis reduces taxable income so less is paid in taxes. The chart below outlines how each benefit is deducted.

University Staff-Temporary employees may not have State Group Health Insurance, Uniform Dental, Supplemental Dental Insurance, Vision Insurance or State Group Life Insurance deductions on a pre-tax basis.

Employees may elect to have pre-tax deductions deducted on an a post-tax basis. Complete Section 125 Cafeteria Plan Automatic Premium Conversion Waiver/Revocation of Waiver Form (ET-2340) and submit to serviceoperations@support.wisconsin.edu.

For detailed information review the 2023 Pay Schedule or 2024 Pay Schedule.

• Health insurance, dental insurance, vision insurance, and most life insurances are deducted from the first two biweekly paychecks of the month (24 paychecks a calendar year).
  • Employees paid on an academic year (9-month) basis: Review the Summer Prepay Insurance Premiums web page for information on how insurance premiums are deducted to maintain insurance coverage during the summer.
• Flexible Spending Account (FSA) contributions are deducted from the first two biweekly paychecks of the month (24 paychecks a calendar year).
• Health Savings Account (HSA) contributions are deducted from the first two biweekly paychecks of the month (24 paychecks a calendar year). 
  • Effective January 1, 2024 for employees paid on an academic year (9-month) basis, HSA contributions will be deducted from 18 paychecks during the academic year. For employees paid on an annual year (12-month) basis HSA contributions will continue to be deducted from 24 paychecks a calendar year.
• Wisconsin Retirement System (WRS) contributions are deducted from every paycheck (typically 26 paychecks a calendar year).
• Effective January 1, 2024 the following benefit plan contributions are deducted from the first two biweekly paychecks of the month (24 paychecks a calendar year). Currently contributions for these plans are deducted from every paycheck (typically 26 paychecks a calendar year):
  • UW 403(b) Supplemental Retirement Program (SRP) contributions
  • Wisconsin Deferred Compensation (WDC) 457 Program contributions
  • WRS Additional Contributions

Essential Forms

Below are common payroll forms. Complete these forms through the MyUW portal or via paper. If completed via paper submit them to your human resources office at your institution.

• Direct Deposit
  • MyUW portal:
    • Set up Direct Deposit Tip Sheet
    • Edit or Delete Direct Deposit Tip Sheet
  • Paper:
    • Authorization for Direct Deposit of Payroll
• Employee Self-Identification and W-4 Withholding Forms
  • New Employees (paper forms):
    • Employee Self-Identification and W-4 Withholding Forms
  • Current employees (use the MyUW portal):
    • Update Federal and/or State W-4 Tip Sheet