FAQs

What is a pay warrant?

Your paycheck is referred to as a pay warrant.  Payroll warrants are not produced on campus.  They are issued from the State Controller's Office (SCO) in Sacramento and sent via courier to University Cash Services for distribution.

How often am I paid?

Refer to the Payroll Calendar for specific dates.  Faculty and staff are paid at the end of the month. Students, hourly/intermittent, overtime, shift, stipend, and additional pay are paid by the 15th following the close of the pay period.

Where do I pick up my live pay warrants?

Live pay warrants are distributed by University Cash Services to departments.  Employees should contact their department representative to obtain information on paycheck distribution procedures for your department.

How do I sign up for, change, or cancel my direct deposit enrollment?

To submit a new or change direct deposit request, please register for Cal Employee Connect. Once registered, enable the multi-factor authentication to access the Direct Deposit request form by selecting the Employee Services tab, then select Direct Deposit and follow the prompts. Please note, you must be on campus or connected to a CSUN VPN to submit a direct deposit request. Direct Deposit enrollment takes up to two pay cycles to be in effect.

For changes, please do NOT close your old account until you confirm a successful payroll deposit to your new account.  During the change process, please note a payment may issue as a live check.

To cancel direct deposit, please immediately notify your designated payroll technician.  See Roster Contact Listing.

When will my direct deposit be posted to my account?

Monthly salary employees need to refer to Direct Deposit Posting Dates.

Positive pay and special payment employees will see funds posted to their account by the 15th of the following month.

Why do some employees on Direct Deposit have their money earlier than others?

Some institutions post funds to accounts at the beginning of the bank business day, this is not a universal practice. Other institutions post funds in the afternoon instead of the morning.  It is strongly recommended that you check with your financial institution to determine when your funds will be available.

How long is my live pay warrant valid?

Pay warrants are valid for one year from the date of issue. When you receive a check, you should cash or deposit it as soon as possible.

I’ve lost or damaged my live pay warrant. What should I do?

Contact your designated payroll technician immediately. Please note that it takes three to four weeks for the State Controller's Office to re-issue a lost or destroyed warrant.

How can I obtain a duplicate W-2?

You can view and download a free copy of your W-2 through Cal Employee Connect. Once signed in, enable the paperless option, then select the W-2 tab to view and download your W-2!

Why do I have retirement contributions deducted from my paycheck?

Unless excluded (student employees), employees are required to contribute to retirement:

• CalPERS (if they meet membership eligibility criteria)
• Part-Time Seasonal Temporary (PST) Employees Retirement Program (if they are not covered by CalPERS)

How do I request a refund of the retirement contributions I made to the Part-Time, Seasonal, Temporary (PST) Retirement Plan?

You are eligible for a distribution after you separate from all State employment after 90 days. For more information on withdrawing your contributions, please see PST FAQ or contact the Savings Plus Program at (855) 616-4776.

How do I update my tax withholding?

You can make changes to your tax withholding through Cal Employee Connect.  Please note changes apply on the next applicable pay period, subject to payroll deadlines.

What are the deductions I see on my paycheck and how can I change them?

Mandatory payroll deductions:

• Federal & State Taxes – Automatically withheld according to your tax withholding status.
• FICA Payroll Taxes (unless excluded) – See What is FICA?
          Medicare Tax – 1.45% (if applicable).
          Social Security Tax – 6.2% (if applicable) up to an annual maximum of $176,100 (2025).
• Retirement Contributions – Based on your contract (if applicable).
• Flex-Admin Fee – Applies when an employee contributes to their health premium. The State Controller’s Office (SCO) charges a $0.17 administrative fee for forwarding payments to insurance carriers.

Voluntary payroll deductions:

• Insurance Premiums
• Membership Dues - Union Membership Dues, Student Recreation Center Membership, etc
• University-Affiliated Charitable Contributions
• Parking Fees – Contact Parking Services to obtain a permit and manage deductions.

For any change or cancellation to voluntary deductions, reach out to your third-party provider.

How can I estimate my net pay?

You can utilize Paycheck Calculator (Beta) tool on Cal Employee Connect.  View your most recent pay stub by selecting the Earnings tab and select any earnings statement; the Paycheck Calculator Beta link should be located toward the top of the page.

How will I be paid?

Academic-year faculty employees are paid based on the academic calendar.  Academic days are noted in color in the University Payroll Calendar.  This group includes tenured professors, lecturers, and teaching associates.  Payments are issued based on the academic pay plan, which consists of six payments each semester, or twelve payments for the academic year. 

Payments and final settlement are subject to adjustments if any of the following cases occur:

• Late start
• Docks
• Early separation
• Mid-month/semester time base change
• Leave of absences

See the Academic Year (AY) Faculty and AY Teaching Associate Pay Warrant Distribution Schedule.

How do I report time off?

Academic-year faculty employees accrue up to 8 hours sick leave each pay period (prorated for part-time) and are entitled to one Personal Holiday per calendar year. 

Absences covered by sick leave are reported for each academic day not worked, regardless of whether or not the faculty member had class assignments or office hours.  Full-time faculty members would report eight hours of sick leave each day.  Part-time faculty members would report a prorated amount (time base x 8 = daily hours, report to the hundredth place, no rounding).  For example, a part-time faculty member that teaches 5 units would report (5/15 x 8 = 2.66 hours per day).

Absences not covered by sick leave may be covered by Personal Holiday or dock.

See Policy on Reporting of Sick Leave for Faculty.

Twelve-Month:

How will I be paid?

These faculty employees are paid based on the state pay calendar as opposed to the academic calendar.  This group may include certain tenured professors, department chairs, and graduate assistants.

How do I report time off?

Twelve-month faculty earn both sick and vacation and report absences in accordance with the state pay calendar.

NOTE: After one full year of employment, a faculty member shall take at least 40 hours of vacation each calendar year.  Any part of the 40 hours not taken during the calendar year will be forfeited as of January 1 of the subsequent year.

How will I be paid?

Pay is issued by the 15th of the following month, provided your time reporting is submitted and approved on time.

How do I report my time & attendance?

Those who self-report must only report time worked after the work has been performed.  Advance time entry is not allowed. 

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Why do I have extra deductions taken from my paycheck during the summer?

During the academic year, most students are enrolled at least half-time, making them exempt from certain payroll taxes like retirement.  During the summer, students not be enrolled or enrolled below half-time are subject to certain payroll taxes.  In these cases, a retirement deduction of 7.5% from gross wages (Part-Time, Seasonal & Temporary (PST) Employees Retirement program) as well as a Medicare deduction of 1.45% from gross wages are taken.

A refund request of retirement deductions cannot be made until an employee is fully separated from all State of California employment.

See What is PST? And FAQs (SavingsPlus website)