Where is my paycheck?
All faculty, staff, and graduate students must have their paychecks or direct deposit advices sent to their department. Tempoary employees can elect to have their paychecks sent to their local home address, permanent home address, the department, or to the Evanston or Chicago Bursar.
Also, every pay period there are checks held in the payroll office because the employee has not completed some piece of paperwork. A listing of all these checks is sent out to the department administrators before the pay day to let them know. The most common reasons for checks to be held are a missing I-9 (proof of eligibility to work in US), missing I-9 and nonresident paperwork, and missing work-study authorization form (required for work-study students).
How do I get a replacement for a lost paycheck?
If you haven't received a paycheck after checking where it should have been delivered or have lost a check, you need to call the payroll office and request a replacement. Replacement checks typically take 2 to 4 days for the stop payment to be placed on the original check and a new check to be issued.
I just started at Northwestern. What forms does payroll need from me?
Payroll needs to have a valid I-9 completed within 3 days of being hired as well as a personal data form if these haven't already been completed. You can find these forms on our personal payroll information page and also the W4 tax forms on our personal tax information page.
When do I get paid?
All faculty, exempt staff, and graduate students get paid on the last day of every month. All biweekly staff and temporary employees get paid biweekly. Biweekly staff are paid on the Friday following the end of the pay period while temporary employees are paid on the Friday 13 days after the end of their pay period.
If I sign up for direct deposit, how soon does it take effect?
If you sign up for direct deposit using our self service web site, it will take effect immediately. If you use the paper form, it will take up to a week for processing.
(We process the payroll about 4 or 5 days before the pay day to ensure timely deposit through the banking system and timely printing and delivery of checks and direct deposit statements.)
How do I change my direct deposit in self-service when it won't let me delete my account (must have balance row)?
You are required to have a primary account (balance account) for your direct deposit. If you are wanting to change this account, instead of deleting that account you should type over the account number and bank routing number.
How do I tell payroll that my address has changed?
Please use the self service web site if you are an active employee. If you are no longer active and have left the university, please use a personal data form. Please keep in mind that we do not have access to address updates in Caesar (student system).
I can't find my W-2 or 1042-S. How do I get another copy?
Call the payroll office at 847-491-7362 (Evanston campus) or 312-503-9700 (Chicago campus) or email us at payroll@northwestern.edu.
I am a graduate student; how do I get my Social Security and Medicare (FICA) tax refunded due to my late school enrollment?
To receive a refund of Social Security and Medicare tax taken from your monthly check due to late enrollment, you must send the payroll office a copy of both your check stub showing the tax was withheld and also a copy of your schedule or other proof of full-time student status. Your tax will then be refunded in a separate payment within 30 days.
I am a graduate student receiving a stipend from a scholarship/fellowship payment. How do I get federal and state tax to be withheld?
If you are receiving a stipend from a scholarship/fellowship payment, these wages are not reported on form W2 and are not used to calculate federal and state taxes to be withheld despite their taxability. You will need to complete a federal and state W2 listing exactly how much tax you want to be withheld in the additional withholding field. More details and the tax forms are on our personal tax information page. You will not want to forget to change your W4s back to zero additional withholding if your position changes to a graduate assistant.
If I sign up for pretax transit, when do I need to submit the form and when do I get my CTA Chicago Card Plus or RTA transit check?
All forms should be submitted by the 5th of the month. Faculty and staff who submit applications for RTA transit checks (for Metra) that are received by the 5th of the month will have a deduction that month and will receive the transit check by the end of that month. Faculty and staff who submit applications for CTA Chicago Card Plus by the 5th of the month will have their first deduction in the following month receiving their Chicago Card Plus by the end of that month with the deduction value loaded by the end of that month.
How do I get payroll to change my name?
You need to complete a personal data form and attach to it a copy of your new Social Security Card. Your name in payroll must match your Social Security Card.
What is the Kronos web address?
The Kronos URL is https://www-kronos.itcs.northwestern.edu/wfc/logon and can is included with all reminder emails. At this time, MAC users should use the following URL to access Kronos: https://www-kronos.itcs.northwestern.edu/wfc/applications/wtk/html/ess/logon.jsp.
Why can't I get the Kronos web site to come up?
Kronos can only be accessed on campus but not the dorms. Otherwise you need to download VPN from http://www.tss.northwestern.edu/vpn/.
When does my employee get access to Kronos?
Personal data forms hiring temporary employees should be faxed to 1-3733 (Evanston campus) or 3-9702 (Chicago campus) on their first day of work. We hire them same day so that the employee can access Kronos the next day.
Paperwork for biweekly staff is usually sent to Payroll on their first day or earlier, and we enter it same day so that the employee can access Kronos right away.
Why can't I log in?
1. You should be using your NetID and password. This is the same NetID that you use for NU webmail, Caesar, Meeting Maker, and other university systems. If you are a new hire, your department NetID coordinator will receive an email with your NetID.
2. If you still have problems using your NetID and password, go to http://www.it.northwestern.edu/netid/overview.html where you can test your NetID and password. If you still have problems with your NetID and password, call IT at 1-4357 to have it reset.
What web browser should I be using?
Please verify that your current browser is at least:
• Internet Explorer 6.0 or higher
• Firefox 3.0 or higher .
What should I do if my supervisor isn't here to approve my timesheet? Will I get paid?
You will still be paid. All hours that are entered on a time sheet will be paid even if not approved. We will follow up with the supervisor later for manual paper approvals if the supervisor's backup doesn't approve.
I have more than one job; how do I know which timesheet to enter my hours on?
With Kronos, you will only have multiple timesheets for each pay period, if you have more than one job.
Log in to Kronos. You will first see a summary time sheet of your hours from all of your jobs which you cannot edit.
Click "My Links" at the top and then "Select Other Job Timecard". You can now select the right job from the drop down menu which has lots of information to help you know which one to select.
How do I charge hours to a different chart string?
Only overtime (hours above the scheduled hours) for biweekly staff can be charged to a different chart string. The Work Hours field for the day on which you worked overtime should only include those hours that must be charged to your regular chart string.
Click the plus sign to add another row for the week with the overtime in order to select for a different paycode.
In the new row, select the paycode “SOA” (Straight Time – Other Account) or “POA” (Premium Time – Other Account) depending on whether they have more than 40 hours worked and/or holiday hours for that week and enter the appropriate hours. Move to the Transfer column and enter the chart string (fund, financial department, and project (if applicable)) all run together without spaces or dashes.
What do I do if I forgot to submit my hours or need to make a change to a prior pay period?
Only the supervisor can enter any hours or corrections for prior pay periods.
1. The supervisor pulls up a time sheet for the employee and chooses the correct time period (Previous Period or use Range of Dates to select the correct period).
2. The supervisor clicks Amount and then selects Add Historical with Retroactive Pay Calculation
3. A pop up window opens with a copy of the time sheet which is editable where they can record any hours or make any changes which are needed.
4.
The supervisor clicks Calculate Differences when done. They will be taken to a different window where it will summarize the differences in the time sheet with the new hours to be paid or taken back. This is the place where the supervisor can also make any comments/notes by clicking the down arrow under comments which would be required if entering FUL or SKF.
5. After clicking the Save button, they are done. They should now click the Action menu and select Refresh in order to see the changes made.
NOTE: If it is necessary for your employee to be paid even before the next adjustment run, your department may request a manual check after they have entered the hours by emailing the Time Entry Helpdesk including a chart string to charge. The cost of the manual check will be $45.00.
When will any late hours entered as an historical edit by my supervisor get paid?
Any late hours after the pay period has been closed must be entered by a supervisor as an historical edit. These hours are paid out based on when the historical edit was entered. If they are entered in the first week of the new pay period, they should be paid out in the next week’s adjustment payroll which usually has a pay date 6 days after the regular pay date. If the hours are entered in the second week of the new pay period, they will be paid with the next regular payroll. On some occasions there may not be an adjustment payroll scheduled in which case the hours entered in the first week of the new pay period are paid out on the next regular payroll. The department can also request a paper check be prepared right away and provide a chart string for the $45 fee.
Why can't I seem to enter the hours when I have the time sheet pulled up in front of me?
If you see a tab at the bottom saying "Sign-Offs, Requests, & Approvals", click on this and see if your supervisor has already approved your time sheet. If so, contact your supervisor. If it is past the deadline for supervisors (usually every other Monday at 2:00pm), you are too late and must have your supervisor enter your others for you as an historical edit.
Otherwise, you may have multiple jobs set up in Kronos if you either have more than one job, or an old job has not yet been terminated. Click "My Links" at the top and then click "Select Other Job Timecard". You can now pick which job is correct based on what is displayed. You will not have the "Select Other Job Timecard" link if you do not have multiple jobs.
How do I approve a time sheet as the supervisor?
When you log into Kronos as a supervisor, you should see the full list of employees who you have access to sorted by supervisor. You can either approve from this list or from within the time sheet itself where all of the details are. To approve from here, you can click to select someone to approve (or use the control key or shift key to select multiple people) and then click "Approvals" and "Approve". Otherwise, double click on a person to see the time sheet and possibly edit it. Then click "Approvals" and "Approve".
When must my time sheet be entered and approved by?
Employee approvals by 5pm Fridays, supervisors by 2pm Mondays.
I am a supervisor; why do I get so many emails reminding me to approve timesheets?
All supervisors and backup supervisors are sent a reminder email on Fridays if they have any employees that they are the supervisor or backup supervisor on that payroll. The email reminders sent out on Monday mornings are only sent to supervisors if an employee that you supervise or are set up as the backup supervisor has unapproved hours.
What do I do if I get an error regarding Java or prompted to install Java?
You should see a prompt such as a line along the top of your browser or a pop up window asking your to install Java. You need to choose to run the Java add-on. See your department's IT support person if you have difficulty.
How do I get to my time sheet?
As soon as you sign in to Kronos, most people will see their time sheet. If you have multiple jobs, you may not be able to edit this time sheet which is a summary of all of your hours but need to click "My Links" and "Select Other Job Timecard". If you are a supervisor, you need to click "My Information" at the top and then "My Timecard".
Do I as the employee need to approve my time sheet?
It is always best that you approve your time sheet. This way your supervisor knows that you are done entering your hours so that they can approve.
Why does the row that I insert by clicking the plus sign in order to use a different pay code disappear right away?
You need to immediately select a new pay code after inserting a new row before entering the hours.
Why won't Kronos let me enter my absence hours yesterday? What do I do if I don't have enough sick or other accrual hours?
You will get an error message if you try to record more sick or other accrual hours than you have available to use. You should enter the number of hours which you have available instead. Any shortage than what you were scheduled to work that day should be recorded as either UXA or EXA with the approval of your supervisor.
Why do I see two rows for Hours Worked for one week in my time sheet?
If you are in a group which has prepopulated time sheets where you only record exceptions, your prepopulated hours from your schedule will appear in a purple font, and any entries that you enter manually will be listed on a separate row which is black.
How do I add a note or comment to my time sheet?
Click on the hours for the day that you want to record a note. Now click on “Comment” and then “Add Comment”. Click on the text and then write your notes in the “Note” box and click OK. You will now see what looks like a little “post-it” by the hours for that day and a tab near the bottom called “Comments” where you can review what was entered.
Why do some time sheets have UXA (unexcused absence) hours added after the time sheet has been approved?
If an employee does not have enough hours on their time sheet to reflect all of their hours which were scheduled for the week, we assign UXA for the unexcused absence hours. The supervisor can run the genie "Scheduled Versus Worked Hours" to find these people and resolve them yourselves with either accruals or EXA for excused unpaid absence hours.
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