Frequently Asked Questions - Off-Cycle / Final Pay

An Off-Cycle check is any payment that is not paid on the employee’s regular “on-cycle” pay cycle (either monthly or biweekly). This payment can be necessary when employees miss a significant amount of pay (e.g., missed time card, incorrect hours). Though the processing frequency is still being finalized, off-cycle pay will most likely be processed 2-3 times a week, and the employee will be paid with their regular payment method (direct deposit vs. paper check). This process will be different from a “Rush Check."

Amounts can be submitted in hours, flat dollar amounts, or percentages, depending on what is appropriate for the employee type and earn code. For example, to submit regular pay (earn code REG) for monthly exempt employees, you can enter a salary % value.

However, the same REG pay for biweekly employees would be entered using hours.

Since there is no Rush Check form, submit the request using the Off-Cycle Pay Form. After that transaction is submitted for approval, submit a separate request to UC Path Center to indicate there’s an Off-Cycle request submitted that is a rush, and needs to be processed.

In UCPath, Off-Cycle checks will default to the regular method of payment the employee has chosen. If the employee has already signed up for direct deposit, the payment will be directly deposited. 

Merit Increases are a data change a department would make in the PayPath template, using Merit Increase as an action reason. UCPath will automatically generate the pay differential and include that retro pay on the next On-Cycle issue. No other form needs to be generated (for example, Additional Pay). However, there are positions with Earn Codes that are not eligible for Merit Increases.*

*If an employee has additional compensation based on a % of salary, and the earn code for that action is not eligible for retroactive pay, then the initiator would have to submit an additional pay request for the difference owed on the ineligible earn code.

Overtime would be recorded in CalTime which will feed payroll at UCPC for payment processing. If an employee’s status (non-exempt) allows OT, the OT will be paid.

Yes, retro-active hours can be processed for BYA/BYN employees in an Off-Cycle Pay form. 

Bonuses should be submitted as a One-Time Pay using the One-Time Pay form and will be paid on their regular pay cycle. Since bonuses are generally paid on cycle, please refer to your department/regions policies for more information about Off-Cycle Pay. 

As we transition to UCPath, some earn codes will be changed to meet UCOP guidelines. 

CIA will change to “CNB” Coach Non-Base pay. 

On the Off-Cycle form, the earn code options available will be defined by the employees’ pay group.  As we go live, a job aid will be available that describes and lists earn codes. 

Yes

All pay should be paid on a regular cycle whenever possible. Off-Cycle pay is often used in sensitive situations.  Refer to your department/regions policies for more information. 

On the left side of the Off-Cycle form, all current Off-Cycle pay requests, approved, denied, or pending will be available for view. 

UCPath Center will provide payroll calendars, which will list the deadlines for Off-Cycle Pay. Requests must be submitted and approved by the listed deadlines in order to be processed. As we go live, UCPath Center calendars will be published. 

The Home Campus will pay the employee for all work at all locations. The “home/primary” campus for the employee must be determined. If Berkeley is not the Home Campus and an MLA employee is owed pay, then you must contact the Home Campus on behalf of the employee to schedule the payment.

If Berkeley is the Home Campus, Off Cycle/Final Pay is processed per regular steps. 

Yes, a chartstring can be overridden by checking the check box, and a new chartstring can be used. 

The process depends on whether or not an employee has been paid for services prior to signing the Oath. 

When an employee has been paid for services prior to signing the Oath:

• Submit an Inquiry with the subject "Damage Payment"

1. Provide pay period(s) that need to be reversed
2. Provide damage payment amount that should be paid (this should be in hourly increments)

• The UCPath Center will reverse the affected pay period(s) and generate the damage payment (DMG) via the off-cycle process. Any accrued vacation will be paid out to the employee.

When an employee has NOT been paid for services prior to signing the Oath:

• Submit a Payroll Request (E-087) for an off-cycle check.

1. Provide comments that indicate that this is a Damage Payment (DMG)
2. Provide Damage Payment amount to include hours by pay period, vacation, and any legally required benefits

• The UCPath Center will process the Damage Payment.

If the employee is leaving at the end of their natural pay period, then a Final Pay request needs to be submitted only if the employee has vacation/accruals that need to be paid out. 

A Final pay request must be submitted if the employee has accruals and is owed those accrual hours. In addition, a Final Pay request must be submitted if the termination occurs in the middle of a pay period.

If there are no hours worked and no accruals exist in the current pay period in which the employee terminates, no Final Pay needs to be submitted- the pay will be naturally generated (and no further pay will be issued). 

Yes, a chartstring/s can be added (or adjusted as desired) in UCPath for all employees.

Rows listing hours and a corresponding chartstring can be added one at a time. 

The default chartstring is automatically applied in all rows; by checking the override box, blank chartstring fields will appear and the desired chartstring can now be entered.

The Off-Cycle pay request will default to charge the employee’s pre-defined positions’ funding/chartstring(s). 

If the employee and Job Record are the same, multiple Off-Cycle Requests for pay can be combined into one request. By clicking the + sign, multiple earn codes can be added, with specific beginning and end dates in new rows (as many as are needed).  There is no limit to the number of rows that can be added to an instance of an Off-Cycle request.

An Off-Cycle request form must be submitted separately for each job record as needed.