HR 100 - Payroll Policy

Policy

It is the policy of CWI to establish processes to ensure payroll is justified, calculated, and authorized both accurately and timely in accordance with state and federal law and CWI policy. The Payroll Department, under the direction of the Vice President of Finance and Administration, issues salary and wage payments to employees. Salaries, wages, payroll taxes, and associated benefits constitute a significant portion of CWI’s overall expenditures. CWI has established payroll systems and processes to promote compliance with all applicable statutes and regulations and with its own fiscal management responsibilities and objectives.

Guidelines

Employee Classifications

All employees are classified as Exempt or Non-Exempt for purposes of complying with the FLSA. Certain employees are exempt from the overtime requirements of the FLSA because they perform work that qualifies for the professional, executive, or administrative exemption. As such, exempt employees are not eligible to receive overtime pay. Employees who are not exempt from the overtime requirements of the FLSA shall be paid overtime for hours worked in excess of forty (40) hours in the work week.

Work Hours/Schedules

The work week for all employees begins at 12:00 a.m. on Sunday of each week and concludes at 11:59 p.m. of the succeeding Saturday. Regular office work hours are 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Some departments may have extended hours to meet the needs of their students. There may be times when it is in the best interest of both the employee and CWI to arrange a flexible work schedule for an individual. The employee and their supervisor should discuss the feasibility of a flexible work schedule, document the arrangement, and seek approval from the appropriate vice president. The original documentation should then be submitted to Human Resources. It may not be possible to accommodate flexible work arrangements in some departments or for some positions.

Lunch Breaks & Rest Periods

An unpaid lunch break is required if an employee works six (6) or more hours in a day. Under normal circumstances, employees are required to take a minimum of thirty (30) minutes for a lunch break but are allowed up to one (1) hour for a lunch break. The scheduling of this break is to be determined by the department head. In addition to a lunch break, for most employees, an additional fifteen (15) minute rest period is permitted each morning and afternoon. The scheduling of these breaks will be determined by the department head and cannot be used for early release or coming in after normal starting time.

Unanticipated Absences 

CWI understands that there are times when an employee will have unanticipated absences. If it is necessary to be absent from work due to sickness or for any other personal reason, the employee must notify their supervisor before the start of their scheduled workday if possible, or as soon thereafter as possible. The supervisor must also be contacted on each additional day of absence. An employee who is out sick for three (3) or more consecutive workdays may be required to provide a physician's note to their supervisor. An employee’s failure to notify their supervisor of an absence for three (3) consecutive days will be considered a voluntary resignation.

Campus Closure Pay

Eligibility for compensation during a campus closure, when physical and remote work services are unavailable is determined by the individual’s role at CWI; however, in most cases exempt and non-exempt employees are eligible to receive closure pay. Individuals working at CWI through a Temporary Employment Agency, as an Independent Contractor, or as a Work Study Program participant, are not eligible for compensation.

In the event CWI is entirely closed for the day, all employees scheduled to work that day will receive their full salary for their normal hours worked. Employees who have scheduled vacation or other leave on a day when CWI closes must use their accrued vacation or sick leave time to receive compensation.

If the entire campus is closed for a delayed start or early release, exempt staff and faculty will be paid for the full day if they work at all on that day. In the event of a delayed start or early release, non-exempt employees will receive their full day’s pay if they arrive by the delayed start time or are working prior to the early release time. Those who arrive before the delayed start time or work beyond the early closure time will not be approved for additional pay unless they work beyond their normally scheduled hours and have their supervisor’s approval.

If a delayed start time or early release occurs during a part-time employee’s regular work time, they will receive their regular day’s pay. Not all closures are campus-wide.

Verifying Time Records

It is the responsibility of each hourly employee to properly record time that they have worked daily and/or taken as vacation, sick leave, holiday, or otherwise. Recording time for another employee or having another person record an employee’s time is prohibited. Working “off the clock,” i.e., failing to record time worked, is also prohibited. Each time sheet, electronic or paper, shall bear the signature of the employee with a statement verifying its accuracy and a counter signature by a supervisor indicating that the hours claimed were actually worked. These records shall be retained as required by CWI’s Records Retention policy consistent with state and federal law. Exempt employees are required to document time worked for accountability and benefit purposes. Any employee with concerns about their compensation, rate of pay, payroll status, deduction, etc. should communicate such concerns to their immediate supervisor or, if appropriate, the Payroll Department.

PAY SCHEDULE

Employees are paid on the 10^th and 25^th of each month. If the 10^th or 25^th falls on a weekend or holiday, the paydays are earlier. Paychecks compensate employees for work performed from the 1^st through the 15^th and the 16^th through the end of the month.

PAY DISCREPANCIES

It is the obligation of each employee to monitor the accuracy of each paycheck received. Information shown on the employee’s paycheck stub is provided for information only. Employees are obligated to call to CWI’s attention any discrepancies in payroll practices, whether to the advantage or disadvantage of the employee. If the employee has been underpaid, CWI will pay the employee the difference as soon as possible. If the employee has been paid in excess of what they have earned, the employee will need to return the overpayment to CWI as soon as possible. No employee is entitled to retain any pay in excess of the amount they have earned according to the agreed-upon rate of pay. Any pay discrepancies should be brought to the attention of the Payroll Department.

PAY DEDUCTIONS

In accordance with Idaho Code § 45-609 or its successor, no payroll deductions will be made from an employee’s paycheck unless authorized in writing by the employee or as required by law.