SUNY New Paltz News Pulse: Feature Story

Department’s knowledge of numbers pays off

The offices of the Payroll staff – (left to right) Martha Trainor (manager),
Dorothy Parant, Patricia Stewart, Cheryl Berryann, Karen Stickles and
Annette Weeden – moved from the second to the third floor in the
Haggerty Administration Building in November 2006 as part of a joint renovation
and relocation project with Human Resources.

The Payroll Office has the tools that ensure that approximately 2,700 regular and student campus employees are paid for their hard work on time.

Martha Trainor (Payroll Manager), Cheryl Berryann
(Calculation Clerk I), Dorothy Parant, Karen Stickles and Patricia Stewart (Calculation Clerks 2) and Annette Weeden (Keyboard
Specialist) are responsible for processing the appointment
paperwork that results in employees receiving their paychecks every two weeks. But, they don’t print the checks. The Payroll staff
doesn’t see the checks once the paperwork has been submitted
to the state payroll system.

The Payroll calendar is always two weeks ahead to meet state payroll deadlines. When an employee receives their paycheck, Payroll is already at work on the next pay period.

The office is responsible for processing five payrolls that include salaried and hourly paid employees, faculty and students, full- and part-time employees.

“If something goes wrong and we don’t go the extra mile to resolve it, then people don’t get their money,” said Trainor.

She said her staff is dedicated to making sure everyone on campus receives their paychecks on time and for the correct amount.

“And they do it with a smile,” she said.

Some of the paperwork involved in maintaining five payrolls includes time sheets, direct deposit forms and tax forms. Each employee bargaining unit has its own schedule and rules to follow.

Employees working for the Civil Service Employees Association (CSEA), the United University Professionals (UUP), Public Employees Federation (PEF), Security Services (C82 and New York State Correctional Officer and Police Benevolent Association), Management Confidential (MC), the Research Foundation, as well as students working as graduate
or teaching assistants, student assistants, and for Work Study, are handled through the Payroll Office, located on the third floor of the Haggerty Administration Building. The Payroll staff does not process
the Campus Auxiliary Services Payroll.

Trainor says there are some misconceptions as to what services Payroll staff can offer college employees.

While the staff does process tax forms, they cannot give employees tax advice. She says it is a conflict of interest for employers to tell employees what to do with their taxes. Her response to this frequently
asked question is “consult with a tax advisor.”

And, even though items like health insurance and retirement benefits appear on an employee’s paycheck, Payroll is not responsible for benefits. The office receives this information from the Human Resources Department.

The Payroll staff never sees an employee’s paycheck once the appropriate information has been submitted to SUNY Administration and the state comptroller’s office in Albany. Paychecks or direct deposit stubs are printed in Albany.

The paychecks and direct deposit stubs arrive at the college’s Accounting Office to be sorted by department. Then they are sent to Mail Services or Telecommunications (for student assistant and Work
Study employees) for distribution. Each department has a list of people authorized to pick up paychecks for other employees.

Trainor encourages all employees to contact the office with questions regarding paychecks.

For more information, call x3415 or visit the Payroll Web site.

March 26 , 2007
Volume 5, Issue 6

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