I am a terminated employee. Why can't I access BUWorks to get my paystub?
- Terminated employees lose access to Employee Self-Service upon termination. If you need a copy of your pay statements, please email bupay@bu.edu.
How do I view my salary statements?
- You can view your salary statements in the Employee Self Service tab of BUworks. Please see BUworks’ instructions for more information.
How do I set up or change my Direct Deposit?
- You can set up or change your Direct Deposit information in the Employee Self Service tab of BUworks. Please see BUworks’ instructions for more information.
How do I make a change to my W-4 to adjust my federal and/or state tax withholding?
- Go to Employee Self-Service (ESS), select “Pay”, “W-4 Tax Withholding” and choose “Edit” to make changes to your Federal or State Withholding, allowances, marital status or to request additional withholdings.
What will my check look like if I change my W-4?
- There is a paycheck calculator on the following website:http://www.paycheckcity.com/. You can enter your salary, benefit deductions, and number of exemptions claimed. You will then be given a net pay calculation.
How do I change my address?
- Go to Employee Self-Service (ESS), select “Personal Information”, and then select “Personal Profile”. Click the pencil icon in the “Home Address” box to edit your address.
Whom do I contact if I have any questions regarding my benefits?
- For questions regarding…
- Health Insurance
- Retirement
- Tuition Remission
- Graduate Tax
- Car Insurance
- Disability
- Contact Human Resources at hr@bu.edu or 617-353-2380.
I canceled my parking permit but am still being charged. How do I get a refund?
I canceled my MBTA pass but am still being charged. How do I get a refund?
There seems to be an issue with my pay stub. Whom do I contact?
I am new to Boston University- when is payday?
- If you are paid weekly, you will be paid every Friday. If Friday is a holiday, you will be paid on Thursday. If you are paid monthly, you will be paid on the last bank day of the month. Effective August 1st, 2023, employees previously paid monthly will be paid semi-monthly on the 15th or the last bank day prior and the last bank day of the month.
My state taxes have increased since last pay period - what could be the reason for that?
- Massachusetts tax is calculated against your state taxable wages after deduction of the first $2,000 you pay for Social Security and Medicare each year. When your year-to-date Social Security and Medicare tax reaches $2,000, those amounts are no longer exempted from the state tax calculation. This causes the increase to your MA withholding tax deduction on your check.
I am telecommuting from a state other than Massachusetts. How does this affect my state tax withholding?
- On occasion individuals employed at Boston University have entered into arrangements with their supervisor to telecommute from home. In some of these situations, the employee’s home is located in another state. When the employee is working under the umbrella of an established BU program located in another state, or there is an agreement in place between the University and the individual that the work will be performed off campus and office or research space will not be provided by BU, earnings will be taxed as earned in the state where the employee is working. Otherwise, the full amount of the compensation earned is treated as earned in Massachusetts and is subject to Massachusetts withholding tax.
How do I request a W-2 Form from prior years?
- For the 3 previous tax years, active employees can log into ESS and print a copy of their W-2 forms.
- Former employees should email bupay@bu.edu to request duplicate W-2 forms.
When will I receive my W-2 from BU?
- Electronic W-2 forms will be available via Equifax by January 31st of the following tax year.
- Paper W-2s will be mailed no later than January 31st for those employees that do not opt in for electronic distribution.
What do I do if my address is wrong on my W-2?
- An incorrect address does not invalidate your W-2; you do not need a corrected W-2 for this in order to file your tax return. However, it is important to maintain a valid address in BU’s employee database for important communications that may be sent to you. If you are an active BU employee, you have the ability to verify and update your home and mailing addresses via Employee Self-Service on BUWorks. If you are no longer an active BU employee, please contact your former department or BU’s HR department so that your address can be updated.
When can I ask for a reprint on my W-2?
- You may submit your reprint request at any time after the end of February.
Whom do I contact if I think my W-2 is wrong?
- If you believe your W-2 is incorrect, please contact Payroll immediately at 617-353-2270.
What is a Form 1042-S?
- The Form 1042-S, Foreign Person’s U.S. Source Income Subject to Withholding, is issued to non-resident aliens who receive reportable compensation from BU. For more information, please visit Understanding your 1042-S.
When will I receive my Form 1042-S from BU?
- The 1042-S forms will be mailed no later than March 15 (or the next weekday if March 15 falls on a weekend), as required by the Internal Revenue Service.
How do I request a copy of my 1042-S form?
- The 1042-S forms will be mailed no later than March 15 (or the next weekday if March 15 falls on a weekend), as required by the Internal Revenue Service.If you have given consent to receive your Form 1042-S electronically via the Foreign National Information System (FNIS), we have uploaded your 1042-S form(s) to the FNIS website for you to view &/or print. Log in to the FNIS website using your FNIS username and password at https://fnis.thomsonreuters.com/BU, and then click the View and Print Forms link.
If you do not have access to FNIS and have not provided consent to receive &/or access your form(s) electronically, you can provide your consent via the Foreign National Information System (FNIS). You would need an FNIS username and password issued by the Payroll Office. Please contact the Payroll Office for your FNIS Username.
If you do not receive your Form 1042-S by the 21st of March, please email nrapay@bu.edu to request a duplicate.
Prior year forms can be requested. Please include the following information in your request:
- Full Name
- BUID
- Tax Year Being Requested
Duplicate 1042-S forms will be sent to your BU email through pysecure@bu.edu (Payroll Office’s secure email.)
How are vacation payouts processed?
- Vacation payouts for both exempt and nonexempt employees are automatically paid in the employee’s final pay check as long as their department processes the change action (termination, retirement, etc. form) in a timely manner. Sick payouts for applicable employees are also automated.
I’m a department payroll coordinator who underpaid my employee, how do I get them paid as soon as possible?
- Please correct the employee’s record or timesheet. Once the correction has been made and any forms have completed workflow, you can request that Payroll add the employee to our next off cycle payroll run. When added to an off cycle, your employee does not need to wait until the next regular payroll for payment.
We run off cycle payrolls at noon on Fridays. All requests need to be emailed to bupay@bu.edu by 11AM on Fridays. They should include the employee’s name, BUID, and preferred payment method.
Employees may elect for a check or direct deposit. Checks are mailed to the employee’s home address by our bank. Direct deposit funds are in the employees account within 2 business days of the payroll run. Normally this is the Tuesday following the off cycle, but holidays may result in a delay.
I’m a department payroll coordinator who overpaid my employee, how do I fix this?
- Please correct the employee’s record or timesheet. Please work with HR if you have questions on how to correct their record.
After the employee’s information has been corrected, our system will recognize the overpayment during the next payroll run. A letter with details on the overpayment will be sent to your department’s payroll coordinator on pay day.
If you would like an overpayment recognized prior to the next payroll run, you can request that we add the employee to the next off cycle payroll. All forms submitted to correct the employee’s record must have completed workflow prior to your department emailing the off cycle request.
We run off cycle payrolls at noon on Fridays. All requests need to be emailed to bupay@bu.edu by 11AM on Fridays. They should include the employee’s name, BUID, and a note that you would like an overpayment recognized. The overpayment letter will be sent to your department’s payroll coordinator the afternoon of our payroll run.
What is an off cycle payroll?
- An off cycle payroll is processed between regular payroll runs. Departments may request that we add an employee to an off cycle payroll due to a missed payment.
Our department runs the off cycle on Friday afternoons, all requests must be emailed to bupay@bu.edu by 11AM on Fridays. Employees may elect to receive the payment either as a check or direct deposit. Any deposits would be available in the employee’s account in approximately two business days.
What is a salary advance?
- A salary advance is a LOAN made to an employee against wages earned but not yet paid. The advance (loan) will be collected from the employee’s next paycheck.
Can I request a salary advance for myself directly from Payroll?
- No, an employee’s supervisor and/or payroll coordinator is responsible for initiating requests for salary advances. Employees cannot directly request salary advances from the Payroll Office. Payroll coordinators can initiate salary advance requests by contacting bupay@bu.edu.
How many salary advances can I receive per year?
- Employees are allowed one salary advance per year.
What will be the amount of my salary advance?
- Your salary advance will be for up to 65% of the gross pay that you have earned for the current pay period thus far. Depending on benefit participation and the income tax bracket, the salary advance may be limited to 60%.
- Semi-monthly paid employee example: There are two pay periods in August – from the 1st through the 15th and from the 16th through the 31st. A salary advance is requested on the 9th of August 2023 (i.e., 7 working days into the first period pay period of August). The employee earns $3,500 per pay period.
Salary advance calculation:
$3,500/11 working days in the period = $318.18/day
$318.18 x 7 days worked in the period = $2,227.27
$2,227.27 x 65% =$1,447.73 salary advance
- Weekly paid employee example: because weekly employees are paid one week in arrears, we can issue a salary advance for hours worked for the prior week only until Wednesday. If it is after Wednesday, we can issue a salary advance for hours worked through the current week only.
- Calculation for weekly advance requested on Tuesday to include prior week advance: Employee earns $25/hour and worked 40 hours total last week.
$25 x 40 hours (last week) + 16 hours (current week) = $1,400 x 65% = $910 salary advance
- Calculation for weekly advance requested on Thursday for advance on current week earnings: Employee earns $25/hour and has worked 32 hours so far in the current week.
$25 x 32 hours = $800 x 65% = $520 salary advance
I received a net calculation for an overpayment made in the current tax year, how is this net amount calculated?
- The net calculation for an overpayment made in the current tax year is calculated by taking the total gross overpayment amount and subtracting any additional taxes and retirement contributions that were due to the overpayment. If you have questions about the net amount, please email bupay@bu.edu.
I received a net calculation for an overpayment made in a prior tax year, why does the net amount listed not match the net amount I received?
- The net calculation for an overpayment made in a prior tax year is calculated by taking the total gross overpayment amount and subtracting Social Security and Medicare taxes (FICA) and retirement contributions that were due to the overpayment. IRS regulations prohibit any adjustment for federal or state taxes that were withheld as you had use of those funds during the tax year. Once the overpayment has been repaid, you may be entitled to a deduction for the repaid wages when you file your 1040 for the year in which the repayment is made. If you have questions about the net amount, please email bupay@bu.edu.
