Pay Cards: Enrollment and Payment Method Changes

Effective Date:	August 7, 2015
Function:	Office of Human Resources, Payroll Department
Contact:	Kathy Shattuck

Basis for Procedure

The Research Foundation for The State University of New York (RF) offers a payroll pay card program. Those individuals who wish to enroll in the program (Participants) can have all or a portion of their net pay directly deposited to a Key Bank MasterCard debit card ("Pay Card").

Procedure Summary

This procedure outlines the necessary steps to enroll in the Pay Card program and make payment method changes for participants.

Procedure Steps

The following table provides the procedure for enrolling a participant in the Pay Card program:

Step	Role or Responsibility	References or Tips
Verify that the participant is receiving payments from the RF payroll system.	Human Resources	This is a program requirement.
Complete a Payment Method - Pay Card form.	Participant	Participants cannot use Employee Self Service to sign up for pay cards. Please refer to the Enter or Change a Payment Method process document
Go to the local HR/Payroll office to pick up a Key Bank Welcome packet that will include the Pay Card.	Pay Card Participant

Montiroing Payroll Information

Pay Card information will be monitored daily by Central Office staff to verify that the account number was loaded correctly and that it is a valid number in the Key Bank system. The Operating Location should keep track of this number in case there is an input error. If an error is detected, Central Office will contact the operating location for the correct account number.

Operating locations are responsible for reviewing the Oracle applications to ensure their operating location input is loaded accurately.

Payment Method Changes

The following events may require changes to a participant’s payment method:

The participant cancels the Pay Card
The participant adds additional payment methods

The participant wants to change the amount applied to the Pay Card

The following table provides the procedure for making changes to a participant’s payment method:

Step	Role or Responsibility	References or Tips
Complete a new Payment Method - Pay Card form.	Participant	Participants may use Employee Self Service (under pay methods) to change or cancel Pay Card payments.
If the Payment Method - Pay Card form is used, make sure the "CHANGE" or "CANCEL" box at the top of the form is checked.	Pay Card Participant	Please refer to the Enter or Change a Payment Method process document

Termination

If a Pay Card participant’s employment with the RF ends, the RF will make a final payment to the Pay Card per the Pay Card allocation set up by the participant.

Reappointment

When a terminated participant is reappointed to an active assignment, the participant’s previous payment method will become active upon the change in status. Operating locations should have a procedure in place for participants who are reappointed to the RF payroll.

Cancellation of Participation

If a participant wishes to terminate a Pay Card, he or she can complete a new Payment Method — Pay Card form to reflect the cancellation or use Employee Self Service to update these payments.

Timing of Deposits to Pay Cards

The RF will deposit all funds into the participant’s pay card on the pay date (usually Friday).

Security of Financial Information

Participant account numbers will be treated with the same level of care and protection that the RF uses to ensure privacy of all participant financial information. Account information is available for viewing by those who have responsibility for and oversight of RF payroll matters.

Responsibilities

The following table outlines the responsibilities for compliance with this policy:


Responsible Party		Responsibility
RF Operations Manager	Ensure that overpayments and errors to a person’s pay cards are resolved. Ensure that unresolved or unreimbursed overpayments incurred as a result of direct deposit are written off and funded from an appropriate operating location account.
Senior Vice President and Treasurer of the Finance Office	Ensure that the bank file is transmitted to the corporate banking institution. Ensure that pay card payments are made in accordance with all relevant RF administrative policies and procedures.

Definitions

Pay Card- A reloadable debit card with the MasterCard logo that is issued through a national or regional bank. It is an alternate way for employees to receive their pay electronically. It takes the place of paper paychecks and works similar to a credit/debit card.

Related Information

None

Forms

Payment Method - Pay Card

Form Retention

A participant’s Payment Method- Pay Card form should be retained on file for at least six years after the participant leaves employment.

Change History

Date	Summary of Change
August 7, 2015	New procedure.

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