Frequently Asked Questions


ANNUAL & SICK LEAVE

Q. How are Annual Leave and Sick Leave accrued?

A. For Annual Leave see "Policy and Procedures" section 3400

B. For Sick Leave see "Policy and Procedures" section 3410

 

CHANGE OF ADDRESS

Q. How do I change my address?

A. FastInfo Answer ID 912.

B. For non active UNM employees, one can visit the UNM Payroll Office, mail in a request, or email the request through pay@unm.edu. An appropriate ID is required. If request is made in person, a valid picture ID is needed. For postal mail you must include: your name, new address including Zip Code, a copy of a valid picture ID, and your signature. For email requests: your name, new address including Zip Code, and the last four digits of your social security number and your date of birth.

 

Change Personal Information

Q. How do I view and update my personal information on file with UNM?

A. FastInfo Answer ID 2488

 

CHECKS

Q. Where do I pick up my check and/or earnings statement?

A. UNM uses Direct Deposit or a Pay Card to pay employees and no longer issues paper checks. Earning statements are available at LoboWeb and you may view your statement by logging in to myUNM.edu.

 

DIRECT DEPOSIT

Q. How do I set-up Direct Deposit on line?

A. Use LoboWeb by logging in at my.unm.edu and for Instructions Online Instructions

Q. How do I sign up for Direct Deposit?

A. We have the request forms at the Payroll office or you can download the forms from Payroll's web site with a Choice of (Automatic Check Deposit 100%) or (Fixed Amount to Savings/Checking)

Q. Can I have direct deposit into more than one account?

A. Yes, we can set up 100% net for one account. This basically means the majority of your check would go to that account (pink form). We can set up Fixed Amount to Savings/Checking for the second account. This means you would have an actual dollar amount go into this second account. There is one exception to this. If you bank with New Mexico Educators Federal Credit Union and would like to have money go into both your checking and savings accounts the Payroll Department can set up 100% of your net pay, then you will need to make arrangements with the credit union for the fixed amount to be allocated.

Q. When will my UNM Payroll direct deposit post to my bank account?

A. The banks are required to post direct deposits the same business day of the deposit. Please check with your bank for the time of day that determines when processing will occur. See Federal Reserve requirements for bank direct deposits.

 

EMPLOYMENT VERIFICATIONS

Q. Where should "Employment Verifications" be directed to?

A. Both written and verbal verifications should be directed to the Payroll Department.

 


Health Benefits and W-2 Reporting

Q. Why is the IRS requiring that you report the cost of my group health insurance coverage on my Form W-2?

A. The reporting is required under a section of the Internal Revenue Code that was added to the law by the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010 (i.e., the health care reform law). According to the IRS, the reporting provides "useful and comparable consumer information to employees on the cost of their health care coverage.

Q. Does your reporting the cost of my group health insurance coverage on my Form W-2 cause the coverage to be taxable to me?

A. No. The reporting on your Form W-2 is for your information only. The reporting is intended to inform you of the cost of your health care coverage and does not cause the health care coverage we provide to you to become taxable.

Q. How is the reportable cost reported on Form W-2?

A. The reportable cost is reported on Form W-2 in box 12, using code DD.

 

LOCATION

Q. Where is the Payroll Department located?

A. Payroll Location

 

OVERTIME

Q. How is "Overtime" paid?

A. Exempt (Monthly) employees are not paid overtime. Non Exempt (Biweekly) employees are paid time and a half. The hours need to be entered on a time sheet. The hours need to be included in the Total Number of hours. If sick/annual leave are taken on the same week as overtime is worked, the employee will only be paid their regular rate of pay not time and a half. Please refer to section 3305 of the "Policies and Procedures" manual.

 

PAY CALCULATION

Q. As a new employee can the Payroll Department provide us with a calculation of what our take home pay would be?

A. No. The Payroll Department does not calculate "take home pay". However, there are a few deductions that you can be sure of. They are as follows: Retirement 9.40%; FICA 6.2%; and MEDICARE 1.45%. These amounts are all based on the gross pay.

 

Payroll Taxes

Social Security and Medicare tax for 2013:

For 2013, the employee tax rate for social security is 6.2%. The employer tax rate for social security remains unchanged at 6.2%. The 2013 social security wage base limit is $113,700. In 2013, the Medicare tax rate is 1.45% for both the employer and employee; and is unchanged from 2012. There is not a wage base limit for Medicare tax. In 2013, the IRS has imposed an additional tax of 0.9% on individuals earning greater than $200,000 in the tax year. This additional amount will only be assessed on wages greater than $200,000.   IRS link to INDIVIDUAL FAQs    Read question 8 and 10 for married filing separately or jointly, please consult with a Tax Advisor.

Q. Where are the tax withholding tables?

A. Links to Federal and NM State withholding tables:

Federal Withholding

NM State Withholding

Q. How do I update my W-4 online via LoboWeb?

A. Note:  Any changes made to the Federal Tax Exemptions or Allowances are also applied to the State of New Mexico withholding with the exception of an additional amount.  Should you require an additional amount of withholding for the State of New Mexico Income Tax, print the form at State Tax Additional Amount Withholding and deliver it to the Payroll Office directly, as Payroll personnel must update it.

Instructions to change Form W-4 online:

Log into my.unm.edu
Select Employee Life or Faculty Life tab
Select LoboWeb
Select Tax Forms
Select Federal Tax Exemptions or Allowances (W4)
Review your existing W4 information such as Filing Status, Number of Allowances and Additional Withholding.  If additional information is needed, select Vendor Web Site for IRS Federal Form W-4. To determine whether an update is needed complete form W4. If the result requires a change then the following steps will update the payroll system.

If an update is necessary:
Select Update at the bottom of the page
Complete the required Fields
Select Submit Changes
Select W4 Tax Exemptions and Allowances

The updates made on the W4 Tax Exemptions or Allowances are displayed please review to verify accuracy and note the Start Date, as this is the date that the changes will become effective.

Filing status change: The following links may be helpful to determine if you need to submit a new Form W-4 online via LoboWeb or at the Payroll Office.

You May Need to Check Your Withholding: Publication 213

IRS Withholding Calculator: IRS Withholding Calculator

IRS: Form W-4

 

Retirement Education ERB

Q. Is it mandatory that we contribute to the University Retirement Plan(ERB)?

A. All State employees have to contribute to a retirement fund. Because UNM is an educational institution all employees are required by law to contribute to the Educational Retirement Board.

Q. What type of plan is the Educational Retirement Plan?

A. It is a Defined Benefit Plan.

Q. Can we borrow money from our retirement plan?

A. No. You're only allowed to withdraw your retirement funds when: 1) You retire from the University. 2) You separate from the University.

Q. When I separate from the University how do I withdraw our funds?

A. You need to come to the Payroll Department and fill out a "Retirement Reimbursement Form".

Q. When quitting one University job for another University job can you withdraw your retirement?

A. Not necessarily. Please call the Payroll Department for more information.

 

Retirement 403(b) 457(b)

Q. Does the University have a supplemental retirement program?

A. Yes. The University has a 403b and a 457b Plans. UNM HR web site

Q. What are the 403(b) and 457(b) contribution limits?

A. List of Limits

Q. Did UNM notify the staff the option to participate in the salary reduction 403(b) program?

A. Yes, See 403(b) Availability Notice Payroll's News

Q. Where are Instructions and Links to the Retirement Manager for 403(b) and 457(b) programs?

A. The information is located at UNM Human Resources web page. UNM Human Resources Retirement Manager

 

Sick Leave Sale

Q. When does the annual sick leave sale start?

A. Every year the “Sick Leave Sale” occurs during December and you will receive an email with your balance and instructions to sell or not.

Q. Where can I get the Sick Leave Sale forms to fill out?

A. Following the email instructions you will be directed to a web page to acknowledge your choice to sell or not to sell.

Q. When can I expect to see the “Sick Leave Sale” payment?

A. You should see the “Sick Leave Sale” payment will occur on the last payroll processed during December.

Q. At what point in time do you look at my sick leave balance to determine what balance can be paid out?

A. Each year the sick leave balances are reviewed as of November 30th to determine eligibility.

Q. How many hours do I need to qualify for the “Sick Leave Sale”?

A. UNM Policy 3410 Section 12:

12.1.1. All minor bank hours over 600 hours for full-time employees, 450 hours for employees with a FTE between 0.75 and full-time, and 300 hours for employees with a FTE between 0.5 and 0.75 may be converted to cash, up to 120 hours per fiscal year. These excess sick leave hours are converted to cash at a rate equal to 50 percent (50%) of the employee's hourly wage, multiplied by the number of hours converted.