Dear Colleagues,
The Office of the State Comptroller Payroll Services has made a payroll processing error effecting approximately 21,000 UUP represented employees. These individuals received small overpayments in their August 4 paychecks. Below is the (somewhat edited) written explanation UUP has now received from OSC explaining what happen and how they are remedying it.
As a result of a payroll processing issue, UUP-represented employees who are paid on an annual salary basis over 12 months, and who received the 2020 retroactive UUP 2% salary increase, may be slightly overpaid in paychecks dated 08/04/2021. The original salary increase (retroactive to June 25, 2020) which was inserted in employee payroll records was processed correctly. However, for all employees whose payroll records included subsequent payroll actions, the application of the 2% increase to those subsequent payroll actions was compounded which created a slightly higher and incorrect annual salary.
For example, an employee with an annual salary of $100,000 received a $2,000 increase to $102,000 on 06/25/2020. If the employee had a subsequent row of job data on 07/01/2020, the flat amount of $2,000 should have been applied to the salary in effect on 07/01/2020. The system incorrectly compounded the calculation and applied $2,040 to the employee’s annual salary bringing it to $102,040 leading to an overpayment of $40 annually.
OSC Payroll Services has provided each campus with a file identifying those employees who may be impacted by this issue and the amount of their salary overpayment. Payroll Services will update employee records to reflect the correct salary and recover the overpayment amounts caused by this issue on the 08/18/2021 check date.
Based on our oral communications with OSC we understand that a system-wide programming upgrade that occurred in March of this year was reflected as a payroll action data row in employee payroll records. So, even if an individual has no other payroll action after June 25, 2020, the record of the March system upgrade reflected in payroll data is triggering a small over payment. OSC estimates that over 90% of the overpayments are less than $50.
OSC Payroll Service has asked each campus to notify each impacted employee that the overpayment occurred, the amount of their individual overpayment and that it will be recovered in the August 18, 2021 paychecks. Below is the suggested communication that OSC provided SUNY campuses to share with employees:
Dear SUNY Employee,
As a result of an OSC error while processing your retroactive 2020 2% salary increase you have been overpaid an estimated amount of $___ in your paycheck dated 8/4/21. OSC will correct your salary next pay period (paychecks dated 8/18/21) and recover the actual overpayment amount at that time.
I apologize for the inconvenience this may cause and appreciate your understanding.
Thank you.
Brian Moulton
Director, Bureau of State Payroll Services
Office of the State Comptroller
Jeri
Jeri O’Bryan-Losee
Statewide Secretary/Treasurer
United University Professions