Payroll Terms and Definitions: A Comprehensive Glossary

payroll acronyms

Gross pay, also called gross wages, is the total amount an employee earns before payroll deductions. States use this information to enforce laws and benefits such as welfare assistance and fraudulent use of collecting unemployment insurance. Health Savings Account (HSA) funds can be used for qualified medical expenses and are wholly owned by the employee. Those funds are not subject to certain taxes at the time of deposit. The Electronic Federal Tax Payment System (EFTPS) was created in hopes of automating the otherwise clumsy process of handling physically mailed tax payments.

Only 17% of HR Leaders rate their employee engagement program as excellent. Why?

Compensation added to an employee’s paycheck to make up for a shortfall in a previous period. The permanent termination of employees from a company, typically as a cost-saving measure. An arrangement where workers who live and work in different states only pay common business liabilities to know taxes to the state where they live. A tool used to record and track an organization’s employee and contractor payment data. The idea that employees doing the same work should receive the same pay, regardless of demographics.

Disposable Earnings

Exempt and nonexempt employees are defined by their eligibility for overtime, which is determined through the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). Deductions are funds subtracted from one’s total earnings to pay for things like taxes, benefits and garnishments. An annual period during which employees can update their health insurance and benefits enrollments. Supplementary compensation that employees receive on top of their normal wages.

payroll acronyms

Independent contractor vs. employee

When employees receive the same pay despite having different levels of experience, skills, or qualifications. Temporary workers provided by an employee leasing company for a specific timeframe or project. The total value of non-cash compensation given to employees by an employer. A savings account that allows employees to use pre-tax income to cover qualified medical expenses.

  1. Payroll deductions are all the taxes, benefits, and other payments taken out of an employee’s paycheck.
  2. It also applies to other types of regular wages, such as holiday and vacation pay.
  3. Variable pay, or incentive pay, is a far-reaching term for employee payments made to influence employee behavior or reward meeting specific goals.

Leased Employees

If a New Jersey server doesn’t make enough in base pay and tips to earn $12 per hour each shift, the employer must contribute the difference. Payroll deductions are all the taxes, benefits, and other payments taken out of an employee’s paycheck. The Federal Insurance Contributions Act (FICA) mandates a payroll tax to be imposed on managerial finance both employees and employers.

The federal, state, and local taxes an employee is legally required to pay (though payroll withholding). The Electronic Federal Tax Payment System (EFTPS) allows employers to make federal employment tax payments electronically via the Internet or by phone. An employee’s pay after legally-required deductions (such as payroll taxes) are taken out.

Independent contractors are not employed by a company they serve or contract with and usually just work with the company on a specific project. The period between a successful candidate applying for a job and a formal acceptance. A set of principles an organization adopts to guide its approach to talent management and recruiting. A conversation exploring why an employee stayed with an employer instead of looking for a new job. When employees limit their efforts to the tasks in their job descriptions instead of exceeding expectations. When managers prioritize employees who work physically near them versus hybrid or remote workers.

The length of time an employer uses to determine their IRS deposit schedule for withheld federal income tax and FICA taxes plus their own share of FICA taxes. Also called “mandatory deductions,” involuntary deductions are legally-required payroll deductions, such as payroll taxes and wage garnishments. An employee’s total wages — e.g., salary, hourly wages, bonus, commissions, overtime, tips, vacation pay — before mandatory and voluntary deductions come out. An employer-paid federal payroll tax which is used to help fund the unemployment insurance system. Also provides a fund that states can borrow from for unemployment contra expense benefits purposes. Represents the Social Security tax and Medicare tax an employer must withhold from employees’ paychecks plus the employer’s share of those 2 taxes.

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