Review payroll reminders

CAMPUS + COMMUNITY | September 5, 2025
STORY BY: EDITORIAL STAFF

The Payroll Department in the Controller’s Office would like to remind members of the Case Western Reserve University community of a number of payroll-related topics.

Phishing

CWRU reminds you to always be vigilant about phishing attempts, as they can give fraudsters access to sensitive banking information—potentially allowing them to redirect your direct deposit or commit payroll fraud. While HCM requires existing bank account details to make changes to direct deposit information, phishing attacks can still trick users into revealing that information through fake emails or text messages that appear legitimate. Note that any time a change is made to banking or direct deposit information in HCM, an auto-response email is generated and sent to your CWRU email confirming the change. Reusing passwords across multiple sites increases the risk of compromise, so it's important to use strong, unique passwords for each account. Be especially cautious of unsolicited messages asking you to verify personal or financial information. If you suspect any unauthorized changes to banking information in HCM or payroll-related fraud, contact payroll@case.edu immediately.

Sign up for electronic W-2s at any time

CWRU encourages all faculty and staff members to sign up to receive their W-2 in electronic format only. This request saves the university resources, allows W-2s to be created more quickly, moves to a greener environment, and reduces personal information in the U.S. mail system.

Individuals only need to sign up once and they will receive all future W-2s through HCM Self-Service. Find out how to view and sign up for electronic W-2.

Record your change of address

All employees, whether or not they participate in a hybrid work schedule, are asked to notify the Payroll Office if they move to a new city if you have updated your address in HCM. Contact the Payroll Office at payroll@case.edu.

This ensures local taxes are being sent to the correct home city, (if you participate in a hybrid work schedule), and that local school district withholdings, if applicable, are accurate.

Updating HCM with an employee’s new home address is not sufficient for tax or payroll purposes. When address change notifications are not timely, the Payroll Office cannot guarantee retroactive correction of prior year tax withholdings.

Courtesy local tax withholding

In addition to what is noted above for hybrid work, this is a reminder that CWRU does not perform courtesy local tax withholding for cities and locales in which employees reside but do not work. Local tax withholding is only performed for employees who work a hybrid schedule and only for the days their submitted and approved plans show they are designated to work from home.

Please check with your residential city or locale to understand any additional tax obligations you may have. Many cities and locales in Northeast Ohio participate in the RITA (Regional Income Tax Agency) system. If your city participates in RITA, more information can be found at ritaohio.com.

Important Reminder about Timecard Approval

Each supervisor is responsible for maintaining and approving records of actual time worked for all staff, including recording sick and vacation time.

For exempt staff, time should be approved in PeopleSoft HCM on a regular basis before the month close.

For non-exempt staff, time should be approved in PeopleSoft HCM by the Payroll cut-off date. This date is typically six business days before the pay date and can be found on the Payroll Calendar. Timely supervisor approval assures that non-exempt staff are paid accurately and on time.

Approving time after the Payroll Cutoff date can cause issues such as: