Volume 15, Issue 11
December 18, 2012
2012 YEAR-END REMINDERS
We are quickly approaching the end of the year. Here are a few reminders:
1. Update Your Personal Information
Take the time NOW to verify and update your name, mailing address and e-mail information on the RCUH Employee Self Service (ESS) system.
An incorrect email address may prevent you from receiving important information about electronic W-2 forms available on the ESS.
An incorrect mailing address may cause delay in the delivery of paper W-2 forms. A $10.00 reissue fee will be assessed if another W-2 is requested (no exceptions).
2. 2013 Tax Withholdings
Review marital status and withholding allowances on the W-4 (federal) and HW-4 (state) Employee’s Withholding Allowance Certificates for the upcoming 2013 tax year in ESS. Changes to tax status and allowances may be completed at any time during the year, but too much or too little withholdings during the year may result in large refunds or large “out-of-pocket” payments (often with penalties) come April.
3. 2013 Renewals
Employees with special tax situations must renew tax documents for 2013 (e.g. W-4 exemptions, tax treaty exemptions). Notification will be sent to applicable employees by email.
Electronic W-2 Forms
Since 2011, RCUH employees have been able to receive their W-2 forms electronically on the RCUH Employee Self-Service (ESS) system. Many of you are already experiencing the ease of being able to retrieve your W-2 form at your convenience.
Why should I convert to an electronic W-2 form?
- No worries about lost or misplaced paper W-2 forms
- No waiting to receive the W-2 form through the mail or wondering where it got delivered to
- No anxieties when you realize that you did not forward your mail when you moved
- No $10.00 fee to pay if you have to request that your W-2 form be reissued
- No worries about your confidential information being exposed if your form is lost or stolen
- No panicking on April 15th when you can’t find your W-2 form
The IRS requires that all employees who wish to receive their W-2 forms electronically submit a consent to do so. We will be sending out instructions and deadlines for consenting to the RCUH Electronic W-2 forms in early January. Please make sure that your email address and mailing address are updated on ESS.
Currently, the 2012 W-2s are scheduled to be issued on January 25, 2013.
Should you have any questions, please contact the RCUH Payroll staff at [email protected].
½ Day Paid Administrative Leave for either December 24 or 31, 2012
Governor Abercrombie has authorized State agencies to allow all Regular status employees a half-day off (with pay) on either December 24 or December 31, 2012. Pursuant to the Governor’s directive, Michael Hamnett, RCUH Executive Director has authorized the following:
- All regular status employees that can be spared will be given a half-day administrative leave with pay on either December 24 or 31, 2012.
- Any employee required to work during these period shall not be entitled to overtime, but shall be given equivalent administrative time off at some other date determined by the Principal Investigator.
- Less than full-time, regular status employees will be granted a proportionate amount of administrative leave from their scheduled work time.
- Employees on personal leaves of absence, or those on disciplinary suspension are not entitled to this administrative leave.
- Regular status employees on vacation or sick leave on December 24 or 31 should charge only the hours in excess of their applicable administrative leave.
The Governor reminds all agencies to comply with Chapter 80, Hawaii Revised Statutes, which state, “offices…. shall be open for the transaction of public business between the hours of 7:45 a.m. and 4:30 p.m….” Principal Investigators whose projects service the public should take appropriate steps to ensure compliance with this requirement.
Time Reporting Issues: On the RCUH Timesheet form you should indicate the Holiday Administrative Leave with Pay as “ADM”. Enter “ADM” on the RCUH online timesheet noting number of hours to be charged as paid administrative leave.
The RCUH Core Offices will be closed all day on Tuesday, December 25, 2012. RCUH will be open for business on December 24 and 31, 2012.
2012 RCUH Outstanding Employee of the Year
You are cordially invited to a luncheon to honor the nominees of the 2012 RCUH Outstanding Employee of the Year Awards on Friday, February 8, 2013 at 11:00 a.m. The award luncheon will be held in the Japanese Cultural Center of Hawaii, Manoa Grand Ballroom. Please join us in giving special recognition to the nominees who represent the many hard working employees of the RCUH. Please share this information and invitation with all of your project staff.
Click here for a list of the 2012 Outstanding Employee of the Year Nominees.
If you would like to attend the luncheon please submit payment with the rsvp form by December 28, 2012.
Inquiries? Contact Linda Watanabe at [email protected] or 808-956-7055
New 2013 Maximum Allowable Contribution Limits for Tax-Deferred Annuity Plans
The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) announced cost-of-living adjustments affecting the dollar contribution limits for pension/retirement plans for the 2013 Tax Year. Included in the cost-of-living adjustment changes was the increase to the maximum allowable contribution amount for 403(b) Tax-Deferred Annuity plans (e.g., TIAA-CREF “Supplemental Retirement Annuity” plan).
Contribution maximums will increase from $17,000.00 in 2012 to $17,500.00 in 2013; however, the “catch-up” contribution limit for those ages 50 and above will remain at $5,500.00. The new 2013 contribution maximums are reflected below:
|
|
CURRENT 2012 Maximum |
NEW 2013 Maximum |
|
Under 50 years old |
$17,000.00 |
$17,500.00 |
|
50 years old and above |
$22,500.00 |
$23,000.00 |
All eligible employees should have received an email from the RCUH earlier this month informing them of the maximum contribution limits for the tax year 2013. The email included instructions on how to make changes to their existing SRA/TDA contribution amounts or to enroll in their own SRA plan.
For more information on the IRS cost of living adjustment changes, you can visit the IRS website at www.irs.gov. If you have any questions regarding the enrollment process, please contact Marisa Hebaru at (808) 956-2326 or [email protected].
STUDENT EMPLOYMENT
All RCUH Student Assistant employees are responsible for submitting a Student Verification each Semester in order to qualify for continued student employment. For all University of Hawaii students (eg: UH Manoa, UH Hilo, Honolulu Community College, Maui College, etc.), verification is not required, as RCUH has the ability to verify student status electronically through a UH database. However, verification is still needed for UH Outreach College and non-UH Schools (i.e. High School, Chaminade, HPU, etc).
The following are acceptable forms of student verification:
a) Student registration or receipt
b) Letter of student registration from the registrar or counselor
c) Validate student I.D. card
d) Any other form of verification deemed acceptable by the Director of Human Resources
Continuation of student employment:
Project/Student must submit Student Verification for the Spring 2013 semester by Friday, February 1, 2013. Failure to submit student verification by the indicated deadline will result in termination of student’s employment.
Termination of student employment:
Student Assistants who no longer hold a student status must be terminated from RCUH due to their ineligibility (i.e. student graduation). Principal Investigators must initiate a termination action via the HRAMP system by January 9, 2013.
Please contact Sharon Vong at [email protected] or (808) 956-7307 if you have any questions.
IMPORTANT DATES TO REMEMBER (JANUARY 2013):
|
1/1/13 |
Holiday – New Year’s Day |
|
1/7/13 |
Payday |
|
1/9/13 |
PAF Deadline |
|
1/10/13 |
HR AMP Deadline |
|
1/7/13 – 1/9/13 |
HR AMP Web Time Preview #1 |
|
1/10/13 – 1/13/13 |
HR AMP Web Time Preview #2 |
|
1/11/13 – 1/17/13 |
ESS Blackout |
|
1/14-13 – 1/16/13 |
HR AMP Web time Reporting Period |
|
1/16/13 |
Payroll Deadline Noon |
|
1/21/13 |
Holiday – Dr. Martin Luther King Jr Day |
|
1/22/13 |
Payday |
|
1/23/13 – 1/27/13 |
HR AMP Web Time Preview #1 |
|
1/25/13 |
PAF Deadline |
|
1/28/13 |
HR AMP Deadline |
|
1/28/13 – 1/29/13 |
HR AMP Web Time Preview #2 |
|
1/29/13 – 2/5/13 |
ESS Blackout Period |
|
1/30/13 – 2/1/13 |
HR AMP Web Time Reporting |
IMPORTANT DATES TO REMEMBER (FEBRUARY 2013)
|
2/1/13 |
Payroll Deadline Noon |
|
2/7/13 |
Payday |
|
2/7/13 – 2/11/13 |
HR AMP Web Time Preview #1 |
|
2/12/13 |
HR AMP Deadline |
|
2/18/13 |
Holiday – President’s Day |
|
2/11/13 |
PAF Deadline |
|
2/13/13 – 2/20/13 |
ESS Blackout Period |
|
2/19/13 |
Payroll Deadline |
|
2/20/13 – 2/20/13 |
HR AMP Web Time Preview #1 |
|
2/12/13 |
HR AMP Deadline |
|
2/12/13 – 2/13/13 |
HR AMP Web time Preview #2 |
|
2/14/13 – 2/19/13 |
HR AMP Web Time Reporting Period |
|
2/22/13 |
PAF Deadline |
|
2/22/13 |
Payday |
|
2/25/13 |
HR AMP Deadline |
|
2/25/13 – 2/26/13 |
HR AMP Web Time Preview #2 |
|
2/26/13 – 3/5/13 |
ESS Blackout Period |
|
2/27/13 – 3/1/13 |
HR AMP Web Time Reporting Period |
TIMESHEETS FOR THE MONTH OF JANUARY-FEBRUARY
Principal Investigator’s Corner
REVISED RCUH FRINGE BENEFITS SCHEDULE– effective January 1, 2013
The Social Security Administration (SSA) announced that the 2013 social security wage base will be $113,700, an increase of $3,600 from the 2012 wage base of $110,100. The RCUH has updated its Fringe Benefits Schedule to reflect this change. There are some key changes that you should be aware of:
Effective January 1, 2013, wages paid in excess of $200,000 will be subject to an additional 0.9% Medicare tax that will be withheld from only the employee’s wages. Employers (e.g., Projects) will not be charged for this additional withholding.
The Middle Class Tax Relief and Job Creation Act of 2012 that reduced the FICA tax rate from 6.2% to 4.2% is scheduled to expire on December 31, 2012. Unless Congress extends or amends this law; the FICA tax rate will revert to the 6.2% effective January 1, 2013.
DECEMBER PAYROLL DEADLINES
Please note the following payroll deadlines for the remainder of 2012:
1. Friday, December 28, 2012 – Last Special Check Run in 2012
The deadline to submit requests for this Special Check Run is Wednesday, December 26, 2012.
Checks processed on this check run will be dated January 2, 2013 and are considered earnings for 2013.
2. Monday, December 31, 2012 at 12:00 noon – Early payroll deadline for the 12/16 – 12/31/12 pay period
The HR AMP online timesheets will be available for input from 8:00am on Thursday, December 27, 2012 through 12:00 noon on Monday, December 31, 2012.
Online timesheets will NOT be available for submission after 12:00 noon on Monday, December 31, 2012.
Though the UH Manoa campus will be closed during the last 2 weeks in December for Winter Break, the RCUH offices will be operating as normal We will be closed on Tuesday, December 25, 2012 (Christmas Day holiday) and Tuesday, January 1, 2013 (New Year’s Day holiday).
Should you have any inquiries about these deadlines, please contact the RCUH Payroll staff at [email protected].