Accounting, Payroll & Pension Issues/Bi-monthly paychecks

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Expert: - 1/19/2010


Question
Is there a limit to how long after a pay period we get our paychecks?  We get paid twice a month; the periods go from the 1st to the 15th, and the 16th to the 30th or 31st.  But we don't get paid until 5-7 days after the end of each period.  So we would get paid somewhere between the 5th-7th and the 21st-22nd of each month.  It just seems that it shouldn't take that long.  Is there a legal date or time frame for payment?

Answer
The legal time is that you must be paid on regular payperiods each month. So if you are always paid on the 5th or 7th and always paid on the 21st or 22nd you would be paid on the same time each month.

It would be no different than if your were paid on the 15th or 16th or 30th and 31st. It would still be the same time each month.

As long as you are paid twice a month around the same time each month.

Shirley

Accounting, Payroll & Pension Issues

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Shirley McAllister, CPP, PHR

Expertise

I can answer payroll questions, payroll tax questions, 401K questions. No stock option questions please and I have some knowledge of other pensions but am most familiar with the 401K pension. I can answer U.S.and Canada payroll questions proficiently and have a good general knowledge of UK and South Africa and some knowledge of Australia and New Zealand Payroll procedures. Please do not ask me homework questions I do not have time to answer them.

Experience

25 years with an international company in the Human Resources, Payroll and Payroll Tax areas.

Organizations
SHRM, APA, I.O.M.A.

Publications
I.O.M.A. and BNA

Education/Credentials
P.H.R., C.P.P., Canadian Payroll Administrator, Successfully passed APA class on UK Payroll Administration. Boise State University Human Resource Certification

Awards and Honors
APA Hotline Citation of Merit for last 8 years.

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