Payroll isn’t necessarily over when the checks or direct deposits are issued. A majority of states also require employers to provide their employees with a pay stub. The pay stub should show the employee exactly how much money they made and what was withheld from their gross pay. Whether or not an employer is utilizing payroll software, they should be aware of their obligations when it comes to pay stubs. If you are doing payroll manually, this means you may also have to manually generate pay stubs for employees.
Read on to learn more about what’s required.
Understanding State Pay Stub Requirements
Pay stub requirements vary from state to state, but they typically include important information about an employee’s wages and deductions. Here are some of the common requirements for pay stubs:
- Employee’s name and address
- Pay period dates (start and end)
- Gross pay (total earnings before deductions)
- Net pay (total earnings after deductions)
- Hourly rate or salary
- Total hours worked (for hourly employees)
- Overtime pay (if applicable)
- Vacation or sick leave balance (if applicable)
- Tax deductions (federal, state, and local)
- Social Security and Medicare deductions
- Insurance premiums (health, dental, vision, etc.)
- Retirement plan contributions
- Other deductions (such as child support or wage garnishments)
Remember that specific requirements for pay stubs can vary by state, so employers should always consult their state’s labor laws to ensure compliance. Some states may need more information to be included on the pay stub.
Clarifying State Payroll Regulations
In addition to pay stub requirements, each state has its own payroll regulations. This means some states require employers to pay employees on a certain schedule or give a certain amount of notice before changing their pay rate. For more detailed information about specific state requirements be sure to visit our Payroll Learning Center.
Employers should familiarize themselves with their state’s labor laws to ensure they are in compliance.
Comparing Pay Stub Requirements Across States
To ensure compliance with pay stub laws, employers should compare the requirements in their state to those in other states where they have employees. This can help ensure that they are meeting all legal requirements and avoid any penalties or fines.
Here are the states that require pay stubs, either in paper or electronic form, that include the employee’s name and address, pay period dates, hourly rate or salary, total hours worked, and deductions:
- Arizona
- Arkansas
- California
- Colorado
- Connecticut
- Delaware
- District of Columbia
- Hawaii
- Illinois
- Indiana
- Kentucky (if you have 10 or more employees)
- Maine
- Maryland
- Massachusetts
- Michigan
- Minnesota
- Missouri
- Montana
- Nebraska
- Nevada
- New Hampshire
- New Jersey
- New Mexico
- New York
- North Carolina
- North Dakota
- Ohio
- Oklahoma
- Oregon
- Pennsylvania
- Rhode Island
- South Carolina
- Tennessee
- Texas
- Utah
- Vermont
- Virginia
- Washington
- West Virginia
- Wisconsin
- Wyoming
And here are the states where employers are not required to provide pay stubs:
- Alabama
- Florida
- Georgia
- Idaho
- Iowa
- Kansas
- Louisiana
- Mississippi
- South Dakota
The following states require the employer to provide the employee with a written or printed paystub (or provide a printer to employees and allow them to print digital paystubs)
- California
- Colorado
- Connecticut
- Iowa
- Maine
- Massachusetts
- New Mexico
- North Carolina
- Texas
- Vermont
- Washington
Creating Pay Stubs for Employees
To create accurate and compliant pay stubs, employers should use reliable payroll software and services. This will help ensure that all the required information is there and the calculations are correct. Employers should be aware of the requirements of the states where they have employees, and ensure that their payroll software is set up correctly to display the appropriate information on employee paystubs.
Employers can also utilize online paycheck calculators to calculate net payments to employees, which usually have the option to download and print the paystub to provide to the employee.
Meeting State Legal Requirements for Pay Stubs
Overall, it is important for employers to stay up-to-date on state laws on pay stub requirements and payroll. By ensuring compliance with these laws, employers can avoid legal issues and maintain positive relationships with their employees. With the right tools and knowledge, employers can easily meet all state requirements for employee pay stubs.
Contact us today at Valor Payroll Solutions for support with your payroll.
