As a plan administrator, it's essential to stay updated with employee contribution requests to ensure accurate payroll management. This article will guide you through reviewing and managing employee requests within the Employer Dashboard.
What happens when an employee submits a payroll instruction?
When an employee enrolls in the plan and sets up a contribution instruction, or when they log into their account to edit or cancel their contribution instruction, these updates will appear in your Employer Dashboard. The three types of "employee requests"—new contributions, changed contributions, and cancelled contributions—enable you to review and update payroll information directly in your internal payroll system.
Types of employee requests
In the Employee Requests tab of your Employer Dashboard, you'll find the following types of employee changes:
- New contributions for newly enrolled employees (Green flag )
- Restarted contributions for employees who had previously stopped contributions (Yellow flag)
- Changed contribution amounts (Yellow flag)
- Changed contribution allocation (Yellow flag)
- Stopped contributions (Red flag)
Reviewing payroll instructions
Review the following details:
- The date the employee made the request.
- The amount or percentage of pay to be deducted.
- The employer’s contribution amount.
- Whether the contributions apply to a TFSA, RRSP, DPSP, DCPP or a combination.
Taking action on employee requests
Once you've reviewed the details, you can take one of the following actions:
- Update Payroll: Update your payroll system with the employee's request and mark it as updated by clicking the checkmark (✓). This will move the request to the "Updated" section.
- Dismiss a Request: If the employee has informed you that they made the request by mistake, or you decide not to act on the request, you can dismiss it by clicking the "X".
Managing multiple requests from one employee
If there are multiple pending requests from the same employee, the most recent request will appear at the top. You can choose to update the most recent request and dismiss any older requests.
Archiving Requests
Once you upload your payroll register file, all processed requests (both updated and dismissed) will move to the Archived section. This allows you to track historical changes and maintain a clear record of payroll updates.
Notifications
To help you stay on top of pending requests:
- Weekly Notifications: You will receive an email every Wednesday if there are outstanding pending employee contribution requests.
- Payroll File Notification: You will also receive a notification before uploading your payroll register file to ensure all pending requests have been addressed.
Additionally, employees will receive an email notification when:
- Their request has been reviewed and approved
- Their request has been dismissed.
By following these steps, you’ll ensure that all employee contributions are accurately reflected in your payroll system and that both you and your employees remain informed.
Note: The QuickBooks integration automatically syncs data, so QuickBooks Payroll users don't need to make employee updates.