CU's pay model was built to mimic the State of Colorado during a time when the majority of CU employees were classified staff. The technical customizations and manual processes to accommodate the current pay model are extensive and have created a system that is difficult to modify for regulation changes or the needs of the employees and department payroll personnel. There is no current technology solution that can accommodate CU's model without customization. CU needs to weigh the continued financial and personnel impact of technical customizations against the change management and business impacts required for a "pay in arrears" model.
CU's current monthly pay practice acts as a "Correct in Arrears", separating salary pay and leave across two paychecks. This model affects numerous aspects of the pay workflow, employee experience, and payroll resources.
Payroll processing occurs after the pay period and all time is submitted
All employee pay appears on a single paycheck
All leave is processed before a new balance is printed on a pay advice
All labor costs to Finance for the period are sent at the same time
To better understand the viability and impact of a potential move to a Pay in Arrears model, there is a university-wide effort to connect with payroll and finance experts across every campus and gather feedback for a February 2024 decision with implementation occurring an estimated 18-24 months after the decision is finalized.
When: Fact Finding: November 2023 - January 2024
Who: Campus constituent groups including experts in payroll, budget, and finance
How: The Boulder campus project team will be setting up virtual meetings with multiple groups and units to discuss the issue in depth, and gather feedback.
What: For university leadership to make a well-informed decision, the project team will seek and compile 3 main areas of feedback
Which business processes use the current monthly pay cycle data?
How does a move to Pay in Arrears affect those business processes?
What tasks are involved for the department/process to switch to a Pay in Arrears model?
Contribute: The Boulder campus project team is currently setting up meetings with subject matter experts across campus. If we've not met with you/your unit and you would like to provide feedback, please utilize the Payroll in Arrears Feedback Webform
Next Steps: Leadership decision occurs in Spring 2024, with Implementation (if applicable) estimated at 18-24 months after the decision is finalized.