Frequently Asked Questions

Answers to the most frequently asked questions. 

Select a topic below to jump to the corresponding set of questions.

If you have a question that hasn't been addressed, try typing the topic into the site search. If you still have a question, then contact ucpath@ucdavis.edu and we will do our best to find an answer. 

Direct Deposit 

  • Will I still receive a paper pay stub even if I'm enrolled in direct deposit or the UC Davis personalized pay card? 
  • Pay stubs are available in UCPath, but are no longer mailed to employees.  
  • When will my pay statement be available in UCPath? 
  • Earnings statements are available one day before payday at UCPath Online. View a sample pay statement. View a sample pay statement with shift differentials.  
  • What is the difference between a credit union direct deposit and a credit union deduction? 
  • The current practice allowed by five Credit Unions (Golden One, Yolo Federal, Schools First CU, USE, and Sacramento CU) for members to have payroll deductions for a specific purpose (e.g. mortgage payment, automobile payment, etc.) will end. If you currently have a credit union deduction, Payroll Services will reach out to you to transfer it to direct deposit. Employees who use a credit union account for direct deposit are not impacted and do not need to do anything. This information will be automatically converted into UCPath. 
  • If I have a wage garnishment, can I sign up for direct deposit? 
  • Employees with wage garnishments  can sign up for direct deposit through UCPath Online. 
  • How is direct deposit split into multiple accounts? 
  • In UCPath Online, employees have the ability to specify up to three financial institution destinations (after go-live). All U.S. banks/credit unions participating in the ACH Network are available for direct deposit. An employee can disperse funds using percentages (e.g. 60% in Acct A, 40% in Acct B) or by sequencing (e.g. 10% in Acct A, $500 in Acct B, the rest in Acct C). Wage garnishments do not count as one of the three direct deposit designations. 

Timekeeping

  • How is timekeeping different with UCPath? 
  • The same timekeeping systems that were used prior to UCPath go-live are used in UCPath (e.g. TRS, ecotime, Kronos, etc.). Over time, paper timesheet users will be migrated to an electronic timekeeping system. 
  • What if I miss a timesheet deadline? 
  • Contact your supervisor immediately. Your supervisor will work with your service channel to determine the next possible pay date. The deadlines for employees to submit their time cards have not changed. However, supervisors and time administrators have new deadlines to approve time cards in time for the UCPath Center to process pay. Check timesheet deadlines for TRS

Accessing Payroll and Personnel Services 

  • How do I determine which service channel to use? 
  • Review the list of service channels to find the one that serves your department. If there is a problem with your pay, see Who To Contact For Help
  • Where do I go to view my historical documents and retirement information? 
  • Current employees can still access past pay stubs, other historical documents and retirement information in At Your Service Online. You can view when to use UCPath and when to use AYSO by clicking here

Problems with Pay 

  • What if there is a problem with my paycheck? 
  • Employees are encouraged to review their first pay statement in UCPath Online – which will be available the day before pay day – and report errors immediately. If there is a problem with your pay, you should report the problem immediately. See Who To Contact For Help.  If necessary, the university has prepared several options to ensure pay issues are resolved as quickly as possible, including emergency pay cards. 
  • What happens if my paper paycheck does not arrive in the mail? 
  • Go into UCPath Online to view your pay statement and ensure a paycheck was generated for the pay period. Delays in timecard submissions could result in pay not being calculated on time. If you still have not received your paper paycheck within five calendar days of pay day, then contact your Service Channel to begin an investigation. 

UC Pay Card Alternative Pay Option 

  • How does the UC Pay Card work? 
  • UC Pay Cards are an option for non-represented employees only at this time and they require a social security number. The UC Pay Card works like a debit card without a bank account associated with it. You can use it anywhere Visa is accepted, and funds automatically load on payday. Click here for more information on UC Pay Cards. You can view ATM locations at the ADP site
  • Are there any fees associated with either the personalized or emergency pay card? 
  • There are no fees for signing up for or using the UC Pay Card at an in-network bank. However, there may be a fee to use the card at an out-of-network location or if your card needs to be replaced. You can view in-network ATM locations at the ADP site
  • What happens if I lose my UC Pay Card? 
  • Contact your local Service Channel immediately so they can work with the UCPath Center to cancel that card and begin the process of issuing a new one. 

Other Reimbursements

  • If I have elected to receive travel and entertainment reimbursements via direct deposit, will I need to update information in both systems? 
  • The employee reimbursement system will pull financial institution data from UCPath. You will not need to do anything. 

International Employees and Employees Working Overseas 

  • Can I get a checking account without a social security number? 
  • According to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, you are not required to have a social security number to open a checking or savings account. To open a checking or savings account, the bank or credit union will need to verify your name, date of birth, address, and ID number. An ID number can be a social security number or an Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN). To get an ITIN, you will need to fill out a form with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). If you don’t have a U.S. government-issued SSN or ITIN, some banks and credit unions will accept a passport number and country of issuance, an alien identification card number, or other government-issued ID number. Visit different banks and credit unions to find out what types of accounts they offer, and what types of ID numbers they accept. 
  • Will employees without a social security number be able to sign up for direct deposit? 
  • Direct deposit requires an account with a financial institution, so as long as an employee is able to open an account, then yes, employees without a social security number will be able to sign up for direct deposit. Access to UCPath Online does not require a social security number. 
  • How will we get paychecks to people who work outside of the country? 
  • Employees signed up for direct deposit will get their pay delivered on payday to their financial institution. As an alternative pay option, non-represented employees with a social security number will also be able to sign-up for a UC Pay Card, which works much like a debit card. You can use it anywhere Visa is accepted. You can view ATM locations at the ADP site. Overseas employees that receive paper paychecks can have those checks mailed to them. 

Student Employees

  • I've just been hired. Can I start work now? 
  • If you’ve done your onboarding appointment to complete new-hire paperwork and are cleared by your supervisor to begin, you may start work. However, if there’s a short time between your onboarding appointment and your start date, your job record and employee ID may not be set up in UCPath yet, so there may be delays in your access to the UCPath Online Portal and online timekeeping systems. 
  • Can I start work before my new hire paperwork is processed? 
  • Your new hire process must be complete and you must be fully onboarded by your service channel before you start working. If you start before this occurs, you could experience issues with your first paycheck. 
  • How do I get paid? Is there somewhere on campus I can go to pick up my paycheck? 
  • There is no paycheck pickup on campus. Now that UCPath is live at UC Davis and UC Davis Health, tThere are three different options to receive pay: Direct Deposit, UC Pay Card, or Paper Paycheck. We encourage you to enroll in Direct Deposit to avoid any pay delays as paper paychecks are now mailed on payday from a facility in Arizona. Click here to read more about your pay options. If you're already enrolled in Direct Deposit, you can make changes in UCPath online portal
  • I've been paid, but something's not right. Who should I talk to? 
  • Inform your supervisor as soon as possible. Your supervisor will follow up on the issue and discuss options to correct the payment. Alert your supervisor immediately if you haven’t been paid. Departments are being asked to immediately notify their service channels if students are working and aren’t getting paid so an emergency paycheck can be processed. 
  • I still haven't received my paper paycheck. What should I do? 
  • Your paycheck is mailed from a facility in Arizona on payday. If you haven't received it in 4-5 days, talk to your direct supervisor. If you want to put a stop payment on the check and have it reissued, you'll need to log-in to the UCPath online portal and click the "Ask UCPath" link in the top right hand corner. All employees are encouraged to enroll in direct deposit to ensure payment on payday. That can also be done in the UCPath online portal. 
  • I missed a timesheet deadline. What should I do next? 
  • Contact your supervisor. Your supervisor will work with your service channel to determine the next possible pay date. The deadlines for employees to submit their time cards have not changed. However, supervisors and time administrators have new deadlines to approve time cards in time for the UCPath Center to process pay. Check timesheet deadlines for TRS. Readers are required to submit timesheets, but most other graduate student positions – such as teaching assistants, associate-ins, and graduate student researchers – do not require timesheets. 

Retirees and Former Employees

  • How do retirees and former employees access UCPath? 
  • After employees leave the UC system, they may access past UC earning statements and W-2 forms through the UCPath online process specifically designed for former employees. Here are the steps: 
    > Provide non-business email to register 
    > Activate your account by verifying personal data and creating account security questions 
    > Access your information though the Former Employee Access page 

    As a retiree, once your separation is finalized with UCPath Online, you can register for UCPath Online access as a former employee. Before you leave UC Davis, add your personal email address to your UCPath profile — It will make registration easy!

    For step-by-step instructions to access your account, review Former Employee Access to UCPath and AYSO (pdf). For more training resources, visit Employee Training.