Payroll Glossary

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Administrative expense

After-tax deduction

Allowances

Assessable earnings

Attendance record

Automated clearing house (ACH)

Back pay (retroactive pay)

Bankruptcy order

Base pay

Benefits

Biweekly pay

Cafeteria Plan

Call-in pay

Cash distribution plan

Casual employee

Cloud-based payroll

Commission

Compensation

Compensatory paid time off

Competency based pay

Compressed work week

Contract worker

Contractor

Cost of living allowance (COLA)

Deductions

Defined contribution pension plan

Direct compensation

Direct deposit

Disposable earnings / Disposable income

Double-time pay

Earnings

Employee

Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA)

Employer

Employer Tax Identification Number (EIN)

Employment taxes

Final earnings pension plan

Flat benefit pension plan

Flexible Spending Account (FSA)

Fringe benefits

Garnishment (Court-ordered deduction)

Gratuity (tips)

Gross earnings

Gross wages / Gross pay

Group registered retirement savings plan

Health savings account (HSA)

High-deductible health plan (HDHP)

Holiday pay as you go (HPAYG)

Hours worked

Human resource management system

Income tax

Independent contractor

Indirect compensation

Individual retirement account (IRA)

Legal deductions

Legislated benefits

Long-term disability (LTD) income

Maternity top up

Mileage reimbursement

Minimum age

Minimum wage

Net pay

Net taxable income

Non-exempt employee

Overpayment

Overtime pay

Paid time off

Pay in lieu of notice

Pay period

Pay stub

Payroll

Payroll cycle

Pension

Per diem

Piece Rate

A system of pay where employees are paid a fixed amount per unit they produce.

Process date

Regular employee

Reimbursement

Retroactive pay

Salary

Severance pay

Shift differential

Short-term disability income plan

Sick pay

Simplified employee pension (SEP)

A retirement account similar to an IRA.

Social Security Number (SSN)

This number is required for obtaining employment.

Standard benefits

Starting date

Statutory holiday

Tax

Taxable wages

Termination of employment

Vacation pay

Voluntary deductions

Wages

Withholding

Wrongful dismissal

401k