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Administrator Guide
Last Updated: 2023-06-23
Set Arrears Limits

Set Arrears Limits

  • Define a priority for the deduction and select
    Recoup Arrears
    on the
    Maintain Deduction Priorities
    task.
  • Security:
    Set Up: Payroll (Calculations - Payroll Specific)
    domain in Core Payroll functional area.
You can set limits on the amount of an arrears balance to recover in a payroll run. You can define:
  • Default limits that apply to all workers.
  • Limit overrides based on the pay group, run category, or other criteria.
  • Limit the amount withheld for individual or group deductions as a percentage of wages using the
    Maintain Shared Recoup Arrears Limit
    task.
During off-cycle processing, Workday recoups arrears from on-demand replacement payments, but not from on-demand additional payments or manual payments.
  1. Access the
    Net Pay Validation and Arrears Rules (filter by priority)
    report.
  2. Select the
    Has Priority
    check box.
  3. From the related actions menu of a deduction, select
    Deduction
    Edit Net Pay Validation/Arrears
    .
  4. Review or modify the arrears settings.
    Workday populates settings from the
    Maintain Deduction Priorities
    task.
    As you complete the task, consider:
    Option Description
    Do Not Take Partial Deduction
    Select to prevent Workday from resolving the deduction when the employee’s net pay isn’t sufficient to take the sum total amount for the deduction. If there are multiple payroll result lines within a payroll result for the same deduction, Workday applies this setting to the sum total of the payroll result lines for the deduction.
    Clearing the check box enables Workday to take partial deductions to restore the net pay to the net pay minimum.
    Example: Janet's gross pay is 400. She has a 500 deduction. Minimum net pay is zero. When the
    Do Not Take Partial Deduction
    is:
    • Selected, Workday doesn't take the deduction. Janet's net pay is 400.
    • Cleared, Workday takes 400 of the 500 deduction. Janet's net pay is zero.
    If a limit is defined on the deduction, in the payroll period where the deduction limit is reached; Workday withholds up to the defined limit, even when you select the
    Do Not Take Partial Deduction
    check box. Example: The deduction has a $75 limited defined. $50 is scheduled to calculate each payroll period:
    • In payroll period 1, $50 is calculated.
    • In payroll period 2, $25 is calculated.
    In payroll period 2; the period where the limit is met, the full $50 can't be withheld, only $25. Workday withhelds $25, meeting the limit defined on the deduction.
    Deduction Impacts Other Deductions
    Select to recalculate other deductions when Workday reduces or eliminates the selected deduction due to insufficient net pay.
    Example: Jonah has 2 deductions:
    • Deduction A (with an assigned priority, and
      Deduction Impacts Other Deductions
      selected).
    • Deduction B = 10% of Deduction A (with no priority assigned).
    If Workday reduces or eliminates Deduction A due to insufficient net pay, Workday also recalculates Deduction B.
    This option applies only if the related deduction directly impacts net pay. In most cases, you won't select this option for an employer benefit contribution based on an employee contribution, because most employer contributions don't affect net pay.
    Workday automatically recalculates taxes when it reduces or eliminates a pretax deduction. Select this check box only to recalculate nontax deductions.
    Deduction Impacts Addl Pay Components/Groups
    Select to recalculate additional pay components and pay component groups in the run category when Workday reduces or eliminates the selected deduction.
    Track Arrears
    Select this check box to keep a record of any deduction amount Workday doesn't take due to insufficient net pay.
    Recoup Arrears
    Select to recoup the arrears amount for a deduction. When you select this check box, also set an arrears limit to ensure accurate arrears processing when workers have enough pay.
  5. In the
    Default Recoup Arrears Limit
    section, set default limits on the amount of arrears to recover for a payroll period.
    Net pay limits take precedence over arrears limits. Workday reduces the amount of arrears recovered when it results in an employee's net pay falling below the minimum net pay. Example: Sam's net pay is 100, with a minimum net pay of zero. He is in arrears of 150 for a deduction with an unlimited arrears deduction. Workday recovers only 100 of the arrears balance. Recovering the full amount would result in a negative net pay.
    As you complete the section, consider:
    Option Description
    Shared Recoup Arrears Limit
    Select to cap the total amount that Workday recoups for arrears from a worker's pay. This provides greater control over arrears recoupment and helps prevent excessive deductions. To enable this feature, configure the
    Shared Recoup Arrears Limit
    on the
    Maintain Shared Recoup Arrears Limit
    or
    Create Shared Recoup Arrears Limit
    tasks. If the
    Shared Recoup Arrears Limit
    only applies to a select group of workers, you can also define an
    Override Recoup Arrears Limit.
    When you enable this feature, the system adds a step to the existing recouping arrears process to ensure that the limit is not exceeded.
    Unlimited for Current Deduction
    Select to recoup the total arrears amount in the current period.
    Example: Jane has a current deduction of 100 and total arrears of 400. Workday attempts to recover the 400 in addition to the 100.
    Percent of Current Deduction
    Select to limit the amount of arrears recouped based on an amount equal to a percentage of the current deduction. When a worker has arrears amounts from payroll results from different run categories, Workday calculates the limit based on the amount from the current pay result. Example: Workday won't recoup a percentage of arrears from other run category results.
    Example: Allison has a current deduction of 100 and total arrears of 200. When you enter 50, Workday attempts to recover an amount of arrears equal to 50% of the current deduction (50). Workday processes the current deduction of 100 in full.
    Flat Amount for Current Deduction
    Select to recover a specified flat amount. When a worker has arrears from payroll results from different run categories, Workday only recovers the specified flat amount when the deduction is included in the current payroll results.
    Example: Peter has a current deduction of 100 and total arrears of 100. When the flat amount is 25, Workday deducts 25 of the arrears balance in addition to the 100.
    None of the Above
    Select to use an override to arrears.
    When you select this option, Workday recommends that you also enter a value in the
    Flat Amount Limit (When No Current Deduction)
    field to ensure arrears recouping.
    Flat Amount Limit (When No Current Deduction)
    Enter a flat limit amount on the arrears recovery when Workday can't process the deduction for a period. Example: Dean loses eligibility for medical coverage after changing pay groups. As a result, he receives no medical deduction in the current period. When the arrears amount is 100 and the
    Flat Amount Limit
    is 50, Workday deducts 50 in the current period to cover arrears.
    When Workday doesn't process the deduction in the payroll run, Workday applies both this limit and any scheduling criteria you define for the deduction. Example: You schedule the deduction to apply in the first weekly pay period of each month. Workday recoups arrears for the deduction only in that pay period. To override the scheduling, define custom arrears rules instead of using the default limit.
    By default, Workday recoups arrears in the next pay period when workers have both:
    • Midperiod events resulting in gross-to-net subperiods.
    • No earnings in the first subperiod.
    To recoup arrears in subsequent subperiods where workers have earnings rather than wait for their next pay period, enter a very high flat amount in this field. Example: Jane goes on leave without pay and returns in the same pay period. To recoup arrears on the subperiod where she's active and has earnings, you can enter 9999 in this field.
    Except for specific scenarios where you don't want to recoup any arrears, Workday recommends that you always enter a value in this field. Example: You don't want to recoup arrears for another run category.
  6. In the
    Default Recoup Arrears Limit
    grid, define overrides for default limits based on a worker's pay group, run category, or other criteria.
    Workday ignores any worker eligibility and scheduling criteria defined for the deduction when applying the override rules.
    Example: You have a deduction configured to resolve only on the first and second pay periods of a monthly payroll. Define criteria in the grid to recoup arrears from other pay periods.
    As you complete the grid, consider:
    Option Description
    Evaluation Order
    When you have multiple sets of limits, Workday evaluates a deduction against each row starting from the first. Workday uses the limits associated with the first row that returns a match. When it can't find a match, Workday applies the default limit.
    Recoup Arrears Criteria
    Specifies the criteria workers must meet to be subject to the override limits, such as run category or pay group.
    Example: You can recoup 50% in regular runs and 100% in bonus runs.
Workday applies the override limits to workers who meet the criteria in the grid. It applies the default limits to all other workers with an arrears balance.
You want to prevent Workday from recouping arrears for employees hired before 2015. For all other employees, you want to set a recouping limit of 100.
In the
Default Recoup Arrears Limit
section, select
Flat Amount for Current Deduction
, and enter
100
. Then add a row with these settings:
Option
Settings
Recoup Arrears Criteria
Select
Create
from the
Additional Criteria
field. Define a value comparison calculation that returns true for employees hired after January 1, 2015.
Recoup Arrears Limit
Select
None of the Above
.