Set Up STRS Retirement Pay Codes

Ohio STRS (State Teachers Retirement System) is a public employee retirement system for certified/licensed teaching staff.

Employee and employer contributions are calculated based on STRS-eligible gross wages.

Field descriptions

To set up an STRS Retirement pay code record, you must enter or select valid information on the following tabs of the Pay Codes page:

For more information about the fields on the Pay Codes page, refer to Pay Code Table.

Enter or select the following field values on the General tab of the Pay Codes page.

Field	What to enter or select
Pay Code	Enter a unique 3-digit code (001-999).
Title	Enter the descriptive name for the pay code.
Check Title	Enter the abbreviated name that appears on paychecks.
Pay Type	Select the appropriate type.
Rate	Enter the percentage or per-unit rate if applicable.
Account	Optionally enter the default salary distribution account.
OH Retirement System	Select STRS - State Teachers Retirement System. This field is Ohio-specific and indicates that the pay code is subject to State Teachers Retirement System reporting.
SERS Earning Code	Leave this field blank. This field is Ohio-specific and is only used for SERS pay codes.
Exclude from Quarterly Wage	Leave this option unchecked for most pay codes. This field is Ohio-specific. Select this option only if the pay code should be excluded from Ohio Quarterly Wage reporting.

The Taxes tab consists of the following sections:

Enter or select the following field values in the Subject to FICA/Medicare section on the Taxes tab of the Pay Codes page.

Field

What to enter or select

FICA/Medicare

Select M - Medicare Only.

STRS employees are exempt from Social Security but subject to Medicare.

Enter or select the following field values in the Exempt from Taxes section on the Taxes tab of the Pay Codes page.

Enter or select the following field values on the Deductions tab of the Pay Codes page.

Field

What to enter or select

Exempt Deductions

Select any deduction codes from which this pay code should be exempt.

For most regular STRS pay codes, leave these fields blank.

The Payroll tab consists of the following sections:

Enter or select the following field values in the Leave Time Factors section on the Payroll tab of the Pay Codes page.

Enter or select the following field values in the Other Payroll Factors section on the Payroll tab of the Pay Codes page.

Field	What to enter or select
Pay Time Type	Select the appropriate option: R - Regular Pay: Select this option for standard salary. A - Allowance: Select this option for supplements.
Special Pay Frequency	Leave this field blank.
Subject to Worker’s Comp	Select this option if applicable. Most teaching positions are subject to workers' compensation.
Encumber Salaries	Select this option if applicable. For budget encumbrance tracking.
Track Position Salaries	Select this option if applicable. For position control tracking.
FLSA Overtime	Leave this field blank.
FLSA Calculation Type	Leave this field blank.
Exclude from Retro Pays	Leave this field blank.
Time Entry Allowed	Select the appropriate option: N - Not Time Entry: Select this option for salaried teachers. Y - Assoc Time Entry: Select this option for substitute pay.
Approval Level	Leave this field blank.

Refer to STRS Retirement Pay Codes Examples for examples of setting up STRS Retirement Pay Codes for various requirements.

After setting up the STRS Retirement Pay Codes, do the following:

Ensure that the corresponding STRS deduction codes are configured on the Retirement System Deductions page.
Ensure that employees have the appropriate STRS Deduction Codes assigned on their Employee Deductions page with the correct:
- Deduction code linked to STRS.
- Calculation method.
- Rates matching current STRS contribution requirements.