Decoding Your APS Paycheck

Whether you are a new employee or have been with the district for years, it's important to review your paycheck. Below is an overview to help understand your paycheck as well as mandatory and voluntary deductions.

Decoding Your APS Paycheck

The information contained in this article is accurate as of the publication of the August 2024 Benefits and Wellness Newsletter. 

Whether you are a new employee or have been with the district for years, it's important to review and understand the details of your paycheck - what comes in and goes out through mandatory deductions like federal and state taxes, to voluntary benefits, retirement, vacation, and leave.

This article is meant to give you a high-level overview of your paycheck. If you have a specific question not addressed below, please reach out to the APS Payroll or Benefits Office.

In most situations, full-time employees receive 24 paychecks a year. Food Services C-schedule employees receive 18 paychecks per year. For some employees, like teachers and EAs, “reserve” means that your annual salary and benefit premiums are equally distributed throughout the 24 paycheck period. This ensures that during extended breaks (Thanksgiving, winter, spring, and summer break) you have a predictable paycheck and ongoing benefits. 

We are paid on the 10th and 25th of each month. If that date falls on a weekend, you will receive your paycheck the Friday before. A paycheck received on the 10th of the month will account for time worked, absences, and leave taken from the 16th through the end of the previous month. A paycheck received on the 25th of the month will account for time worked, absences, and leave taken from the 1st through the 15th of that month.  Check this payroll spreadsheet to see the pay period dates. 

Looking at the graphic below, the left column under ‘wages’ explains your regular rate of pay, sick, personal, professional, or annual leave that was used during the pay period. The right column shows deductions from your paycheck. This includes mandatory and voluntary deductions. 

Your paycheck may include other information specific to you.  If you do not understand something that is shown on your paycheck, please contact the Payroll or Benefits Office.

 

Other Mandatory Deductions

Other than FICA (Social Security), Medicare, federal tax withholding, and state tax withholding, the following are other mandatory deductions: 

“Educational Ret” is the New Mexico Educational Retirement Board commonly referred to as NMERB. This is a state-legislated retirement fund for all employees who work for a participating educational institution in New Mexico. For employees earning over $24,000 annually, the NMERB takes a 10.7% pre-tax, mandatory deduction from each paycheck. For employees who earn less than $24,000 per year the pre-tax deduction is 7.9%. APS contributes 18.15% per pay period on your behalf.  Many people may refer to this type of retirement fund as a pension plan. To learn more about the NMERB benefit and create a log-in to view your account info go to the NMERB website. 

“Retirement H/P” is New Mexico’s public employees Retirement Health Plan and what we refer to as RHCA - The New Mexico Retiree Health Care Authority.  This mandatory deduction funds health plan options for both non-Medicare and Medicare-eligible retirees and dependents. Employees pay 1% of their salary to RHCA and APS pays 2% on your behalf. You are eligible to receive RHCA benefits if you retire from APS or another participating employer, and you and your employer have contributed to the RHCA fund for at least five years.

“Workers Comp” is workers' compensation that provides cash benefits and/or medical care for workers who are injured as a direct result of their job. APS provides medical treatment for employees for work-related injuries and indemnity pay for lost time in accordance with State law. Employees have a quarterly deduction of $2.00 and APS contributes $2.30 on your behalf.  

Voluntary Deductions

Other deductions listed are voluntary contributions based on your medical, dental, vision, health care, or dependent (childcare) flexible spending accounts, additional and dependent life insurance, long-term disability insurance selections, and voluntary retirement savings plan contributions. 

Here is an abbreviation explanation chart for your reference.

Voluntary Benefit                                                Paycheck Abbreviation 

What deductions are taken before tax and after tax? 

Deductions taken from your paycheck before state and federal taxes help reduce your overall taxable income. Medical, dental, vision, flexible spending account, NMERB, and most voluntary retirement benefits are withdrawn on a before-tax basis  (unless you have elected an after-tax deduction for your medical, dental, and vision premium deductions by choosing ‘decline PIPP’ on your enrollment form). Some pre-tax deductions are coded with a P or PIPP on your pay stub. 

Long-term disability insurance, New Mexico public employee’s retiree health insurance, and additional life insurance are after-tax deductions as well as some voluntary retirement account contributions you may have selected (a Roth plan).

With over 11,600 full and part-time employees on several different contracts and with varying leave/time-off allowances, we work diligently to make sure your paychecks are accurate. However, it is always a good idea to check your paycheck and reach out to the APS Payroll Office (wages/pay, taxes, leave balance, etc.) or Benefits Office (voluntary benefits deductions, etc.) if you think there is an error or have any questions. 

 

This page was last updated on: August 22, 2024.