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Human Resources

Payroll

This payroll information for all faculty, staff, and students at East Stroudsburg University includes Payroll Forms, Employee Self-Service (ESS), Tax Information, Employment Requirements, and Payroll FAQs.

Employee Self-Service (ESS)

Employee self-service is the online portal to access benefits, leave & time, payroll, and personal information.

Log In Instructions

  • Enter your ESU username and use the following format: ESU username followed by @esu.passhe.lcl
  • Enter your ESU password (password you use to log into a computer/email)
  • Any issues logging into the portal can be directed to the ESU Help Desk at (570) 422-3789

Overview

  • Personal Information: Display your personal data, addresses, and bank information. Here you can also manage your ethnicity information.
  • Benefits: Display your benefits participation information and access the online benefits enrollment system.
  • Leave & Time: Within this section of Employee Self-Service you may view your leave balances and a complete record of all absences you have submitted to date. If you have been given access to the Employee Leave Request system, you may access it here as well.
  • Payroll: Access online copies of your printed pay statements, manage your W-4 withholding, view/change your W-2 election, and view your online W-2 form, if you have elected to receive online.
  • My First Days: For New Employees Only -- The My First Days application of ESS will allow new employees to the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education to perform all the initial tasks of building your HR personnel file. Here you can complete activities such as: setting up direct deposit, enrolling in your medical benefits and retirement plan(s), completing your W-4 form, etc. All new employees should run this application within 30 days of your date of hire.
  • Help Documents: Here you will find all supporting Employee Self-Service (ESS) help documentation about every feature and tool of the ESS system. This document repository is a good location to start if you have a question about an ESS application's use.
ESS Portal

Employee Self-Service (ESS)

Employee self-service is the online portal to access benefits, leave & time, payroll, and personal information.

Log In Instructions

  • Enter your ESU username and use the following format: ESU username followed by @esu.passhe.lcl
  • Enter your ESU password (password you use to log into a computer/email)
  • Any issues logging into the portal can be directed to the ESU Help Desk at (570) 422-3789

Overview

  • Personal Information: Display your personal data, addresses, and bank information. Here you can also manage your ethnicity information.
  • Benefits: Display your benefits participation information and access the online benefits enrollment system.
  • Leave & Time: Within this section of Employee Self-Service you may view your leave balances and a complete record of all absences you have submitted to date. If you have been given access to the Employee Leave Request system, you may access it here as well.
  • Payroll: Access online copies of your printed pay statements, manage your W-4 withholding, view/change your W-2 election, and view your online W-2 form, if you have elected to receive online.
  • My First Days: For New Employees Only -- The My First Days application of ESS will allow new employees to the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education to perform all the initial tasks of building your HR personnel file. Here you can complete activities such as: setting up direct deposit, enrolling in your medical benefits and retirement plan(s), completing your W-4 form, etc. All new employees should run this application within 30 days of your date of hire.
  • Help Documents: Here you will find all supporting Employee Self-Service (ESS) help documentation about every feature and tool of the ESS system. This document repository is a good location to start if you have a question about an ESS application's use.
ESS Portal

Tax Information

The new version of the W4 Tax form is now available on Employee Self Service under the Payroll tab. Due to federal tax law changes the 2020 IRS Form W-4 is significantly different from previous version. The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) is not requiring all employees to complete the revised form and has designed the withholding tables so that they will work with both the new and prior year forms. However, certain employees will be required to use the new form: those hired in 2020 and anyone who makes withholding changes during 2020. Even though the IRS does not require all employees to complete the revised form and even if your tax situation has not changed, we recommend you perform a “paycheck checkup” to see if you need to make adjustments to your current withholding. To conduct the checkup, you can use the IRS’s Tax Withholding Estimator. To effectively use the estimator, it is helpful to have a copy of your most recent pay stub and tax return.

Please note: if you do not submit a new form, withholding will continue based on your previously submitted form. Before completing the 2020 Form W-4, please read the instructions that are included with the form. You must complete Steps 1 and 5. Steps 2, 3, and 4 are optional, but completing them will help ensure that your federal income tax withholding will more accurately match your tax liability.

Step 1 is for your personal information; Step 2 is for households with multiple jobs; Step 3 is used to claim tax credits for dependents; Step 4 is for other adjustments (additional income such as interest and dividends, itemized deductions that exceed the standard deduction, and extra tax you want withheld); and Step 5 is where you sign the form. The IRS takes your privacy seriously and suggests that, if you are worried about reporting income from multiple jobs in Step 2 or other income in Step 4(a), you check the box in Step 2(c) or enter an additional withholding amount in Step 4(c). To determine the additional withholding amount, you can use the withholding estimator. The IRS has also published Frequently Asked Questions that you may find helpful as you complete the form: New 2020 W4 FAQ’s

Online 2021 W2 Form Now Available

For all State System employees who elected to receive their 2021 W2 form online in ESS, the form is now available to view, print and/or save. Just click on the “Payroll” tab, then “Display W-2 form”.

*Please note that the system will request your social security number in order to authenticate the access.

  • You then need to select the appropriate year from the Forms W2/W2-c. If you have previously received an electronic W2 please be sure to choose the W2 for 2021 to display the most current form.
  • Once you’ve clicked on “Display” your form, as well as links to instructions and information, will be displayed in the lower window.
  • If it does not open automatically please click the arrow to open the tab.
  • If you need additional assistance, further instructions are available under the “Help Documents” tab, “Display W2 Form”.
 

The new version of the W4 Tax form is now available on Employee Self Service under the Payroll tab. Due to federal tax law changes the 2020 IRS Form W-4 is significantly different from previous version. The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) is not requiring all employees to complete the revised form and has designed the withholding tables so that they will work with both the new and prior year forms. However, certain employees will be required to use the new form: those hired in 2020 and anyone who makes withholding changes during 2020. Even though the IRS does not require all employees to complete the revised form and even if your tax situation has not changed, we recommend you perform a “paycheck checkup” to see if you need to make adjustments to your current withholding. To conduct the checkup, you can use the IRS’s Tax Withholding Estimator. To effectively use the estimator, it is helpful to have a copy of your most recent pay stub and tax return.

Please note: if you do not submit a new form, withholding will continue based on your previously submitted form. Before completing the 2020 Form W-4, please read the instructions that are included with the form. You must complete Steps 1 and 5. Steps 2, 3, and 4 are optional, but completing them will help ensure that your federal income tax withholding will more accurately match your tax liability.

Step 1 is for your personal information; Step 2 is for households with multiple jobs; Step 3 is used to claim tax credits for dependents; Step 4 is for other adjustments (additional income such as interest and dividends, itemized deductions that exceed the standard deduction, and extra tax you want withheld); and Step 5 is where you sign the form. The IRS takes your privacy seriously and suggests that, if you are worried about reporting income from multiple jobs in Step 2 or other income in Step 4(a), you check the box in Step 2(c) or enter an additional withholding amount in Step 4(c). To determine the additional withholding amount, you can use the withholding estimator. The IRS has also published Frequently Asked Questions that you may find helpful as you complete the form: New 2020 W4 FAQ’s

Online 2021 W2 Form Now Available

For all State System employees who elected to receive their 2021 W2 form online in ESS, the form is now available to view, print and/or save. Just click on the “Payroll” tab, then “Display W-2 form”.

*Please note that the system will request your social security number in order to authenticate the access.

  • You then need to select the appropriate year from the Forms W2/W2-c. If you have previously received an electronic W2 please be sure to choose the W2 for 2021 to display the most current form.
  • Once you’ve clicked on “Display” your form, as well as links to instructions and information, will be displayed in the lower window.
  • If it does not open automatically please click the arrow to open the tab.
  • If you need additional assistance, further instructions are available under the “Help Documents” tab, “Display W2 Form”.
 

Payroll FAQs

When can I access my pay statement?
You can view your online pay state through the ESS portal by clicking on payroll, then online pay statement. Online pay statement can be viewed by the Monday before the pay date.
Why am I not able to view my online pay statement?
If you have dual employment assignments on campus, you may only be able to view one of your jobs on ESS when your accounts are created. Please contact payroll@esu.edu to begin the process of adding access to your second ESS account.
How can I change my address?
Please email us at @payroll.esu.edu for the document.
How can I access my W2?
If you requested to receive your W-2 online you can log into the Employee Self-Service portal (ESS) and find a copy by navigating to the Employee Self-Service tab and selecting the “Payroll” option then click on the “Display W-2 form”. If you did not elect to receive an electronic copy and you did not receive a paper copy by mail, please email payroll@esu.edu for assistance.
Do I have to produce my original social security card for employment with ESU?
An original Social Security Card is requested for I-9 purposes and for Payroll purposes. If you do not have an original Social Security Card, you may provide an original birth certificate or original Passport to satisfy the I-9, and then provide a copy of the social security card for payroll verification.
How do I record my worked hours if I am an hourly employee?
Log into the ESS portal, click on leave & time, then click on the 4th link down titled, “Record Working Time.” Once you record time, the hours will be sent to your supervisor for approval.

Contact Us

If your payroll question is not answered above, please contact payroll@esu.edu.

Contact Information

Campus Address
Reibman Administration Building
Phone:
(570) 422-3422
Fax:
(570) 422-3450 (Fax)
Title of Department Leader
Director, Human Resources
Name
Yvonne Catino
Phone:
(570) 422-3422