Defining Earnings

This chapter provides an overview of earnings for Australia and discusses how to:

• Calculate regular pay.

• Calculate overtime earnings.

• Calculate shift earnings.

• Calculating minimum and maximum hourly rates and earnings limits.

• Calculating earnings based on other earnings.

• Calculate amount earnings.

• Deduct from regular earnings.

• Calculate rolling average earnings.

• Create earnings advance and recovery.

• Select hours for holiday earnings.

• Schedule earnings using generation control.

Note. The PeopleSoft system delivers a query that you can run to view the names of all delivered elements designed for Australia. Instructions for running the query are provided in the PeopleSoft Enterprise Global Payroll 9.1 PeopleBook.

See Also

Understanding How to View Delivered Elements

Understanding Earnings

The PeopleSoft system provides a number of delivered earnings to demonstrate the flexibility of Global Payroll rules and to meet common processing requirements, such as the automatic generation of a payback deduction for specified earnings.

Note. The User Key 2 field on the Earnings Accumulators page and Deduction Accumulators page for all earnings and deductions is AUS VR BALGRP ID. Use balance group IDs to maintain separate employee balances. Set an employee's balance group in the JOB_DATA2 table. The balance group number must be manually incremented if you are required to record separate balances within a financial year.

See Also

Increasing the Workforce

Delivered Earnings Elements

In the following table, the first column combines the earning name and description. The code (gc) in a row indicates that the earning element has a generation control. The code (po) indicates a post-processing formula, and the code (pr) indicates a pre-processing formula. The other four columns indicate the earning calculation rule of Unit × Rate, Unit × Rate × Percent, and Amount. (None use Base × %.) The formulas for some of the earnings codes are discussed in further detail following the table. The code (sy) stands for system element.

There are four earnings specifically relating to salary packaging, and they all start with the letters SP.

See Monitoring Salary Packaging Expenditure.

There are ten earnings specifically relating to leave liability costing for the General Ledger Interface. They all start with the letters LIAB.

There are four earnings specifically relating to Time and Labor costings. They are dummy codes used by Time and Labour, and they all start with the letters TL.

Calculating Regular Pay

There are two delivered earnings elements for regular pay, REGPAY HRLY and REGPAY STDHR.

REGPAY HRLY

The REGPAY HRLY calculation rule is Unit × Rate, where:

Unit = Payee level

Rate = System element HOURLY RT

REGPAY STDHR

The REGPAY STDHR calculation rule is Unit × Rate, where:

Unit = Formula ERN FM REDU REGHRS

Rate = System element HOURLY RT

The unit formula subtracts the reducing hours (in ERN AC REDUCE HRS) from the prorated regular hours (in ERN VR REGPAY HRS). The system prorates the regular hours using the earnings pre-process formula ERN FM CALC REGHRS.

Formula ERN FM REGSTD UNIT calculates the regular hours for the period based on the payee's standard hours and work period entered on the Job Information page. The formula ERN FM CALC REGHRS prorates these hours.

Calculating Overtime Earnings

There are four overtime earnings for 1.5, 2.0, 2.5 and 3.0 time. Each has a calculation rule of Unit × Rate × Percent, where:

Unit = Payee level

Rate = System element HOURLY RT

Percent = 150, 200, 250, or 300

Calculating Shift Earnings

There are four shift earnings. Each has a calculation rule of Unit × Rate × Percent, where:

Unit = Payee level

Rate = System element HOURLY RT

Percent = 10, 30, 15, or 130

The earnings element SHFNT2 with 130 percent appears in the LEAVE EARNINGS section because—as with the leave earnings codes—it reduces regular hours.

Calculating Minimum and Maximum Hourly Rates and Earnings Limits

The ONCALL earning element demonstrates minimum and maximum hourly rates, and a yearly limit PRDBON demonstrates a quarterly limit.

Checking the Minimum and Maximum Hourly Rate

The ONCALL earning element uses a formula-driven minimum and maximum hourly rate-check and a post-process formula to determine if the payment of ONCALL causes earnings to exceed an annual limit.

The calculation rule for ONCALL is Unit × Rate, where:

Unit = Payee level

Rate = Formula ERN FM HOURLY RT

When you assign the earnings element or enter it as positive input, the system checks the payee's hourly rate in the Job record in Human Resources to resolve the earnings. It then takes one of the following actions:

• If the hourly rate is less than the value set in variable ERN VR HR RT MIN, then the system pays ONCALL at the value of the variable.

• If the hourly rate is more than the minimum but less than the maximum set in variable ERN VR HR RT MAX, then the system pays ONCALL at the hourly rate from the Job record.

• If the hourly rate is more than the value set in variable ERN VR HR RT MAX, then the system pays ONCALL at the value of the variable.

Here is an example. Suppose that the minimum is 50, and the maximum is 70.

You can set the variables values on the Supporting Element Override page in the earnings components.

Checking the Maximum Yearly Earnings Limit

To set a yearly limit (or ceiling) on an earning element, you can set the limit in LIM VR YTD LIMIT. The ONCALL earning element is set up for this control.

After the system determines the value of ONCALL for the period, the post-process formula LIM FM ONCALL adds the value of the year-to-date accumulator for ONCALL with the current amount and any additional pay. Here is an example:

Accumulator YTD balance = 1000

Current earning amount = 50

Additional earning amount = 0

Yearly limit = 1010

ONCALL_FYTDA + CURR AMT VAL + ADD VR ADDL AMT = New accumulator balance (if paid)

1000 + 50 + 0 = 1050 (new balance)

It then compares that new balance with LIM VR YTD LIMIT. If the balance exceeds the limit, the system calculates by how much it would exceed the limit if paid.

New balance – Limit = Excess amount

1050 − 1010 = 40

It then subtracts the excess amount from the current amount, reducing it to the maximum that can be paid during the current period without exceeding the limit.

(CURR AMT VAL + ADDL AMT VAL) − LIM VR OVER LIMIT = Amount to pay during the period

50 − 40 = 10

You can set other limits for other frequencies by using a formula that compares the total paid with the frequency limits for the earnings.

Checking the Maximum Quarterly Earnings Limit

You can set an upper limit on an earning so that no more than that amount is paid in a particular accumulation period. The PRDBON (product bonus) earning element is set up with this control. It is set up to have a quarterly limit. You set the limit in LIM VR QTD LIMIT.

After the system calculates the PRDBON amount for the pay period, the post-process formula LIM FM PRDBON adds the value to the quarter-to-date accumulator and compares the total to the limit that you have set. If paying the earnings would exceed the limit for the quarter, the system pays only up to the limit.

The PRDBON calculation rule is Amount, where:

Amount = 40

Here is an example. Suppose that a product bonus is payable each month up to a quarterly limit of 110.

When processing PRDBON in month 3, the formula makes the following calculation:

PRDBON_FQTDA + CURR AMT VAL > LIM VR QTD LIMIT

80 + 40 > 110

It then calculates the amount by which the current amount would exceed the limit:

PRDBON_FQTDA + CURR AMT VAL − LIM VR QTD LIMIT = LIM VR OVER LIMIT

80 + 40 − 110 = 10

It then subtracts the excess amount from the current amount and pays that amount.

CURR AMT VALUE − LIM VR OVER LIMIT = PRDBON

40 − 10 = 30

PRDBON has a generation control, ERN GC PRDBON, the formula of which, LIM FM CHK PRDBON, determines if the quarter-to-date amount accumulator is equal to or greater than the limit. If it is, the system does not process the earnings. The quarter-to-date amount can be greater than the limit, despite the controls, because positive input does not use the generation control.

Calculating Earnings Based on Other Earnings

The STRESS earning element demonstrates how an earning can be based on the value of another earning. For example, suppose that you pay 1.00 AUD stress loading for every hour of regular pay. The earnings calculation rule is Unit × Rate × Percentage, where:

Unit = Formula ERN FM REG UNIT, which returns either the employee's regular hours or regular pay standard hours.

Rate = Payee level.

Percentage = 100.

Because the value of the STRESS earning element depends on the value of either of the regular hours, it must be resolved after the regular pay has been resolved.

Calculating Amount Earnings

There are 19 earnings elements that use a variety of methods to determine the calculation rule Amount.

Using Flat Amounts

Five earning elements use a flat amount: FAD (first aid allowance) PHONE, CAR, PRDBON (product bonus), and TRANS ADV (advance payment example).

Using Formula-Based Amounts

Most of the earning elements used during termination payouts use formulas in their calculation rules. They are documented in a separate chapter.

See Also

Understanding Termination Payment Management

Using Unprocessed Payee Level Amounts

Four of the earnings have an Amount calculation rule that does not appear in a section; therefore they are not resolved. You use them as data input points, and the system uses them in lump sum D and ETP calculations. These earnings elements are REDUNDANCY, INVALIDITY, EX GRATIA, and PAY IN LIEU.

See Also

Understanding Termination Payment Management

Using Payee-Level System-Populated Amounts

The RETRO12MTH earning element is populated by the results of the retro process, in which the formula RTO SELECT OVRDSET determines the retro override set that is used, and one of the sets forwards the earning amount to the RETRO12MTH element.

Deducting from Regular Earnings

Sometimes, you need to reduce regular earnings by the number of hours paid by another earning element. When you pay leave using a leave earning element, those leave hours are paid instead of regular hours, so regular hours must be reduced.

You do this by using a formula to resolve the unit value of the REGPAY STDHR earnings element.

The REGPAY STDHR calculation rule is Unit × Rate, where:

Unit = ERN FM REGSTD UNIT

Rate = System element HOURLY RATE

The automatically assigned unit components of all the earnings that reduce regular hours are members of accumulator ERN AC REDUCE HRS. The delivered members are : SCK_UNIT, LSL_UNIT, OTHLV_UNIT, SHFNT2_UNIT, ANNRA_UNIT, ANN_UNIT, PUB_UNIT, and LWOP_UNIT.

The period total units from the accumulator are subtracted from the calculated regular standard hour units for the period.

Here is the process that ERN FM REGSTD UNIT uses to resolve the unit for the REGPAY STDHR earnings element (the last line reduces the regular earnings by the value of the accumulator):

1. Obtains the payee's standard hours frequency from the Job record.

2. Retrieves the annual factor for the employee's standard hours frequency; for example, annual frequency 52 for 40 standard hours per week.

3. Multiplies the employee's standard hours by the annual factor (annualization).

4. Retrieves the pay period frequency.

5. Obtains the annual factor.

6. Divides the annualized standard hours (step 3) by the annual factor (deannualization).

7. Subtracts the value of ERN AC REDUCE HRS.

The last line of the formula covers steps 6 and 7:

GP TEMP001 NUM / AUS VR ANNL FCTR − ERN AC REDUCE HRS >> ERN FM REGSTD UNIT

Calculating Rolling Average Earnings

You can set up an earnings element in which the rate is determined by the average rate of an earnings elements or set of earnings elements over a rolling period (such as the preceding 12 months).

The ANNRA (annual leave rolling average) earnings element is set up this way. Its calculation rule is Unit × Rate, where:

Unit = Payee level

Rate = Formula ERN FM ROLL AVG

In a rolling average calculation based on, for example, retrieving the average rate over 12 months for a monthly pay group, the formula retrieves the value 12 from variable ERN VR ROLL UNIT—set as a pay group supporting element override—and the value months from AUS VR FREQ TYPE retrieved from the array AUS AR FREQUENCY.

You can calculate rolling averages for monthly, fortnightly, and weekly pay groups. The following example is based on months:

Example

The ANNRA earnings element must be paid in December 2002 for a monthly pay group, and the rate is the average rate of a group of earnings elements over the preceding 12 months. The group of earnings consists of the members of the two life-to-date accumulators ERN AC ROLLAVG AMT and ERN AC ROLLAVG HRS. The earnings rate formula:

1. Uses historical rule ERN HR R/A END to retrieve the amount and hours balances of accumulators ERN AC ROLLAVG AMT and ERN AC ROLLAVG HRS, respectively, at the end of the preceding month (November).

   Call these balances the end amount (EA) and end hours (EH).

2. Uses the historical rule ERN HR R/A START to obtain the amount and hours balances of the same accumulators 12 months earlier, at the end of December 2001 (the start date).

   Call these balances the start amount (SA) and start hours (SH).

3. Calculates the amount difference (AD) and hours difference (HD) over the rolling average period, as follows:

   EA − SA = AD

   EH − SH = HD

4. Completes the calculation, as follows:

AD ÷ HD = ANNRA rate for December 2002

When calculating rolling averages for fortnightly or weekly pay groups, the formula obtains the accumulator balances at 14 or 7 days, respectively, prior to the period end date of the December 2002 ANNRA pay run (EA and EH).

It then uses the ERN VR ROLL UNIT value to calculate the start date so that it can retrieve the amount and hours balances at that date (SA and SH), and it completes the calculation.

Setting Up the Rolling Average Earnings Calculation

To set up rolling average earnings calculations:

1. Populate the amounts and hours accumulators with the respective earnings or automatically assigned units on which the rolling average calculation is based.

2. Assign the ANNRA earnings element to an employee as positive input, and enter the unit's value.

   The unit's value is the number of ANNRA hours that you want paid at its calculated rate.

3. By supporting element override at the pay group level, set the variable ERN VR ROLL UNIT to the number of months, fortnights, or weeks that the system must evaluate to retrieve period amount and hours data for use in the calculation.

Creating Earnings Advance and Recovery

Some earnings are loans or advances; therefore, when they are paid, the system must automatically create a deduction that is processed over subsequent pay runs, recovering the loan or advance.

The PeopleSoft system provides the following elements, accumulators, formula, and generation control to demonstrate this:

See Also

Checking Goal Amounts

Selecting Hours for Holiday Earnings

The system detects when a designated holiday occurs in a pay period. Designate days as holidays on the Holiday Schedule page, which you access by selecting Set Up HRMS, Common Definitions, Holiday Schedule. When a holiday occurs in a pay period, the system populates the HOLIDAY HRS system element with the hours entered for that holiday on the holiday schedule.

Because a payee might not have been scheduled to work the holiday schedule hours, you can direct the system to pay different hours from those on the holiday schedule.

During normal payroll processing, when the system resolves the PUB (public holidays) earnings element, it determines the number of hours to pay each employee.

The PUB calculation rule is Unit × Rate, where:

Unit = Formula ERN FM PUB UNIT

Rate = System element HOURLY RATE

The ERN FM PUB UNIT formula uses proration element ERN PO PUB HRS for which the numerator is ERN CT PUB HOURS and the denominator is 1.

The count formula for ERN CT PUB HOURS is ERN FM HOLIDAY HOURS. This formula checks each day in the period for a HOLIDAY HOURS value and if it finds one, determines whether the variable ERN VR SCHED TYPE is set to HOL, WRK, or ALT.

For HOL, the formula returns the holiday hours from the holiday schedule.

For WRK, the formula returns half the employee's scheduled hours if the holiday type on the holiday schedule is Half, or all of the employee's scheduled hours if the holiday type is Standard.

The result is the same for ALT, except the formula returns the hours for the payee's alternate work schedule. If there is no alternate schedule, it returns either half or all scheduled hours.

Note. You can designate any defined schedule as the alternate schedule on the pay group table. And at the employee level, you can assign a schedule as an alternate and it can be the pay group alternate schedule or any other of your defined schedules. Select Global Payroll & Absence Mgmt, Payee Data, Create Overrides, Assign Work Schedule.

Whatever the value of the variable ERN VR SCHED TYPE, the count formula returns the hours to be passed by the count to the numerator of the proration rule and the proration rule passes the count value to the formula ERN FM PUB UNIT, which is the unit for the PUB calculation rule Unit × Rate.

Note. Because the count numerator (the number or hours to pay) is divided by denominator 1, no proration occurs. The count result is passed to the PUB earnings element's unit formula through the proration element because counts cannot be used directly in formulas.

Scheduling Earnings by Using Generation Control

There may be times when you need to control the periods in which earnings are paid. In that case, you need to control when the system pays the earnings element regardless of the pay frequency (weekly, fortnightly, semimonthly, four-weekly, or monthly). For instance, you might need to pay earnings only in the first weekly pay run of the month or only in the second fortnightly pay run of the month.

Note. Although these generation controls are discussed here in the context of defining earnings, you can use them to control deductions in the same way.

Scheduling for Any Period

You control the payment of an earnings element—whatever the pay frequency—by assigning one of seven generation controls to the earnings. Five generation controls exist for periods 1 to 5 (there is a maximum of five weekly periods per month), and two additional generation controls cover two periods each (periods 1 and 3 and periods 2 and 4).

The two-period controls have the system process the earnings in both covered periods. For example, the control for periods 1 and 3 affects weekly pay runs in weeks 1 and 3 but not weeks 2, 4, and 5.

A corresponding formula exists for each generation control. When the formula returns True, the earning is paid.

For example, to pay an allowance for the first period of the month (period 1), the formula returns True for the first period of the month and False for the remaining periods, and the earnings element is processed.

The formula attached to each generation control has the same name except the FM element type code replaces the GC type code; for example, the generation control AUS GC PERIOD 1 has the associated formula AUS FM PERIOD 1.

Note. For each of the two-period generation controls, the formula calls two other formulas, one for each period. For example, the formula AUS FM PRD 1+PRD 3 calls formulas AUS FM PERIOD 1 and AUS FM PERIOD 3. Only one of the two formulas needs to return True for the system to pay the earning.

Weekly, fortnightly, semimonthly, and four-weekly brackets return values depending on where the pay period end date occurs, as the following diagram shows:

Bracket values for each period

To provide examples, the following table shows the bracket value that each bracket returns for day 5 and day 27 of the month:

The formula uses the bracket values, which indicate to the system whether the pay period end date is in the relevant period. The formula checks the bracket that corresponds to the frequency type.

For the period 1 formula for example:

 If AUS VR FREQ TYPE = 'W' (weekly) Then
 			  If AUS BR WEEKLY = 1 Then...TRUE
 If AUS VR FREQ TYPE = 'B' (biweekly or fortnightly)Then
			  If AUS BR FORTNIGHLY = 1 Then...TRUE

The formula returns True when the pay period end date is in the bracket value that corresponds to the period. That is, for period 2 when the bracket for a frequency type returns 2, the formula returns True.

For example, to have the earning paid in the first period, you attach the period 1 generation control to the earnings element. If generation control formula for period 1 returns the bracket value 1, the formula returns True—regardless of the frequency specified in variable AUS VR FREQ TYPE, .

If you want the earning paid in the second and fourth periods, attach the AUS GC PRD 2 +PRD4 AUS FM PRD 2 +PRD4

The following table lists the frequencies for which each formula uses the bracket value (W is weekly, B is fortnightly, S is semimonthly, F is four-weekly, and M is monthly):

Note. None of the delivered earnings elements use the AUS GC PERIOD <number> generation controls; however, you can use these controls for deductions just as you use them for earnings. Deduction INSURANCE, for example, uses the AUS GC PERIOD 1 generation control.

See Also

Scheduling Deductions Using Generation Control

Scheduling for the Last Period Only

To have an earnings element paid only in the last period in a month, use generation control AUS GC LAST PERIOD to determine if the period being processed is the last period of the month; for example, period 4 or 5 for weekly pay frequency or period 2 for semimonthly. The PHONE earnings element uses this generation control.

The formula attached to this generation control is AUS FM LAST PERIOD. That formula also uses the period formulas—AUS FM PERIOD <number>—that are associated with the seven generation controls.