New CA State law affecting late pay begins January 1 - SB.698

December 13, 2019

White Berkeley logo on Founder's Rock Blue background

Executive Vice Chancellor and Provost, and Vice Chancellor, Administration

TO: Supervisors, Managers, Directors, Deans, and Chairs

Dear Colleagues:

For some years now, the University has not been able to pay all of its employees on time. While there are a variety of reasons for late payments, many can be traced back to timesheets being submitted incorrectly or late, or requests to hire employees after published deadlines. We find this unacceptable, and so do the Legislature and Governor, who have now stepped in. This past October, Governor Newsom signed legislation that will impact UC Berkeley. Senate Bill.698, which goes into effect on January 1, 2020, allows employees to file a claim with the California Labor Commissioner if the University fails to issue wage or salary payments on time. 

While UC Berkeley is able to process and pay nearly all of its faculty, staff, and student employees on time, there are instances in which employees do not receive their pay on the scheduled date. Beginning in January, these employees will have the right to file a claim, which will have financial repercussions for the campus. 

To minimize late or incorrect pay and to mitigate possible SB.698 related claims, managers and supervisors are asked to review Information about SB.698 and make every effort to:

  • ensure that employees are hired and onboarded in a timely fashion;
  • remind employees to complete and submit their timesheets at each deadline; and
  • submit time on behalf of employees who are unable to do so.

We are working with our Berkeley Regional Services and internal UCPath teams to ensure that they effectively partner with campus units to support more timely and accurate onboarding and to handle any pay issues that arise.

UC Berkeley strives to pay all of its employees accurately and we understand the critical importance of timely payments to our staff. This new legislation codifies a value that we already hold, and we appreciate your efforts in ensuring that your employees receive accurate and timely pay every pay period. 

If you have questions about SB.698, timesheet submission, or hiring requests, please contact your Berkeley Regional Services support team or your department HR staff.

Sincerely, 

Paul Alivisatos
Executive Vice Chancellor and Provost

Marc Fisher
Vice Chancellor, Administration