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Pay Sync
The Fall Pay Sync information session for faculty and staff took place on October 23. Watch the recording here and access with passcode: HqM+*L
A virtual information session took place on May 27, you can watch the recording here.
SFU Pay Sync Project
In January 2026, SFU is planning to synchronize pay periods across salaried and hourly employees to provide an improved pay experience for faculty and staff, and to create more efficient payroll operations and pay statements.
PaySync begins January 9, 2026
The Payroll Synchronization Project (known as PaySync) is a one-time change to SFU’s pay periods.
Currently, salaried and hourly employees are on different pay periods. By moving to one shared schedule, payroll will run more smoothly and it will be easier to ensure vacation, overtime, sick leave and other pay details are recorded in the pay period when they actually happen.
What is changing?
SFU is shifting the salaried pay period by one week so that salaries are calculated after the pay period ends, rather than in advance. You will not lose any pay due to this change.
What this means is that instead of the usual bi-weekly pay days on December 24, January 9 and 23, salaried employees will be paid:
- December 24: Two weeks of pay for Dec 14–27 (unchanged)
- January 9: One week of pay for Dec 28–Jan 3
- January 16: One week of pay for Jan 4–10
- January 30: Two weeks of pay for Jan 11–24
- After January 30: Regular bi-weekly pay schedule resumes (e.g., Feb 13, Feb 27, etc.)
*Please note that everyone’s pay is unique and this is an example. For hourly employees, your pay will reflect your actual time worked, as entered and approved in the timekeeping system.
Won’t this mean I will miss a week of pay?
We are aware of concerns raised by the SFU Faculty Association that employees would experience a real loss of pay until they leave SFU. This statement is not accurate, and we want to reassure you that you will not lose any pay in January, or in 2026, as a result of this change.
You will receive three pays in January (accounting for four weeks) and 26 full pays in 2026, meaning that you will receive your full annual salary in the calendar year.
The impact of the change is that you will receive the amount totaling your full month’s pay one week later than you normally would for January, and your bi-weekly pay will be offset by one week going forward. All employees are paid every two weeks for the time worked and for the pay they are entitled to.
If you are shifting pay by one week, when does that pay get made up?
The one week shift to the payroll schedule means that employees receive a pay at the end of the year that they would not have otherwise received.
- Under the new PaySync schedule, the last pay day of the year will be December 31, 2026.
- Under the old pay schedule, the last pay day would have been December 24, 2026.
SFU chose 2026 to implement pay sync to ensure each employee will receive their full annual salary in the calendar year.
A helpful table to illustrate the changes and compare earnings in 2026 can be found on the Pay Sync webpage.
Why is this shift happening at all?
The university is switching from a “pay in advance” system to a “pay in arrears” system for salaried employees, which is a pay standard for most organizations. This change ensures that all time worked is accurately captured before the payroll is processed.
How you can prepare for PaySync:
- Familiarize yourself with your pay statement:
- To view your SFU pay statement, log into myINFO, visit Employee Self-Service, click the Payroll tile and then “Paycheques”
- Here you will see the pay cheque date, the pay period begin and end date in which your pay was accrued and your take home pay.
- Review your bill payment schedules. You can download a letter of reference to share with your bank should you need to adjust payment schedules.
Where can I get more information?
If you have more questions or need additional support, please read the below answers to frequently asked questions, or reach out to the project team at paysync@sfu.ca.
The 2026 Payroll Cutoff Schedule is now available on the Finance Sharepoint site.
FAQs
Last updated: December 1
1. Why is the pay day schedule being changed?
This change will improve the pay experience for employees by streamlining payroll operations, reducing workload for payroll staff, and ensuring a more efficient process for issuing pay and pay statements.
Some of the benefits to be realized by faculty and staff are:
- Pay will reflect time actually worked within the pay period, including vacation, sick leave, etc.
- Earlier and more complete view of pay-related data, such as vacation available and accrued seniority
- Overtime payments can be paid in the pay period overtime was accrued
- Reduce the number of payroll corrections due to payroll processing before time is actually worked
2. What would change in my pay schedule?
In January 2026, there will be a one-time adjustment to your pay dates:
- January 9: One week of pay
- January 16: One week of pay
- January 30: Two weeks of pay
In February 2026, your pay will continue on the usual bi-weekly schedule. The pay dates for February will be February 13 and February 27, followed by subsequent bi-weekly pay periods.
3. Will I lose any pay as a result of this change?
No, you will not lose any pay due to this change. The adjustment in January will ensure that you receive your full pay for the month, and you will continue to have 26 full pays within the calendar year.
4. Why did you decide to do this in January?
January 2026 was selected to ensure faculty and staff received their full 4 weeks of pay within the month, to ensure there were 26 pay periods within the calendar year.
5. What steps should I take to prepare for the pay schedule change?
We understand that the change in pay dates could affect your budgeting or financial planning, especially if your financial obligations align with specific pay dates. To minimize the impact, SFU is providing early notice to give you time to plan and prepare. Please use this downloadable letter of reference to help you explain the change to your financial institution or bank, if necessary. You may wish to contact your bank or financial institution if you anticipate any disruptions in your financial planning.
6. Will this change affect my benefits or deductions?
No, the synchronization of pay dates will not affect your benefits or payroll deductions. They will continue to be processed as usual, in alignment with the updated pay schedule.
7. Will there be any tax implications as a result of this change
No. An employee's gross earnings for the 2026 tax year will remain the same, meaning there will be no tax implications stemming from the pay schedule change.
8. When can I expect to receive my first pay under the new system?
The first pay under the new system will be on January 9, 2026. You will receive one week of pay on that date, followed by one week pay on January 16, and two weeks pay on January 30.
9. Does this have anything to do with SFU’s budget pressures?
No, this is an operational change to increase payroll efficiency and improve pay reporting.
10. Will this happen again in the future?
This is a one-time alignment of pay periods. We will not change the pay schedule again in the future.
11. Were other processes considered?
The university explored several options on how to operationalize the paysync project. Options including a one-time salary advance were explored and considered, but were ultimately ruled out due to factors such as lack of administrative feasibility and risk to the institution. To mitigate the impact on employees, we’ve included a one-week off-cycle pay day on January 9 and focused on giving employees sufficient notice before the change occurs.
12. Will the payroll department be available to answer questions during this transition?
Yes, our payroll department will remain available to answer any questions during this transition. Please reach out to the pay sync team at paysync@sfu.ca for any inquiries regarding the pay schedule change.
A virtual information session took place on May 27, you can watch the recording here.
Another virtual information session took place on October 23, you can watch the recording here using passcode: HqM+*L
13. I have a question not answered here. Who can I contact for more information?
If you have additional questions or need more information, please feel free to reach out to the pay sync team at paysync@sfu.ca. We’re here to help and will provide any assistance you need as we make this transition.
14. Why do I get more take home pay in December than in January?
Your net pay is lower in January than in December because the annual maximums for Canada Pension Plan (CPP) and Employment Insurance (EI) deductions are reset, and the deductions start again at the beginning of the new year. In December, you likely "max out" your CPP and EI contributions for the year, which stopped those deductions, leading to a higher take-home pay. The restart of these deductions in January, along with potential CPP/EI contribution rate increases for the year, results in a lower net pay.