Purpose: 

The purpose of this bulletin is to notify agencies that OSC will be unable to print SFS checks for Payroll Check Reissues, Reversals, Exchanges, and Direct Deposit Returns during the SFS September blackout periods.

Affected Employees:

Employees whose direct deposits are returned from their financial institution for any reason, whose direct deposit is reversed due to an overpayment, who request a Check Exchange, or who request a Payroll Check Reissue for any reason are affected.

Background:

The Statewide Financial System will be unavailable for use due to September lapsing events beginning on 9/15/2025 and 9/30/2025. Please reference the State Agencies Events and Deadlines calendar here for more information on lapsing events. 

Effective Dates:

This bulletin is effective from September 15, 2025 through the completion of the first SFS lapsing event and again on September 30,2025 through the completion of the second SFS lapsing event. NYS Payroll will issue PayServ bulletin board notices after the completion of each SFS lapsing event.

OSC Actions:

Direct Deposit Returns

OSC will continue to receive and process Direct Deposit Returns from financial institutions. OSC will prepare all transactions to be submitted to SFS for check printing when SFS becomes available. Employees whose direct deposits are returned from the receiving financial institution during this period will not receive a check to replace the returned direct deposit until approximately five to seven (5-7) business days after the SFS lapsing event has completed. 

Direct Deposit Reversals

OSC will continue to receive and process Direct Deposit Reversals to and from financial institutions for employees who were overpaid by the agency. OSC will prepare transactions for all Direct Deposit Reversals received from financial institutions to be transferred for salary exchange processing when SFS becomes available. Reversal funds will not be available to process a Report of Check Returned for Refund or Exchange (AC-230) until after the SFS lapsing event has completed. 

AC-230s

AC-230s submitted to reverse the overpayment in PayServ will continue to be received and  processed by OSC. However, if the AC-230 corresponds with a direct deposited payroll check the AC230 will not be processed to reverse the paycheck in PayServ until the corresponding Direct Deposit Reversal is processed in SFS. If the employee is due a portion of the reversed payroll check this portion will not be issued to the employee until approximately five to seven (5-7) business days after the SFS lapsing event has been completed. 

Paper Check Stops, Reissues and Exchanges

OSC will continue to receive and process stop payment requests through PayServ. OSC will    prepare transactions for all reissue and exchange requests received to be submitted to SFS for check printing when SFS becomes available. Checks will not be reissued until the SFS lapsing event has completed. 

Note: The Payroll Check Notification Report will be updated for Direct Deposit Return Notifications, Direct Deposit Reversal Notifications and AC230 status’ during this period, but the Notification Report tab for SFS check reissues will not be updated until the SFS lapsing event has completed.

Agency Actions:

Agencies must ensure employee direct deposit account changes and updates are completed as soon as possible. If an employee notifies the payroll office of a direct deposit account change or closure during the SFS lapsing event, ensure the employee’s Direct Deposit panel in PayServ is updated immediately per the agency submission schedule timeline.

Agencies must continue to submit Direct Deposit Reversal requests, Check Exchange and payroll check stop payment requests through PayServ for OSC processing.

Questions:

Questions regarding this bulletin may be directed to the DD Returns and Reversals mailbox, Uncashed Payroll Check mailbox or the Payroll Reversal and Exchange mailbox, as appropriate.