This article is for all employers using Justworks.
You'll need to verify your company's bank account
Before you can start making payments, you’ll need to verify your company’s bank account. Once you enter your account and routing number, Justworks will automatically send two small verification deposits to your business account labeled “JUSTWORKS VERIFY”. These deposits take approximately 2-4 days to show up in your account; you’ll receive an email notification on the morning that the deposits are available.
Once you’ve received the deposits, click Verify Bank Account on the dashboard. This will bring you to the following screen to enter the amounts of the two deposits. Once you’ve done this, your bank account will be verified.
Additionally, there are some banks that require an authorization code in order for a debit to be approved. If the company bank account that you have entered into Justworks' requires that authorization code, please be sure to provide it to your bank before your first payroll runs.
Periodically, we may need to send your company a new authorization code as we update our payroll system. Don't worry- we'll make sure we communicate with you in the event we need to do so.
Processing generally takes 4 business days
Once you are approved for workers' comp, it generally takes 4 business days for a payment to fully process. Please note that new companies may be subject to longer processing times and bank holidays will cause one day delays.
When you schedule a payment, you specify the pay date, which is the date that the funds will become available in your employee’s bank account. The processing date must be 4 business days prior to the pay date, depending on the timeline above. Business days include Monday through Friday but not bank holidays, so payments made during holidays will take longer to process. You can see upcoming bank holidays on the Justworks dashboard forecast calendar.
Can Justworks process a same day payment?
No, Justworks does not currently support same-day payments to employees.
What are the fastests options to pay employees?
If you need to pay employees as soon as possible, you can schedule an off-cycle payroll for the next available pay date, but you must still meet the required submission deadline (usually at least 2 business days before the pay date).
Your invoice specifies a 'pay date,' which is the day your employees will be paid
- Invoice date: the date your company will get the invoice
- Payment collection date: the date Justworks will deduct the money from your company's business bank account
- Pay date: when your employees will have money in their personal accounts
Payments are processed at 2:00 pm Eastern time
The processing deadline is 2:00 pm Eastern time, on the invoice date. Additionally, please keep in mind that at the time payroll processes, at least one admin of your account must have an SSN entered. If there's no admin with an SSN entered, payroll will not be processed, and off-cycle payments will have to be scheduled to make up for the skipped payment.
All funds are debited from a single account
Currently, all funds will be debited from a single account that you specified when you set up your company. You can view the bank account information by going to Company > Settings.
Funds can be deposited into multiple bank accounts
Employees have the ability to split their payments between multiple bank accounts, up to ten. You can check out this article to learn how employees can set up splitting their paychecks between several bank accounts.
US payments to US-based employees only
With Justworks PEO and Justworks Payroll, Justworks sends payments only to bank accounts within the United States. US-based employees and contractors must work in the US and have a US mailing address, in order for us to mail W2s and 1099s and in order to be covered by workers' comp.
Want to learn more about how Justworks can help you pay employees and contractors outside of the US? Check out these Help Center articles for more information: Justworks International Employer of Record (EOR) and International Contractors.
Direct deposit through Justworks.
Justworks payroll generally processes employee wage payments by direct deposit to the employee’s personal bank account.
An employee's salary will not be auto-paid until their first full pay cycle
Read more about how salaried employee's first payments are handled.
Review Upcoming Payments
You’ll be able to review estimated payments in the “Upcoming Payments” section on your Justworks homepage. Click “View” next to an upcoming payment to see what’s included in the payment.
Please note that the upcoming payments section does not display pay associated with hourly employees until their time cards are approved.
My company's payroll didn't process, what are some reasons this may have occurred?
Here are some common reasons why payroll may not have processed in Justworks (or similar payroll platforms), along with troubleshooting steps:
Payroll Not Submitted or Approved
Payroll must be reviewed and submitted by an admin. If the payroll was saved as a draft or not fully submitted, it will not process. For timecard-based payroll, all timecards must be approved before payroll can run.
Missed Payroll Deadline
Each payroll has a processing deadline. If payroll is not submitted by the cutoff time (often 2–4 business days before pay date), it will not process for the intended pay date. Bank holidays can also affect processing timelines.
Bank Account or Funding Issues
Insufficient funds in the company’s linked bank account can cause payroll to fail. Bank account not verified or issues with the ACH connection can prevent processing.
Employee Data Issues
Missing or incorrect employee information (e.g., SSN, bank account, tax forms) can block payroll for those employees. Inactive, terminated, or future-dated employees will not be paid.
System Holds
Justworks may place a hold on payroll due to compliance, tax, or legal issues.
Unapproved Timecards or PTO
Hourly employees’ timecards must be submitted and approved. Unapproved or missing timecards will prevent payroll for those employees. Unapproved PTO requests may also block payroll if they affect hours worked.
Manual or Off-Cycle Payroll Not Scheduled
Off-cycle or bonus payrolls must be manually scheduled and submitted. If not scheduled, they will not process automatically.
Payroll Processing Holds for New Customers
New Justworks customers may have a temporary hold on their first payroll while bank accounts and compliance are verified.
Troubleshooting Steps
- Check payroll submission status in Justworks (Payments → Payroll History).
- Review timecard and PTO approvals for hourly employees.
- Verify company bank account status and available funds.
- Check for system alerts or emails from Justworks regarding payroll holds or errors.
- Contact Justworks Support if you cannot identify the issue.
Contact Justworks support to make an urgent final payment
All payments to your employees need to be processed through Justworks in order to ensure accurate taxes. However, in cases where your state requires a physical check on an employee’s last day, contact us at support@justworks.com for information about how you can write a paper check directly from your company’s account and have Justworks collect the appropriate taxes.
Disclaimer
This material has been prepared for informational purposes only, and is not intended to provide, and should not be relied on for, legal or tax advice. If you have any legal or tax questions regarding this content or related issues, then you should consult with your professional legal or tax advisor.