University Human Resources

Considerations for Employees Outside of Rhode Island

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Considerations for Employees Outside of Rhode Island

Employees who live or work outside of Rhode Island may have different state payroll tax withholding requirements depending on their work arrangement and approved work location. This page explains how payroll withholding is determined, what employees should do to keep their information up to date, and answers common questions about working outside Rhode Island.

Payroll Withholding Overview

Your state payroll taxes depend on your work location, home address and employment classification. Workday uses both your home and work addresses to determine tax withholding.

General Rules

  1. If you are performing approved remote work outside of the state of Rhode Island, but within a state the University is registered, your home and work location would be the same and that state will govern your payroll taxation.
  2. If you have a hybrid work schedule and live outside the state of Rhode Island, you will have Rhode Island state payroll taxes withheld.  
  3. If you are an on-site employee, you will continue to have Rhode Island state payroll taxes withheld from your pay.

If you are a remote employee, your work location will not affect your OASDI or Medicare taxes (commonly known as FICA taxes), nor will it impact your federal withholding. However, it may affect your state income tax withholding.

Workday uses both your home and work addresses to determine your taxable wages and applicable state payroll withholdings.

State income tax withholding is based on your W-4 elections in Workday. We recommend reviewing your current state W-4 elections and updating your W-4 form if needed through Workday by navigating to the “Pay” app on your homepage and selecting “Change Withholding Elections.”

If you are unsure how to complete the form or what to claim for each state, we encourage you to consult a tax professional for guidance before making your elections.

Work ArrangementState Tax Withholding
Onsite (RI)You will continue to be taxed as a Rhode Island employee and Rhode Island state taxes will be withheld
HybridYou will continue to be taxed as a Rhode Island employee and Rhode Island state taxes will be withheld
RemoteYour home and work state are the same and will govern your state payroll withholdings

Employee Responsibilities

To ensure accurate payroll withholding, employees should:

  • Keep home and work addresses updated in Workday
  • Notify their department if they are considering relocating to a different state
  • Review pay slips regularly for correct tax withholding
  • Update W-4 elections when work location changes

Please review your payslips in Workday to ensure that state income taxes are being withheld correctly. To access your payslips, go to your “Pay” app and select “Payslips,” located under the “View” section on the right side of the page.

Frequently Asked Questions

Employee Benefits

Time Off

All employees request time off through Workday as usual.

Family and Medical Leave (FMLA)

Employees are assigned a primary work state, which determines leave administration.

Temporary Disability Insurance (TDI)

Eligibility depends on primary work state:

  • Rhode Island: Rhode Island TDI applies

  • Massachusetts: Massachusetts Paid Family and Medical Leave applies