---
title: "Set a staff member's pay rate"
description: "Set hourly or salaried pay for each staff member so payroll runs work out their pay correctly."
type: guide
updated: 2026-10-09
canonical_url: https://help.nestlicare.com/owners/staff/set-a-pay-rate
roles: ["center_admin", "super_admin"]
platforms: [web]
---
Pay rates live on the staff record. Timesheets hold hours only. The rate is read when you generate a payroll run, so a new rate applies to the next run you generate.

## Set a pay rate

1. Go to **Staff & Time → Staff**.
2. Click the pencil (**Edit**) on the staff member's card.
3. Scroll down to **Pay Type** and pick **Hourly** or **Salary**.
4. Enter the **Hourly Rate**, or the **Annual Salary** if you picked Salary. The form shows only the field that matches the pay type.
5. Click **Save Changes**.

<ScreenshotWithPointers
  src="/screenshots/owners/staff/pay-rate-form.png"
  alt="The Edit Staff form scrolled to the Pay Type and Hourly Rate fields"
  pointers={[
    { x: 34.6, y: 69.1, caption: "Pay Type: Hourly or Salary. Picking Salary swaps the rate field for an annual salary, divided evenly into pay periods" },
    { x: 49.6, y: 69.1, caption: "Hourly Rate: what this person earns per hour" },
  ]}
/>

To see who still needs a rate, open **Staff & Time → Payroll → Settings**. The **Staff Pay Rates** bar shows how many people are set up.

## Hourly or salary

- **Hourly**: pay is hours worked times the rate. Hours past 40 in a week are overtime, paid at the **Overtime Multiplier** in **Staff & Time → Payroll → Settings**. Paid leave days are paid at the hourly rate, using **PTO Hours per Day**.
- **Salary**: the annual salary is split evenly across the year's pay periods. Hours don't change the amount. Timesheets still track their time.

If a salaried person does extra work, such as covering a shift, add an adjustment to their line in the payroll run instead of changing their pay type.

## When a new rate takes effect

A new rate applies to the next payroll run you generate. Runs you already generated keep the rate they were made with.

To pay someone extra for the period they're in now, open the **Draft** payroll run, click **Edit Payroll**, and use **Add Adjustment** on their line. See [Run payroll and export it](/owners/staff/export-payroll).

## Who can change a pay rate

Owners, super admins and center admins can edit pay rates. Only owners and super admins can run payroll.

Teachers can't see or change pay rates. When Payroll is on, they see their own pay stubs under **Staff & Time → My Pay**.

## Troubleshooting

**A payroll run used the old rate.** The run was generated before you changed the rate. If the run is still a **Draft**, add an adjustment to that person's line. Otherwise, **Void** the run and generate it again.

**Someone's pay is $0.** They have no rate set, or their pay type is Hourly with no hours finalized. Check their staff record and their timesheets.

**I can't find the Payroll tab.** Payroll is off. The owner turns it on in **Settings → Features → Payroll**.