Payroll & Banking
All required documents and conditions of employment must be met to receive your first paycheck (some exceptions may apply).
All trainees are paid on the 15th and the last business day of the month. A live and current payroll check for the first payroll period following your GME orientation will be mailed to your home address that GME has on file.
Those trainees who have a July 1 appointment date will receive their first paycheck via payroll distribution only (on or around July 15). More information about payroll distribution for those with July 1 appointments will be provided at orientation.
Direct Deposit: All employees participate in the payroll direct deposit program. Your paycheck summary/stubs are accessible online via our Intranet on the day of your pay, and you can view past pay information for up to two years.
Additionally:
- Beginning with your second paycheck and going forward, all paychecks will be direct deposited.
- A Direct Deposit Authorization form is located in the employment (HR) form section of this site. Please read the instructions and complete the form. If you would like your paycheck deposited to a checking account, you will need to provide a voided check.
- Trainees who are appointed on July 1 may provide the Direct Deposit Authorization form and documentation directly to the Payroll representative at your scheduled GME orientation.
Any issues related to your paycheck should be directed to the GME Department.
On-Campus Banking: Two Key Bank branches and several ATMs are located on the Cleveland Clinic main campus. Get location, hours and contact information.
As a courtesy, Key Bank provides banking needs to all Cleveland Clinic employees. When you apply for your account(s), please bring all forms of photo identification including your Cleveland Clinic ID badge. For details, please call Key Bank directly.
Income Tax
Federal Income Tax
The Tax Reform Act requires you to file a W-4 form for payment of federal income tax. Follow the instructions on the W-4 form as it pertains to your individual tax situation.
Contact the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) at 800.829.3676 for more information.
Non-U.S. Citizens: If you are classified as an alien and not a U.S. citizen, visit the IRS website and read Publication #519: Tax Guide for Aliens. This publication will help you determine your status as well as give you information you will need to file your U.S. tax return. Also refer to Table A of this website for information on what you need to know about U.S. taxes.
ISTaxes (International Student Taxes) is a website that helps international students filing a non-resident alien tax return. This resource will help you find answers to any tax-related questions and provide you with the proper resources and support.
State Income Tax
Because every Ohio resident and part-year resident is subject to Ohio income tax, you are required to complete a withholding certificate. Non-residents not residing in a border state who earn wages in Ohio are also subject to Ohio tax. So is every non-resident who directly earns or receives income from Ohio sources as a sole proprietor, or through a partnership, S corporation or a limited liability company.
Contact the state of Ohio at 800.282.1780 for more information.
Note: Cleveland Clinic Payroll and GME departments are unable to help you complete your tax forms. Please make sure these forms are complete prior to attending GME orientation.
Savings & Investment Plan
Trainees who receive a salary from Cleveland Clinic are automatically enrolled in the Cleveland Clinic Savings and Investment Plan (SIP) 403(b), managed by Fidelity Investments, by investing a 3% deduction from each paycheck. Effective Jan. 1, 2024, all trainees are eligible for employer-matching contributions. Cleveland Clinic matches $0.50 for every $1 of pre-tax and Roth contributions you make each pay period, up to 3% of your salary.
The SIP allows you to save a percentage of your pay as well as the employer contribution on a tax-deferred basis.
If you have questions, need assistance or are not interested in participating, please call Fidelity at 888.388.2247 or visit Fidelity online.
Student Loan Deferments
The GME Department will process your student loan deferment forms after your official GME orientation session.
Trainees are responsible for then submitting the completed forms to their lending institutions.
Salary
Salary: Clinical Residents and Fellows
Please refer to the table below for new salary rates, effective May 16, 2023:
| Grad Level | New Annual Rate | New Per Pay Rate |
| 1 | $63,457 | $2,644 |
| 2 | $65,596 | $2,733 |
| 3 | $67,715 | $2,821 |
| 4 | $70,364 | $2,932 |
| 5 | $72,709 | $3,030 |
| 6 | $75,569 | $3,149 |
| 7 | $78,072 | $3,253 |
| 8 | $79,594 | $3,316 |
| 9 | $81,122 | $3,380 |
Trainees are compensated at the graduate level required to enter the program in which they are starting, regardless of the past training experience they may have acquired.
Research Fellows: All new or reappointed GME research fellows must have an annual salary that meets or exceeds the current prevailing wage at the time of their appointment/reappointment. The prevailing wage is determined by the U.S. Department of Labor and is subject to change. Programs will be notified when a change is made to this rate.
Social Security
The GME Department is required to maintain a copy of each trainees’ social security card; the name on your social security card is the name required for all Cleveland Clinic records. All benefit packages are linked to your social security number. Even if you are not receiving salary or benefits from Cleveland Clinic, the GME Department must still maintain a copy of your social security card.
If you are an international medical graduate, the Social Security Administration (SSA) recommends that you wait two weeks after your arrival in the U.S. before applying for your social security number. This allows time for the U.S. Citizenship & Immigration Service (USCIS) and/or U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to update your information in their databases. The SSA will verify your nonimmigrant status in these databases when processing your application.
Information on applying for a social security card is below.
How to Contact Social Security
Contact the Social Security Administration Office by calling 800.772.1213 between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. EST Monday through Friday (closed federal holidays). Some information is recorded and is available by touch-tone phone 24 hours a day, including weekends and holidays.
Cleveland Offices
11601 Shaker Blvd. (northeast corner of Shaker Blvd and East 116th Street)
Cleveland, OH 44120
Anthony J. Celebrezze Federal Building
1240 E. 9th St., Room 793
Cleveland, OH 44199
To locate other Social Security offices, visit their website and use your ZIP code to find an office, or call 800.772.1213 and ask for the office nearest you.
How to Apply for a Social Security Card