EE vs ER on Your Paystub: What Employee and Employer Lines Mean
Two letters decide whether a line on your pay stub came out of your pay or not. How to read EE and ER codes, and why the ER column is worth more attention than it gets.
Payroll & personal finance insights
Clarity on every paycheck, pay stub and tax form.
Practical, plain-English guidance on payroll, withholding, W-2 and 1099 forms from a finance professional with more than a decade in payroll management.
- 12+ years in payroll management
- B.S. Finance, University of California, Berkeley
- Payroll and tax compliance for businesses of all sizes
- Payroll solutions specialist at Online Pay Stub
About Alexander Caldwell
Full profile →Alexander Caldwell is a financial expert specializing in payroll management, with over 12 years of experience in the industry. He earned his bachelor's degree in finance from the University of California, Berkeley.
Throughout his career, Alexander has worked with businesses of all sizes, helping them streamline payroll processes and ensure compliance with tax regulations.
At Online Pay Stub, he is dedicated to providing accurate and reliable payroll solutions, making it easier for employees and businesses to manage their financial records efficiently.
On this site he answers the questions he hears most often from employees, freelancers and business owners, covering everything from a single line on a pay stub to the quarterly filings a growing company cannot afford to miss.
Areas of expertise
- Payroll management
- Pay stub compliance
- Tax withholding
- W-2 and 1099 reporting
- Paycheck calculations
- Payroll record keeping
12+ years of payroll experience
UC Berkeley bachelor's degree in finance
7 topic areas, plain-English guidance
All sizes of businesses served, startups to enterprises
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What Is Medical ER on Your Paystub? Employer Health Cost Explained
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What Is STD on Your Paystub? Short-Term Disability Explained
STD is the premium for short-term disability cover, the benefit that bridges the first weeks out of work. How it pays, how it differs from state disability and the tax consequence.
What Does FTD Mean on a Paystub? Fiscal Year to Date vs Federal Tax Deposit
FTD has two meanings in payroll. On an employee stub it usually means fiscal year to date; in an employer's records it means federal tax deposit. How to tell which you are looking at.
What Is LTD on Your Paystub? Long-Term Disability Explained
LTD is the premium for long-term disability cover. What it insures, how much income it replaces and why paying the premium with after-tax money can be the better choice.
What Is MED EE on My Paycheck? Fed MED/EE Medicare Tax Explained
MED EE is Medicare tax withheld from the employee. How it differs from the employer line, what it funds and why the deduction does not stop when other taxes do.
Browse by topic
01
Paystubs
How to read, check and keep your pay stubs.
20 articles
02
Payroll
Running payroll correctly, on time and in compliance.
2 articles
03
Tax
Withholding, filing and the taxes that touch your paycheck.
8 articles
04
Finance
Budgeting, saving and planning around your income.
6 articles
05
Paycheck
Gross pay, net pay and everything in between.
3 articles
06
W-2 Form
Understanding and using your annual wage statement.
6 articles
07
1099 Forms
Independent contractor income and the forms behind it.
3 articles