Payroll management compliance requires accurate and complete records, especially in healthcare. One important requirement is a payroll-based journal. Payroll-based journal submissions are easy to understand and manage with Fingercheck.

What is a payroll-based journal?

A payroll-based journal (PBJ) is a detailed report that tracks staffing and payroll data. It is particularly significant in the healthcare sector, where the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) mandate PBJ reporting for nursing and long-term care facilities. It is a way to collect auditable and verifiable staffing data from nursing facilities. These PBJ reports ensure transparency in staffing levels and help maintain the quality of care by allowing CMS to monitor and assess facilities’ staffing adequacy. The most recent PBJ Policy Manual and Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) can be used to find out more about how to collect hiring data and other rules that go along with it.

The importance of PBJ reporting

Accurate PBJ reporting is essential for a few reasons:

Compliance: Non-compliance with PBJ requirements can lead to penalties and affect your facility’s CMS star rating.
Transparency: PBJ data allows for greater transparency in staffing practices, ensuring facilities meet required staffing levels.
Quality of Care: Proper staffing levels are directly linked to the quality of care provided to residents. Accurate PBJ reporting helps facilities maintain high standards of care.

Main components of payroll-based journals

Employee information
1. Details such as employee names, job titles, hire dates, and unique employee identifiers.
Work hours
1. Accurate tracking of hours worked, including regular, overtime, and agency hours.
Pay rates
1. Information on wage rates, including base pay, bonuses, and differentials.
Daily staffing data
1. Reporting of daily staffing levels for each job category and shift.

How Fingercheck simplifies PBJ reporting

Fingercheck offers a comprehensive solution to streamline your PBJ reporting process. Here’s how we make it easier for you once we import the jobs that match the reporting requirements:

Automated Data Collection
1. Fingercheck’s payroll system automatically collects and organizes all necessary data, reducing the risk of errors and saving you time.
Accurate Record-Keeping
1. Our system ensures that all employee hours, pay rates, and staffing data are accurately recorded and easily accessible.
2. We make it easy to import jobs to map to CMS codes.
3. Read how to import jobs.
  CMS job title codes:

Job Title Code	Description
1	Administrator
2	Medical Director
3	Other Physician
4	Physician Assistant
5	Registered Nurse Director of Nursing
6	Registered Nurse with Administrative Duties
7	Registered Nurse
8	Licensed Practical/Vocational Nurse with Administrative Duties
9	Licensed Practical/Vocational Nurse
10	Certified Nurse Aide
11	Nurse Aide in Training
12	Medication Aide/Technician
13	Nurse Practitioner
14	Clinical Nurse Specialist
15	Pharmacist
16	Dietitian
17	Feeding Assistant
18	Occupational Therapist
19	Occupational Therapy Assistant
20	Occupational Therapy Aide
21	Physical Therapist
22	Physical Therapy Assistant
23	Physical Therapy Aide
24	Respiratory Therapist
25	Respiratory Therapy Technician
26	Speech/Language Pathologist
27	Therapeutic Recreation Specialist
28	Qualified Activities Professional
29	Other Activities Staff
30	Qualified Social Worker
31	Other Social Worker
32	Dentist
33	Podiatrist
34	Mental Health Service Worker
35	Vocational Service Worker
36	Clinical Laboratory Service Worker (OPTIONAL)
37	Diagnostic X-ray Service Worker (OPTIONAL)
38	Blood Service Worker (OPTIONAL)
39	Housekeeping Service Worker (OPTIONAL)
40	Other Service Worker (OPTIONAL)

Seamless Reporting
1. Generate PBJ reports with a few clicks. Our software is designed to format and compile your data in compliance with CMS requirements.
2. Create a custom report for the PBJ.
  1. Read how to create a custom report.
  2. We have the data source in custom reports, "EMPH - Paid Hours" to generate a custom report for PBJ.
  3. We have a PBJ template that has all of the required fields:
    State facility ID
    Facility name
    Employee ID
    Employee first name
    Employee last name
    Hire date
    Termination date
    Work type code
    Pay type code
    Work date
    Hours
    Job title code
Support
- Benefit from Fingercheck’s dedicated support team, ready to assist you with any PBJ reporting queries or issues.
  1. If you need assistance with PBJ, we can help you build this custom report, please reach out to support.
Compliance
- Stay compliant with CMS requirements, avoid potential penalties, and maintain your facility’s star rating.

Important: When employees clock in, they should choose the right job to ensure the hours are correctly allocated when the PBJ custom report is run.

Tips for effective PBJ management

Understand requirements: Familiarize yourself with the CMS PBJ reporting requirements specific to your facility.
Leverage technology: Utilize Fingercheck’s advanced payroll software to automate and streamline your PBJ reporting process.
Regular audits: Conduct regular audits of your staffing and payroll data to ensure accuracy and compliance.
Training: Ensure your HR and payroll teams are trained on PBJ requirements and the use of Fingercheck’s reporting tools.

Managing payroll-based journals doesn’t have to be a daunting task. We help you streamline your PBJ reporting process, ensuring accuracy, compliance, and efficiency. Trust Fingercheck to be your partner in simplifying payroll management, so you can focus on what truly matters – providing exceptional care and service.