A. Services We Provide.

If you so elect, Strongpay, in conjunction with your Service Provider, will provide the payroll and HR Solutions services described in this Services Schedule and elected by you by submitting a Service Order (collectively, “Payroll and HR Services”).   

Services available for you to select from among include the following:  

• Calculating your payroll obligations and associated liabilities 

• Processing your payroll and making related payroll payments on your behalf  

• Making certain payroll tax payments and payroll tax filings electronically on your behalf 

• If applicable, sending wage garnishments, such as child support payments, to applicable local, state, or federal agencies 

• Handling check/voucher generations (all checks will be drawn against Service Provider accounts), providing for logos and authorized signatures on all checks/vouchers; check/voucher stuffing, direct deposits, full reporting including online access to checks and payroll histories; and accrual processing

In addition, you may elect to use Strongpay’s Payroll and HR Services technology to improve your human capital management workflow including the secure storage of pertinent employee data and track HR processes in an organized web-based system. 

B. Fees.

Fees applicable to Strongpay’s delivery of Payroll and HR Services to you are as shown as reflected on your Service Order.  

C. Payroll Set-Up.

You agree to complete and sign additional forms or authorizations as we, or Strongpay, may reasonably request, as required by law or as otherwise necessary for Strongpay to provide the Payroll and HR Services. Prior to your initial payroll processing date, you must submit the completed and executed documents Strongpay requires for providing Payroll and HR Services, including your payroll and bank account information, any required federal, state, or local powers of attorney, and any additional information requested. The Payroll and HR Services provided are dependent upon the delivery of complete and accurate payroll information by you (including proof of federal, state, and local tax identification numbers). Failure to provide the required documents and payroll information may adversely impact our ability to perform the Payroll and HR Services. We will notify you via electronic communication or by other means when all information necessary to begin the Payroll and HR Services has been received and the enrollment process for the Payroll and HR Services has been completed. 

D. Your Retained Responsibility for Pre-Service Period Payroll Matters.

You acknowledge that you are solely responsible for: (i) depositing any federal, state, and local withholding liabilities incurred prior to the commencement of our Payroll and HR Services; (ii) submitting any payroll returns to tax agencies (state, federal, and/or local) that were due for payroll tax liabilities incurred prior to initiation of our Payroll and HR Services, and (iii) canceling any prior payroll service or services of professional employee organizations/employee leasing companies.  

E. Service Provider is Not a Fiduciary or Adviser.

You acknowledge and agree that (i) Service Provider is not acting in a fiduciary capacity for you, your business or your employees when providing Payroll and HR Services; (ii) using the Payroll and HR Services does not relieve you of your obligations under local, state, or federal laws or regulations to retain records relating to your data; and (iii) any information that Strongpay provides in connection with the Payroll and HR Services is for informational purposes only and should not be construed as legal, tax, or accounting advice. Service Provider and Strongpay are not responsible for tax compliance applicable to your business and payroll. Service Provider and Strongpay do not provide legal advice; any returns, forms, or documents provided to you are on an “as-is” basis and should be reviewed by your counsel.  

F. Third-Party Services.

Third-party provided services may be made available through the Strongpay platform including, but not limited to, services provided by Swipeclock, Employee Navigator, Federal Express, United Delivery Services, Turbo Tax, HR Answerlink, and Background Checks (“Third Party Providers”). We may serve as billing agent for such Third Party Providers, but bear no responsibility and shall have no liability for the performance of Third Party Providers.   Each Third-Party Provider is solely responsible for the performance of your engagement with them. 

G. Payroll Information.

1. Submission and Review. Prior to submitting your first payroll, you shall review the Payroll Information (as defined below) for completeness and accuracy. “Payroll Information” shall mean any information you furnish to us in connection with the Payroll and HR Service, including any all information the information used to calculate and pay employee payroll, pay payroll taxes to applicable taxing agencies (including your employer identification number(s), unemployment insurance tax rates, and employment tax deposit schedule), produce payroll tax returns and W-2 statements, and print checks. You must correct or provide, respectively, any incorrect or missing Payroll Information, by using the payroll software we make available to you. You are fully responsible for the accuracy of all information you provide, submit, and/or approve (whether provided directly or through authorized representatives), and you are solely responsible for any claims, including but not limited to IRS penalties and/or interest, and other penalties and/or interest arising from the failure to timely provide and maintain accurate and complete Payroll Information at all times. 

2. Approval. You agree that by submitting each payroll (including the first payroll) to us: (i) you approve all Payroll Information; (ii) you represent and warrant to Service Provider that no Payroll Information submitted to us will result in entries that would violate the sanctions program of the Office of Foreign Assets Control of the U.S. Department of the Treasury or any other applicable laws, rules, or regulations; (iii) you waive and release us from any claims arising out of any errors or omissions in the Payroll Information you have provided and have not corrected; and (iv) you acknowledge that any subsequent request for corrections will be considered special handling, and additional fees may apply. You retain full responsibility for any audits or assessments. 

H. Payroll Information.

1. Payment Orders. You are responsible for verifying that anyone providing an instruction to approve, release, cancel, or amend the Payroll Information used to create entries (each, a “Payment Order”) to be originated by Strongpay or the Service Provider is authorized to do so. Neither the Service Provider nor Strongpay verifies or reviews Payment Orders for the purpose of detecting any errors; it is your responsibility to verify the accuracy of all Payment Orders. 

2. Information Errors. If a Payment Order describes the payee inconsistently by name and account number, (i) payment may be made on the basis of the account number even if you identify a person different from the named payee; or (ii) Strongpay may, in its sole discretion, refuse to accept or may return the Payment Order. If a Payment Order describes a participating financial institution inconsistently by name and identification number, the identification number may be relied upon as the proper identification of the financial institution. If a Payment Order identifies a non-existent or unidentifiable person or account as the payee or the payee’s account, Strongpay may, in its sole discretion, refuse to accept or may return the Payment Order.

I. Bank Account Debiting and Crediting.

1. Bank Account Authorization. On or prior to your payroll direct deposit and/or payroll tax deposit date or other applicable settlement or due date, you authorize Service Provider to initiate debit entries to the Bank Account at the depository financial institution (the “Bank”) indicated by the routing number associated with the Bank Account that you provide to us, and to debit the Bank Account in such amounts as are necessary to (i) fund payroll direct deposits; (ii) pay any fees or charges associated with the Payroll and HR Services, including, without limitation, finance charges; (iii) pay your payroll taxes; (iv) pay any debit, correcting, or reversing any Entry initiated pursuant to the Payroll and HR Services which is later returned to us; (v) verify the Bank Account through a test deposit or debit authorization; and (vi) pay any other amount that is owing under or in connection with the Payroll and HR Services. You also authorize us to initiate credit entries to the Bank Account in the event that we are required to return Unpaid Funds to you, as described in Section P of this Service Schedule. These authorizations shall remain in full force and effect until we have received written notice from you of termination of any such authorizations in such time and such manner as to afford us and the Bank a reasonable opportunity to act upon such notice. We are not responsible for determining whether the bank accounts of any payors or payees have deposit or withdrawal restrictions.

2. NACHA Rules. You acknowledge that the origination of Automated Clearing House (“ACH”) transactions to the Payroll Account (as defined below) and the transmission of funds via ACH transactions to the payee’s account must comply with applicable laws, rules, and regulations, including the NACHA Rules, as further described in Section N of this Service Schedule. Furthermore, you acknowledge compliance with NACHA rules includes the right for Strongpay to audit the Client for compliance with the NACHA Rules, as specified by the NACHA rules.

J. Requirements for Bank Account Funds.

1. Your Obligation to Maintain Sufficient Funds. You will maintain in the Bank Account, as of each applicable payroll direct deposit date, payroll tax deposit date, or other settlement or due date and time, immediately available funds sufficient to cover all disbursements, fees, payroll taxes or any other amounts due (collectively, the “Amounts Due”) under the Payroll and HR Services. Your obligation to maintain sufficient funds in the Bank Account to cover Amounts Due is in effect at the time Strongpay originates the applicable entries for the Amounts Due and is unaffected by termination of the Payroll and HR Services. Strongpay may set off any amounts you owe to us against any amounts we owe to you in connection with the reconciliation of Amounts Due. 

2. Insufficiencies. If you do not maintain sufficient funds in the Bank Account to pay the Amounts Due at the times required, or if you refuse to pay the Amounts Due, then Strongpay will not be able to pay out the Amounts Due to the applicable parties and will not be liable for any consequences or claims directly or indirectly arising from such failure to pay, and Strongpay may (i) debit the Bank Account or any other account owned in whole or in part by you to pay disbursements, fees or charges, payroll taxes, or other amounts due; (ii) reverse any transactions initiated on your behalf; (iii) refuse to pay any unremitted payroll taxes to the applicable tax agencies, in which case the payroll tax liability will become your sole responsibility; (iv) refuse to perform further Payroll and HR Services; and/or (iv) immediately terminate the Payroll and HR Services. For any amounts due and unpaid, we may assess finance charges on such amounts and recover certain fees and costs of collection associated with such amounts.

K. Certain Agreements and Acknowledgements.

1. Service Provider’s Payroll Account. Amounts withdrawn from the Bank Account for payroll direct deposits and payroll taxes (“Payroll Funds”) will be held by Service Provider in accounts Service Provider maintains with financial institutions (collectively, the “Payroll Account”) until such time as those payments are due to your employees and/or independent contractors and the appropriate taxing agencies, and no interest will be paid to you on these amounts. You acknowledge that Service Provider is entitled to invest the Payroll Funds and that Service Provider, in its principal capacity (and not as your agent), is entitled to all income and gains derived from or realized from such investments. 

2. Indemnity. To the extent Service Provider receives the Payroll Funds, Service Provider shall indemnify and hold you harmless from and against any loss of any portion of the principal amount of the Payroll Funds (including any losses of principal resulting from the investment of the Payroll Funds) caused by Service Provider while holding the funds in its Payroll Account. If Service Provider incurs losses on the investment of the Payroll Funds or uses the Payroll Funds for any other purpose, Service Provider will make the required payroll direct deposits and payroll tax deposits on your behalf by using Service Provider’s own funds or other assets.

3. Rounding. Service Provider calculates applicable payroll taxes in accordance with state requirements; however, due to differences in computational methods (e.g., rounding), it is possible that our computation of your applicable taxes may deviate by an immaterial fractional amount from the amount charged by an applicable taxing authority (typically a difference of less than $0.10 per taxing authority per payroll). Sometimes, this will result in Service Provider withdrawing slightly less than what ultimately is required to be remitted to the applicable taxing authority. In this case, you agree to accept the accuracy of Service Provider’s computation; however, Service Provider will cover the difference on your behalf and will not seek additional funds from you. Alternatively, this process may result in Service Provider withdrawing slightly more than what ultimately is required to be remitted to the applicable taxing authority. In such an instance, you agree to accept the accuracy of Service Provider’s calculation, and that you are not entitled to a refund of or credit for the excess funds.

4. Excess Credits. In the event that Service Provider erroneously credits an amount to the Bank Account in excess of the amount that should have been credited (the “Excess Credit Amount”), if any, then you shall promptly notify Service Provider upon becoming aware of such erroneous credit. You authorize Service Provider to debit any Excess Credit Amounts from the Bank Account, and if the Bank Account contains insufficient funds to cover the Excess Credit Amount, you agree to promptly refund the Excess Credit Amount to Service Provider through other payment methods that Service Provider may deem acceptable at its sole discretion.

L. ACH Origination.

1. Rejected Submissions. The Payroll Information you approve and submit to Service Provider will be applied for the creation, formatting, and transmission of entries in accordance with the NACHA Rules and the UCC. Service Provider may reject any Payroll Information or Entry which does not comply with the requirements in this Service Schedule, NACHA Rules, or the UCC, or with respect to which the Bank Account does not contain sufficient available funds to pay for the Entry. If any Payroll Information or Entry is rejected, Service Provider will make a reasonable effort to notify you promptly so that you may correct such Payroll Information or request that Service Provider correct the Entry and resubmit it. A notice of rejection of Payroll Information or an Entry (each, a “Rejection Notice”) may be delivered through any means, including via email. Service Provider will have no liability to you for (i) the rejection of any Payroll Information or Entry or any claims directly or indirectly arising therefrom; or (ii) any delay in providing, or any failure to provide, you with a Rejection Notice, or any claims arising directly or indirectly therefrom. If you request that Service Provider correct any Payroll Information or entries on your behalf, Service Provider will attempt to do to the extent correction may reasonably be undertaken; provided, however, that Service Provider is not obligated to make any requested correction, and Service Provider is not liable for any claims or other consequences that may directly or indirectly result from Service Provider’s attempt to correct, or failure to correct, such Payroll Information or entries. 

2. Finality. After the Payroll Information has been approved by you and submitted to Service Provider for the purposes of initiating a payroll-related transaction (such action, to “Submit,” and Payroll Information that has been submitted in the foregoing manner, “Submitted Payroll Information”) and received by Service Provider, you may not be able to cancel or amend such Submitted Payroll Information. Service Provider will use reasonable efforts to act on any cancellation or amendment requests it receives from you prior to transmitting the entries to the ACH or gateway operator, but will have no liability if the cancellation or amendment is not affected. You will reimburse Service Provider for any expenses, losses, fines, penalties, or damages Service Provider may incur in effecting or attempting to effect such a request. Except for entries created from Payroll Information that has been re-approved and re-Submitted by you in accordance with the terms of this Service Schedule, Service Provider will have no obligation to retransmit a returned Entry to the ACH or gateway operator if Service Provider complied with the terms of the Service Schedule with respect to the original Entry.

M. Payroll Processing Times.

1. Cut-Off Times. Service Provider will process the Submitted Payroll Information and entries in accordance with Service Provider’s then-current processing schedule, provided that (i) the Submitted Payroll Information is received by Service Provider no later than the applicable cut-off time for Submitted Payroll Information on a business day; and (ii) the ACH is open for business on that business day. If Service Provider receives approved and Submitted Payroll Information after the applicable cut-off time for Submitted Payroll Information on a given business day, or if Service Provider receives the Submitted Payroll Information on a non-business day, Service Provider will not be responsible for failure to process the Submitted Payroll Information on that day. If any of the requirements of clauses (i) or (ii) of this paragraph are not satisfied, Service Provider will use reasonable efforts to process the Submitted Payroll Information and transmit the entries to the ACH with the next regularly-scheduled file created by Service Provider (which will only occur on a business day on which the ACH is open for business).

2. Standard Processing Times. Strongpay’s standard processing time for payroll and contractor payments is three (3) business days.

N. ACH Transactions and Entries.

1. NACHA Rules; UCC. Origination, receipt, return, adjustment, correction, cancellation, amendment, and transmission of entries must be in accordance with the NACHA Rules, and, with respect to credit entries which constitute Payment Orders, the UCC, as both are varied by this Agreement. You agree to comply with, and be bound by, the NACHA Rules and the UCC with respect to the Payroll and HR Services.

2. Provisional Credit Entries. Credit given by Strongpay to you with respect to an ACH credit Entry is provisional until Strongpay receives final settlement for such Entry through a Federal Reserve Bank. If Strongpay does not receive such final settlement, Strongpay is entitled to a refund from you in the amount credited to you in connection with such Entry, and the party making payment to you via such Entry (i.e., the Originator (as defined in the NACHA Rules) of the Entry) shall not be deemed to have paid you in the amount of such Entry.

3. Entry Reversals. Upon your request, Strongpay will make a reasonable effort to reverse an Entry, but will have no responsibility for the failure of any other person or entity to honor such request, and Strongpay cannot guarantee that the Entry will be successfully reversed. You agree to reimburse Strongpay for any costs or expenses incurred in attempting to honor such a reversal request. If required under the NACHA Rules or the UCC, you must obtain a payee’s consent before attempting to reverse an Entry that was credited to such payee. Each time you initiate a request to reverse an Entry that was credited to a payee, you shall be deemed to have represented and warranted to Strongpay that you have already obtained the payee’s consent for the reversal, if such consent is required under the NACHA Rules or the UCC.

4. Statements of Bank Account Activity. Under the NACHA Rules, which are applicable to ACH transactions, Strongpay is not required to give next day notice to you of receipt of an ACH item and Strongpay will not do so. However, Strongpay will inform you of the receipt of payments through the periodic Bank Account transaction history report that Strongpay makes available to you.

5. International ACH Transactions Not Supported. You acknowledge that Strongpay does not engage in or support International ACH Transactions (“IATs”), as defined in the NACHA Rules. You represent and warrant that (i) the direct funding for the entries originated by Strongpay on your behalf does not come from or involve a financial agency office that is located outside the territorial jurisdiction of the United States; (ii) you will not instruct Strongpay to create, originate, or transmit entries that use IAT as the Standard Entry Class Code (as defined in the NACHA Rules), or are otherwise required to be IATs under the NACHA Rules; and (iii) you will not engage in any act or omission that causes or results in Strongpay creating, originating, or transmitting an IAT or a payment that should have been categorized as an IAT pursuant to the NACHA Rules. Strongpay may, in its sole discretion, temporarily or permanently suspend providing Payroll and HR Services to you, without liability, if Strongpay has reason to believe that you have breached any of the foregoing representations and warranties in this paragraph. You acknowledge that you are the Originator (as defined in the NACHA Rules) of each Entry and assume the responsibilities of an Originator under the NACHA Rules.

6. Indemnity. You acknowledge that under the NACHA Rules and the UCC, Strongpay, as a Third-Party Sender (as defined in the NACHA Rules), is required to make certain warranties on behalf of the Originator with respect to each Entry. You agree to indemnify Strongpay for any claims which result, directly or indirectly, from a breach of any such warranty Strongpay makes on your behalf, unless such breach results solely from Strongpay’s own gross negligence or intentional misconduct. You also acknowledge that under the NACHA Rules and the UCC, Strongpay is required to indemnify certain persons, including, without limitation, the ODFI (as defined in the NACHA Rules), for the Originator’s failure to perform its obligations thereunder. You agree to indemnify Strongpay for any claims which result from the enforcement of such an indemnity, unless the enforcement results solely from Strongpay’s own gross negligence or intentional misconduct. 

O. Taxes; Liability.

1. Strongpay Not Liable for Inaccurate Information. Strongpay assumes no liability for any penalty, interest, or other claim that results from inaccurate or incomplete information that you, or your authorized representatives supply to us. You shall timely and accurately update all wage and payroll information as necessary to reflect changes and respond with additional information, as may be requested from time to time. Any penalty or interest incurred, or any other claim that arises, due to inaccurate or incomplete information provided by you is solely your responsibility.

2. Retained Responsibility for Tax Obligations. Even though you have authorized Strongpay to file payroll tax returns and make payroll tax payments on your behalf, you retain responsibility for the timely filing of employment tax returns and the timely payment of employment taxes for your employees. The IRS recommends that you enroll in the U.S. Treasury Department’s Electronic Federal Tax Payment System (“EFTPS”) to monitor your IRS account and ensure that timely tax payments are being made on your behalf. You may enroll in the EFTPS online at www.eftps.gov, or by calling (800) 555-4477 for an enrollment form. State tax authorities generally offer similar means to verify tax payments. You should contact the appropriate state offices directly for details.

P. Failed Direct Deposits.

1. Unpaid Funds. In the event that a direct deposit payroll payment fails to be paid to the payee and Service Provider cannot ultimately successfully make a payment on your behalf to the payee, and the funds are returned to Strongpay (“Unpaid Funds”), Strongpay will notify you of such Unpaid Funds and provide you with the appropriate details related to those funds. In addition, Strongpay will return the Unpaid Funds to you. You are responsible for contacting payees and/or otherwise resolving matters pertaining to Unpaid Funds.

2. Abandoned Property Laws. You acknowledge that you are responsible for complying with all applicable state unclaimed or abandoned property laws related to Unpaid Funds, and Strongpay bears no liability or responsibility for claims directly or indirectly arising from state unclaimed or abandoned property laws, including any applicable penalties and/or interest. Strongpay shall have no obligation to defend or otherwise indemnify you in the event of an audit, examination, assessment, or other enforcement action by a state related to the Unpaid Funds under its unclaimed or abandoned property laws.