Semimonthly Definition

Semimonthly is a type of pay frequency where employees receive their wages twice per month. Other pay frequencies include weekly, biweekly, and monthly.

Semimonthly Extended Definition
Under a semimonthly pay frequency, employees receive 24 paychecks per year. Payday usually takes place on specific dates, like the 15th and last weekday of each month. As a result, payday is inconsistent and can fall on any day during the week.

Semimonthly pay periods are often confused with biweekly pay periods. Unlike semimonthly pay, there are 26 paychecks under a biweekly frequency and biweekly pays employees every other weeks.

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Last Updated By

Rachel Blakely-Gray | Jun 15, 2023