---
updatedAt: 2026-06-18T18:55:55.000Z
agentTools:
  projectIndex: https://docs.checkhq.com/llms.txt
---

# The earning code object

Represents a custom earning code for a company, which can be used while creating payroll items through the API.

For more details about how to use earning codes, refer to the [Earnings Guide](https://docs.checkhq.com/docs/earnings).

```json Sample earning code object
{
    "id": "erc_pz0fmJeuVcaPb99N0nw9",
    "company": "com_omSihPyKgr68wxFQ0xTn",
    "type": "hourly",
    "name": "Dishwasher",
    "calculation_overrides": {
      "wa_risk_class_code": "1802-01"
    },
    "metadata": {}
}
```

<Table align={["left","left"]}>
  <thead>
    <tr>
      <th>
        Attribute
      </th>

      <th>
        Description
      </th>
    </tr>
  </thead>

  <tbody>
    <tr>
      <td>
        `id`  
        _string_
      </td>

      <td>
        Unique identifier for the earning code.
      </td>
    </tr>

    <tr>
      <td>
        `company`  
        _string_
      </td>

      <td>
        ID of the company that this earning code relates to.
      </td>
    </tr>

    <tr>
      <td>
        `name`  
        _string_
      </td>

      <td>
        Human-readable name identifying the earning code. This is what will appear on employee paystubs.
      </td>
    </tr>

    <tr>
      <td>
        `type`  
        _string_
      </td>

      <td>
        The [Check earning type](https://docs.checkhq.com/reference/types-of-earnings) that this earning code relates to.
      </td>
    </tr>

    <tr>
      <td>
        `active`  
        _boolean_
      </td>

      <td>
        Used to distinguish between codes used only for loading historical data (inactive) and those that you support on an ongoing basis (active).
      </td>
    </tr>

    <tr>
      <td>
        `calculation_overrides`  
        _object_
      </td>

      <td>
        Used to define overrides that affect the tax calculation for earnings with this earning code. Currently, this can be used to override the risk class code for Washington Labor and Industries (L\&I) that earnings with this earning code will be calculated and filed with.
      </td>
    </tr>

    <tr>
      <td>
        `metadata`  
        _object_
      </td>

      <td>
        Additional loosely structured information to associate with the earning code.
      </td>
    </tr>
  </tbody>
</Table>

> 📘 Immutable earning codes
>
> Earning codes are immutable in Check's system, which means they cannot be updated once created. This is done primarily to prevent against the taxability of earnings potentially being changed after they have already been paid out to an employee.