Intermediate Payroll Technician

Intermediate Payroll Technician

This is an Open Competitive recruitment to create an eligibility list for current and future vacancies. Successful candidates are expected to work eight (8) hours a day, five (5) days a week, and twelve (12) months per school year. Candidates must submit proof of all required documents to be considered for the recruitment process. Successful candidates will be placed on the eligibility list that will remain valid for six months from the date of approval by the Personnel Commission.

Under general supervision, performs a variety of related advanced technical support functions involved in the processing of the District's payroll to ensure the timely, accurate payment of District employees; and performs related duties as assigned. Intermediate Payroll Technicians are responsible for performing complex and highly responsible payroll and other related general accounting processing, reconciliation, verification, and reporting duties. An incumbent in this class is expected to perform these functions in an accurate, timely manner in accordance with legal requirements and sound financial management principles and practices. An incumbent in this classification generally works on assigned parts of the certificated or classified payrolls for employees on various calendars. The first priority for the Intermediate Payroll Technician is to ensure that District employee paychecks are correct and paid on time and in accordance with existing collective bargaining agreements, District policies, federal and State regulations.

An Intermediate Payroll Technician differs from a Senior Payroll Technician in that the former classification focuses on payroll processing and records maintenance functions requiring a broad knowledge of federal and State rules and regulations, Board of Education policies, and Personnel Commission Laws and Rules, and District policies and procedures, and the latter serves in a lead capacity and acts as a resource to all payroll staff. The Intermediate Payroll Technician is required to maintain the security and confidentiality of payroll information and must possess strong interpersonal skill in dealing with District employees.

Duties

The duties listed below are intended only as illustrations of the various types of work that may be performed. The omission of specific statements of duties does not exclude them from the position if the work is similar, related or a logical assignment to this class.

1. Verifies, audits, edits, and initiates processing of assigned portions of the District's payroll.
2. Receives and reviews employee timecards; calculates rate of pay and total hours worked; ensures account numbers are appropriate and correct.
3. Identifies and works with appropriate department and/or supervisors to resolve time reporting, funding and coding discrepancies.
4. Ensures timekeeping data has been accurately entered in the payroll system; enters corrections, adjustments, pro-ratings, and overrides as required to ensure accurate pay and accruals.
5. Calculates and inputs annual salaries and salary increase amounts based on step increases, classification changes, and changes in hours or extended illness.
6. Generates, reviews, and reconciles payroll reports to ensure accuracy and completeness of payroll, earnings, deductions, and warrants; balances payroll totals; transmits payroll files to the County Office of Education to generate warrants; verifies each employee receives a payroll check or earnings statement each pay period; computes and generates necessary documentation for adjustment orders, warrant cancellations; processes retro pay increases, vacation payouts, sick leave, and vacation accruals.
7. Establishes and maintains payroll records; verifies and validates information entered by personnel staff that affects payroll generation; enters employee salary deductions and tax information in the payroll system; receives, reviews, audits and corrects records as necessary.
8. Keeps abreast of changes in federal and State rules and regulations; updates and maintains payroll codes, retirement rates and federal and State tax changes; ensures the District meets legal requirements with regard to payroll taxes and garnishments and provides all required information and payments to the Internal Revenue Services, state tax authorities and other regulatory agencies; enters federal and State withholding and voluntary deductions; generates, reviews and distributes W-2 tax forms and corresponding reports with mandated timeframes.
9. Interprets payroll policies and procedures and provided accurate and timely information to management and employees; researches inquiries from employees on a wide array of technical matter related to payroll; provides information needed by school sites and other departments for budget purposes.
10. Distributes and receives time keeping forms from District sites; calculates for accuracy and completeness; recalculates totals on large time reports; compiles and batch time sheets for input into the computerized payroll system for various calculations such as taxes, retirement contributions and other deductions; reviews and edits report for accuracy.
11. Checks employee status to determine whether assignment is permanent, probationary, substitute, provisional, limited term or full or part-time.
12. Makes changes to employee pay status such as promotions, additional assignments, extension of assignment, reclassifications, retirements, separation from employment, long term illness, overtime, shift differential, sick and bereavement leave, leaves of absence, jury duty, and worker's compensation benefits.
13. Prepares schedules and salary adjustments to correct employee pay as needed; calculates correct pay and makes appropriate voluntary or involuntary deductions and enters the adjustment in the payroll register.
14. Verifies and edits records on long term absences receiving compensation from various leave benefits such as sick leave, vacation, workers' compensation; prorates and balances pay for each pay period.
15. Checks and prepares new retirement membership, vacation pay-off and requests issuance of paychecks in unusual circumstances.
16. Verifies employment experience of certificated employees for proper placement on the District's salary schedule.
17. Meets all payroll deadlines and maintains paper payroll records and files for back up and reference.
18. Works closely with human resources personnel to ensure employees are in the proper pay status and appropriate changes of status are effected; advise and assist site personnel on payroll procedures and requirements; communicates with the Los Angeles County Office of Education as appropriate to resolve payroll questions and problems.
19. Answer inquiries from employees and explain payroll rules, practices and procedures; resolves discrepancies with tact; provides documented records and files in substantiating payroll decisions and actions.
20. Performs other related duties as assigned.

Qualifications

Minimum Qualifications Knowledge of:

1. Fiscal practices and procedures including payroll.
2. Financial record keeping.
3. District bargaining unit agreements as they relate to compensation and leave benefits.
4. Applicable provisions of the California Education Code.
5. Federal and State tax laws and District payroll rules and regulations.
6. School district organization, operations and objectives.
7. Technical aspects of payroll transactions.
8. Computer software applications including spreadsheets.
9. Customer service and telephone etiquette.
10. Moderately complex mathematics.
11. Modern office practices, procedures and equipment.

Ability to:

1. Make mathematic computations rapidly and accurately.
2. Review work for accuracy and completeness.
3. Search records, identify and correct difficult and complex payroll transactions and problems.
4. Deal tactfully and effectively with employees in person or over the telephone.
5. Explain policies and procedures to persons not possessing knowledge of payroll and personnel processes.
6. Adapt to changing priorities and meet schedules and deadlines.
7. Organize and maintain accurate records.
8. Understand and follow oral and written instructions.
9. Establish and maintain effective relationships with others.
10. Train and direct other employees.
11. Operate office equipment such as a computer terminal and keyboard; ten key calculator, multi-line telephone; copier and fax machine.

Education, Training, and Experience:

• A high school diploma, G.E.D. equivalent, or higher graduation, and
• Proof of two semester courses (or equivalent quarter courses) in accounting or payroll with a letter grade of "C" or higher and,
• Three (3) years of progressively responsible accounting, accounts payable, payroll, or bookkeeping experience, including experience with personal or microcomputer operation, utilizing spreadsheet and other financial software applications.

Lead work experience related to accounting, accounts payable, payroll, or book keeping is desirable. Equivalency Provision: A Bachelor's degree in accounting, finance, or related field may substitute for one year of the required work experience as stated above. An additional year of accounting, accounts payable, payroll, or bookkeeping experience may substitute for lack of college coursework in accounting or payroll.

Physical and Mental Demands: The physical requirements indicated below are examples of the physical aspects that this position classification must perform in carrying out essential job functions.

• Lift, carry, push, pull, bend, twist, stoop, kneel, walk, run, and crawl.