Payroll Specialist & HR Assistant

Job Description

Job Description

Description:

 

Payroll Specialist & HR Admin

The Payroll Specialist & HR Admin is primarily responsible for the accurate, timely, and compliant administration of employee payroll through Paylocity . This position manages the full payroll cycle, including time and attendance, payroll processing, employee payroll data, deductions, benefit deductions, tax withholding, payroll reconciliations, payroll reporting, audits, year-end processing, and resolution of payroll discrepancies.

The Payroll Specialist & HR Admin serves as the primary resource for employees and managers regarding payroll, timekeeping, pay, deductions, benefits deductions, and related questions. The position works closely with Accounting/Finance, HR, managers, employees, benefit providers, and payroll service providers to ensure payroll information is accurate and properly recorded.

The role provides limited HR administrative support primarily related to employee records, new-hire and termination processing, benefits changes, and employee information that affects payroll. The Payroll Specialist & HR Admin maintains strict confidentiality and ensures payroll processes comply with applicable federal, state, and local requirements and company policies.

Required Training, Knowledge and Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, Human Resources, Business Administration, or related field; SHRM-CP or SHRM-SCP, Payroll certification preferred .
• 1½ to 4 years of progressive payroll experience; Paylocity experience strongly preferred .
• Demonstrated experience processing payroll from start to finish.
• Strong working knowledge of payroll processing, payroll taxes, wage and hour requirements, deductions, timekeeping, benefits deductions, reconciliations, and payroll recordkeeping.
• Working knowledge of Paylocity Payroll and Time & Labor , including employee data maintenance, payroll processing, reporting, and employee self-service functionality.
• Experience with payroll audits, reconciliations, reporting, and year-end payroll activities.
• Strong attention to detail and accuracy when handling confidential compensation, banking, tax, and employee information.
• Strong analytical, organizational, problem-solving, and communication skills.
• Ability to meet strict payroll deadlines and manage multiple priorities.
• Ability to exercise sound judgment and maintain confidentiality.
• Ability to work effectively with employees, managers, Accounting/Finance, HR, and external payroll and benefit providers.

Requirements:

 

Essential Payroll Responsibilities

Payroll Processing & Paylocity Administration

• Own and process the full payroll cycle through Paylocity , ensuring accurate and timely payment of all employees.
• Review and validate payroll information before each payroll submission.
• Review Paylocity Time & Labor records for regular hours, overtime, PTO, holiday hours, bonuses, commissions, shift differentials, and other earnings.
• Monitor timecard approvals and work with employees and managers to resolve missing punches, incorrect hours, unapproved time, and other timekeeping discrepancies.
• Maintain employee payroll information in Paylocity, including pay rates, salary changes, departments, locations, tax elections, direct deposit information, and payroll deductions.
• Process new hires, terminations, transfers, promotions, compensation changes, leaves, and other employee status changes affecting payroll.
• Calculate and process final pay, PTO payouts, deductions, and other termination-related payroll transactions.
• Administer direct deposit, federal and state tax withholding, garnishments, voluntary deductions, benefit deductions, and other payroll elections .
• Process off-cycle payrolls, manual checks, voids, reversals, corrections, and special payments as needed.
• Maintain accurate employee payroll records and ensure changes are entered and processed within established deadlines.
• Assist with Paylocity updates, system changes, testing, configuration changes, and implementation of new payroll functionality.

Payroll Auditing & Internal Controls

• Conduct pre-payroll and post-payroll audits to verify hours, pay rates, overtime, bonuses, deductions, taxes, benefit deductions, employer contributions, and net pay.
• Review payroll registers, payroll preview reports, and Paylocity audit reports before payroll is finalized.
• Identify and correct payroll discrepancies before payroll submission whenever possible.
• Review payroll reports for unusual or unexpected changes in wages, overtime, headcount, deductions, taxes, and employer costs.
• Maintain appropriate documentation and audit trails for payroll adjustments, corrections, manual checks, and other non-standard payroll transactions.
• Maintain appropriate internal controls over payroll processing, employee data, payroll approvals, and system access.
• Research payroll discrepancies and coordinate corrections promptly while documenting the resolution.
• Support internal and external payroll audits by providing payroll registers, employee-level payroll detail, tax reports, deduction reports, reconciliations, and supporting documentation.

Benefits & Payroll Deductions

• Reconcile employee benefit deductions in Paylocity to benefit enrollment records and carrier invoices to ensure payroll deductions are accurate.
• Review benefit deduction changes related to new hires, terminations, qualifying life events, open enrollment, and other employee status changes.
• Research and resolve discrepancies between Paylocity payroll deductions, benefit enrollment records, and benefit carrier invoices .
• Coordinate with HR and benefit providers to ensure payroll deductions accurately reflect employee elections.
• Verify that benefit deductions and employer contributions are properly reflected in payroll.
• Assist with payroll-related benefit reconciliations and year-end taxable benefit reporting.
• Respond to routine employee questions regarding benefit deductions and how benefit elections affect payroll.

Payroll Reconciliation & Accounting

• Reconcile payroll registers and payroll reports to the general ledger and accounting records .
• Prepare payroll-related journal entry information for Accounting/Finance.
• Reconcile wages, payroll taxes, benefit deductions, garnishments, and other payroll liabilities.
• Investigate and resolve discrepancies between payroll, accounting, benefits, and other financial records.
• Monitor payroll expenses and identify unusual payroll variances for management review.
• Coordinate with Accounting/Finance to ensure payroll funding and payroll-related accounting information are accurate and submitted within required deadlines.
• Support monthly, quarterly, and year-end payroll reconciliations.

Payroll Reporting & Analysis

• Prepare recurring and ad hoc Paylocity payroll reports for management, Accounting, Finance, HR, and other authorized users.
• Generate reports related to wages, overtime, headcount, deductions, taxes, benefits, employer costs, and other payroll activity.
• Prepare payroll reports supporting budgeting, forecasting, labor-cost analysis, and management decision-making.
• Review payroll reports to identify trends, errors, missing information, and unusual transactions.
• Maintain organized payroll reporting and supporting documentation.
• Provide payroll information and reports to authorized personnel while maintaining confidentiality.

Payroll Tax & Compliance

• Support federal, state, and local payroll tax processing, filings, payments, and reconciliations through Paylocity or applicable payroll providers.
• Maintain accurate employee tax elections and state and local tax jurisdictions , as applicable.
• Review payroll tax reports and investigate discrepancies.
• Support quarterly and annual payroll tax reporting and reconciliation activities.
• Research and assist with resolution of payroll tax notices and correspondence from governmental agencies.
• Maintain knowledge of applicable federal, state, and local payroll laws and regulations.
• Ensure payroll practices comply with applicable wage and hour, tax, withholding, and recordkeeping requirements.

Year-End Payroll

• Manage year-end payroll activities and assist with the reconciliation of payroll records.
• Review and validate W-2 information, taxable wages, tax withholdings, benefit deductions, and taxable benefits .
• Research and correct year-end payroll discrepancies.
• Assist with year-end reporting and reconciliation requirements.
• Provide documentation and reports necessary for year-end audits and tax filings.

Limited HR Administrative Support

• Process and maintain new-hire, termination, and employee status changes in Paylocity and related systems.
• Ensure required payroll-related employee documentation is completed and accurately maintained.
• Maintain accurate and confidential employee records, particularly information affecting payroll, compensation, taxes, and benefits deductions.
• Process employee changes that affect compensation, payroll elections, tax information, or benefit deductions.
• Assist with new-hire onboarding activities related to payroll, direct deposit, tax elections, and benefits.
• Coordinate with HR and benefits providers when employee changes require updates to payroll or benefit deductions.
• Maintain required payroll and employee documentation to support compliance and audits.
• Escalate employee relations, legal, policy, and other non-payroll HR matters to the appropriate HR or management resource.
• Perform other limited HR administrative duties directly related to payroll and employee records as assigned.

General Responsibilities

• Maintain accurate and complete payroll records to support management review, financial reporting, compliance, and audits.
• Maintain strict confidentiality and security of employee compensation, banking, tax, benefits, and other sensitive payroll information.
• Maintain appropriate access controls and security within Paylocity and other payroll-related systems.
• Follow established payroll procedures, internal controls, and company policies.
• Identify unusual or non-standard payroll matters and communicate them promptly to management.
• Establish and maintain effective working relationships with employees, managers, Accounting/Finance, HR, benefit providers, and payroll service providers.
• Ensure continuous controls are exercised over assigned payroll activities affecting accuracy, confidentiality, quality, and compliance.
• Identify opportunities to improve payroll processes, strengthen controls, reduce errors, and increase efficiency.
• Maintain the professional knowledge and technical skills necessary to effectively administer payroll and perform assigned administrative responsibilities.
• Perform other payroll-related duties and special projects as assigned.