Payroll Specialist

Job Summary

We are seeking an experienced Payroll Specialist for a direct hire opportunity in Bothell, WA. This role is ideal for a detail-oriented payroll professional with strong multi-state payroll experience and specific knowledge of Washington and California payroll compliance.

The Payroll Specialist will manage full-cycle payroll for hourly and salaried employees, support accurate wage and tax reporting, and partner closely with HR and Accounting to ensure payroll is processed on time and in compliance with federal, state, and local requirements. This is a great opportunity to join a collaborative, supportive work environment with strong leadership, career growth potential, and a team-focused culture.

This position offers stability, competitive compensation, comprehensive benefits, and the opportunity to play a key role in an essential business function within the engineering services industry.

Key Responsibilities

- Process full-cycle payroll for hourly and salaried employees across multiple states, with a primary focus on Washington and California.
- Ensure compliance with federal, state, and local wage and hour regulations, including overtime, final pay, tax withholding, garnishments, and California meal and rest break considerations.
- Maintain accurate payroll records related to earnings, deductions, benefits, garnishments, onboarding, offboarding, and termination payouts.
- Reconcile payroll before submission, resolve discrepancies, and process off-cycle payrolls as needed.
- Partner with HR and Accounting on payroll adjustments, reporting, audits, and year-end activities, including W-2 preparation and reconciliation.
- Respond to employee payroll questions professionally while maintaining strict confidentiality of payroll and employee information.

Compensation and Benefits

- Salary range: $64,000 to $68,000 per year.
- Direct hire opportunity.
- Medical, dental, and vision insurance.
- 401(k) with company match.
- Paid time off and holidays.
- Career growth and development opportunities.
- Collaborative and supportive work environment.

Equal Opportunity Employer / Disabled / Protected Veterans

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For temporary assignments lasting 13 weeks or longer, AppleOne is pleased to offer major medical, dental, vision, 401k and any statutory sick pay where required.

We are committed to working with and providing reasonable accommodations to individuals with disabilities. If you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the employment process, please contact your staffing representative who will reach out to our HR team.

AppleOne participates in the E-Verify program in certain locations as required by law. Learn more about the E-Verify program.

We also consider for employment qualified applicants regardless of criminal histories, consistent with legal requirements, including, if applicable, the City of Los Angeles’ Fair Chance Initiative for Hiring Ordinance. Pursuant to applicable state and municipal Fair Chance Laws and Ordinances, we will consider for employment-qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records, including, if applicable, the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance. For Los Angeles, CA applicants: Qualified applications with arrest or conviction records will be considered for employment in accordance with the Los Angeles County Fair Chance Ordinance for Employers and the California Fair Chance Act.

Additional Skills

Required Qualifications and Skills

- Manage full-cycle, multi-state payroll processing for hourly and salaried employees.
- Support Washington and California payroll compliance, including wage and hour rules, tax requirements, and final pay obligations.
- Reconcile payroll, resolve discrepancies, prepare payroll reports, and assist with year-end payroll processes.
- Coordinate with HR and Accounting teams on payroll changes, audits, reporting, and employee payroll support.

- 3+ years of payroll processing experience in a multi-state environment.
- Strong hands-on experience processing payroll for both Washington and California employees.
- Solid understanding of payroll regulations, including FLSA, IRS requirements, state tax rules, deductions, garnishments, and California labor laws.
- Experience using payroll systems such as ADP, Paychex, UKG, Paycom, Ceridian, or similar platforms.
- Proficiency with Microsoft Excel and payroll reporting tools.
- Strong attention to detail, accuracy, organization, and problem-solving skills.
- Excellent communication skills with the ability to respond to employee inquiries professionally.
- Ability to handle confidential payroll and employee information with discretion.

Preferred Qualifications

- Certified Payroll Professional designation preferred.
- Experience in mid-to-high volume payroll environments.
- Familiarity with HRIS and accounting system integrations.
- Experience supporting both exempt and non-exempt employee populations.