Payroll and Benefits Specialist

Payroll And Benefits Specialist

Eviction Defense Collaborative (EDC) works to prevent homelessness before it starts by providing compassionate, high-quality legal assistance, rental assistance, and supportive services to San Francisco tenants facing eviction or housing instability. We believe that housing is a human right, and we strive to ensure that every San Franciscan has meaningful access to justice and the resources needed to remain safely housed.

The Payroll And Benefits Specialist is responsible for the accurate, timely, confidential, and compliant administration of payroll and employee benefit programs for approximately 100+ employees. The role serves as the primary day-to-day administrator of ADP and coordinates closely with Human Resources, Finance, employees, managers, benefit brokers, carriers, retirement-plan partners, and other vendors.

The Payroll And Benefits Specialist manages the full payroll cycle, payroll records, deductions, tax and wage-and-hour support, benefit enrollments and changes, leave-related benefit coordination, reconciliation, reporting, employee service, and year-end activities. Success requires exceptional attention to detail, sound judgment, strong customer service, and the ability to safeguard highly sensitive information.

Payroll Administration

• Administer end-to-end payroll processing in ADP for all employees on the organizations established payroll schedule, including regular wages, overtime, shift differentials, stipends, bonuses, retroactive pay, leave payments, deductions, garnishments, and final wages.
• Use ADP daily to maintain employee payroll data, validate time and attendance records, process approved changes, resolve exceptions, run audit reports, prepare payroll previews, obtain required approvals, submit payroll, and archive payroll documentation.
• Review timecards and manager approvals for completeness and accuracy; follow up promptly on missing punches, meal-period entries, overtime, leave usage, and other exceptions without independently altering records unless authorized and documented.
• Support compliance with California and applicable local wage-and-hour requirements, including regular-rate calculations, overtime, meal and rest period premiums, paid sick leave, pay statements, pay frequency, payroll deductions, and timely final pay.
• Process new hires, terminations, compensation changes, transfers, tax withholding updates, direct deposits, garnishments, and other payroll-related transactions based on complete and authorized documentation.
• Coordinate off-cycle and final-pay calculations with Human Resources and Finance. Ensure all wages and accrued, vested vacation/PTO are paid within applicable California deadlines.
• Reconcile each payroll to approved source documentation, the prior payroll, payroll registers, bank funding, benefit deductions, retirement contributions, and the general ledger; research and correct discrepancies promptly.
• Maintain payroll calendars, checklists, standard operating procedures, approval records, and a clear audit trail. Serve as the primary contact with ADP for cases, system configuration, updates, and issue resolution.
• Coordinate quarterly and year-end payroll activities, including W-2 review, tax notices, amended forms, imputed income, taxable fringe benefits, and employee communications in partnership with Finance and ADP.
• Prepare recurring and ad hoc payroll reports, labor-cost allocations, headcount reports, grant or program payroll data, audit schedules, and other management information while applying appropriate confidentiality controls.

Benefit Administration

• Administer employee health, dental, vision, life, disability, flexible spending, health savings, employee assistance, commuter, retirement, and other benefit programs in accordance with plan documents and organizational policies.
• Process benefit enrollments, qualifying life events, changes, and terminations accurately and within required deadlines in ADP and carrier/vendor systems; verify that payroll deductions align with benefit elections and effective dates.
• Coordinate new-hire enrollment, annual open enrollment, employee communications, benefit meetings, system testing, carrier files, and post-enrollment audits with the benefit broker and vendors.
• Reconcile monthly carrier invoices, payroll deductions, employer contributions, and eligibility records; identify variances, coordinate corrections, and provide Finance with approved payment support.
• Provide clear, service-oriented assistance to employees regarding eligibility, enrollment, deductions, claims-routing, plan resources, and benefit changes while avoiding advice that should be provided by a licensed broker or plan administrator.
• Coordinate COBRA or Cal-COBRA administration, evidence-of-insurability processes, beneficiary updates, dependent eligibility documentation, and required notices with vendors and Human Resources.
• Support retirement plan administration, including enrollment, payroll contributions, employer match, loan deductions, contribution remittance, census data, nondiscrimination testing, and audit requests.
• Maintain accurate benefit records and assist with ACA reporting, Form 5500 support, plan audits, summary plan materials, and other compliance activities in partnership with brokers, vendors, Finance, and legal counsel.

Leave Administration and Compliance

• Coordinate payroll and benefit impacts of leaves of absence with Human Resources, including paid leave integration, benefit deductions or arrears, employee premiums, return-to-work changes, and status updates. Human Resources retains responsibility for leave of absence eligibility and designation decisions unless expressly assigned otherwise.
• Respond to employee payroll and benefit questions promptly, respectfully, and accurately; document material corrections and escalate policy, employee relations, legal, or plan-interpretation issues as appropriate.
• Maintain payroll and benefit files in accordance with legal, plan, audit, and document-retention requirements; restrict access to employees with a legitimate business need.
• Support internal and external audits, workers compensation payroll audits, retirement and benefit plan audits, grant reporting, insurance renewals, and financial statement preparation.
• Monitor ADP releases, vendor updates, and changes affecting payroll and benefit administration; recommend processes, communication, and control improvements.
• Develop and maintain desk procedures, cross-training materials, payroll and benefits calendars, and business-continuity instructions to ensure uninterrupted operations.
• Perform other related duties as assigned.

This role involves handling sensitive and confidential information and requires professionalism, empathy, and the ability to navigate complex interpersonal dynamics. Some evening or weekend work may be required.

This is a hybrid role. Employees may be able to work from home two (2) regularly scheduled days a week after thirty (30) days of employment. Staff must remain responsive during standard business hours while working remotely.

Work from home schedules shall be established in consultation with the Employees supervisor and approved by Human Resources.

EDC is an equal opportunity employer committed to building an inclusive and respectful workplace. Employment decisions are based on organizational needs, job requirements, and individual qualifications without regard to protected characteristics. Discrimination or harassment of any kind is not tolerated.