Municipal Payroll & Compliance Specialist

Hours: (35) per week (Mon – Wed 8:30am – 4:30, Th 8:30am – 7:00pm, Fri 8:30am – 1:00pm) Union Affiliation : White Collar Starting Salary: Group VI, Entry Level $33.29/hour Function Under the direction of the Assistant Director of Finance, delivers high-level customer service in the areas of payroll, electronic payment processing, tax processing and reporting, and other financial areas where required. The position involves the exercise of independent judgement, analysis and initiative and the ability to work independently. Typical Duties, Responsibilities, Tasks & Assignments Serves as the first point of contact for payroll processing, assisting with questions and concerns relating to employee pay. Researches and resolves payroll issues and concerns as necessary. Reviews time and attendance information from all Town departments and accurately enters such data for bi-weekly payroll cycles. Works directly with managerial and non-managerial staff to identify and correct payroll errors prior to bi-weekly payroll process. Oversees Town’s timekeeping software - includes all necessary setup, maintenance, changes/updates, questions, training. Seeks to streamline and automate payroll processes whenever possible. Processes mandated wage garnishments, assists employees with the process and appeals, etc. Prepares and files required state and federal tax filings including but not limited to W-2 reconciliations, tax table updates, quarterly and annual 941 filings, monthly EE count for DOL Bureau of Labor Statistics, Workers Comp audits, and information required for the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. Assumes responsibility for maintaining knowledge of and adherence to federal and state laws as they relate to the Payroll function, as well as the Town of Berlin policies and procedures. Maintains comprehensive understanding of all bargaining unit contracts and ensures that time and attendance records submitted and processed in payroll comply with the terms of such contracts. Identifies discrepancies and alerts management as necessary. Collaborates with Human Resources on contract language issues/questions/intent that are specific to Payroll functions. Provides professional administrative and technical support in collecting, generating and analyzing data and reports for town auditors, actuaries, employees, Town Manager, Director of Human Resources and Finance Director in a timely and efficient manner. Assists with the preparation of documentation in support of labor relations and negotiations efforts including, but not limited to, salary surveys, benefit spreadsheets and costs analysis. Provides information for, and works together with, Budget Analyst to ensure that salary and benefit projections are accurate when preparing the Town’s budget. Maintains strict confidentiality related to all payroll-related information, especially as related to collective bargaining, wage garnishments, and discipline. Produces wage reports necessary for workers’ compensation claims. Works in conjunction with Human Resources to notify injured employees of premium obligations and monitors employee payment and, where applicable, pension contributions, and calculate net differences when needed. Oversees and tracks service workers sick leave (track and calculate hours earned), short-term disability calculations, Federal FMLA leave, monthly police post-retire entries, monthly union dues vouchers, 12th of the month monthly reporting, employee termination calculations (green sheets), etc. Acts as a backup to the Accounts Payable Specialist when needed. Performs other duties as assigned. Special Skills & Requirements Bachelor’s Degree with a minimum of (5) years’ experience with payroll-related functions in a municipal government environment, strongly preferred. Considerable knowledge of payroll regulations at the state and federal level strongly preferred. Knowledge of accounting, cloud-based technology, and process improvement. Prior experience in busy, high volume, deadline-driven environment. Strong verbal and written communication skills as well as the ability to enforce regulations with firmness and tact required. Must possess the ability to develop and maintain effective working relationships with coworkers, superiors, associates, auditors, regulatory agencies and other agencies and the general public. #J-18808-Ljbffr