Payroll Specialist & HR Assistant
16 days ago
Grand Rapids
Job DescriptionDescription: 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.
