Payroll Administrator (Southern CA)

The Payroll Administrator is responsible for processing and auditing in-house payroll operations across multiple entities while ensuring compliance with federal, state, local, union, prevailing wage, and certified payroll requirements. This position supports weekly and bi-weekly payroll processing, multi-state payroll administration, certified payroll reporting, payroll tax compliance, labor compliance reporting, and payroll reconciliations.

Essential Duties & Responsibilities
The duties and responsibilities described here are not a comprehensive list, and the scope of the job may change as necessitated by the business demands.
Payroll Administration:
•    Process weekly and bi-weekly payroll for hourly, salaried, union, and prevailing wage employees across multiple entities.
•    Review payroll transactions for accuracy including wages, overtime, deductions, benefits, garnishments, direct deposits, bonuses, and commissions.
•    Verify timecards, labor allocations, cost centers, job costing, and wage classifications.
•    Ensure compliance with federal, state, and local wage and hour regulations.
•    Maintain payroll records and employee payroll files with a high degree of confidentiality.
•    Serve as a primary contact for employee payroll questions and issue resolution.•    
Certified Payroll & Labor Compliance:
•    Prepare, review, and submit certified payroll reports for public works and prevailing wage projects.
•    Maintain compliance with Davis-Bacon Act requirements, state prevailing wage laws, labor codes, and project-specific requirements.
•    Prepare and submit DAS 140, DAS 142, and other labor compliance documentation.
•    Review employee classifications, wage determinations, fringe benefit calculations, and apprentice requirements.
•    Monitor prevailing wage updates and ensure payroll systems are maintained accordingly.
•    Coordinate certified payroll reporting through LCPtracker, DIR, eComply, and customer reporting platforms.
Employee Support:
•    Serve as the first point of contact for employees with payroll-related questions.
•    Resolve payroll discrepancies and issues.
•    Maintain and update employee payroll records, including personal information, tax exemptions, and wage changes.
•    Handle confidential employee payroll information.
•    Address payroll-related inquiries, resolve discrepancies, and provide timely support to employees and management.
•    Assist with onboarding new employees, including setting up direct deposit and tax documentation.
Union Payroll Administration:
•    Process payroll in accordance with collective bargaining agreements.
•    Calculate and verify union wages, fringe contributions, dues, assessments, and deductions.
•    Prepare and submit union reports and benefit contributions.
•    Monitor union wage increases and update payroll systems accordingly.
•    Assist with union audits and reporting requests.
Multi-State Payroll & Tax Compliance:
•    Process payroll for employees working in multiple states and tax jurisdictions.
•    Maintain compliance with payroll tax regulations and agency requirements.
•    Prepare payroll tax reconciliations and support quarterly and annual tax filings.
•    Research tax notices and assist with agency correspondence.
•    Support year-end processing including W-2 preparation and corrections.
Reporting, Audits & System Administration:
•    Reconcile payroll liabilities, benefits, deductions, garnishments, retirement contributions, and tax accounts.
•    Generate payroll, labor, compliance, and management reports.
•    Maintain audit-ready payroll records and supporting documentation.
•    Support worker’s compensation, OCIP, labor compliance, union, and government audits.
•    Prepare monthly labor and payroll reporting for management and project stakeholders.
Systems & Process Improvement:
•    Maintain payroll system integrity and employee master data.
•    Assist with payroll system implementations, upgrades, and testing.
•    Identify process improvement opportunities to enhance payroll accuracy and efficiency.
•    Develop and maintain payroll procedures and training documentation.
•    Train managers and employees on payroll and timekeeping processes.
Qualification Requirements
Experience:
•    2–5 years of payroll processing experience, including multi-state payroll, union payroll, with a focus on certified payroll and prevailing wage requirements.
•    Construction certified payroll experience required.
•    Union experience required.
•    LCP and DIR experience required.
•    Experience in the construction and public works industry is strongly preferred.
Education:
•    High school diploma or equivalent required; Associate's or Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Business Administration, or a related field preferred.
•    Certified Payroll Professional (CPP) or Fundamental Payroll Certification (FPC) is highly desirable.
Required Skills
Payroll & Legal Knowledge:
•    Strong knowledge of federal, state, and local labor laws, including prevailing wage, Davis-Bacon and certified payroll regulations.
•    Strong knowledge of payroll processes and relevant legal regulations.
Technical Skills:
•    Proficiency with payroll software (ViewPoint, Spectrum, ProContractor or similar ERP platforms) and Microsoft Office Suite, especially Excel.
Attention to Detail:
•    Exceptional attention to detail and accuracy in handling payroll data and calculations.
Organizational & Time-Management Skills:
•    Strong organizational and time-management skills, with the ability to meet deadlines under pressure.
Communication & Problem-Solving Skills:
•    Strong communication, organizational, analytical, and problem-solving abilities.
Analytical Skills:
•    Strong math and analytical skills.
Physical Demands
The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to use hands to handle or feel objects, tools, or controls; reach with hands and arms; and talk or hear. The employee frequently is required to sit, stand, and walk. The employee is occasionally required to climb, or balance, and stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl.

The employee occasionally is required to lift and/or move up to 25 pounds and to walk up to ½ mile daily. Specific vision abilities in this job include close vision and distance vision.
Work Environment
The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee occasionally works near moving mechanical parts; in outside weather conditions and is occasionally exposed to wet and/or humid conditions, and fumes or airborne particles.

The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.

Note: Legacy Utility Group is a drug, smoke, and alcohol-free workplace. Drug testing is a requirement for employment.

Legacy Utility Group is an Equal Opportunity Employer.