Payroll & Benefits Specialist

Payroll & Benefits Specialist | Full Time

Jefferson Lines – Minneapolis, MN

About Jefferson Lines: 
Jefferson Lines has been a cornerstone in the transportation industry, providing reliable and affordable bus services across the Midwest since 1919. We pride ourselves on our commitment to customer satisfaction and operational excellence. Join our dedicated team.

Position Overview:

Jefferson Lines is looking for a Payroll and Benefits Specialist who is responsible for managing all processes, audits, and internal communications related to Payroll administration, Benefits management, and corporate reporting. This position operates within a multi-entity architecture, owning full responsibility for executing multi-organizational payroll processes for all related business entities. This role merges rigorous internal financial controls, tax compliance, and payroll data flows with Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) adherence and driver-facing customer service optimization to maximize commercial driver retention and absolute regulatory alignment.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

• Multi-Organizational Payroll Management: Execute accurate, timely, and complete bi-weekly payroll processing.
• Benefits Architecture & Administration: Oversee employer-sponsored benefit plans. Partner directly with established benefit vendors to run annual Open Enrollment periods.
• Financial Accountability & Ledger Alignment: Maintain rigorous internal controls, including precise payroll data flows directly to Finance & Accounting, workers' compensation category allocation, and audit trails.
• Driver Relations & Employee Customer Service: Provide rapid response resolution for employee pay inquiries.
• Regulatory Compliance Tracking: Cultivate chronological, audit-ready data tracks to secure undisputed regulatory compliance across ACA, 401(k) annual audits, Form 5500 processing, EEO/Affirmative Action reporting, and multi-state unemployment metrics.
• Data Execution & Controls: Accurately prepare, process, and audit multi-state corporate payroll within HRIS/Payroll system.
• Ledger & Analysis Maintenance: Generate precise payroll-related cost allocations, financial analyses, and accounting reconciliations. Balance ledger reporting strings with Accounting Department parameters.
• Labor Union & CBA Alignment: Interpret, track, and implement specialized payroll rules, premium pay, seniority metrics, and deduction profiles mandated under active Collective Bargaining Agreements (CBAs).
• Technical Deductions Management: Manage and process court-ordered garnishments, multi-jurisdictional tax levies, and statutory deductions directly within Paycom infrastructure; coordinate external employment verifications.
• Absence Lifecycle Management: Track, document, and administer complex Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) tracks, short-term disability allocations, military leaves, and workers' compensation absences.
• State Unemployment Management: Assist Human Resources in the processing of external multi-state unemployment claims and participate in employer fact-finding processes.
• Information Security Controls: Maintain absolute operational confidentiality regarding personal identifiable data, clinical leave validations, and compensation metrics to preserve corporate trust.

Benefits:

• 401(k)
• 401(k) matching
• Dental insurance
• Employee assistance program
• Flexible spending account
• Health insurance
• Health savings account
• Life insurance
• Paid time off
• Referral program
• Vision insurance

Qualification Requirements:

• A college degree or equivalent with a minimum of four (4) years of dedicated professional experience managing multi-state payroll and benefits environments.
• Direct experience managing complex, multi-organizational payroll across related corporate entities is heavily preferred.
• Prior exposure to unionized labor structures and complex Collective Bargaining Agreements (CBAs) is strongly prioritized.
• Active designation as a Fundamental Payroll Certification (FPC) or Certified Payroll Professional (CPP) is desirable.
• Proven capacity to navigate highly sensitive operational files and manage confidential personal documentation.
• Advanced capacity to extract, audit, and interpret large arrays of employee data, timekeeping logs, and financial spreadsheets.
• Highly developed customer service skills with an ability to communicate with corporate executives, external financial auditors, labor field representatives, and commercial drivers.
• Strong operational proficiency with modern HRIS and payroll suites (direct experience with Paycom infrastructure preferred)
• Experience with Word, PowerPoint, and Excel functions like VLOOKUPs and Pivot Tables.
• Proven ability to self-direct, prioritize multiple competing compliance deadlines, and remain calm and structured during urgent mid-cycle adjustments.

Physical Demands:

While performing the duties of this position, the employee is regularly required to sit at a workstation; use hands to stroke keys, handle files, or operate physical office tech; and communicate clearly via telephone and video networks. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move office materials or physical document boxes weighing up to 50 pounds.

Jefferson Lines is deeply dedicated to fostering diversity in the workplace. Our unwavering policy is to provide equal employment opportunities to all qualified persons without regard to race, age, color, sex, religion, national origin, disability, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity and/or expression or other status protected byfederal, state, or local law.