Payroll Specialist

Summary

The Payroll Specialist is responsible for ensuring accurate and timely payroll processing while maintaining precise reconciliation of all employee benefits. This role safeguards data integrity across payroll, HRIS, and benefits systems, resolves discrepancies, and supports compliance with federal, state, and local regulations. The specialist partners closely with HR, Finance, and external vendors to deliver a seamless employee experience.

Payroll Processing

• Process weekly and bi-weekly payroll for all employees, and review new hires, terminations, promotions, and compensation changes and reconcile and resolve discrepancies
• Enter commissions, bonuses and garnishments
• Audit timecards, overtime, and PTO for accuracy.
• Validate payroll data for errors, inconsistencies, and missing information before final submission.
• Maintain payroll records in compliance with retention requirements.
• Prepare payroll reports for Finance.

Benefits Reconciliation

• Reconcile benefit invoices (medical, dental, vision, life, disability, HSA, retirement plans) against payroll deductions each cycle.
• Identify and resolve discrepancies between vendor invoices, payroll deductions, and enrollment data.
• Coordinate corrections with HR and benefit carriers.
• Track employer contributions and employee deductions to ensure accuracy.
• Maintain up-to-date benefits data in HRIS and payroll systems.
• Processing of invoices into SAP

Compliance & Reporting

• Ensure payroll and benefits practices comply with federal, state, and local laws (FLSA, ACA, ERISA, COBRA, etc.).
• Support annual audits, including 401(k) and workers’ compensation audits.
• Prepare and distribute W-2s, 1095-Cs, and other required tax documents.
• Maintain confidentiality and data security standards.

Employee Support

• Respond to employee questions regarding pay, deductions, benefits, and tax forms.
• Provide clear explanations of payroll calculations and benefit deductions.

Accounting

· Backup support to accounts receivable and accounts payable processors

Qualifications

• 2–4 years of payroll experience; benefits reconciliation experience strongly preferred.
• Experience with HRIS and payroll systems. Experience with Paylocity is a plus. highly desirable.
• Strong Excel skills (VLOOKUP, pivot tables, data validation).
• High attention to detail and accuracy.
• Ability to manage deadlines and handle sensitive information.
• Knowledge of payroll laws and benefits administration.

  Preferred Skills

• Familiarity with multi-state payroll.
• Understanding of ACA tracking and reporting.
• Support HR with related compliance activities such as EEOC and OSHA reporting.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.