Payroll Specialist

Position Description

The Payroll Specialist is responsible for processing accurate and timely bi-weekly payroll in California and other states, in compliance with applicable federal, state, and local wage and hour and payroll tax requirements. This position follows established procedures to ensure that hours worked, earnings, benefits, deductions, and taxes are recorded correctly; serves as the primary point of contact for employee and supervisor payroll inquiries; maintains complete, audit-ready payroll records; and records the payroll journal entry for each pay cycle. The Payroll Specialist escalates complex or compliance-related matters to the Accounting Manager.

Essential Duties & Responsibilities

• Processes bi-weekly payroll from timecard export through payroll transmission, following established procedures, checklists, and deadlines.
• Performs pre- and post-payroll reviews, comparing payroll results to prior periods and investigating significant variances before payroll is finalized.
• Reviews timecards for hourly employees and communicates exceptions to supervisors so that errors are corrected before payroll is processed.
• Ensures all manual changes to timecards are supported by the appropriate signed timekeeping form.
• Ensures meal period waivers are completed and on file, and that meal and rest period premiums are applied in accordance with California requirements and company policy.
• Calculates and applies the regular rate of pay for overtime and double time, including when bonuses, commissions, or premiums apply, using the company's established methodology.
• Maintains paid sick leave and vacation/PTO accruals and balances in the payroll system, and ensures accruals, usage, and balances are reported on wage statements in accordance with California requirements and company policy.
• Reviews employee wage statements for accuracy and completeness in accordance with California wage statement requirements.
• Enters and verifies benefit and insurance premium deductions to confirm they are correctly deducted from paychecks.
• Reconciles 401(k) and other benefit deductions and supports the timely remittance of employee deferrals and employer contributions.
• Processes commissions, bonuses, and spot bonuses based on approved calculations and authorizations.
• Enters new hires, rate changes, status changes, and terminations in the payroll system and verifies each is supported by approved documentation.
• Coordinates with Human Resources on employee data changes, leaves of absence, and benefit changes that affect pay.
• Processes final pay for terminations and resignations within California final pay timing requirements, and prepares and distributes manual or paper checks when necessary.
• Processes multi-state payroll, including state and local tax withholding setup for employees working outside California.
• Processes W-4s and state withholding forms and maintains accurate tax withholding records.
• Processes and monitors garnishments, wage orders, and other deductions that affect employee pay.
• Serves as the first point of contact for employee payroll questions and responds to verification of employment requests.
• Responds to EDD and other agency wage inquiries, including unemployment claim wage information, in coordination with Human Resources.
• Researches and resolves routine payroll discrepancies and escalates complex or compliance-related issues to the Accounting Manager.
• Corresponds with banks regarding deposits, withdrawals, and discrepancies.
• Tracks outstanding and uncashed payroll checks and supports unclaimed property reporting.
• Inputs the bi-weekly payroll journal entry into the general ledger from the payroll register and ties the entry to the register.
• Supports month-end close by providing payroll registers and reports to the accounting team and assisting with reconciliations of payroll-related balance sheet accounts.
• Prepares, reviews, and reconciles quarterly and annual federal, state, and local payroll tax filings, and researches and resolves tax notices from agencies.
• Prepares year-end payroll reports and W-2s.
• Prepares payroll data for workers' compensation premium audits, 401(k) plan audits and census reporting, and other compliance reports as requested.
• Keeps detailed, organized, and audit-ready payroll records, and provides documentation requested by auditors.
• Maintains the confidentiality of payroll and employee information, follows established internal controls and approval requirements for payroll changes, and retains payroll records in accordance with legal and company retention requirements.
• Supports the department's efforts to automate and streamline payroll processes, including the use of AI tools to improve efficiency and accuracy.
• Stays current on changes to federal, California, and other state payroll regulations relevant to the company.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

Experience and Qualifications

• A high school diploma or equivalent is required.
• Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Business, or a related field preferred.
• Fundamental Payroll Certification (FPC) preferred.
• Certified Payroll Professional (CPP) a plus.
• 3+ years of full-cycle payroll processing experience, including California payroll.
• Multi-state payroll experience required, including state and local tax withholding.
• Working knowledge of California wage-and-hour requirements, including meal and rest period premiums, overtime and double time, regular rate of pay, final pay timing, and paid sick leave.
• Working knowledge of federal wage and hour (FLSA) requirements and federal and state payroll tax regulations.
• Experience preparing quarterly payroll tax filings, processing year-end W-2s, and responding to agency notices.
• Experience processing garnishments and benefit deductions.
• Hands-on experience with a payroll platform such as ADP or Paylocity. Experience entering journal entries in an ERP or general ledger system is a plus.
• Experience with timekeeping systems and reconciling time data to payroll.
• Basic understanding of accounting principles, including journal entries and account reconciliations.
• Intermediate Microsoft Excel skills (e.g., lookups, pivot tables) and proficiency with Word and Outlook.
• Strong attention to detail and organizational skills, with the ability to meet fixed payroll deadlines.
• Handles confidential employee and compensation information with discretion.
• Ability to follow established procedures and controls and to recognize when issues should be escalated.
• Communicates clearly and professionally with employees, supervisors, and management at all levels.
• Comfortable using technology and AI tools, with a willingness to support process automation and continuous improvement.
• Able to multitask and manage competing priorities in a fast-paced environment.
• Works well in a team environment to support audits and tax preparation.