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Payroll Jobs in New York

Senior Employee Benefits & Payroll Specialist

Bestself Behavioral Health

Buffalo, NY

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JOB DETAILS
SALARY
$24.75–$30.25 Per Hour
SKILLS
Analysis Skills, Auditing, Billing, Brokerage, COBRA (Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1985), Case Management, Communication Skills, Compensation and Benefits, Cross-Functional, Customer Support/Service, Detail Oriented, Distribution Management, Document Tracking, Documentation, ERISA (Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974), Employee Benefits, FMLA (Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993), Finance, Funding, HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act), HRIS/HRMS, Help Desk, High School Diploma, Human Resources, Internal Audit, Intranet, Leadership, Loan Processing, Maintain Compliance, Microsoft SharePoint, Operational Improvement, Payroll Administration, Payroll Software/Services, Payroll Tax, People Management, Problem Solving Skills, Process Management, Reconciliation, Regulatory Compliance, Regulatory Requirements, Retirement Plan, Retirement and Pension Management, Root Cause Analysis, Systems Administration/Management, Tax Regulations, Time Management, Willing to Travel, Worker's Compensation
LOCATION
Buffalo, NY
POSTED
Today
Senior Employee Benefits & Payroll Specialist

Pay Range: $24.75 - $30.25 per hour.

FLSA Status: Non-Exempt

Location: 899 Main Street Buffalo, NY 14203 (In Office)

SUMMARY OF DUTIES

The Senior Benefits & Payroll Specialist is responsible for advanced payroll and benefits execution, complex case management, and compliance-driven processing. This role maintains partial ownership of payroll and benefits workflows, ensures regulatory compliance, resolves escalated issues, and supports cross-functional coordination with HR, Finance, third-party administrators, and vendors.

The position requires strong technical expertise, independent judgment, high accuracy, and strict confidentiality. The Senior Benefits & Payroll Specialist is also responsible for delivering accurate, timely, and empathetic support to employees on payroll and benefits inquiries, while ensuring compliance and a positive employee experience.

POSITION RESPONSIBILITIES

Payroll Administration

  • Process biweekly payroll end-to-end in HRMS, ensuring accuracy and timeliness.
  • Review and resolve timekeeping exceptions, including overtime, shift differentials, premium pay, and meal break compliance.
  • Validate all pay-impacting HR transactions (hires, transfers, terminations, leave returns, compensation changes).
  • Calculate and process retroactive pay adjustments and off-cycle corrections.
  • Administer wage garnishments and levies in accordance with legal requirements.
  • Coordinate final pay calculations and PTO payouts in compliance with policy and law.
  • Oversee paycheck distribution and payroll communication.
  • Maintain payroll audit documentation and internal controls.
Benefits & Deduction Operations
  • Calculate, upload, and reconcile biweekly benefit contributions.
  • Manage and process staff loan repayment programs
  • Process and reconcile retirement loan repayments.
  • Conduct eligibility audits and dependent verification reviews.
  • Reconcile payroll deductions to carrier invoices and investigate over/under deductions.
  • Process retroactive benefit corrections and enrollment adjustments.
  • Support monthly benefit billing review and invoice reconciliation.
  • Coordinate enrollment corrections and escalated issues with carriers and brokers.
Retirement Plan Administration
  • Administer 401(k), Roth, Safe Harbor, and Profit Sharing plans.
  • Perform payroll tie-outs and coordinate with retirement vendors to ensure funding accuracy.
  • Manage auto-enrollment processes and compliance deadlines.
  • Process salary deferral elections and contribution changes.
Leave & Workers' Compensation Administration
  • Coordinate leave updates with third-party administrators (TPAs).
  • Manage benefit premium impacts and deduction adjustments during leave periods.
  • Support Workers' Compensation claim intake, documentation tracking, and return-to-work coordination.
  • Participate in quarterly Workers' Compensation reviews and reporting.
  • Maintain and distribute active leave of absence trackers to payroll and leadership as requested.
Compliance & Documentation
  • Ensure required federal and state notices are issued accurately and timely.
  • Maintain documentation standards, audit trails, and regulatory compliance records.
  • Track and manage biweekly, monthly, and annual reporting requirements.
  • Support year-end processing, including but not limited to W-2 and 1095-C preparation and validation.
Reporting & Systems Support
  • Produce biweekly and ad hoc payroll and benefits reports.
  • Provide end-user support in the HRMS for benefits, payroll, and timekeeping related items.
  • Maintain and update benefits resources and documentation on the intranet/SharePoint.
Other
  • Identify discrepancies, root causes, and recommend operational improvements in both payroll and benefits processes.
  • Travel within Western New York as needed to attend meetings, give presentations, participate in benefit enrollment fairs, or support department-specific events.
QUALIFICATIONS
  • High School Diploma or GED required; Associate's or Bachelor's degree in Human Resources or Business, preferred.
  • 3-5 years of payroll and benefits experience with hands-on, end-to-end payroll processing.
  • Working knowledge of payroll and benefits concepts and procedures, including but not limited to: wage and hour laws, payroll taxes, garnishments, COBRA, HIPAA, ERISA, ACA reporting, benefits administration, workers compensation processes, retirement plans, and FMLA/NYS PFL/DBL.
  • Proficiency with using HRIS/payroll systems and an advanced excel skillset.
  • Ability to maintain strict confidentiality and discretion.
  • Strong analytical ability, attention to detail, and problem solving skills.
  • Ability to manage deadlines independently and proactively in a fast paced environment.
  • Effective communication and solution-focused customer service skills.
  • Ability to travel to different agency locations to provide employee support.

About the Company

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Bestself Behavioral Health

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