Payroll Specialist

Overview

Full-time Payroll Specialist role with primary ownership of payroll administration, payroll compliance, final paychecks, timekeeping, and related HR operations.

This position is accountable for ensuring payroll is accurate, timely, and compliant with applicable federal and state requirements, with particular emphasis on California payroll and wage-and-hour requirements. The role also coordinates day-to-day HR Assistant workflow, delegating administrative HR and payroll tasks, monitoring deadlines, reviewing work for accuracy and completion, and ensuring employee changes are processed correctly and on time.

Job Type: Full-Time
Schedule: Monday–Friday, 9:00 a.m.–5:30 p.m. Pacific Time
Compensation: $20–$24/hour DOE

Responsibilities

Payroll Administration & Compliance

• Take primary ownership of the payroll process and ensure payroll is completed accurately and on schedule.
• Review payroll and timekeeping records for accuracy, completeness, and timely processing.
• Verify employee hours, pay rates, compensation changes, bonuses, reimbursements, deductions, sick time, PTO, and other payroll-related entries.
• Enter and verify staff hours in NPA based on finalized Appointment Admin records.
• Send and manage payroll-close communications, including Lock NPA and Super Locker processes.
• Review drive time, overtime, meal and rest break issues, and other timekeeping discrepancies; ensure necessary corrections are completed before payroll closes.
• Process and reconcile sick time and PTO entries with approved records.
• Maintain accurate employee payroll information in ADP and oversee payroll setup for new employees.
• Review payroll reports and identify discrepancies before payroll is finalized.
• Research and resolve employee payroll questions and discrepancies promptly.
• Maintain appropriate payroll documentation and records.
• Support payroll audits, reconciliations, reporting, and compliance reviews.
• Stay current on applicable payroll and wage-and-hour requirements; escalate complex compliance matters to leadership or legal counsel when appropriate.

Final Paychecks & Employee Separations

• Take ownership of the final-pay process for resignations, terminations, and other employee separations.
• Determine applicable final-pay deadlines based on the circumstances of the separation and applicable state requirements.
• Calculate final wages, including regular hours, overtime, applicable premiums, reimbursements, and other amounts due.
• Determine whether accrued vacation/PTO or other balances must be included in final wages based on company policy and applicable law.
• Coordinate with HR and management to ensure separation information is received early enough to meet final-pay deadlines.
• Verify final paycheck calculations before payment is issued.
• Maintain documentation supporting final-pay calculations and payment.
• Coordinate separation letters, payroll changes, benefit notifications, and other required offboarding steps.

HR Assistant Workflow & Team Coordination

• Coordinate and oversee the daily workflow of HR Assistants.
• Assign and prioritize HR and payroll administrative tasks based on deadlines and operational needs.
• Maintain clear workflow trackers so responsibilities, deadlines, and outstanding items are visible.
• Review work completed by HR Assistants for accuracy and completeness.
• Ensure new hires, employee changes, leaves, resignations, terminations, payroll updates, and other personnel transactions are processed timely.
• Train and guide HR Assistants on established HR and payroll procedures.
• Serve as the escalation point when HR Assistants encounter payroll, timekeeping, employee-record, or procedural questions.
• Identify workflow problems and implement processes, checklists, and controls to prevent missed deadlines or incomplete work.

HR Operations

• Serve as a resource for employees and managers regarding payroll, timekeeping, benefits, and HR procedures.
• Ensure required employee and payroll information is entered accurately and timely.
• Coordinate resignations, terminations, and leaves of absence with HR Assistants and management.
• Maintain confidential employee records and consistent documentation.
• Prepare and submit required EDD forms and other employment-related notices accurately and timely.
• Coordinate employee leave documentation, notices, tracking, and return-to-work processes.
• Support benefits enrollment, changes, reminders, and employee communications, including EASE health plans.
• Assist leadership with employee documentation and other HR operational matters as assigned.
• Recognize matters requiring management, HR leadership, or legal review and escalate appropriately.

Reporting & Process Improvement

• Maintain payroll and HR trackers, reports, calendars, and data logs.
• Establish recurring payroll and HR deadlines and ensure responsible team members complete assigned tasks.
• Identify payroll discrepancies, recurring errors, missed deadlines, and opportunities for process improvement.
• Develop and maintain payroll and HR procedures, checklists, and internal controls.
• Prepare and deliver payroll and HR reports for leadership as requested.
• Support continuity of payroll and HR operations through clear documentation and cross-training.

Requirements

• Minimum of 3 years of payroll, HR/payroll, or closely related experience.
• Direct hands-on payroll processing experience required.
• Experience supporting California employees and working with California payroll and wage-and-hour requirements strongly preferred.
• Experience calculating and coordinating final paychecks and employee separations.
• Working knowledge of overtime, timekeeping, payroll deductions, paid leave, reimbursements, and payroll recordkeeping.
• Experience with ADP or a comparable payroll system required; ADP experience strongly preferred.
• Proficiency in Google Workspace and Microsoft Excel, including trackers, reports, and payroll-related data.
• Strong analytical skills and exceptional attention to detail.
• Ability to independently manage deadlines and identify payroll issues before payroll is finalized.
• Strong judgment and ability to recognize when an issue requires management or legal review.
• Excellent customer service and professional communication skills.
• Strong organizational skills and ability to manage competing priorities in a fast-paced environment.
• High standards of confidentiality, accountability, accuracy, and professionalism.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience coordinating or reviewing the work of HR or payroll support staff.
• Experience with NPA and EASE.

Compensation & Benefits

• $20–$24/hour DOE
• 6 paid holidays after one year of employment
• Accrued sick time
• Shadowing opportunities and hands-on mentorship
• Medical, dental, and vision insurance for eligible employees working 30+ hours per week
• 401(k) retirement plan for eligible employees who have accrued 1,000 hours of service within 12 months
• Aflac supplemental insurance options for eligible employees
• LifeCare Employee Assistance Program
• LifeMart Employee Discount Program
• Access to tuition discounts and scholarships with partner universities

Location

Pacific Time schedule (Monday–Friday, 9:00 a.m.–5:30 p.m.). Experience supporting California payroll and wage-and-hour requirements is strongly preferred.