Payroll Tax Specialist (Remote)

Overview

Join Payroll Tax Operations (PTO) as a Senior Payroll Tax Processor responsible for the accurate and timely resolution of payroll tax issues across Notices, Corrections, Amendments, and Pay & File. This role is a core production contributor on a high-volume case workload, with meaningful independence and strong technical competence.

The position supports year-round work with flexible scheduling. Minimum availability is 20 hours per week, with the option to flex up to 40 hours per week based on business need. This is an hourly, non-exempt role and is eligible for overtime pay.

Responsibilities

• Execute full-cycle payroll tax case work for assigned accounts, including accurate processing of payroll runs, auditing pre- and post-payroll output, managing tax filings and payments, and maintaining compliance across all active jurisdictions.
• Independently research and resolve complex State and Federal payroll tax notices, including balance-due notices, deposit discrepancies, SUI rate change notices, and account mismatch notices; own each case from intake through confirmed closure.
• Prepare written agency responses with complete supporting documentation, submit within agency-required deadlines, and confirm receipt.
• Prepare amended payroll tax returns (Form 941-X and state equivalents) independently on complex amendments while retaining case ownership.
• Support payroll correction workflows by identifying the source of the payroll error, quantifying tax impact across affected quarters, documenting the correction audit trail, and seeing the resolution through to completion.
• Manage personal WIP queue with discipline: prioritize cases by SLA date, flag aging cases before they breach SLA, and maintain thorough case documentation from first touch to closure.
• Perform high-level trend analysis of customer data, system data, and agency correspondence to identify process or system deficiencies.
• Contribute to SOP and KB updates by flagging outdated content, suggesting revisions, and documenting solutions to previously unresolved issues.
• Participate in cross-functional collaboration with Corrections, Amendments, Pay & File, and Tax Notice teams; serve as a role model for TP1 staff and actively seek coaching and development from Staff Payroll Tax Processor and managers.

Requirements

• 2–3+ years of hands-on payroll tax experience with a strong focus on notice resolution, amended return preparation, and payroll error correction across multiple states (not just general payroll administration).
• Working knowledge of IRS and state agency notice types; able to read a notice, identify the type, understand the agency’s claim, and determine the appropriate resolution path.
• Demonstrated experience resolving State and Federal payroll tax notices independently, including balance-due notices, penalty assessments, SUI rate change notices, and deposit mismatch notices.
• Comprehensive knowledge of tax payment and filing regulations, including the distinction between employee and employer tax responsibilities across federal and state jurisdictions.
• Hands-on experience preparing and approving amended Federal (Form 941-X, W-2c) and State payroll tax returns across all states, including jurisdictions with complex local requirements such as PA, OH, and more.
• Deep knowledge of federal payroll tax law: FICA, FUTA, FITW, employment tax deposit schedules, and associated penalty and interest structures.
• Multi-state payroll tax expertise, including reciprocal agreements, resident and nonresident taxation, SUI account management, and local tax compliance across multiple jurisdictions.
• Proficiency with at least one payroll platform and comfort navigating case management systems such as Salesforce.
• Excel/Google Sheets skills required, including VLOOKUP, pivot tables, and reconciliation auditing; able to trace a tax discrepancy through a spreadsheet independently.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills; able to interact professionally with state and federal tax agencies and clearly document case activity.
• Associate’s or Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Business, or Finance preferred; equivalent experience accepted.
• Fundamental Payroll Certification (FPC) required; CPP preferred for candidates with 4+ years of experience. Active pursuit of CPP is viewed favorably. CPP holders will be evaluated for accelerated development.
• Experience at a payroll service bureau, PEO, or multi-client payroll tax environment is a significant advantage.

Compensation & Benefits

• Expected base pay range (hourly), based on work location:
  • California (Bay Area): $36.00 - $49.00
  • Southern California: $36.00 - $49.00
  • Colorado: $27.00 - $36.50
  • District of Columbia: $27.00 - $36.50
  • Hawaii: $28.50 - $38.50
  • Illinois: $27.00 - $36.50
  • Maine: $25.00 - $33.50
  • Maryland: $27.00 - $36.50
  • Massachusetts: $28.50 - $38.50
  • Minnesota: $25.00 - $33.50
  • New Jersey: $28.50 - $38.50
  • New York: $29.50 - $34.47
  • Ohio: $25.00 - $33.50
  • Vermont: $27.00 - $36.50
  • Virginia: $27.00 - $36.50
  • Washington: $28.50 - $38.50
• This position will be eligible for a cash bonus, equity rewards, and benefits, in accordance with applicable plans and programs.
• Pay is based on job-related knowledge, skills, experience, and work location.

Location

• California (Bay Area)
• Southern California
• Colorado
• District of Columbia
• Hawaii
• Illinois
• Maine
• Maryland
• Massachusetts
• Minnesota
• New Jersey
• New York
• Ohio
• Vermont
• Virginia
• Washington