PAYROLL TECHNICIAN
(An Unclassified, At-Will Position)

Class specifications are intended to present a descriptive list of the range of duties performed by employees in the class. Specifications are not intended to reflect all duties performed within the job.

SUMMARY DESCRIPTION

Under general supervision, performs a variety of work in support of the City’s payroll processing section; provides assistance to the Payroll Coordinator in all aspects of payroll processing; prepares checks and related records and reports; receives, reviews, enters, audits and processes payroll data; maintains payroll files and records; and ensures adherence to established payroll policies, procedures, rules and regulations.

REPRESENTATIVE DUTIES

The following duties are typical for this classification. Incumbents may not perform all of the listed duties and/or may be required to perform additional or different duties form those set forth below to address business needs and changing business practices.

• Performs a variety of work in support of the City’s payroll processing section; receives, reviews, enters, audits and processes payroll data; ensures adherence to established payroll policies, procedures, rules and regulations.
• Participates in the preparation of the City’s bi-weekly payroll for all City employees; establishes the pay calendar and prepares the system for time input for all City staff; prints, folds, stuffs and sorts checks and direct deposit information.
• Answers a variety of payroll related questions from City employees; researches and resolves payroll issues; explains City payroll policies and procedures.
• Receives and audits submitted payroll information from each department; enters timesheet data into the computer as necessary; calculates withholdings; prepares and processes payroll; assists with the preparation of monthly, quarterly and annual reconciliations.
• Processes pay changes and payroll deduction changes including deferred compensation, flex benefits, withholding, employee and charitable organizations, and insurances.
• Assists in computing and processing pay adjustments due to Workers' Compensation, LOA, SDI, LTD and retroactive pay adjustments.
• Processes levies and judgments against employees, calculating amounts to be withheld and preparing payments to appropriate agencies.
• Performs a variety of payroll functions for new hires including setting up taxes and deductions and calculating insurances and leave adjustments; sets up new employee files as necessary.
• Meets with separating employees to process payoff amounts for sick, vacation, holiday and comp time, payroll deduction changes and deferred compensation.
• Calculates, prepares and post journal vouchers to the general ledger for taxes and 401k/457 deductions.
• Assists in monitoring current City MOUs and IRS regulations for payroll compliance; responds to questions and inquiries regarding payroll procedures, MOU interpretations and tax related filing and deductions.
• Inputs and verifies a variety of expenses including training, travel, tuition, mileage, meals and other employee reimbursements.
• Verifies and corrects balances of vacation, sick, compensatory and other leave credits; reconciles and adjusts employee year-to-date leave balances.
• Prepares and maintains a variety of statistical data and records; runs, balances, audits, and prepares a variety of payroll related reports including PERS reports.
• Researches records to verify wages for employment verification requests and unemployment claims.
• Performs duties of Payroll Coordinator during absences.
• Performs related duties as required.

QUALIFICATIONS

The following generally describes the knowledge and ability required to enter the job and/or be learned within a short period of time in order to successfully perform the assigned duties.

Knowledge of:

• Basic operations, services and activities of a payroll processing system.
• Principles and practices of payroll preparation, reporting and maintenance.
• Methods and techniques of calculating various payroll deductions.
• Principles and practices of payroll accounting.
• Mathematical principles and practices.
• Office procedures, methods and equipment including computers and applicable software applications such as word processing, spreadsheets, and databases.
• Basic principles and practices of data entry and retrieval.
• Principles of customer service.
• Pertinent Federal, State and local laws, codes and regulations as they relate to payroll preparation and processing.

Ability to:

• Perform a variety of payroll processing duties.
• Calculate payroll and paid time off deductions.
• Prepare and maintain employee payroll and accounting records.
• Perform a high volume of work effectively and meet strict, recurring deadlines.
• Make mathematical computations rapidly and accurately.
• Operate office equipment including computers and supporting word processing, spreadsheet and database applications.
• Maintain confidentiality and exercise discretion.
• Demonstrate an awareness and appreciation of the cultural diversity of the community.
• Understand and follow oral and written instructions.
• Communicate clearly and concisely, both orally and in writing.
• Establish and maintain effective working relationships with those contacted in the course of work.

Education and Experience Guidelines - Any combination of education and experience that would likely provide the required knowledge and abilities is qualifying. A typical way to obtain the knowledge and abilities would be:

Education/Training: Equivalent to the completion of twelfth grade, supplemented by specialized or college level course work in payroll, accounting, or a related field.

Experience: Two years of increasingly responsible payroll processing or accounting experience.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS AND WORKING ENVIRONMENT

The conditions herein are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential job functions.

Environment: Standard office setting. CONTINUOUS working indoors, dust from paperwork. Work schedule is 9/80 with alternating Fridays off in a biweekly period. Work environment is both formal and informal, team oriented, having variable tasks, pace and pressure. Work is performed indoors in office and in meeting rooms.

Physical: Primary functions require sufficient physical ability to work in an office setting and operate office equipment. CONTINUOUS sitting, upward and downward flexion of neck; fine finger dexterity and light to moderate finger pressure to manipulate keyboard, equipment controls and other office equipment; pinch grasp to manipulate writing utensils. FREQUENT side-to-side turning of neck, walking, standing, bending and stooping, pushing/pulling, twisting at waist, moderate wrist torque to twist equipment knobs and dials; lifting objects weighing up to 20 lbs. from below waist to above shoulders and transporting distances up to 50 yards. OCCASIONAL squatting, kneeling, reach above and at shoulder height, moderate grasp to manipulate reference books and manuals; lifting objects weighing 20-3 5 lbs. from below waist to above shoulders and transporting distances up to 50 feet.

Vision: See in the normal visual range with or without correction; vision sufficient to read computer screens and printed documents and to operate equipment.

Hearing: Hear in the normal audio range with or without correction.

Date: November 2001
Johnson & Associates