Payroll Account Clerk

$61,048 - $61,048/Yr

Columbia University - New York, NY

Full-time - Entry Level

Hybrid - New York, NY

Educational Services

About the position

The Payroll Account Clerk position at Teachers College is a vital role within the payroll department, reporting directly to the Payroll Supervisor. This position is responsible for the comprehensive management of payroll operations, ensuring accurate and timely processing of payroll for all employees. The incumbent will engage in various payroll-related tasks, including processing weekly, bi-weekly, semi-monthly, and summer payrolls, as well as conducting thorough audits of timesheet hours and overtime payments for hourly and union member employees. The role requires meticulous attention to detail, as the clerk will cross-review and verify Personnel Action Forms (PAFs) submitted for all employees, ensuring compliance with payroll regulations and accuracy in payroll processing. In addition to payroll processing, the Payroll Account Clerk will handle special payroll payments, such as vacation advances and one-time payouts for union members. The role also involves investigating payroll discrepancies and coordinating necessary corrections with Human Resources, IT, and Benefits teams. The clerk will be responsible for setting up new hires and re-hires in the payroll system, ensuring all applicable tax requirements are met, including non-resident alien exemptions and involuntary deductions. The position requires collaboration with the Payroll Supervisor to address non-NY inquiries, manage compliance in TaxNav, and process W-2 and 1042-S forms. The Payroll Account Clerk will also assist in maintaining payroll records, ensuring compliance with record retention requirements, and conducting monthly reconciliations of wage deductions and payments. Effective communication is essential, as the clerk will provide customer service to employees regarding payroll-related matters, troubleshoot payroll processing issues, and coordinate with various teams to resolve payroll discrepancies. This role is integral to maintaining the integrity of the payroll system and ensuring that all employees are compensated accurately and on time.

Responsibilities

• Process all aspects of weekly, bi-weekly, semi-monthly, and summer payrolls.
• Review and audit timesheet hours and process overtime payable for hourly and union member employees.
• Cross-review and verify Personnel Action Forms (PAFs) submitted for all employees.
• Process all special payroll payments (i.e., vacation advances, one-time and periodic payouts, etc.) for union member employees.
• Investigate payroll discrepancies and deduction changes and coordinate any required corrections with the Human Resources, IT, and Benefit teams.
• Set up all applicable new hires and re-hires with non-NY payroll tax requirements in Ellucian Banner.
• Assist the Payroll Supervisor with processing and responding to non-NY inquiries and requirements, NRA compliance in TaxNav, W-2 and 1042-S processing and re-issuances and other tax-related requirements.
• Assist with filing and scanning payroll records ensuring compliance with record retention requirements.
• Research prior payroll history and manually process late timesheets.
• Process deductions including union dues, garnishments, tax levies, student loan deductions and submit third-party payment requests.
• Initiate system procedure to notify employees of outstanding leave reports, negative leave balances and unsubmitted timesheets.
• Assist with monthly reconciliations of wage deductions and payments.
• Process payroll adjustments and corrections for voided transactions, stale checks, and direct deposit rejections.
• Review standard payroll variance/tolerance reports for pay exception issues to assess accuracy.
• Liaise with the College's financial institution to confirm all match pay and direct deposit files electronically transmitted were received.
• Provide prompt customer service to employees in-person, via e-mail, and/or through telephone on payroll-related matters.
• Coordinate communications and respond to employees and supervisors on time entry matters and submissions.
• Trouble-shoot Banner Payroll for possible causes of processing and similar errors.
• Coordinate with the Payroll Supervisor and the Financial Systems and IT teams to resolve payroll matters and reconciliation issues.

Requirements

• High school diploma
• Two years of recent payroll processing experience
• Proficiency in payroll software and Microsoft Office applications
• Attention to detail and accuracy in data entry
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills
• Ability to work with confidential information
• Prior experience in payroll processing or a related field
• Ability to work independently as well as cooperatively in a team environment
• Superior customer service-focused skills and ability to collaborate with multiple constituencies.

Nice-to-haves

• Associate Degree
• Experience processing union payrolls
• Experience processing payrolls for Higher Education Institutions
• FPC Certification
• Knowledge of Payroll laws, regulations, and compliance requirements.

Benefits

• Medical insurance
• Dental insurance
• Vision insurance
• Supplemental insurance plans
• Flexible work schedules
• Hybrid work options
• Tuition remission
• Life insurance
• Short and long-term disability insurance
• Employer retirement matching program
• Health savings accounts (HSA)
• Flexible spending accounts (FSA)
• Public Service Loan Forgiveness eligibility
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP)