Payroll Technician II

Job Details•Pomona, CA

22h

About The Position

Payroll and Benefits Services at California State Polytechnic University, Pomona administers employment, payroll, benefits, and leave programs for university employees and maintains accurate, secure, and compliant employee records in the Common Human Resources System (CHRS) and the State Controller’s Office (SCO) Personnel Information Management System (PIMS). The department works with campus offices and external agencies to provide timely payroll, benefits, and employment services and to support customer service, confidentiality, and process improvement. The Payroll Technician II serves as the primary payroll resource for assigned employee groups, with primary responsibility for Student Payroll and related employment transactions. The role independently handles moderately complex payroll and personnel work by interpreting and applying CSU policies, collective bargaining agreements, laws, education codes, and campus procedures. It processes and reconciles appointments and employment changes, compensation, payroll deductions, time and leave, retirement transactions, and related records; investigates discrepancies; advises employees and departments; conducts audits and reporting; and supports payroll documentation, system projects, and process improvements.

Requirements

Equivalent combination of education and experience that provides the required knowledge and abilities.
Equivalent to two years of payroll and personnel experience providing the required knowledge and abilities.
Ability to acquire working knowledge of and independently select and apply CSU policies, procedures, programs, guidelines, applicable state and federal laws, education codes, and collective bargaining agreements.
Ability to use web browsers, electronic calendaring programs, ERP/HRIS, and data management systems, or acquire those skills.
Ability to audit and reconcile data; interpret and apply written rules and regulations; perform mathematical calculations; and accurately enter data.
Ability to establish effective working relationships, use tact and good judgment, communicate effectively, follow instructions, and read and write at a level appropriate to the position.
Ability to use current word-processing and spreadsheet software.
Thorough knowledge of general office methods, practices, and procedures.
Ability to independently select and apply moderately complex policies, procedures, programs, laws, education codes, and collective bargaining agreements when guidelines are not clearly described.
Ability to organize work, set priorities, meet critical deadlines, work independently, and make sound decisions and recommendations regarding payroll activities.

Nice To Haves

Equivalent of three to five years’ experience preparing and processing personnel/payroll documentation, preferably with California State University payroll.
Demonstrated skills in an institutional or educational environment with a customer-oriented, service-centered attitude.
PeopleSoft Workforce Administration, Time and Labor, or Absence Management experience.
CPP certification.

Responsibilities

Administer payroll and personnel transactions for assigned employee groups, with primary responsibility for Student Payroll and related employment transactions.
Initiate, analyze, process, audit, and reconcile employment transactions in CHRS and SCO PIMS, including appointments, reappointments, salary actions, status changes, leaves, retirements, resignations, separations, and retirement membership eligibility.
Interpret and apply CSU policies, collective bargaining agreements, payroll regulations, education codes, and applicable federal and state laws.
Review supporting documentation, research historical records, and resolve discrepancies to ensure compliance and accurate employee records.
Coordinate student employment activities, including appointments, mass hires and separations, Federal Work-Study appointments, employment eligibility, academic term processing, and payroll compliance.
Calculate, process, and reconcile payroll transactions for employee groups, including regular pay, overtime, differentials, stipends, retroactive adjustments, academic pay, final settlements, and supplemental payments.
Review payroll for accuracy before confirmation and release, investigate discrepancies, and take corrective action such as supplemental payments, salary adjustments, reversals, fund transfers, and accounts receivable.
Process payroll related to disability, workers’ compensation, and other leave programs in coordination with relevant offices and the SCO.
Advise employees and departments about payroll effects of leave programs, retirement deductions, tax withholding, and payroll adjustments.
Process direct deposit, tax withholding elections, garnishments, tax levies, dock adjustments, salary advances, taxable fringe benefits, and voluntary payroll deductions.
Reconcile salary advances, accounts receivable, deductions, and payroll reports; maintain awareness of payroll impacts on tax, labor cost, retirement, financial, and leave reporting.
Administer time reporting and leave accounting; audit and process accruals, overtime, compensatory time, service dates, schedules, and leave transactions.
Guide departmental timekeepers and managers on time reporting, leave eligibility, schedules, and payroll deadlines; identify and communicate time-reporting corrections and process exception reporting when appropriate.
Calculate plus and minus pay periods for irregular schedules and monitor intermittent employee hours for CalPERS retirement eligibility and compliance.
Respond to payroll and personnel inquiries from employees, managers, departments, campus offices, and external agencies, explaining relevant policies, procedures, agreements, and regulations.
Coordinate employment verifications, unemployment insurance audits, payroll data requests, and other employment-related inquiries.
Maintain employment documentation in accordance with CSU retention requirements, including I-9 and retirement forms, confidentiality agreements, data access forms, emergency contacts, employment surveys, and separation clearances.
Develop and maintain payroll procedures, desk guides, and operational documentation to support consistency, compliance, and process improvement.
Conduct payroll audits using CHRS, SCO reporting tools, and other campus systems; run queries, analyze reports, identify trends, and recommend process improvements.
Participate in payroll system testing, upgrades, implementations, and operational projects, and provide supporting information for audits and agency requests.
Perform other duties as assigned in support of Payroll Services and departmental operations.