Payroll Technician II

California State University, Bakersfield•Bakersfield, CA

1d•Onsite

About The Position

Within the division of People and Culture, the office of Payroll Services is responsible for the accurate and timely processing of payroll, along with reconciliation of time and attendance records for all CSU Bakersfield employees, as well as all auxiliary (SPA and Foundation) employees. Under general supervision of the HRIS & Payroll Manager, the Payroll Technician processes a wide range of confidential, technical payroll, and personnel transactions and ensures timely and accurate pay for both state and auxiliary employees. Such transactions include calculating pay for staff, management, tenure and tenured track faculty, temp faculty, student assistants, instructional students, and graduate student employees across various pay plans within the CSU i.e. annual, 10/12 pay plans, 11/12 pay plans, academic year, summer session pay, and special consultants. Incumbent will learn and update two databases, Payroll Input Management System (PIMS at the SCO) for state employees and ADP for auxiliary employees. The Payroll Technician works closely with the State Controller’s Office, other state agencies, and serves as a member within the campus Payroll team.

Requirements

Equivalent to two (2) years of payroll and personnel experience which has provided the required knowledge and abilities. Any equivalent combination of education and experience which provides the required knowledge and abilities may be considered.
Regular and reliable attendance is required.
Thorough knowledge of general office methods, practices and procedures.
Thorough knowledge of, or the ability to acquire quickly, policies, procedures, programs, guidelines, applicable state and federal laws, educational codes, and collective bargaining agreements.
Ability to select and apply a wide variety of moderately complex policies, procedures, programs, and applicable state and federal laws, educational codes, and collective bargaining agreements that are not clearly described in available guidelines.
Ability to organize work, set priorities, and meet critical deadlines.
Ability to perform mathematical calculations.
Ability to work independently and make sound decisions and recommendations regarding payroll activities.
Ability to use current computer word processing and spreadsheet software programs, web browsers, electronic calendaring programs, ERP/HRIS, and data management systems.
Attention to detail.
Working knowledge of and skills in various HRIS and Payroll software programs, along with ability to manage basic troubleshooting as needed.
Ability to learn and understand PIMS (Personnel Information Management System).
Ability to learn and understand the PPM (Payroll Procedures Manual).
Demonstrated customer service experience requiring a very high level of diplomacy and professionalism.
Ability to use tact and diplomacy to effectively handle a broad range of high level and sensitive interpersonal situations with diverse personalities, and to respond appropriately to conflicts and problems.
Ability to initiate, establish, and foster communication and teamwork by maintaining a positive, cooperative, productive work atmosphere in the University with the ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships within a diverse population and with those from various cultural backgrounds.
Excellent communication skills; ability to effectively communicate information in a clear and understandable manner.
Thorough knowledge of English grammar, spelling, and punctuation.
Ability to interpret, communicate and apply policies and procedures.
Ability to maintain a high degree of confidentiality.
Excellent organizational and time management skills with the ability to set own priorities to coordinate multiple assignments with fluctuating and time-sensitive deadlines.
Excellent computer skills and competence with a variety of computer applications including word-processing, spreadsheets, databases, on-line systems, Internet as well as online calendaring and email.
Working knowledge of or ability to quickly learn University infrastructure.
Must be willing to travel and attend training programs off-site for occasional professional development.
Must be able to work overtime, occasional holidays and adjust working hours to meet special jobs.
May be called back periodically to perform work as needed on an emergency basis.

Nice To Haves

Three (3) years’ experience with data entry and processing payroll in an educational, city, county, or state environment.
Peoplesoft or ADP experience.
Experience with creating and maintaining guides and providing training to end users.
Demonstrated skills in an institutional/educational environment utilizing a customer oriented and service centered attitude.

Responsibilities

University Payroll Processing: Using approved source documents, process a variety of typical transaction types for university employees, including but not limited to appointments, changes of status, sabbaticals, pay increases, separations, settlement pay, docks, and retirements. Review Personnel/Payroll Transactions (PPTs) for accuracy before entering them into the Personnel Information Management System (PIMS) database. Address errors and discrepancies by analyzing data, consulting records, communicating with employees, and collaborating with Human Resources or Faculty Affairs. Notify the appropriate staff of any complex discrepancies or unresolved issues. Analyze and troubleshoot system problems, errors, and issues for Student Assistants, Instructional Student Assistants, Work Study Students, and Summer Bridge Students utilizing the Time and Labor module in PeopleSoft. Prepare and calculate Intermittent Hourly, Casual Workers, shift and overtime pay. Independently determine when to PIP transactions and when to include transactions in the FTP process, for payments such as shift, overtime, stipends, etc. Key one-time payments in pay system. Verify and reconcile all payments utilizing source documents prior to releasing payments for distribution. Audit and certify student, master, intermittent, and miscellaneous payroll and approve the release of payments. Ensure payroll processing adheres to CSU policies, collective bargaining agreements, Uniform State Payroll Procedures Manual (PPM), Personnel Information Management System Manual (PIMS), Public Employees Retirement System Manual, and State and Federal regulations, reconciling data with the State Controller’s Office. Ensure that payroll processing deadlines are met in compliance with State and Federal regulations. Escalate complex issues or discrepancies as appropriate. Respond to a diverse range of payroll inquiries and issues across all campus collective bargaining units. This includes running queries or CIRS reports to report information on positions, leave activity, payroll data for budget, and other employee reporting needs that may include payroll reconciliations. Seek guidance from senior staff or management as needed to respond to more complex inquires. Calculate and process payroll adjustments, including deductions and taxes, for corrections or changes submitted after the master payroll cut-off to ensure timely and accurate wage payments. Maintain confidentiality and appropriately handle sensitive communications with employees and external agencies.
Payroll Adjustments: Calculate and process up to moderately complex workers compensation, disability (IDL/NDI), leave with/out pay, faculty final settlement pay, pay plan changes, military leave, garnishments and court ordered wage withholding orders. Assess the validity of garnishment and levy documents by thoroughly reviewing their authenticity, ensuring they are properly authorized, and confirming compliance with relevant legal standards and organizational policies. Determine the correct portion of an employee's disposable earnings to withhold, adhering to federal and state guidelines that limit garnishment amounts. Manage situations where employees have multiple garnishments, prioritizing and calculating withholding amounts in accordance with legal guidelines and ensuring that total deductions do not exceed allowable limits. Administer employee accounts receivables related to time base changes, late dock and various types of overpayments. Notify, prepare, and distribute 15-day, 30-day, and 60-day letters to employees prior to establishing outside collections. Collaborate with employees to establish a suitable repayment schedule. Prepare and submit accounts receivable documents to the State Controller’s Office to establish the payroll deduction.
Auxiliary Organization Payroll Processing (SPA & Foundation): Gather and confirm employee information such as hours worked, and overtime. This includes reviewing timesheets for accuracy and ensuring all data is correctly entered into the ADP system. Process payroll transactions such as but not limited to, changes of status, promotions, miscellaneous pay increases, and separations. Process necessary adjustments such as manual checks, or corrections for previous payroll errors. Maintain detailed payroll records for each employee, including wages paid, taxes withheld, and deductions. Generate reports for internal auditing and compliance purposes. Ensure adherence to federal, state, and local tax regulations by withholding the correct amounts. Address employee questions regarding payroll, including clarifying deductions, correcting errors, and providing pay stubs or tax documents. Prepare and distribute payroll reports, including W-2 forms, ensuring compliance with reporting requirements and deadlines. Verify and maintain accurate employee leave balances and accruals within the system by auditing database entries and determining eligibility status.
Information Sharing/Support: Provide standard information to various new and existing employees and departments regarding the proper rules and regulations pertaining to the State Payroll System, including completion of all payroll forms and deadlines. Provide information and support on payroll processes to department coordinators. Provide instructions regarding CSU policies and procedures using all available reference materials including websites, manuals, emails, and technical letters. Assist individuals with questions or concerns regarding position history, pay history, and any payroll related record inquiries. Using CIRS (Campus Information Retrieval System) and FOCUS database management system, develop ad hoc reports for use as research tools or to meet the needs of various campus departments. Respond to verification of employment requests. Process and scan documents that must be coded into an electronic record-keeping system ensuring that each document is appropriately categorized. Monitor and respond to emails received in the general payroll inbox as appropriate.