Payroll Technician Government Job Dept-CLASSIFIED PERSONNEL Full Time

For an overview of the Classified Employment Process including information on application screening, testing, health and welfare benefits, and advanced salary step placement, please click here: Classified Employment Procedure.

This is a Dual Certification Recruitment: Candidates who attain a passing score on each examination part will be placed in rank order on an eligibility list after promotional credits are added to the composite test scores of promotional candidates. These examinations are open to permanent employees and the public.  

Please refer to the “Employment Standards” section of this bulletin to make sure you meet all requirements before applying. Applications for employment are accepted online only.

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.

BASIC FUNCTION:
Under the direction of an assigned supervisor, perform a variety of technical payroll accounting duties to assure District employees are paid in an accurate and timely manner; prepare and process regular and supplemental payrolls; process, calculate, verify and update records with a variety of payroll data.

REPRESENTATIVE DUTIES: 

ESSENTIAL DUTIES: 

• Perform a variety of technical payroll accounting duties in accordance with established policies and procedures; assure District employees are paid in an accurate and timely manner; receive, review, verify, prepare and process various payroll records and documents. 
• Review and process employee time sheets; calculate and input time information, pay rates, salary adjustments and overtime pay; verify proper authorizing signatures, coding, calculations and accuracy of payroll adjustments; request and obtain signatures and additional information as needed. 
• Process regular and supplemental payrolls; input, code and adjust timesheet, employee and other payroll information in an assigned computer system; generate computerized lists and reports; develop spreadsheets; assure accuracy and completeness of input and output data. 
• Establish and maintain detailed permanent payroll records for District personnel; process and update records with pay rates,  contributions, tax withholdings, tax shelter annuities, vacation and sick leave,  payroll deductions, including union dues and retirement and other data and information. 
• Calculate, assemble, match, code, sort, review, verify and post a variety of payroll data such as hours, tax information, leave, days worked and work assignment; balance, reconcile and submit payrolls for check processing; identify and resolve payroll issues and discrepancies. 
• Review and audit payroll data, records and reports for accuracy and completeness; compare and reconcile forms, statements, records, reports, lists, spreadsheets, time cards and other financial documents; identify errors and make appropriate corrections and adjustments. 
• Interact closely with Human Resources, Budgeting and other departments to assure all information regarding payroll adjustments, problems, employment status, and salary accounts are up to date and accurate.
• Serve as an informational resource to employees concerning assigned payroll functions; respond to inquiries and provide detailed information concerning related salaries, deductions, leave, taxes, paychecks, transactions, issues, practices, policies and procedures. 
• Communicate with District personnel and outside agencies to exchange information and resolve issues or concerns. 
• Receive, sort, process and distribute paychecks and mail as assigned; duplicate, sort, file and distribute payroll materials as necessary; prepare, distribute and respond to a variety of correspondence. 
• Process a variety of special payroll transactions such as retroactive pay, garnishments, lost warrants and overtime; follow up on and resolve outstanding warrants or warrant cancelations.
• Operate a variety of office equipment including a calculator, copier, fax machine, computer and assigned software. 

OTHER DUTIES: 
Perform related duties as assigned.

 EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE:
Any combination equivalent to sufficient experience, training and/or education to demonstrate the knowledge and abilities listed above.  Typically, this would be gained through:  graduation from high school supplemented by college-level course work in accounting or related field and two years payroll, accounting or related experience.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS:
Dexterity of hands and fingers to operate a computer keyboard.
Seeing to read a variety of materials.
Hearing and speaking to exchange information.
Sitting for extended periods of time.
 

KNOWLEDGE AND ABILITIES:
KNOWLEDGE OF:

• The practices and terminology of payroll accounting practices, clerical and office procedures and methods, business mathematics and record keeping. 
• Principles and techniques involved in payroll preparation and processing.
• Laws and regulations governing payroll. 
• Spreadsheet programs and data control procedures and data entry operations.
• The data entry system for payroll and other fiscal information. 
• Labor and other contracts to properly interpret and calculate salaries.
• Tax withholding, voluntary deductions and employee benefits. 
• Modern office practices, procedures and equipment.  
• Financial and statistical record?keeping techniques.  
• Preparation of financial statements and comprehensive accounting reports.
• Verification and processing of payroll records and reports.
• Tax withholding, voluntary deductions and employee benefits. 
• Modern office practices, procedures and equipment.  
• Operation of a computer and assigned software.  

 
ABILITY TO:

• Enter data onto standardized formats within computerized data base programs using keyboards, basic keyboarding or 10-key skills and calculators. 
• Learn and apply laws, codes governing payroll and retirement in California, as well as policies, procedures, and labor contracts used by the District.
• Prepare clear, complete and concise financial records and analyze payroll and accounting. 
• Perform technical research, complete complex arithmetic computations and prepare reports. 
• Use a range of personal computer software such as spreadsheets, word processing, and databases. 
• Extract data from databases and import into formats that produce reports. 
• Ensure the confidentiality of private information. 
• Convey technical concepts to others in frustrating exchanges of information with tact, patience and courtesy.
• Document conversations, prepare memos, and prepare procedures. 
• Perform a variety of technical payroll accounting duties to assure District employees are paid in an accurate and timely manner.
• Process employee time information and related documents for payrolls.
• Maintain accurate financial and statistical records.
• Review, process, evaluate and verify a variety of financial information.
• Monitor, audit, adjust and reconcile payroll data.  
• Identify, investigate and resolve financial errors and discrepancies.
• Compare numbers and detect errors efficiently.
• Learn, interpret, apply and explain laws, codes, rules, regulations, policies and procedures. Learn tax withholdings, voluntary deductions and employee benefits.
• Operate standard office equipment including a computer and assigned software.
• Communicate effectively both orally and in writing.
• Establish and maintain cooperative and effective working relationships with others.
• Meet schedules and time lines.
• Perform arithmetic calculations quickly and accurately.
• Type or input data at an acceptable rate of speed.
• Maintain regular and consistent attendance.