Payroll & Benefit Specialist

Job Description

Job Description

Summary of Responsibilities

The Payroll and Benefit Specialist supports the daily functions of the Human Resources (HR) department, focusing on the administration of benefits programs, payroll, HR systems, and compliance. This role works closely with the HR Manager and other team members in the HR department in supporting and advising management on HR operations matters. The Payroll and Benefit Specialist also assists in assessing and anticipating the HR-related needs of YA. As a specialist, this role has responsibilities in maintaining HR systems, employee benefits programs, processing workers’ compensation claims, assisting with audits, preparing analytical reports, payroll processing, and employment law compliance.

Essential Functions

• Oversees and maintains optimal function of HR systems, which may include installation, customization, development, maintenance, and upgrade to applications, systems, and modules. Collaborates with leadership to identify system improvements and enhancements; recommends and implements solutions.
• Serves as the main point of contact and liaison between HR and external HR systems’ vendors.
• Responsible for creating, managing, and maintaining employee personnel records and HRIS information, including processing all changes into employee records, preparing reports and statistical summaries from records, and providing verifications of employment and reference checks for active and terminated employees.
• Assists in managing the open enrollment process and administering employee benefit plans. Assists in working with the third-party administrator to resolve claim disputes with providers when necessary. Review and verify monthly provider bills.
• Responds to benefits inquiries from managers and employees on plan provisions, benefits enrollments, status changes, and other general inquiries in conjunction with the third-party administrator.
• Processes and administers all leave-of-absence requests and disability paperwork: medical, disability, and FMLA. Effectively assists with interpreting FMLA and ADA implications as they relate to leaves of absence/disabilities and reasonable accommodation requests.
• Manages bi-weekly payroll process, including bi-weekly updates to employee files, bonus pay, tracking vacation/sick pay, inputting exceptions, hourly employee validations, and benefit changes.
• Assists in maintaining compliance with federal, state, and local employment laws and regulations, and recommends best practices; reviews policies and practices to maintain compliance.

Other Functions

• Performs routine tasks required to administer and execute human resources programs.
• Acts as primary back-up for HR Representative, as needed.

Qualifications

• 3-5 years of experience in payroll and benefit administration.
• Currently using ADP Workforce Now to process payroll.
• Strong understanding of payroll practices, benefit programs, and regulatory compliance.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills, interpersonal skills, ethics, and cultural awareness.
• Resourceful, problem-solving aptitude and thorough knowledge of HR procedures and policies.
• Advanced MS Office, ADP software skills, and comfortable learning new technical systems as needed.
• Knowledge of HR federal laws and regulations
• Ability to deliver effective results and meet deadlines
• Strong organizational and time management skills