The Payroll Specialist performs a variety of payroll duties in the support of the City’s payroll unit. This position is responsible for timekeeping, payroll processing, leave recordkeeping, and administering of various payroll deductions. Incumbent in this class is responsible for carrying out payroll-related duties in accordance with sound financial management principles and practices.

Essential Duties: (These duties are a representative sample; position assignments may vary.)

• Prepares, reviews and maintains confidential payroll records for the City and the San Dieguito Water District; ensures the validation and accuracy of payroll operations; 
• Audits, reviews and verifies timecards and payroll information, makes corrections and enters data into the City's Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP); 
• Calculates and reconciles pension contributions; Enters earnings and contributions in the California Public Employees’ Retirement System (CalPERS); Reviews, processes biweekly pension reports, and make payments in myCalPERS; 
• Reviews TeleStaff time entries and enters time in ERP; Calculates Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) overtime for safety employees; 
• Processes pay changes and payroll deduction changes such as deferred compensation, flex benefits, withholding for mandated or voluntary deductions including child support, garnishments, computer loan, or insurance deductions; 
• Computes and processes retroactive pay adjustments, Workers' Compensation disability pay, long-term disability, leaves of absence, and donated leaves; calculates retroactive pay adjustments; 
• Consults with the Human Resources department on a variety of issues including new deductions, changes to contribution levels, bargaining group changes, benefit deduction table set-up, leave tables, CalPERS tables, and timing of implementation; 
• Monitors current City memorandum of understandings (MOUs), IRS regulations, pension regulations for payroll compliance; responds to inquiries regarding payroll procedures;
• Recommends changes and improvements to existing standards and procedures; 
• Establishes and maintains annual payroll calendars; 
• Coordinates cash out and conversion program for vacation, comp time, and holiday pay; Calculates and processes payoff amounts for departing employees; 
• Balances, reviews and prepares W-2s, periodic tax reports, and a variety of payroll related reports; identifies and resolves discrepancies; 
• Processes the City's retirement and supplemental retirement plans including contribution limits, loans, withdrawals, and catch-up provisions; provides employees with information on contribution limits; processes loan requests and repayment information; processes and monitors 457 catch up provisions; audits quarterly contribution statements and loan reports and resolves any discrepancies; 
• Answers a variety of payroll related questions from City employees; explains City payroll policies and procedures; responds to inquiries regarding payroll procedures;
• Verify wages for employment verification requests and unemployment claims; 
• Verifies, reconciles, and maintains year-to-date balances of vacation, Income Protection Plan (IPP), compensatory and other leave credits; 
• Prepares and maintains and compiles a variety of confidential and sensitive financial information for labor relations purposes as requested;
• Prepares payroll tax returns and other reporting documentation related to and payroll matters; insurance and other miscellaneous billings, payments for disability, terminations, retirement, and deferred compensation; compiles routine reports related to payroll activity;
• Conducts new employee orientation and/or training on payroll related topics;
• Performs related duties as assigned;

• Communication, interpersonal skills as applied to interaction with coworkers, supervisor, the general public, etc. sufficient to exchange or convey information and to receive work direction. 

• Customer service principles;
• Basic payroll preparation, reporting and maintenance and accounting principles and practice;
• Operations, services and activities of a payroll processing system including retirement plans, deferred compensation, disability and benefits; 
• Mathematical concepts; 
• Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) rules and regulations;
• California Public Employees’ Retirement Law (PERL) and the California Public Employees’ Retirement System (CalPERS);
• Office procedures, methods and equipment including computers and applicable software applications such as word processing, spreadsheets, and databases; 
• Data entry and retrieval;
• State and Federal laws for payroll including deductions;
• City policies, practices and procedures;
• Wages and employment verification practices and procedures;
• Records management and file maintenance procedures;
• Pertinent Federal, State, and local laws, codes, and regulations, policies, memorandums of understanding. and employee agreements as they relate to payroll preparation and processing and withholding.

• Using computers and related software applications;
• Interpreting and applying payroll related laws, ordinances, rules, regulations, policies and procedures;
• Preparing, reconciling, and maintaining accurate reports and records; 
• Managing deadlines; Prioritizing work;
• Paying attention to details; 
• Monitor compliance with various rules, laws, policies, and regulations; 
• Communicating effectively both orally and in writing; 
• Establishing and maintaining effective working relationships with other department staff and the general public.

High school diploma or Graduate Equivalency Diploma (GED), and three years of increasingly responsible technical, clerical accounting experience, including at least one year of payroll experience, or an equivalent combination of education and experience sufficient to successfully perform the essential duties of the job such as those listed above.