Payroll Benefits Specialist

The Benefits and Payroll Specialist is a position responsible for payroll processing and benefits support and service. This role champions compliance in benefits and payroll administration by providing excellent employee centric customer service. to ensure accurate, timely and compliant completion of payments to employees and leverages benefits knowledge and customer service skills to provide employees with support in benefits administration and coordination of resources including supporting leave administration.

The Payroll Specialist demonstrates our “True North” attributes: voice of the customer, respect for the individual, no nonsense communication and utilization of facts, servant leadership, and a continuous improvement mindset. This role also incorporates lean principles, utilizing tools such as value stream mapping (VSM), Kaizen, and A3 problem-solving to drive efficiency and accuracy in payroll processes.

DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES

Benefits:

1. Assist with annual open enrollment, including testing enrollment systems plan setup, rate updates, and integrations confirmations
2. Supports US FMLA/Leave program and Canadian Leaves: answers employee and manager questions regarding leave options and eligibility, assist in tracking employee leave requests, leave timeframes, sends approval letter and other documentation, and handles benefit arrears balances during employee leave of absence and accrual adjustments
3. Reviews and approves all benefits tasks and providing excellent customer service standard for our US and Canadian employees according to regulations and enrollment rules for new hire, life events.
4. Serves, Guides and directs employee through support of self-service, instruction, and education.
5. Championing Wellness initiatives and education to encourage engagement
6. Keeps up to date with new benefit and leave regulations and law; assists with creation of SOPs and implementation of new programs to remain compliant.
7. Maintains documentation on processes and procedures, makes suggestions for process improvement.
8. Oversees the maintenance and updates of US and Canadian employee benefit records within the Workday HRIS system and with US and Canadian carriers
9. Conducts regulatory non-discrimination testing to ensure accurate administration of 401k plan
10. Prepares and develops communications for employee educational sessions and other training.
11. Process all self-billed insurance payments. Verify the calculation of the monthly premium statements, and maintain statistical data relative to premiums and claims.
12. Understands and respects confidentiality issues surrounding the Health Information Privacy Protection Act (“HIPPA”), responsible for training designated on HIPPA.

Payroll

1. Process bi-weekly, weekly multi-state payroll for up to 2,500 employees, asn Bi-weekly Canadian payroll including garnishments, benefits, and taxes, ensuring compliance with applicable wage and hour laws.
2. Review and process special payroll runs, off-cycle payments, corrections, and adjustments, including bonus payments.
3. Partner with third-party payroll support service provider to ensure service levels meet expectations.
4. Accurately process pay for new hires, seasonal hires, transfers, promotions, leaves of absence, and terminations.
5. Coordinate with the payroll provider to ensure timely processing of garnishment orders.
6. Review US federal, state, and local payroll tax setups to ensure accuracy, as well as maintain Canada tax, and time off accruals and holiday calendars ; confirm timely payment of all payroll taxes by third-party provider.
7. Ensure accurate and timely distribution of W-2s and process W-2 corrections as needed.
8. Prepare and submit treasury requests to fund payroll runs.
9. Update payroll system with schedules affecting payroll, including pay period schedules, accrual schedules, and time-tracking updates.
10. Set up and maintain new earnings codes, deductions, and GL mappings as required.
11. Respond promptly to payroll-related inquiries from corporate and field employees, resolving discrepancies in wage calculations, deductions, and over/under payments, if applicable.
12. Complete month-end payroll accounting tasks
13. Maintain internal payroll checklists to ensure critical processes are completed accurately and on time.
14. Perform regular audits to ensure compliance with time keeping, vacation rules, state regulations and ad-hoc audits in support of other departments.
15. Assist in developing quick reference guides or training content for payroll processing procedures.
16. Collaborate and support with other departments to review cross-functional impacts of payroll processing and reporting
17. Recommend process improvements to enhance payroll accuracy, efficiency, and employee satisfaction.
18. Perform other duties as assigned by management.
19. Adhere to the Code of Business Ethics, demonstrating honesty, integrity, and high ethical standards.
20. Maintain high safety standards, recognizing safety as a shared responsibility.

EDUCATION & EXPERIENCE

• Associate’s or equivalent related field experience required.
• 5 years of payroll processing experience in a multi-state environment.
• Proficient in Microsoft Office Suite with emphasis on intermediate Excel; experience with payroll systems (Workday, ADP or similar) required.
• Experience with supporting US federal, state, and local leave, payroll and benefits
• Experience with Canadian federal, state, and local leave, payroll and benefits
• Strong analytical skills and attention to detail.
• Excellent communication and customer service skills.
• Experience with lean/continuous improvement processes preferred.