Payroll Associate

Reporting to the Accounting Manager, and working closely with the Payroll Compliance Coordinator, the Payroll Associate is responsible for successfully processing bi-weekly payroll as well as related obligations for the College.

Given the interaction with employees and college community, this position requires in-person presence. The position is eligible for telework.

ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS:

1. Responsible for bi-weekly processing of full cycle payroll in collaboration with other College personnel, and for maintaining an electronic payroll file for each payroll according to current electronic file structure.
2. Responsible for updating online pay periods in payroll system to enable timecard entry and processing of hours worked and leave time for all pay periods.
3. Responsible for ensuring all timecards are approved by supervisors by the designated deadline; saving timecard reports; processing timecard adjustments received after the deadline and saving appropriate documentation.
4. Responsible for manual pay adjustments including vacation pay, leaves of absence adjustments, payroll corrections, etc.
5. Responsible for updating GTL Policy Face Value in payroll system when pay increases occur.
6. Responsible for validating FICA Exempt status for Work Study students.
7. Responsible for insuring SRA limits are not exceeded, and FICA limits are adhered to.
8. Responsible for reviewing all tax and direct deposit forms and entering them into the payroll system. Once processed, file the forms electronically according to the current electronic employee file structure.
9. Responsible for reconciling FICA taxes and making any necessary set up correction prior to running each bi-weekly payroll.
10. Responsible for running bi-weekly payroll reports to insure employee state withholding tax set up matches resident state.
11. Responsible for calculating and processing final pay and vacation pay outs for terminated employees, on separate checks when applicable.
12. Responsible for inactivating terminated employees in the payroll system and any deductions, benefits and direct deposit. Also, for confirming no pay is generated on the payroll immediately following the final pay.
13. Responsible for receiving bank notifications of direct deposit changes and returns from the Accounting Manager, resolving existing issues, communicating with employees and maintain documentation according to the current electronic employee file structure.
14. Responsible for receiving garnishments, wage attachments and child support orders from various agencies; provide copies of orders to employees when required; interpret correct calculation of deduction amount; set up deduction in payroll system; ensure automatic creation of A/P invoice for deductions being paid by check and communication to A/P.
15. Responsible for garnishment tracking to be updated with each payroll, tracking totals when applicable for balance tracking and for when judgements are satisfied. Inactivate deductions when judgements are satisfied.
16. Responsible for receiving live checks returned as undeliverable, obtaining corrected mailing addresses and ensure change of address form is completed and processed, reissue pay as direct deposit if appropriate.
17. Responsible for processing voided pays ensuring proper dates, accounts, and account numbers are used, and for reissuing voided pays when applicable.
18. Responsible for verifying address change forms received from HR are entered correctly into the system, and confirming any necessary payroll tax changes are made and tax forms are received. Also, for filing the forms electronically according to the current electronic employee file structure.
19. Responsible for updating address changes with the State of Maryland for any pension plan participants.
20. Responsible for processing post payroll payment transactions including child support payments, wage garnishment payments, and any other payments associated with payroll. Extract appropriate documentation from payroll reports and save according to current electronic file structure.
21. Responsible for creating and entering journal entries for all post payroll payment transactions, and saving documentation according to the current electronic file structure.
22. Responsible for creating and entering the salary and employer FICA accrual on a monthly basis for ten-month faculty. Responsible for creating and entering the reversal of the ten-month faculty salary and employer FICA accruals in July and August.
23. Responsible for generating and saving current, QTD and YTD payroll tax reports for each payroll.
24. Responsible for creating and entering journal entries for reclassification of 75% of work study wages for reimbursement to the correct G/L account.
25. Responsible for running and saving bi-weekly leave accruals for Vacation, Sick Leave and Personal Leave, reviewing the reports for negative balances, processing applicable adjustments and communicating to employees and supervisors.
26. Responsible for working closely with Payroll Compliance Coordinator and Accounting Manager at fiscal and calendar year end to complete all payroll processes and related tasks on an accelerated basis.
27. Responsible for working with Payroll Compliance Coordinator to process annual W2’s and related reporting.
28. Responsible for assuring compliance with the College’s structure of internal controls, especially as it applies to payroll preparation.
29. Responsible for communicating with the Accounting Manager on a regular basis regarding the status of each payroll and any other projects, assignments and duties, as well as any problems that may arise.
30. Shared responsibility for monitoring Payroll email account.
31. Other duties as assigned.

REQUIREMENTS:

• Minimum Requirements to Perform Work: Associate’s Degree in Business or Accounting required. Will consider applicants who will have an earned Associate’s degree who within 2.5 years of hire date from an accredited institution.
• Minimum 2-3 years of payroll experience with a working knowledge of payroll related accounting.
• Experience working in an automated payroll system.
• Experience working in higher education preferred

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS and ABILITIES:

• Proficiency with Microsoft Office products including Excel, Outlook, and Word.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills

PHYSICAL DEMANDS:

This position classifies the physical exertion requirements as sedentary work involving lifting no more than 10 pounds at a time and occasionally lifting or carrying articles like docket files, ledgers, and small tools. Although a sedentary job is defined as one which involves sitting, a certain amount of walking and standing is often necessary in carrying out job duties. Jobs are sedentary if walking and standing are required occasionally, and other sedentary criteria are met.

WORK ENVIRONMENT:

Work environment involves everyday risks or discomforts which require normal safety precautions typical of such places as office or meeting and training rooms, e.g., use of safe work place practices with office equipment, avoidance of trips and falls, and observance of fire and building safety regulations, and traffic signals when driving.

Based upon the budgeted hours of a position, contribution to the Maryland State Retirement Pension System may be required.

*We are committed to ensuring equal opportunity and non-discrimination in all hiring and employment practices. Cecil College will not discriminate against any individual by reason of race, color, national origin, ancestry, age, religion, disability, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, genetic status, genetic information, veteran status or any other status protected by federal, state or local law.