Benefits and Payroll Specialist

Salary Range: 80000 to 85000 (Currency: USD) (Pay period: per-year-salary)

• You are detail-oriented, highly organized, and can thrive in a fast-paced environment.
• You excel in benefits, payroll and leave of absence administration.
• You can successfully manage competing priorities with minimal supervision.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

Leave of Absence Administration

Serve as the primary administrator and support to the Senior and Assistant Directors of HR and Payroll for employee leave programs, including FMLA, CFRA, Paid Family Leave (PFL), San Francisco Paid Parental Leave Ordinance (SFPPLO), and short-term and long-term disability programs.

Point of contact for all staff for LOA administration. Manage leave requests from intake through return-to-work, including employee meetings, eligibility review, documentation collection, tracking, and communications.

Coordinate with third-party administrators, healthcare providers, managers, and employees throughout the leave process.

Track leave balances, entitlements, documentation, disability integrations, and benefit continuation requirements.

Prepare and process leave-related payroll calculations, EDD documentation, disability paperwork, wage replacement coordination, and benefit continuation activities.

Maintain leave administration records and reports while ensuring compliance with applicable laws and organizational policies.

Benefits Administration

Serve as a reliable resource and point of contact for all benefit-related employee questions regarding commuter benefits, FSA programs, 403(b) plans, EAP offerings, COBRA, disability benefits, and other employer-sponsored programs

Conduct new hire benefits orientations and educate employees regarding benefit eligibility, enrollment procedures, and qualifying life events. Establish system for checks and balances. 

Administer all employee benefit programs and resources (i.e. medical, dental, vision, retirement, COBRA, and ancillary benefits.

Process benefit enrollments, terminations, waivers, and life event changes accurately and timely.

Maintain and routinely audit benefit plan configurations and employee enrollment records within ADP Workforce Now and vendor systems.

Reconcile monthly benefit invoices and administrative fees to ensure accurate payroll deductions and employer contributions. 

If needed, support implementation and internal coordination of OE process.

Payroll Administration

Assist with the preparation and processing of semi-monthly payroll for approximately 230+ employees.

Support the ADP onboarding activities related to creating ADP profiles and troubleshooting issues.

Regularly review payroll data for accuracy, including employee deductions, union dues, benefit elections, tax withholding changes, and retirement plan contributions. 

When needed, be able to support with the processing of timecards to ensure timely and accurate processing.

Assist with payroll audits, reconciliations, reporting, year-end payroll activities, and ongoing compliance reviews. 

Document payroll procedures and support cross-training efforts within the department. 

Onboarding and HR Administration

Facilitate, manage onboarding workflows within ADP Workforce Now and other HR systems. 

Coordinate onboarding documentation including I-9 verification, E-Verify, direct deposit setup, timekeeping procedures, policy acknowledgements, and employment documentation. 

When needed, initiate and monitor employment background checks and related onboarding activities. 

Support employee offboarding processes and related HR transactions.

Stay current on federal, state, and local employment laws affecting payroll, benefits, leave administration, and HR compliance. 

Will serve as backup for the Senior Payroll Specialist, as needed.

Perform other duties as required. 

Required Qualifications

Bachelor’s degree in human resources, Business Administration, or a related field preferred; PHR Certification a plus.
Working knowledge of payroll processing, benefits administration, wage, and hour rules.
Minimum three (3) years of progressively responsible experience in payroll processing, benefits and leave of absence administration; and providing baseline human resources support.
3+ years’ experience administering employee benefit programs and leave of absence programs. 
Direct experience managing the administration of FMLA, CFRA, COBRA, ADA, disability programs, workers' compensation, and California employment practices. 
Ability to handle sensitive employee information with discretion and professionalism
Advanced proficiency using Microsoft Excel, including data analysis, formulas, reconciliations, and reporting. 
Must be able to demonstrate strong analytical, problem-solving, time and project management skills. 
Excellent verbal and written communication skills. 
Experience managing multiple priorities and competing deadlines in a fast-paced environment. 
Experience working with ADP Workforce Now or similar HRIS/payroll systems strongly preferred.

Physical Requirements

Ability to work on a computer and see details of objects at close range. 
Ability to hear within normal range and communicate effectively in person, by telephone, or through virtual meeting platforms. 
Finger dexterity and the ability to use standard office equipment. 
Ability to sit or stand comfortably and navigate throughout office spaces via elevator or stairs.