Senior Payroll Accountant Job Minnetonka area,Minnesota USA,HR/Recruitment

Administers the City's payroll functions to ensure employees are paid accurately and timely and that payroll practices comply with applicable laws, regulations, collective bargaining agreements, City policies, and benefit plan requirements. Maintains payroll records and systems; processes payroll-related deductions, contributions, payments, and reporting; provides payroll expertise and support to employees and departments; and collaborates with Human Resources, Finance, external agencies, and vendors regarding payroll, compensation, benefits, and related matters.

Work is performed with considerable independence under the general supervision of the Human Resources Manager.

Duties/Responsibilities

Payroll Processing and Administration

Processes biweekly, special, and supplemental payrolls for City employees.
Reviews employee time and payroll information for completeness and accuracy; identifies and resolves discrepancies prior to payroll processing.
Calculates and verifies wages, deductions, taxes, benefits, accruals, and other payroll transactions.
Prepares, reviews, and reconciles payroll reports to ensure accurate pay calculations, deductions, and accounting distributions.
Processes payroll with holdings and remittances to appropriate agencies and vendors.

Payroll Systems and Employee Records

Creates and maintains employee payroll records and master files.
Establishes and maintains pay, deduction, benefit, and accrual codes, including associated accounting instructions, rates, limits, and calculation tables within the HR/payroll system.
Maintains the City's electronic time and attendance system and assists with system configuration, troubleshooting, and user access.
Ensures pay provisions contained in collective bargaining agreements, personnel policies, and employment agreements are accurately configured and administered through payroll.
Processes employee reclassifications, compensation changes, and other payroll-related personnel actions.

Deductions, Retirement, and Deferred Compensation

Establishes and processes child support orders, garnishments, tax levies, and other required payroll deductions.
Monitors employee eligibility and enrollment in the Public Employees Retirement Association (PERA) and processes required retirement reporting and contributions.
Administers payroll-related contributions and transactions for the City's deferred compensation, IRA, RHSP, and other applicable plans.
Reviews qualifying requests for deferred compensation emergency withdrawals for eligibility and required documentation.

Employee Support and Payroll Consultation

Serves as a primary resource for employees and departments regarding payroll, timekeeping, deductions, taxes, accruals, retirement contributions, and related matters.
Researches and resolves routine and complex payroll questions and discrepancies.
Assists employees with payroll-related changes, including tax withholding elections, deductions, timekeeping access, and account troubleshooting.
Works with retiring and separating employees to calculate and explain estimated severance payments, accrued leave payouts, and other final compensation.
Provides payroll-related information regarding PERA, deferred compensation, and other applicable programs and refers employees to plan administrators or other resources as appropriate.

Special Payments and Calculations

Calculates and processes merit pay, performance pay, retroactive pay, compensatory time payouts, severance payments, and other special compensation.
Calculates and processes payroll transactions associated with workers' compensation, short- and long-term disability, leaves of absence, and other special circumstances.
Performs complex payroll calculations related to compensation changes, collective bargaining agreements, reclassifications, and other employment actions.
Assists Human Resources with tracking and reconciliation of FMLA, injury-on-duty, and other leave-related hours and payments.

Reporting, Compliance, and Auditing

Prepares, reviews, reconciles, and submits required quarterly and annual payroll reports, including federal Form 941, Minnesota withholding and unemployment reports, W-2s, PERA reports, and other required filings.
Compiles payroll and earnings information for workers' compensation, Social Security, PERA, employment verifications, salary surveys, and other reporting requirements.
Provides payroll documentation and information for the City's annual financial audit, workers' compensation audit, and other internal or external…