Payroll Associate, Final Pay & Compliance

Payroll Associate, Final Pay and Compliance

The Payroll Associate, Final Pay and Compliance provides transactional and operational support for final-pay activities, initially focused on California and later expanding to other assigned U.S. jurisdictions with specific final-pay requirements. The role processes time-sensitive final payments, validates wage and vacation or other applicable paid time off payout data, supports Wisely Pay Card activities, and follows established procedures, controls, and escalation paths.

Working with HR Shared Services, HR Partners, and other stakeholders, this role helps deliver accurate and timely final pay, identifies risks and process gaps, and contributes operational input to process and governance improvements.

• Process final-pay transactions for assigned jurisdictions, initially California and later other assigned U.S. jurisdictions with specific final-pay requirements, in accordance with established procedures, controls, and timelines.
• Monitor separation notifications, support cases, required inputs, and payment deadlines; follow up on missing information and escalate cases that may be at risk of delayed payment or penalties.
• Coordinate with HR Shared Services and HR Partner teams to obtain complete and accurate separation information, clarify discrepancies, and route exceptions through established escalation paths.
• Calculate and validate final wages and other required payments, including regular and overtime earnings, earned vacation or other applicable paid time off payouts, deductions, and other payroll elements, using established guidance.
• Process final-pay and related off-cycle or manual payments through applicable payroll systems and the Wisely Pay Card solution and confirm payment status and timely distribution.
• Support administration of the Wisely Pay Card system for assigned areas, including payment setup, documentation, case support, routine issue resolution, and escalation in accordance with established controls.
• Provide trained backup support for critical payroll activities during business disruptions, including assisting with payroll processing, check production, and payroll file submission in accordance with established business continuity procedures and leadership direction.
• Research and resolve routine and moderately complex final-pay discrepancies, payment failures, missing data, and exceptions; escalate complex compliance questions, unusual cases, and potential penalty exposure.
• Follow and maintain standard operating procedures, checklists, controls, case records, and audit trails for final-pay activities; identify guidance that may be unclear, outdated, or inconsistently applied.
• Maintain tracking and reporting on final-pay timeliness, payment status, exceptions, recurring issues, and potential penalty exposure, and surface trends for review by Payroll leadership.
• Identify recurring errors, handoff issues, and process gaps; provide operational input and assist with documenting, testing, and implementing approved process, system, control, and service improvements.
• Respond to final-pay inquiries from team members and internal partners with clear, accurate, and timely communication, while escalating complex or sensitive matters as appropriate.
• Partner with Payroll, HR Shared Services, HR Partners and other stakeholders to support consistent execution of final-pay requirements and assist with audits, reviews, training, and special projects.
• Maintain the confidentiality, security, and accuracy of payroll records and sensitive team member information, and perform other related duties as assigned.

• Bachelor's degree in business, accounting, human resources, finance, or a related field, or an equivalent combination of education and relevant experience.
• Two or more years of payroll operations, HR shared services, accounting, or related transactional experience; experience supporting payroll or other time-sensitive payments preferred.
• Experience processing confidential, deadline-driven transactions and following established procedures, controls, and escalation requirements.
• Experience using a payroll, HR information, case management, accounting, or related business system to enter transactions, research issues, and maintain accurate records.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Outlook, Word, and Excel, including the ability to organize, validate, and reconcile data.
• Ability to collaborate with shared services, Human Resources, field teams, or business partners to obtain information and resolve transactional issues.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities, meet firm deadlines, work with appropriate guidance, and recognize when an issue requires escalation.
• Demonstrated accuracy, discretion, customer service, and confidentiality when handling payroll data and sensitive team member information.
• Foundational knowledge of payroll concepts, earnings, deductions, taxes, timekeeping data, and payment methods, with working knowledge of or the ability to learn California…