Payroll & Benefits Specialist

Robert Half - Newburyport, MA

Full-time

Newburyport, MA

Administrative and Support Services

About the position

The Payroll & Benefits Specialist will oversee payroll processing and benefits administration for all employees at Robert Half in Newburyport, Massachusetts. This role ensures compliance with relevant regulations and serves as the primary contact for vendors while managing various accounting functions related to payroll and benefits.

Responsibilities

• Process bi-weekly payroll for all employees, ensuring compliance with federal, state, and local payroll regulations and tax laws.
• Review, verify, and adjust timesheets, wages, and status changes as needed.
• Liaise with the finance team to ensure accurate payroll/HR entries are made to the General Ledger (GL).
• Handle the processing of retirement files and other payroll uploads to vendors.
• Resolve payroll discrepancies and respond promptly to employee payroll inquiries.
• Implement and maintain Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) files with vendors, ensuring timely error corrections.
• Administer employee benefit programs such as health insurance, retirement plans, life insurance, and disability insurance.
• Serve as the primary contact for benefit vendors and brokers, addressing escalated issues and ensuring proper coverage.
• Assist employees with benefit-related questions, claims, and concerns, and manage the Paid Family and Medical Leave (PFML) process.
• Maintain compliance with federal, state, and local employment and benefits laws and regulations.
• Prepare and submit necessary payroll and benefits reports for management and government agencies.
• Assist HR with the onboarding of new employees, ensuring accurate payroll setup and benefit enrollment.
• Maintain accurate and confidential payroll and benefits records in HRIS systems.
• Support employee offboarding by processing final paychecks, handling benefits termination, and managing COBRA notifications.
• Evaluate and improve payroll processes for efficiency and accuracy.

Requirements

• Proficiency in Accounting Software Systems
• Familiarity with Accounting Functions
• Experience in Auditing
• Knowledge of Benefit Functions
• Proficiency in Paylocity and Concur
• Experience in Benefits Administration and Benefits Payroll
• Familiarity with International Payroll
• Experience with HR Payroll System
• Proficiency in Data Entry
• Understanding of laws and regulations related to payroll and benefits
• Ability to communicate effectively, both verbally and in writing
• Excellent attention to detail and organizational skills
• Ability to handle confidential information with discretion
• Ability to work independently and as part of a team
• Strong problem-solving skills and the ability to make sound decisions based on accurate and timely analyses
• High level of integrity and dependability with a strong sense of urgency and results-orientation.

Benefits

• Medical insurance
• Vision insurance
• Dental insurance
• Life insurance
• Disability insurance
• 401(k) plan