Payroll Specialist

$42,000 - $59,000/Yr

School Town Of Munster - Munster, IN

Full-time

Munster, IN

About the position

The Payroll Specialist position at the School Town of Munster is a critical role within the Central Administration Office, reporting directly to the Director of Financial Operations. This position is responsible for managing all payroll functions for the district, ensuring that payroll processes are executed accurately and efficiently for all employees. The Payroll Specialist will play a key role in maintaining compliance with federal and state labor laws while also providing support to employees regarding payroll-related inquiries and issues. The primary responsibilities include processing payroll for all employees, which involves coordinating direct deposit payments and calculating the payroll docket, including garnishments and unemployment. The Payroll Specialist will also manage and maintain employee benefit time, ensuring the accuracy of attendance records entered by building secretaries and recording attendance for central administration personnel. Additionally, the role requires the creation, printing, and distribution of annual W2 forms for all employees, as well as providing W2 information to Social Security and the State of Indiana. In this position, the Payroll Specialist will manage all unemployment claims, respond to separation notices, attend unemployment appeal hearings, and pay monthly unemployment statements. The role also involves presenting payroll information during teacher orientation or onboarding meetings, maintaining lists for substitutes, and updating employee changes in payroll. The Payroll Specialist will assist the benefits specialist with employees on leaves, compile information for annual workman's compensation insurance audits, and complete various federal and state reports related to employment. Regular training will be required to ensure compliance with all federal and state labor laws. The Payroll Specialist will also be responsible for collecting required employment documents from newly hired certified staff members, updating and maintaining teacher contracts, reconciling bank statements, and uploading paystubs to the Doculivery system. This position may also involve monitoring employees paid from grants and distributing addendum contracts to personnel who are not full-time staff members. Other duties may be assigned by the Director of Financial Operations or Superintendent as needed.

Responsibilities

• Processes payroll for all employees including coordinating direct deposit payments.
• Calculates the payroll docket including garnishments & unemployment.
• Manages and maintains employee benefit time including reviewing the accuracy of personnel attendance entered by building secretaries and recording attendance for central administration office personnel.
• Creates, prints, and distributes annual W2's for all employees and provides W2 information to Social Security and the State of Indiana.
• Maintains a calendar of hourly employees' working days and hours to verify attendance.
• Maintains a calendar of certified employees' working days.
• Manages all unemployment claims including responding to separation notices, attending unemployment appeal hearings, and paying monthly unemployment statements.
• Presents payroll information at the teacher orientation or onboarding meeting.
• Maintains lists for substitutes for instructional assistants, clerical positions, and custodians.
• Updates employee changes in payroll.
• Provides employees with proper forms for payroll deduction changes.
• Processes all court order deductions such as garnishments, child support, IRS levy's, etc.
• Assists benefits specialist with employees on leaves including maternity, FMLA, medical etc.
• Compiles information for annual workman's compensation insurance audit.
• Prepares reasonable assurance forms for non-certified employees, noncertified substitutes and substitute teachers.
• Completes Federal DOL employee count report, the State of Indiana monthly new hire report, the federal quarterly multiple worksite report, and the Lake County 6-month employee information report.
• Attends regular training to assure that all federal and state labor laws are being followed.
• Collects required employment documents from newly hired certified staff members.
• Updates, maintains, and coordinates the distribution of teacher contracts.
• Updates and maintains the list of personnel employed within addenda positions.
• Reconcile bank statements.
• Upload paystubs to Doculivery.
• Maintain list of hourly employee schedule and update in time system.
• Upload reports of employee annuities to third party administrator.
• Assist with monitoring employees paid from grants.
• Distributes addendum contracts to all personnel who are not full-time staff members.
• Other duties as assigned by the Director of Financial Operations or Superintendent.

Requirements

• Experience in payroll processing and management.
• Knowledge of federal and state labor laws.
• Strong attention to detail and accuracy in financial calculations.
• Ability to maintain confidentiality and handle sensitive information.
• Proficient in using payroll software and systems.
• Excellent organizational and time management skills.
• Strong communication skills to interact with employees and management.

Nice-to-haves

• Experience in a school district payroll environment.
• Familiarity with Doculivery or similar payroll systems.
• Certification in payroll management or related field.