Many payroll professionals advance in their career through experience alone. An individual can become a specialist in this field solely by gaining the necessary experience. But, positions such as payroll accounting, typically requires a bachelor’s degree in accounting and some experience. The payroll staff plays a critical role in the organization.
Payroll Specialist Job Duties
The payroll specialist ensures that the payroll for each pay date is accurately processed. She often works in large organizations with multi-state and multiple pay cycles, such as biweekly and semi-monthly. If a payroll clerk/assistant is present, the specialist might be responsible for the final portion of the payroll processing, after the clerk has handled the timekeeping computations and the coding and posting of the data. If not, she might be responsible for the entire processing.
She ensures compliance with federal and state payroll tax laws. Furthermore, she helps the payroll accountant to balance/reconcile the payroll, and implements forms and procedures to streamline the department's operations. She assists in W-2 processing and responds to inquiries from employees, supervisors and managers. According to Indeed.com, as of April 17, 2010, the average salary for this specialist was $44,000.
Payroll and Benefits Specialist Job Duties
The payroll and benefits specialist provides administrative, payroll and accounting support. But her main duties are payroll and benefits administration. If the company is small, she might be the sole person responsible for these tasks.
She understands payroll procedures and has solid knowledge of employee benefits. Typically, these benefits include medical, dental, life, vision and disability insurance, plus retirement contributions. She works closely with the human resources department and the employer’s benefits providers to ensure employees’ paychecks reflect the proper deductions. According to Indeed.com, the average salary as of April 17, 2010 was $54,000.
Payroll Accountant Job Duties
A payroll accountant (or analyst) maintains payroll accounts, determines if new accounts are required, and revises existing accounts in the accounting system. She verifies the accuracy of one or more accounts within the accounting system and ensures the payroll department and the accounting department operate in a cohesive manner.
She helps the staff perform related research and advises on how to handle complex transactions within the accounting structure. She prepares materials needed for external audits and might be required to conduct internal payroll audits. According to Indeed.com, the average salary was $60,000, as of April 17, 2010.
These positions can offer good financial rewards. But, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment for some positions in this field are expected to decline. To advance her career and to increase employment opportunities, the individual should obtain her CPP (Certified Payroll Professional) or FPC (Fundamental Payroll Association) with the American Payroll Association.
Grace Ferguson - Grace Ferguson has been writing since 2000. She writes website content and other areas of nonfiction regularly for private clients. Grace ...
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