Payroll Specialist

Payroll Specialist

Location: West Covina, California

Pay Rate: $28.00 - $32.00 per hour

Industry: Global Restaurant Chain

About the Company

Our client is a well-established global restaurant organization with a large, collaborative payroll team supporting multiple business entities. The team embraces a hands-on environment where everyone is cross-trained and willing to step in wherever support is needed. As the company continues to stabilize and scale operations, they are seeking a Payroll Specialist who can quickly contribute and help support the workload across the organization.

Position Overview

The Payroll Specialist will be responsible for managing full-cycle, high-volume payroll processing for a workforce of 5,000+ employees. This role goes beyond basic payroll processing and timecard audits, requiring a strong understanding of payroll compliance, payroll taxes, garnishments, final pay requirements, and complex payroll calculations. The ideal candidate is adaptable, detail-oriented, and comfortable working in a collaborative team environment where responsibilities may span multiple entities.

Payroll is processed on a bi-weekly schedule, with primary payroll activities occurring on Mondays and Tuesdays. Team members are expected to support one another and contribute wherever needed to ensure payroll accuracy and timeliness.

Key Responsibilities

• Process end-to-end, bi-weekly payroll for a large employee population across multiple states.
• Manage payroll for hourly, salaried, exempt, and non-exempt employees.
• Review and audit employee timecards for accuracy and compliance.
• Calculate and process garnishments, wage attachments, and deductions.
• Ensure compliance with federal, state, and local payroll regulations.
• Process payroll taxes and assist with payroll-related reporting.
• Calculate overtime in accordance with applicable state and federal laws.
• Process final paychecks in compliance with state-specific requirements.
• Handle retroactive pay adjustments and complex payroll calculations.
• Research and resolve payroll discrepancies in a timely manner.
• Partner with HR, Operations, and Finance teams to ensure accurate employee and payroll data.
• Support payroll audits and maintain payroll documentation.
• Assist with special payroll projects and provide cross-functional support across multiple entities as needed.

Required Qualifications

• 3+ years of full-cycle payroll experience.
• Experience processing high-volume payroll for 1,000+ employees.
• Strong multi-state payroll experience.
• Hands-on experience with ADP Workforce Now (WFN).
• Comprehensive knowledge of payroll compliance, payroll taxes, garnishments, overtime calculations, and final paycheck requirements.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment.
• Strong attention to detail and accuracy.
• Excellent problem-solving and communication skills.

Preferred Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, Business Administration, or related field.
• Experience processing Canadian payroll.
• Restaurant, hospitality, or multi-unit industry experience.
• Advanced Excel skills, including VLOOKUPs and data analysis functions.

Systems & Tools

• ADP Workforce Now (WFN)
• Microsoft Excel

Benefits:

Medical, Dental, Vision