Payroll Assistant Job Description, Key Duties and Responsibilities

This post presents in-depth information on the payroll assistant job description, including the key duties, tasks, and responsibilities that they typically carry out.

What Does a Payroll Assistant Do?

The payroll assistant works full time performing duties involving data entry and organization of payroll, often weekly or twice in a week.

This office is usually positioned in the department of human resources and will work in association with the accounting group.

The duties that make up the job description of most payroll assistants include ensuring the prompt and precise payment of employees’ salaries or wages in line with state and federal requirements, as well as making appropriate and correct deductions from them.

The position may not appear as fascinating as one would have wanted it to be, but other staff will really appreciate it as it is the one that ensures the issuance of paychecks to them.

The work of a payroll assistant involves duties which differ as determined by the scale of the organization.

The individual for this post will report to the unit controller, head or the payroll supervisor.

In a small scale business, the assistant will mostly carry out payroll duties apart from signing of checks and analyzing payroll reports, while in a large sized company he/she may be responsible for performing clerical duties and data entry.

The management of employee time sheet is conventionally the responsibility of the payroll assistant.

He/she will check them for precision and input them into the payroll system.

Payroll assistants may also be required to code such time sheets in the general ledger account numbers before entering of data.

They could be asked to take on the role of managing paychecks and organizing the process for direct deposit.

They are also required to forward payroll and checks reports to the supervisor for authorization and endorsement before issuing checks to employees.

Some modifications to deductions in staff pay are usually managed by the payroll assistant, such as modifications to premium or processing garnishments for benefits.

Payroll Assistant Job Description Example/Sample/Template

Assistants working in a payroll office will usually perform the duties, tasks, and responsibilities as stated in the job description sample below:

• Work out staff modifications such as direct deposit, tax withholding, garnishments, liens, etc as required
• Find solution to discrepancies by analyzing and evaluating information
• Give responses to and answer payroll inquiries promptly
• Handle payroll transactions by adhering to procedures and policies on ground
• Carry out regular clerical functions which involve faxing, filing, copying, and emailing
• Revise diverse spreadsheets to maintain precise records
• Establish and manage reports within payroll system
• Handle staff confidence and safeguard payroll transactions by ensuring confidentiality of information
• Execute affiliated outcomes for all other duties as required
• Offer support in tracking of staff leaves of absence, supervising payment and necessary documentation for each staff
• Work as support on staff procedure and policies and offer backup for other personnel in the human resources unit

Payroll Assistant Job Description for Resume

An effective and result-oriented resume for the payroll assistant post can be prepared using information from the above job description example.

Payroll Assistant Requirements: Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities for Career Success

The knowledge and qualities required for successful functioning as an assistant in the payroll office can be summarized as follows:

• A minimum of diploma from a certified high school with at least two years practicable experience in a payroll related function and a Fundamental Payroll Certification (FPC) an advantage
• Expertise in utilization of Ms Word and Ms Excel with credible understanding of state and federal garnishments, withholding, and other payroll deductions
• Display expertise in interpreting ideas and information into written and speaking form which can easily be understood
• Ability to handle priorities and manage workload while multitasking, and conforming swiftly to changes
• Proficiency in efficient delivery under pressure of tight deadlines