Payroll administrators are the ones who make sure that all employees of a company are paid accurately and on time. They calculate wages, overtime, bonuses, deductions, and benefits while also managing retirement contributions, tax withholdings, and compliance with labor laws. As per Charles Spinelli, payroll administrators also have to manage payroll software, generate reports, and stay updated on tax rules.
Charles Spinelli talks about the role of a payroll administrator
Payroll administrators are responsible for ensuring that all the employees within the organization get paid accurately and punctually. These professionals oversee the diverse processes associated with the payroll systems of the company. A payroll administrator is ideally expected to work in conjunction with the HR and finance or accounts department of the company.
A payroll administrator has to shoulder a lot of responsibilities, starting from calculating hours and taxes to managing salaries. While their specific duties would depend on the size and nature of the organization they are working for, a payroll administrator usually:
- Verifies and processes the necessary documents when a new employee is hired.
- Creates and maintains database records of contact information, hours worked, pay, commissions, bonuses, and other taxable and non-taxable benefits for full-time, part-time, and seasonal employees and contractors.
- Prepares and verifies pay statements, which provide information about the net and gross earnings of each employee, tax deductions, union dues, company benefit plans and more.
- Complies with government remittance requirements as well as legislated employment and labour standards.
- Creates and analyses system-generated reports, like labour distribution and vacation time or pay, and takes steps to efficiently resolve any discrepancies.
- Makes sure that wages and salaries are paid on time, either by electronic funds transfer or cheque.
- Completes, verifies and processes the documentation for administered leaves of absence, health insurance, and pension plans.
- Provides valuable information about tax regulations and responds to important employee questions and queries in regard to statements, benefit plans, and collective agreements.
- Prepares payroll-related statistical reports, statements, and summaries.
- Communicates with internal clients, management, and service providers like payroll service agencies and group insurance carriers.
Charles Spinelli highlights that payroll administrators are responsible for managing employee compensation processes, which include maintaining payroll records, handling tax withholdings and calculating wages. They usually serve as the company’s point of contact for payment questions or wage disputes.
Payroll administrators closely monitor the working hours of every employee within the organization. They have to see to it that staff members consistently record their daily work hours, including any overtime they may accumulate. Once these records are logged, payroll professionals gather all the relevant data and accurately input it into the payroll system. In many organizations, payroll administrators are also tasked with resolving discrepancies related to timekeeping.
Payroll administrators need to stay fully informed about all company policies, procedures, and documents that influence payroll operations. This thorough understanding helps them anticipate and resolve any issues that could disrupt the company’s payment cycle. Because employees rely on them for accurate and timely pay, payroll administrators must be prepared to address questions, clarify concerns, and manage any challenges that occur.
