Payroll Specialist

Ultipro; San Diego (CA); On-site; USD 60,000 - 94,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical Plans

Dental Plans

Vision Plan

Life Insurance

Disability Insurance

Accident Insurance

Critical Illness Insurance

Hospital Insurance

Pet insurance

401(k) Plan with Match

PerkSpot Employee Discount Program

FSA/HSA/DCA accounts

Tuition Reimbursement

Scholarships

Job summary

Helix Electric is seeking a Payroll Specialist in San Diego to process weekly multi-state payroll for 3,000+ employees. You will audit timecards in UKG, ensure proper labor allocation, and coordinate with HR for onboarding and changes.

You will handle off-cycle payrolls, garnishments, and certified payroll reporting, including Davis-Bacon compliance for public works projects. This role requires detail orientation and strong Excel skills.

Qualifications

• 3–5 years of payroll experience, including 1–2 years supporting prevailing wage and certified payroll reporting.
• Experience with full-cycle, in-house payroll in a high-volume weekly multi-state environment.
• Working knowledge of federal, state, and local payroll regulations, wage and hour laws, payroll taxation, and payroll best practices.
• Experience with California prevailing wage requirements and certified payroll reporting preferred.
• Strong proficiency in Microsoft Excel for data analysis, reconciliation, and reporting.

Responsibilities

• Process weekly multi-state payroll for 3,000+ exempt, non-exempt, salary, and hourly employees while ensuring accuracy, compliance, and timely payroll execution.
• Audit, validate, and process employee timecards through UKG Workforce Management, ensuring proper coding, labor allocation, and project costing.
• Coordinate with Human Resources and Benefits teams to ensure accurate onboarding, employment changes, and data integration between HRIS and payroll systems.
• Process manual and off-cycle payroll transactions, including termination payouts, prevailing wage adjustments, missed wages, retroactive pay, and correction payments.
• Administer and maintain employee garnishments, tax levies, and child support orders in compliance with federal, state, and local regulations.
• Ensure employees on public works and federally funded projects are compensated per California Prevailing Wage and Davis-Bacon Act determinations.
• Prepare, audit, and submit weekly certified payroll reports through LCPtracker, ensuring compliance with prevailing wage requirements.
• Partner with project teams to resolve payroll and labor compliance discrepancies.
• Perform payroll reconciliations related to earnings, deductions, taxes, and benefits.
• Assist with audits and government inquiries.
• Research and resolve payroll questions with a high level of service.
• Maintain compliance with evolving payroll regulations.

Skills

Payroll processing

Multi-state payroll

UKG experience

Excel

Attention to detail

Communication

Confidentiality

Education

Accounting/Finance degree

CPP certification preferred

Tools

LCPtracker

Job description

Locations

• San Diego, CA 92121, USA
• On-site
• Finance
• Full-Time

Description

Helix Electric was founded in 1985 and is now one of the nation’s largest and most successful electrical contracting companies. Our commitment to empowering people and powering projects is realized by our exceptional team of dedicated and highly skilled experts working together and never settling for good enough. We are proud of the team-oriented and employee-empowered business approach that defines our unique character.

The Payroll Specialist serves in a strategic supportive role within the Payroll Dept. This role joins a group of payroll specialists in a fast-paced, time-sensitive, and results-oriented Department to provide accurate processing of payroll. This position requires a self-starter that performs at a high level under strict recurring deadlines. This role requires an individual that has attention to detail, is deadline driven, the ability to foster an environment of continuous improvement, keep updated on payroll tax laws and be a team player. The position will work closely with HR, Accounting, Labor Compliance, IT, and Operations Departments.

Duties & Scope

• Process weekly multi-state payroll for 3,000+ exempt, non-exempt, salary, and hourly employees while ensuring accuracy, compliance, and timely payroll execution.
• Review payroll data and audit employee transactions, including new hires, terminations, tax updates, and direct deposit changes within UKG.
• Audit, validate, and process employee timecards through UKG Workforce Management, ensuring proper coding, labor allocation, and project costing.
• Coordinate with Human Resources and Benefits teams to ensure accurate employee onboarding, employment changes, and data integration between HRIS and payroll systems.
• Process manual and off-cycle payroll transactions, including termination payouts, prevailing wage adjustments, missed wages, retroactive pay, and correction payments.
• Administer and maintain employee garnishments, tax levies, and child support orders in compliance with federal, state, and local regulations.
• Ensure employees working on public works and federally funded projects are compensated in accordance with California Prevailing Wage requirements and Davis-Bacon Act wage determinations, including proper worker classifications, apprenticeship requirements, fringe benefit calculations, and labor compliance reporting.
• Ensure compliance with Davis-Bacon Act requirements and applicable state prevailing wage regulations by reviewing wage determinations, validating worker classifications, auditing fringe benefit contributions, and verifying employees are compensated in accordance with project-specific labor compliance requirements.
• Prepare, audit, and submit weekly certified payroll reports through LCPtracker, ensuring compliance with California Prevailing Wage requirements, Davis-Bacon Act requirements, apprenticeship reporting, and project-specific labor compliance standards.
• Partner with project teams, field operations, and compliance personnel to resolve payroll and labor compliance discrepancies.
• Perform payroll reconciliations related to earnings, deductions, taxes, garnishments, labor distributions, benefit contributions, and certified payroll reporting.
• Assist with responses to internal and external audits, labor compliance reviews, and government agency inquiries.
• Research and resolve employee payroll questions, issues, and discrepancies while providing a high level of customer service.
• Maintain compliance with evolving federal, state, and local payroll regulations, including California wage and hour laws.
• Support special projects, process improvements, system testing, and payroll-related initiatives as assigned.

Qualifications

• 3-5 years of payroll experience, including at least 1-2 years supporting prevailing wage and certified payroll reporting.
• Experience processing full-cycle, in-house payroll in a high-volume weekly multi-state payroll for hourly and salaried employees.
• Working knowledge of federal, state, and local payroll regulations, wage and hour laws, payroll taxation, and payroll best practices.
• Experience with California prevailing wage requirements and certified payroll reporting preferred.
• Strong proficiency in Microsoft Excel, including data analysis, reconciliation, and reporting functions.
• Strong attention to detail and accuracy with the ability to manage multiple priorities and deadlines.
• Excellent analytical, problem-solving, and organizational skills.
• Ability to maintain confidentiality and exercise sound judgment when handling sensitive employee information.
• Effective written and verbal communication skills with a customer-service-oriented approach.
• Associate or bachelor's degree in accounting, Finance, Business Administration, or a related field; equivalent work experience considered.
• Experience with California public works projects and Davis-Bacon Act compliance.
• Familiarity with prevailing wage classifications, fringe benefit calculations, apprenticeship requirements, and labor compliance reporting.
• Experience preparing and submitting certified payroll reports through LCPtracker or similar reporting platforms.
• Certified Payroll Professional (CPP) certification is a plus.
• Experience in construction, engineering, utility, infrastructure, or specialty contracting environments.

The starting hourly base pay for this role is between USD $30.00 - $45.00 per hour. The actual base is dependent upon many factors, such as location, training, transferable skills, work experience, business needs and market demands. The base pay range is subject to change and may be modified in the future. The role may also be eligible for bonus and benefits.

Helix Electric provides a comprehensive benefits package that includes the following:

• Medical Plans
• Dental Plans
• Vision Plan
• Life Insurance
• Disability Insurance
• Accident Insurance
• Critical Illness Insurance
• Hospital Insurance
• Pet insurance
• 401(k) Plan with Match
• Employee Discount Program through PerkSpot
• Tax Savings Accounts – FSA, HSA, DCFSA and CSA
• Tuition Reimbursement
• Scholarships

Equal Opportunity Employer/Protected Veterans/Individuals with Disabilities

This employer is required to notify all applicants of their rights pursuant to federal employment laws. For further information, please review the Know Your Rights notice from the Department of Labor.