Payroll Specialist

AppleOne Employment Services; Santa Barbara (CA); On-site; USD 40,000 - 47,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Major medical

Dental

Vision

401k

Sick pay

Job summary

AppleOne Employment Services is seeking a detail-oriented Payroll Specialist in Santa Barbara, CA for a temp-to-hire position. Ideal candidates have 1–2 years of payroll experience and enjoy working with numbers, deadlines, and confidential employee data in a professional office setting.

The role supports accurate payroll processing and addressing pay inquiries while ensuring compliance with federal and California payroll regulations.

Qualifications

• 1–2 years of payroll, accounting, finance, or related administrative experience preferred.
• Knowledge of payroll procedures, wage calculations, deductions, and overtime regulations.
• Familiarity with payroll software and Microsoft Excel.
• Understanding of federal and California payroll compliance requirements.

Responsibilities

• Process weekly, biweekly, or semi-monthly payroll accurately and on time.
• Review and verify timesheets, attendance, hours worked, overtime, deductions, and payroll adjustments.
• Maintain accurate payroll records and supporting documentation.
• Respond to employee questions regarding pay, deductions, and discrepancies.
• Assist with payroll reporting, reconciliations, audits, and compliance with laws.
• Protect confidential payroll information while supporting related tasks.

Skills

Payroll processing

Timesheet review

Excel skills

Payroll software

Confidentiality

Attention to detail

Tools

Microsoft Excel

HRIS

Job description

Job Summary

We are seeking a detail-oriented Payroll Specialist for a temp-to-hire opportunity in Santa Barbara, CA. This role is ideal for a payroll professional with 1 to 2 years of experience who enjoys working with numbers, deadlines, employee records, and confidential information in a professional office environment.

The Payroll Specialist will support accurate and timely payroll processing while helping employees resolve pay-related questions and ensuring compliance with applicable federal and California payroll regulations. This position offers a consistent Monday through Friday schedule, competitive hourly pay, and the potential to grow into a long-term role.

This is a strong opportunity for someone who values a supportive team environment, dependable work structure, and the chance to build a career in payroll, accounting, or finance. The right candidate will bring strong attention to detail, excellent follow-through, and a service-minded approach to supporting employees and internal teams.

Key Responsibilities

• Process weekly, biweekly, or semi-monthly payroll accurately and within required deadlines.
• Review and verify timesheets, attendance records, hours worked, overtime, deductions, and payroll adjustments.
• Maintain accurate payroll records, employee information, and supporting documentation.
• Respond to employee questions regarding pay, deductions, payroll discrepancies, and related matters.
• Assist with payroll reporting, reconciliations, audits, and compliance with federal and California labor laws.
• Protect confidential employee and payroll information while supporting additional administrative and payroll-related tasks as needed.

Compensation and Benefits

• Pay rate: $29.00 to $34.00 per hour, depending on experience.
• Schedule: Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM.
• Employment type: Temporary-to-hire.
• Location: Santa Barbara, CA.
• Overtime may be required based on business needs.
• For temporary assignments lasting 13 weeks or longer, AppleOne is pleased to offer major medical, dental, vision, 401k and any statutory sick pay where required.

Required Qualifications and Skills

• Process payroll accurately and on time for weekly, biweekly, or semi-monthly pay cycles.
• Review timesheets, attendance records, deductions, overtime, and payroll adjustments.
• Maintain payroll records and assist with reporting, reconciliations, and audits.
• Support employees with payroll questions and discrepancy resolution.
• 1 to 2 years of payroll, accounting, finance, or related administrative experience preferred.
• Knowledge of payroll procedures, wage calculations, deductions, and overtime regulations.
• Familiarity with payroll software and Microsoft Excel.
• Understanding of federal and California payroll compliance requirements preferred.
• Strong attention to detail, organization, accuracy, and ability to meet deadlines.
• Professional communication skills and the ability to handle confidential information appropriately.
• Ability to work independently while contributing to a positive and reliable team environment.

Preferred Qualifications

• Previous payroll experience in a California-based workplace.
• Experience assisting with payroll audits, reconciliations, or reporting.
• Intermediate Microsoft Excel skills.
• Experience supporting employees with payroll questions in a professional and service-oriented manner.

Equal Opportunity Employer / Disabled / Protected Veterans

The Know Your Rights poster is available here: https://www.eeoc.gov/sites/default/files/2023-06/22-088_EEOC_KnowYourRights6.12.pdf

The pay transparency policy is available here: https://www.dol.gov/sites/dolgov/files/ofccp/pdf/pay-transp_%20English_formattedESQA508c.pdf

We are committed to working with and providing reasonable accommodations to individuals with disabilities. If you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the employment process, please contact your staffing representative who will reach out to our HR team.

AppleOne participates in the E-Verify program in certain locations as required by law. Learn more about the E-Verify program: https://e-verify.uscis.gov/web/media/resourcesContents/E-Verify_Participation_Poster_ES.pdf

We also consider for employment qualified applicants regardless of criminal histories, consistent with legal requirements, including, if applicable, the City of Los Angeles’ Fair Chance Initiative for Hiring Ordinance. Pursuant to applicable state and municipal Fair Chance Laws and Ordinances, we will consider for employment-qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records, including, if applicable, the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance. For Los Angeles, CA applicants: Qualified applications with arrest or conviction records will be considered for employment in accordance with the Los Angeles County Fair Chance Ordinance for Employers and the California Fair Chance Act.