Payroll Technician I/II

The California State University; Sacramento (CA); Hybrid; USD 45,000 - 65,000; Full time

Job summary

The California State University in Sacramento is hiring a Payroll Technician to handle payroll and personnel transactions for academic and staff employees. This role includes processing timesheets, maintaining employee records, and providing customer service to campus staff and faculty.

Successful candidates should have a degree or equivalent experience in payroll or human resources, as well as strong knowledge of Microsoft Office, especially Excel. The position offers a salary range of $3,738 to $4,836 monthly and may allow for a telecommute schedule after a training period.

Qualifications

• Experience in payroll processing or human resources.
• Ability to work in a fast-paced environment.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.

Responsibilities

• Process payroll transactions for students and staff.
• Provide customer service at the front desk.
• Maintain payroll records and documents.

Skills

Knowledge of general payroll and/or human resources procedures

Ability to interpret policies and procedures

Working knowledge of Microsoft Office

Good customer service skills

Excellent organization and time-management skills

Education

Associate's Degree or equivalent in a related field

Tools

PeopleSoft

PIMS

Microsoft Excel

Job description

Apply now Job no: 559357

Work type: Staff

Location: Sacramento

Categories: Unit 7 - CSUEU - Clerical and Administrative Support Services, Probationary, Full Time, Human Resources, Telecommute eligible (work onsite as scheduled and/or as requested and telecommute as scheduled)

Position Summary

Payroll Technician I: Under immediate supervision, perform standardized payroll and personnel duties necessary to appoint and pay Student and other academic employees in the PeopleSoft/CHRS and PIMS database. Provide high level of customer service to student, staff, faculty and management employees as walk‑in customers at the front desk reception in Payroll Services. Provide information on payroll and personnel, and provide guidance and assistance on processing routine matters such as answering questions and communicating established policies and procedures to customers. Run daily pay warrant register reports to share with campus Disbursement Team via a secured folder. May create and maintain new hire packets. Will answer phone inquiries and look up employees in PeopleSoft/CHRS and PIMS database to resolve an inquiry or determine an appropriate Payroll Technician for resolution. Distribute in‑coming mail, subpoenas, personnel records requests, audit inquiries, etc. Process Absence Management timesheet data entry if necessary. Maintain payroll documents, i.e. timesheets, Employment Payroll Transaction forms, Employee Action Form (EAR), medical leave documents, etc. Assist with New Hire Orientations. Process a high volume of payroll invoices for the College of Continuing Education to execute immediate pay for faculty instructors. Maintain and monitor employee leave records, run queries, review, audit, reconcile and correct data, compute net pay, process time reporting records, leave accruals, entitlements, judgments, levies, garnishments, and wage‑withholding orders, enter payroll and personnel transactions, prepare documents, verify and audit information in preparation for release of payment; respond to payroll requests; and may prepare payroll/HR data reports and worksheets.

Payroll Technician II: Under general supervision of the Director of Payroll Services, the Payroll Technician II processes a wide range of confidential, technical payroll and personnel transactions. Ensures timely and accurate pay for assigned units across campus. Such transactions include calculating pay for staff, management, tenure and tenured‑track faculty, temp faculty, student assistants, instructional students, and graduate student employees across various pay plans within the CSU (annual, 10/12 pay plans, 11/12 pay plans, academic year, summer session pay, and special consultants). Employment status transactions such as promotions, demotions, appointments, probationary, leave of absence, reclassifications, retirements, and separations. The incumbent will also handle a wide variety of troubleshooting, resolution and answering questions across all collective bargaining units on campus, state and federal laws, technical letters, MOUs and policies. Calculate and process complex workers’ compensation, disability, leave with/out pay, AWOL, military leave, garnishments and court‑ordered wage‑withholding orders. Calculates leave accruals and updates the campus ERP/HRIS PeopleSoft system. Incumbent will learn and update two databases, Payroll Input Management System (PIMS at the SCO) and PeopleSoft CHRS for all transactions. The Payroll Technician works closely with the State Controller’s Office, other state agencies, serves as a member within the campus Payroll team and takes lead work direction from the Payroll Lead.

FLSA

FLSA: Non‑Exempt (Eligible for overtime compensation)

Anticipated Hiring Range

Anticipated Hiring Range: $3,738 per month – $4,836 per month

CSU Classification Salary Range: A successful candidate will be assigned at either the Payroll Technician I or II level. Classification level and salary step placement will be determined based on relevant qualifications and professional experience. Anticipated hiring rate is not expected to exceed the advertised range, regardless of classification level.

Work Hours

Work Hours: Monday – Friday, 8:00 am – 5:00 pm. Summer Hours are 7:30 am – 4:00 pm. Schedule negotiable. This position may be eligible for a partial telework (hybrid) schedule, upon management approval, following a 6‑month training period.

Required Qualifications

• Knowledge of general payroll and/or human resources procedures
• Ability to interpret policies and procedures, then apply sound decisions under direct supervision
• Working knowledge of personal computer hardware and software such as Microsoft Office, i.e., Excel, Word, PowerPoint, Teams, ERP/HRIS and related data management systems
• Communicate clearly and effectively, both oral and written using good business English, grammar and appropriate terminology
• Ability to work in a fast‑paced environment and have good customer service skills
• Commitment to maintaining a welcoming and inclusive work environment with diverse colleagues and constituents including faculty, students, staff, and members of both off‑ and on‑campus community
• Knowledge of general payroll compliance, policies and procedures (Payroll Technician II)
• Ability to interpret pay practices and policies, then apply business math skills to employee paychecks (Payroll Technician II)
• Excellent organization and time‑management skills to handle a heavy workload, changing priorities, and competing deadlines (Payroll Technician II)
• Ability to collaborate and work with other state agencies (Payroll Technician II)

Preferred Qualifications

• Understanding of University policy regarding employment of student, academic and staff employees
• Ability to coordinate and prioritize workload to meet firm processing deadlines
• PeopleSoft and PIMS or similar HCM experience
• Experience working in an institution of higher education
• PeopleSoft or State Controller’s PIMS database experience
• Experience navigating pay policies in a union environment

Conditions of Employment

• Satisfactory completion of the background check process

Equal Employment Opportunity

California State University, Sacramento is an affirmative action / equal opportunity employer and has a strong institutional commitment to the principle of diversity in all areas. We consider qualified applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, age, sex, gender identity/expression, sexual orientation, pregnancy, genetic information, medical condition, marital status, veteran status, or disability. Sacramento State hires only those individuals who are lawfully authorized to accept employment in the United States.

Jeanne Clery Campus Safety Act Notification

The current Annual Security Report (ASR) is available at https://www.csus.edu/clery. The ASR contains the current security and safety‑related policy statements, emergency preparedness and evacuation information, crime prevention and sexual assault prevention information, and drug and alcohol prevention programming. Paper copies are available upon request by emailing the Clery Director at [e-mail].

Under the Clery Act, this position may be designated as a Campus Security Authority (CSA) depending upon the role on campus and/or job duties. If this position is identified by the Director of Clery Compliance as a CSA position, you will be notified via email and will be assigned the appropriate training in CSU Learn.

Education Code 89521 Requirements

Applicants must disclose whether they have received a final administrative decision or final judicial decision determining that they have committed sexual harassment within the last 7 years only after a determination is made that they meet the minimum qualifications for the position, and before an offer of employment is extended. Applicants who reach the final stages of the application process must also sign a release form authorizing the release of information by the applicant’s current and/or former employers to the CSU concerning any substantiated allegations of misconduct.

A background check (including a criminal records check) must be completed satisfactorily before any candidate can be offered the position. Failure to satisfactorily complete the background check may affect the application status of applicants or continued employment of current CSU employees who apply for the position.

Out of State Employment

As a State of California employer, all employees up to date of hire must reside in California.

Eligibility to Work

Applicants must provide proof of eligibility to work in the U.S. Sacramento State is not a sponsoring agency for staff and management positions (e.g., H‑1‑B Visa).