Payroll Clerk

Qualifications
Department Overview
The Payroll Department facilitates all payroll operations for all Lucas County employees.
Position Summary
The Payroll Clerk serves the Lucas County Auditor's Office as an unclassified, at will position and reports to the Payroll Manager/Director for Lucas County Auditor's Office. It is essential this position be highly organized and display strong attention to detail to provide accurate and timely distribution of pay to all County Agencies. This position must possess knowledge of federal, state, local, SDIT tax withholding guidelines, possess knowledge and understanding of Federal & State Garnishment Laws for the correct set up of Federal and State wage assignments, CS Orders, Tax Levies, Student Loans. Knowledge of the Ohio Public Employees Retirement System ECS reporting system, Section 125 Plans, 3rd Party Insurance, Ohio New Hire Reporting Requirements, and Ohio Unemployment Reporting. A Payroll Clerk must be proficient in the duties outlined in Section III and meet or exceed the requirements outlined in Section V.
Essential Duties and Responsibilities

1. Process New Hire Forms (i.e., OPERS Personal History Record, Ohio New Hire Reporting Form, Statement Concerning Your Employment in a Job Not Covered by Social Security) for all Lucas County Agencies and the Auditor's Office for reporting to the proper authority utilizing the appropriate website applications.
2. Receives electronic versions of the signed Prelist and Certification of Changes of Payroll from all Lucas County Agencies and saves these documents in the appropriate folder on the payroll drive.
3. Using PeopleSoft and Oracle applications, including but not limited to processing the following deductions from the Employee Deduction Checklist received from agencies on a daily basis:
   1. Process new Direct Deposit requests and changes to existing Direct Deposit set up for employees.
   2. Process new and changes to existing voluntary after tax insurance plans and Section 125 Plan deduction set up.
   3. Process changes to Federal Tax Withholdings Forms (W-4s), Ohio Department of Taxation Employee's Withholding Exemption Certificates (IT-4) and Employees' Statement of Residency in a Reciprocity State (IT-4-NR) as needed or directed by Payroll Manager/Director.
   4. Process Change of Address Form as it relates to work location, home location, and school district as directed by Payroll Manager/Director.
   5. Process 457 Deferred Compensation Contributions and 457 Loan payroll deductions.
   6. Process United Way charitable contribution deduction when necessary and also participate in the annual campaign load.
   7. Process parking deductions for employees in the Auditor's Office.
   8. Process and maintain PERS Service Purchase Buy Back deductions as instructed by OPERS.
   9. Monitor the OPERS ECS system for requests for proper disposition of retirement, disability, large earnings of Lucas County employees.
   10. Process employee wage assignments as received, providing the necessary copies to agencies for delivery to employees and answers to courts (if applicable) in the required timeframe or deadline (as established by management).
   11. Reconcile and prepare biweekly garnishment vouchers for generation of checks to all sources - prepare interim reports to accompany all Civil garnishments.
   12. Process and maintain Lucas County Real Estate Tax payroll deductions - amounts determined by the Treasurer's Office.
   13. Conduct employment verifications.
   14. Reconcile and prepare biweekly union dues vouchers for generation of checks to all applicable union organizations.
   15. Conduct research for employment verification on historical employment data as needed or required.
   16. Submit and confirm electronic payment remittance for monthly OPERS payment.
   17. Maintain and prepare local SDIT tax withholding documents on a monthly/quarterly basis in organized individual files for review by Payroll Manager/Director.
   18. Reconcile and file year-end W-2 information for local, SDIT by the necessary deadline requirements for review by Payroll Manager/Director.
   19. Prepare and enter vouchers for transmission of EFT, SDIT, SD-101 withholdings each month and the annual SD-141 through the Ohio Business Gateway.
   20. Notify Treasury and Payroll department management of all scheduled payment amounts and anticipated payment dates.
   21. Maintains records for mileage, parking, and health club reimbursements.
   22. Create yearly payroll schedule for review by Payroll and IT Department management.
   23. Prepare and process all Pay-Ins and forward all offsetting reimbursements to Payroll Manger/Director for payroll processing.
   24. Prepare and process all the vouchers to cover the payroll deductions to the appropriate vendors, taxing authorities, etc. - forward to Payroll Manger/Director for review, approval and balancing to the biweekly payroll.
4. Abide by and carry out the Policies and Procedures established by the Payroll Department and Lucas County Auditor.
5. Coordinate voluntary after-tax insurance and Section 125 Plan issues between employees and 3rd Party Providers, including but not limited to: Open Enrollment, cancellations, changes, and researching issues.
6. Prepare Unemployment Report to determine charge back amounts to the Lucas Country Agencies by the Accounting Department, prepare voucher to pay the Lucas County
7. Unemployment invoice, approved by Payroll Manager/Director and forwarded to Disbursement for payments.
8. Prepare boxes of prior years' payroll information to be stored at facilities in accordance with the retention laws and policy.
   1. Dispose/shred un-needed payroll documents containing confidential information
9. Maintain accurate contact information list of Payroll and HR professionals for dissemination of Payroll information.
10. Maintain and order supplies for the payroll department.
11. Answering incoming phone calls and provide professional customer service in accordance with Customer Service Policy of LCAO.
12. Handle highly sensitive and confidential information, including but not limited to areas concerning: employees' salaries, collective bargaining agreements, labor and employment matters, employees' personal identification information and earnings information.
13. Communicates on Payroll matters with:
    1. Accounting Dept., Disbursements Dept., and Budget Dept. of Lucas County, in relation to payroll reporting.
    2. Treasurer's Office in relation to payroll compliance and reporting.
    3. Law firms, collection agencies and other parties involved in the garnishment process.
    4. Any and all other government agencies and private sector entities in relation to payroll compliance and reporting.
14. Help employees of Lucas county in understanding information that appears on their pay statement.
15. General understanding of payroll processes and payroll related items.
16. General understanding of tax and regulatory reporting and compliance on local, state, and federal levels.
17. General understanding of OPERS employee and employer rules as they relate to payroll responsibilities.
18. General understanding, including but not limited to 457 Plans, 125 Plans, 3rd Party Insurance, Garnishment laws, and unemployment information (as it relates to Ohio Department of Job and Family Services).
19. General understanding of business operations for Payroll Department.
20. Cross train Lucas County Auditor staff when it comes to using software for time reporting.
21. Any other duties assigned by the Auditor.

Minimum Requirements

1. Associate's degree in Accounting or Bookkeeping or equivalent work experience, APA FPC Certification preferred.
2. Experienced in professional office setting.
3. One (1) year experience in Payroll Processing.
4. Ability to type fifty (50) words per minute.
5. No reprimand/discipline for one (1) year prior to applying.

Major Position Characteristics

1. Display sound understanding of PeopleSoft/Oracle applications, Microsoft Office, Word, Excel, TimeOff System and any applications which may be developed which are crucial to payroll processing.
2. Knowledge of office practices and procedures.
3. Ability to effectively and pleasantly communicate in person, via telephone and via email.
4. Skilled in customer service.
5. Ability to get along with others (i.e., develop and maintain cooperative professional relationships), including but not limited to: customers/citizens, colleagues, directors, staff and other county agencies.
6. Ability to keep and maintain confidential information.