Occ. Code 0140100

 

PAYROLL SPECIALIST 1, GRADE 11

0140100

PAYROLL SPECIALIST 2, GRADE 14

0140200

 

New York State Department of Civil Service

 

Classification Standard

 

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF CLASS SERIES

 

Payroll Specialists review payroll transactions submitted by New York State agencies of the Executive, Judicial and Legislative Branches, including the State University and the City University of New York, ensuring the accuracy of salaries, amounts paid, taxes withheld, and deductions and garnishments taken in the paychecks of State employees. Incumbents interpret and apply policies, rules and regulations issued by the Federal government, Office of the State Comptroller, the Department of Civil Service, and the Division of the Budget; payroll-related requirements of negotiated agreements between New York State and the employee unions; and sections of the State Finance Law governing salaries, lump sum payments, deductions, leave credits, and other factors which affect employee payrolls.

 

These positions are only classified at the Office of the State Comptroller.

 

DISTINGUISHING CHARACTERISTICS

 

PAYROLL SPECIALIST 1: entry level; typically does not supervise; applies laws, regulations, business rules, and procedures governing payroll transactions in determining salaries that may be complicated by a number of variables such as numerous seasonal and non-statutory employees or employee contract related salary calculations.

 

PAYROLL SPECIALIST 2: first level supervisor; supervises Payroll Specialists 1 and clerical staff; functions under the general direction of a Payroll Analyst 1 or 2; and reviews the more difficult payroll transactions such as salary determinations, workers compensation, retroactive processing and payroll history corrections.

 

RELATED CLASSES

 

Payroll Examiners supervise the staff and operations of an agency or facility payroll program, or a segment of a payroll program, which entails the preparation of the regular, lag and special payrolls.

 

          Payroll Analysts analyze and evaluate the administration and implementation of a weekly state payroll through the centralized payroll system for New York State agencies of the Executive, Judicial, and Legislative Branches, including the State University and the City University of New York. Payroll Analysts review and issue determinations on specific types of payroll matters (including salaries, payments, taxes, retirement programs, deductions, and garnishments) to ensure consistency with changing state and federal laws, regulations, business rules, collective bargaining agreements, and policies/procedures governing state payroll.

 

ILLUSTRATIVE DUTIES

 

PAYROLL SPECIALISTS 1

 

Process and audit payroll transactions.

 

·       Review and independently audit payroll transactions submitted by NYS agencies and determine appropriate action based on various laws, regulations, collective bargaining agreements, business rules and procedures.

 

·       Audit and enter all salary refunds, retirement system enrollments and involuntary deduction orders submitted by NYS agencies and judicial authorities into the payroll system; determine appropriate action based on regulations, business rules and various laws.

 

Process and audit tax transactions.

 

·       Process and verify accuracy of tax refunds, tax adjustment requests, retirement contributions and refunds, retirement contribution balance adjustments, direct deposit returned items, and direct deposit stop payments.

 

Assist with the State's payroll process.

 

·       Prepare salary exchange schedules and use basic queries and other computer applications as assigned.

 

·        Maintain budget certificates and budget director approvals for salary transactions.

 

·        Coordinate the collection, distribution and analysis of transaction correction sheets; ensure that correction sheets are properly completed prior to distribution to agencies; assist in the analysis of agency submission errors; and distribute correction sheets to agencies in accordance with established timeframes.

Provide payroll information to other agencies.

 

·       Provide agencies with basic salary information.

 

·       Research and obtain salary history records.

 

·       Assist with training presentations.

 

·       Provide information about frequent agency submission errors and common agency questions for possible use in training programs.

 

         

          PAYROLL SPECIALISTS 2

 

Review and audit payroll transactions for accuracy.

 

·       Analyze data and resolve auditing problems related to various NYS business practices, including various audit functions and related processes, such as salary determinations, workers compensation, position management, certifications, retroactive processing, and payroll history corrections.

 

·       Run queries and initiate post audit review of transactions approved by Payroll Specialists 1.

 

·       Provide assistance to other audit staff and agency payroll staff and determine corrective action for audit problems.

 

Supervise and audit the work of subordinate staff.

 

·       Supervise the various deduction processes such as salary and tax refunds, W-2 adjustments, retirement enrollments, tax payments, unrecoverable deductions and voluntary and involuntary deductions.

 

·       Audit vouchers such as tax, direct deposit, and manual checks prepared by staff and payroll system-generated reports; make necessary adjustments to vouchers and reports; reconcile deduction information to ensure proper accounting to agency accounts.

Assists with the administration of the States payroll process.

 

·       Prepare tax payment documents and maintain an accounting of tax payment transactions.

 

·       Identify weaknesses in business practices and provide recommendations for corrective action to Payroll Analyst supervisors.

 

·        Verify budget certificates, position information, increment codes and employee service dates to ensure the proper determination of employee salaries.

 

·       Review and analyze past and present collective bargaining agreements, salary legislation, salary grade charts, payroll manuals, Civil Service Rules and Regulations, State Finance and other appropriate laws in the determination of salaries.

 

·       Perform basic salary reconstructions.

 

·       Ensure the highest allowable salary for State employees; recompute salary history, if necessary; and make adjustments for a retroactive salary increase or decrease.

 

Research and document information for basic customer inquiries.

 

·       Conduct research in response to letters and various inquiries from agency payroll/personnel offices and State employees.

 

·       Respond to telephone inquiries from agencies and employees concerning the proper salary computational methodologies, salary determination decisions, salary entitlements, payroll bulletins and correct payroll codes.

 

·       Forward information about frequent agency audit, salary, or deduction submission errors and common agency questions for possible use in training programs.

 

·        Participate in the development and delivery of agency training job aids, and prepare drafts for correspondence and payroll bulletins.

 

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

 

PAYROLL SPECIALIST 1

 

Promotion: one year of permanent service as an Office Assistant 2, Office Assistant 2 (various parenthetics) or Payroll Assistant.

 

PAYROLL SPECIALIST 2

 

Promotion: one year of permanent service as a Payroll Specialist 1.

 

Date:  1/18

 

NOTE: Classification Standards illustrate the nature, extent and scope of duties and responsibilities of the classes they describe. Standards cannot and do not include all of the work that might be appropriately performed by a class. The minimum qualifications above are those which were required for appointment at the time the Classification Standard was written. Please contact the Division of Staffing Services for current information on minimum qualification requirements for appointment or examination.