Introduction
Do you have three (3) years of experience in bookkeeping, accounts payable or clerical work involving finances? If so, we invite you to apply to join our team today!
The State of Connecticut, Department of Social Services (DSS) – Central Office – is accepting applications for one (1) full-time Payroll Clerk position located in Hartford, CT.
The Payroll Unit is responsible for coordination and administration of approximately 1700 employee compensation and health benefits.
Position Highlights: PCN 118514
- Full-time | 1st Shift | Hybrid | 40 Hours per week
- Monday – Friday | 8:00 am – 4:30 pm (Flexible)
In your role as a Payroll Clerk, you will have the opportunity to:
- Resolve Payroll issues and ensure related Core-CT computations are processed;
- Triage all incoming transactions and process work accordingly;
- Review data submission for accuracy and track common errors through report generation;
- Process individual and group compensation when changes are performed;
- Process deduction changes (health insurance, union dues and/or fees, credit union payments, charitable contributions, group life insurance payments. Etc.)
- Update attendance accruals and ensure benefits are calculated and processed timely;
- Coordinate corresponding communications associated with the payroll process;
- Respond to employee inquiries regarding paychecks and payroll practices and procedures;
- Perform related duties as required.
What we can offer you:
- View our new State Employee Benefits Overview page!
- Professional growth and paid professional development opportunities.
- A healthy work-life balance to all employees!
- The opportunity to work for a Forbes top company: ‘Forbes’ State of Connecticut Ranked one of the best Employers of 2023 – State of CT receives National Recognition for Offering Job Growth, Competitive Benefits, and Flexible Schedule.
- The State of Connecticut is an eligible Public Service Loan Forgiveness employer, meaning you may be eligible to have qualifying student loans forgiven after 10 years of service. Click here for more information.
About the Department of Social Services:
The State of Connecticut, Department of Social Services (DSS) delivers and funds a wide range of programs and services as Connecticut’s multi-faceted health and human services agency. DSS services about 1 million residents of all ages in all 169 Connecticut cities and towns. We support the basic needs of children, families, older and other adults, including persons with disabilities. Services are delivered through 12 field offices, central administration, online and phone access options. Follow us on twitter @ctdss and see what we are all about!
Selection Plan
FOR ASSISTANCE WITH APPLYING:
Please read or watch our Applicant Tips on How to Apply!
To Apply:
- In order to be considered for this job opening, you must meet the Minimum Qualifications as listed on this job opening. You must specify your qualifications on your application.
- For current state employees, salary calculations are not necessarily comparable from one of the three branches of government (i.e., Executive, Legislative, Judicial) to the other.
- The minimum experience and training requirements must be met by the close date on the job opening, unless otherwise specified.
- These positions will be filled in accordance with contractual language, reemployment, SEBAC, transfer, promotion, and merit employment rules. Applications to this recruitment will be used to meet collective bargaining requirements. Once any collective bargaining requirements have been met, all other applications may be considered.
- Interviews will be limited to candidates whose experience most closely meets the preferred qualifications, so please ensure that your application is complete and details your experience as outlined in this job posting. Please note: You will be unable to make revisions once you submit your application into the JobAps system.
- The immediate vacancy is listed above, however, applications to this recruitment may be used for future vacancies in this job class.
- Ensure that your application is complete and detailed before submitting it. In order to comply with Public Act 21-69, the State of Connecticut is no longer asking for resumes during the initial application process. You will not be able to make revisions once your application is submitted into the JobAps system.
Important Next Step Information for After You Apply:
- Although applicants will receive correspondence via email, as a backup they are also encouraged to sign on to their Personal Status Board on a daily basis to monitor their status, view all emailed notices and complete tasks required in the recruitment process.
- This posting may require completion of additional referral questions (RQs). You can access these RQs via an email that will be sent to you after the posting's closing date or by visiting your JobAps Personal Status Board (Certification Questionnaires section). Your responses to these RQs must be submitted by the question's expiration date. Please regularly check your email and JobAps Personal Status Board for notifications. Please check your SPAM and/or Junk folders on a daily basis in the event an email provider places auto-notification emails in a user's spam.
- At any point during the recruitment process, applicants may be required to submit additional documentation which support their qualification(s) for this position. These documents may include: a cover letter, resume, performance reviews, attendance records, supervisory references, licensure, etc., at the discretion of the hiring agency. Applicants must meet the minimum qualifications as indicated to apply for this position.
- All application materials must be received by the recruiting agency by the time specified on the job opening for the position for which you are applying. Late applications may not be submitted and will not be considered. Exceptions are rare and limited to documented events that incapacitate a candidate during the entire duration of the job posting time period. It is the candidate’s obligation and responsibility to request an exception and provide a legally recognized justification to accommodate such exception. Requests should be made to DAS.SHRM@ct.gov.
- Due to the large volume of applications received, the Department of Administrative Services is unable to provide confirmation of receipt or status during the recruitment process. Updates will be available through your JobAps portal account.
- Revised Master Application Tutorial: Click Here.
- Read through this helpful link to prepare for your interview.
Connect With Us:
- If you have any questions pertaining to this recruitment, please contact Rocky Young at rocky.young@ct.gov and reference the recruitment number.
- Follow the State of Connecticut on LinkedIn.
PURPOSE OF JOB CLASS (NATURE OF WORK)
In a state agency this class is accountable for preparing and maintaining biweekly regular, overtime and supplemental payrolls for an assigned group of employees and independently performing various payroll support activities.
EXAMPLES OF DUTIES
- Prepares biweekly regular, overtime, and supplemental payrolls;
- Reviews employee time cards and/or timesheets for accuracy and completeness and posts hours worked to master payroll cards;
- Reviews personnel and/or payroll change notices and posts changes and/or adjustments to master files, e.g. new hires, transfers, reclassifications, terminations, retirements, overpayments and/or underpayments, wage increases, deduction changes (health insurance, union dues and/or fees, credit union payments, charitable contributions, bond or sheltered tax annuity payments, group life insurance payments, etc.);
- Calculates gross wages;
- Notes deductions on worksheets and deduction summary sheets;
- Prepares and balances prelists for Central Payroll (Office of State Comptroller), noting both salary and deduction data OR codes standard payroll action forms in conjunction with computerized payroll system;
- Prepares and totals various deduction worksheets, e.g., Credit Union, Medical and/or Insurance Providers, etc.;
- Prepares and submits summary sheets and transmittal certificates OR detailed analysis of expenditure reports and expenditure certificates to Central Payroll;
- Verifies check register and printouts from Central Payroll against worksheets and records;
- Performs various clerical accounting functions such as calculating balances and posting charges to expenditure accounts;
- Prepares supplemental payrolls such as longevity payments, vacation pay, promotional adjustments, etc.;
- Calculates and processes retroactive payments, collective bargaining increases and annual increments;
- Performs various clerical accounting functions such as calculating balances and posting charges to expenditure accounts;
- Verifies provider checks issued by Office of State Comptroller against own records;
- Verifies providers' bills in same manner;
- Keeps abreast of collective bargaining contract requirements and restrictions as related to payroll (dates for salary increases, overtime, shift differential and holiday pay restrictions, etc.);
- Responds to employee inquiries regarding paychecks and payroll practices and procedures;
- Maintains various records and files for payroll data and forms;
- May calculate workers compensation and/or retirement payments;
- May calculate and monitor payroll deductions for court ordered wage executions (garnishments);
- May consult division or facility supervisors regarding employee time recorded;
- Performs related duties as required.
KNOWLEDGE, SKILL AND ABILITY
- Knowledge of
- payroll terminology, practices and procedures;
- basic accounting and bookkeeping principles and procedures;
- general office procedures;
- Skills
- interpersonal skills;
- oral and written communication skills;
- in performing arithmetic computations;
- Ability to
- read, understand and apply applicable contract guidelines and regulations;
- maintain records and files; ability to follow complex oral and written instructions;
- operate office equipment which includes computers, tablets, and other electronic equipment.
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS - GENERAL EXPERIENCE
Three (3) years of experience in bookkeeping, accounts payable or clerical work involving finances.
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS - SPECIAL EXPERIENCE
One (1) year of the General Experience must have involved payroll preparation.
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS - SUBSTITUTIONS ALLOWED
- College training may be substituted for the General Experience on the basis of fifteen (15) semester hours equalling one-half (1/2) year of experience to a maximum of two (2) years.
- One (1) year as a Financial Clerk performing payroll duties may be substituted for the General and Special Experience.
PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS
- Experience managing a large volume of work and prioritizing it effectively to achieve results within a set time frame
- Experience interpreting and implementing bargaining unit contract agreements
- Experience working on payroll functions including longevity and bargaining bonus payments
- Experience interpreting health insurance changes and benefit billing
- Experience with preparing reports through PeopleSoft payroll systems or similar systems
- Experience with Microsoft Excel, creating formulas
- Experience compiling and analyzing payroll data and preparing payroll reports
SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS
Persons having responsibility for supervising or observing the behavior of inmates or custodial individuals will be required to possess a high school diploma or General Educational Development (GED) certification by the time of permanent appointment.
Conclusion
AN AFFIRMATIVE ACTION/EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER
The State of Connecticut is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer and strongly encourages the applications of women, minorities, and persons with disabilities.