STATE OF CONNECTICUT EXECUTIVE BRANCH JOBS

Payroll Examiner 1

Recruitment #241118-2186CL-001

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Introduction


The State of Connecticut, Office of the State Comptroller (OSC) is seeking two (2) detail-oriented and organized individuals to join the Statewide Active and Pension Payroll Services Division as Payroll Examiner 1s in either the Active Payroll Unit or Tuition and Travel Unit. Join our team and embark on a rewarding career that offers growth, superlative benefits, and a culture that encourages work/life balance.

WHAT WE CAN OFFER YOU
  • Work for a Forbes top company - ‘Forbes’: State of Connecticut Ranked One of the Best Employers of 2023.
  • Comprehensive health and dental insurance, providing you with peace of mind and access to quality healthcare.
  • Robust pension plan and supplemental retirement offerings to secure your financial future.
  • Generous paid time off, including vacation days, sick leave, personal days, and 13 holidays per calendar year.
  • We are an eligible Public Service Loan Forgiveness employer, which means you may be eligible to have qualifying student loans forgiven after 10 years of service.
  • A culture that recognizes the importance of work/life balance and offers alternate work schedules and telecommuting options.
  • Opportunities to invest in your professional growth and development with training programs, tuition reimbursement, and opportunities for advancement within the State of Connecticut.
  • Connecticut is a strong community with a lot to offer in entertainment, food and shopping, recreation in our beautiful state parks and forests, diverse culture, and rich history. Learn more about all Connecticut has to offer.
POSITION HIGHLIGHTS
  • Full-Time, 40 hours per week
  • Monday through Friday
  • Location: 165 Capitol Avenue, Hartford, CT 06106
  • Hybrid (office/telework) may be available
THIS JOB IS FOR YOU IF
  • You are highly detail oriented and excel at identifying and correcting discrepancies in payroll and financial data.
  • You have a solid understanding of payroll regulations and experience applying federal and state statutes, including IRS guidelines. 
  • You have strong organizational skills and are adept at managing multiple priorities without compromising accuracy. 
  • You take pride in providing exceptional customer service and ensuring clear and professional interactions with employees and agency staff. 
  • You want to do work that matters and want to build a better Connecticut with the Office of the State Comptroller, promoting economic growth, advocating for fiscal control, and championing policies that lower costs.
DISCOVER THE OPPORTUNITY TO
The Payroll Examiner 1s will be assigned to one of the following units:

In the Active Payroll Unit: 
  • Process prior year and current year COP-9 reversals, FICA refunds, and FICA recoveries;
  • Collaborate with agency payroll departments on payroll processing including employee checks, taxes, and deductions;
  • Address tax-related inquiries and verify adherence to federal and state statutes and guidelines;
  • Oversee the processing of IRS “Lock in Letters”;
  • Process year-end W-2s and W-2 corrections;
  • Run sequel reports, including pay line processing reports during confirm weeks and the Compensation Error Report distributed prior to post confirm day;
  • Provide information and processing data in Core-CT for employee fringe benefits and auto fringe benefits;
  • Process voucher entries and payment for professor payments and 941 tax vouchers;
  • Assist the Health Enhancement Unit in processing refund payments to employees;
  • Assist the Core team in processing CT Paid Family Leave Act payments and adjustments;
  • Oversee verification of direct deposit payments in Bank of America Cash Pro and address employee inquiries regarding direct deposits;
  • Assist management with pay line entries and verify payroll balances before pay confirm;
  • Support the distribution and resolution of pay line corrections. 
In the Tuition and Travel Unit:
  • Respond to phone inquiries, emails, and CRM cases, including reviewing and interpreting employee records and interpreting and applying relevant state and federal laws, CT state statutes and regulations, and office procedures; 
  • Utilize existing and new technology to identify efficiencies and process improvements for reimbursements;
  • Manage CRM case workflow;
  • Draft, validate, and test correspondence functionality in CRM;
  • Process Core-CT transactions for tuition and travel payments;
  • Process wage garnishments in accordance with Connecticut General Statute § 52-361a, applicable federal laws and state and federal court orders;
  • Prepare reports and other documentation related to wage garnishments, tuition and travel reimbursements on outstanding balances due, and populations impacted;
  • Develop and improve procedures and assist with various projects. 
ABOUT US
The Office of the State Comptroller (OSC) is an agency whose mission is to provide accounting and financial services, administer employee and retiree benefits, develop accounting policy and exercise accounting oversight, and prepare financial reports for the state, federal and municipal governments, and the public. 

We are located in the State Office Building at 165 Capitol Avenue, Hartford, CT. This state-of-the-art building offers free garage parking, an on-site cafeteria, and ergonomic workspaces.

The Statewide Active and Pension Payroll Services division coordinates the payroll function for all state employees, including maintaining records, depositing income tax withholdings and social security contributions, pre-audits and issues paychecks, administers direct deposit programs, and interfaces with central agencies on mass salary changes, collective bargaining, complex accounting transactions, and other information requests. 

Selection Plan

For assistance in applying, please visit our 'Applicant Tips on How to Apply' page

APPLYING FOR THE POSITION
  • For current state employees, salary calculations are not necessarily comparable from one of the three branches of state government (i.e. Executive, Judicial or Legislative) to the other.
  • To be considered for this job opening, you must meet the Minimum Qualifications listed in the job opening. The minimum experience and training requirements must be met by the close date of the job opening, unless otherwise specified. You must specify your qualifications on your application. 
  • Ensure that your application is complete before submitting it. To comply with Public Act 21-69, the State of Connecticut no longer requests resumes during the initial application process. Once your application is submitted into the JobAps system, you cannot make revisions.
  • To receive educational credits toward qualification for this job posting, the institution must be accredited. For institutions located outside of the U.S., you must provide documentation from a recognized USA accrediting service specializing in determining foreign education equivalencies to the recruiter listed on this job posting.
  • All application materials must be received by the recruiting agency by the specified deadline. Late applications will not be considered. Candidates may request a rare and documented exception for events that incapacitate them during the entire duration of the job posting period by providing a legally recognized justification to accommodate such an exception. Requests may be made to DAS.SHRM@ct.gov.
WHAT TO EXPECT AFTER APPLYING
  • Applicants will receive correspondence via email and are also encouraged to monitor their Personal Status Board daily for status updates, notices, and tasks required in the recruitment process.
  • Some postings may require additional referral questions (RQs). You will receive an email with these questions after the posting’s closing date. Check your email and Personal Status Board for notifications, including your spam or junk folders. 
  • You may be required to submit additional documentation supporting your qualifications at any point during the recruitment process. The documentation may include a cover letter, resume, transcripts, diplomas, performance reviews, attendance records, supervisory references, or licensure, at the discretion of the hiring agency.
  • Candidates who have been selected for employment with the Office of the State Comptroller are subject to a detailed background investigation, including a fingerprint supported state and federal criminal history record check along with reference checks, subject to the provisions of Section 31-51i and conducted in accordance with Section 29-17a of the Connecticut General Statutes. Selection for employment is contingent upon satisfactory completion of the background investigation.
  • The immediate vacancy is listed above, but your application may be considered for future vacancies in this job class.
  • Interviews will be limited to candidates whose experience and training most closely meet the requirements of the position.
  • Candidates offered a position with the State of Connecticut are bound by the State Code of Ethics for Public Officials and State Employees, available at www.ct.gov/ethics.
CONNECT WITH US
  • Due to the high volume of applications, we cannot confirm receipt or status during the recruitment process. Updates will be available through your JobAps portal account. 
  • If you have any questions about this recruitment, please contact Sara Garrett at osc.hr@ct.gov or 860-702-3572.
  • Follow the State of Connecticut on LinkedIn to stay updated on our career opportunities and news.

PURPOSE OF JOB CLASS (NATURE OF WORK)

In the Office of the State Comptroller, Payroll Services Division this class is accountable for examining state payrolls and supporting documentation.

EXAMPLES OF DUTIES

  • Examines manual and automated regular, overtime and supplemental payrolls for compliance with statutory and regulatory requirements; 
  • Verifies signatures as recorded in official authorization file; 
  • Examines all incoming documents and materials for accuracy and completeness; 
  • Reviews all changes on payroll; 
  • Makes corrections and contacts agency personnel for clarification and additional information as necessary; 
  • Verifies internal accuracy of expenditure certificate and agreement of total to payroll expenditure; 
  • Verifies accuracy of detailed analysis of expenditure report; 
  • Establishes mathematical accuracy of Health Insurance detail on payroll summary and cancelled check section; 
  • Recalculates all exceptional items such as multi-period taxes and court ordered withholdings; 
  • Prepares key entry forms for all unusual transactions; 
  • Transmits all required material to data entry operators; 
  • Verifies accuracy of totals and examines and/or resolves error messages upon receipt of detailed proof or edit and validation reports; 
  • Determines accuracy of final processing upon receipt of payroll warrants and/or check registers; 
  • Posts to central agency ledgers all values which must be maintained on a quarterly or annual basis and brings forward accrued totals upon receipt of bi-weekly year-to-date records; 
  • Determines accuracy of computer records against agency central ledgers; 
  • Maintains files of payroll records and documentation, corrects and adjusts as necessary; 
  • Investigates possible erroneous payments or reportedly inaccurate taxes and/or deductions made to employees; 
  • May perform technical or complex clerical work in activities related to electronic data processing; 
  • Performs related duties as required.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILL AND ABILITY

  • Knowledge of payroll accounting principles, practices and procedures; 
  • Considerable skill in performing arithmetical computations; 
  • Skills
    • interpersonal skills; 
    • oral and written communication skills;
  • Ability to
    • analyze payroll deductions or other financial data; 
    • read, understand and apply statutes and regulations; 
    • operate office equipment including computers, tablets or other electronic equipment.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS - GENERAL EXPERIENCE

Three (3) years of experience in complex clerical work involving bookkeeping, accounts payable, accounts examining or finance.

NOTE: For state employees this experience in complex clerical work is interpreted at the level of a Financial Clerk.

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.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

  • Experience with Microsoft Office Suite, including Excel and Access. 
  • Experience with accounting and bookkeeping principles and procedures.
  • Experience with Oracle/PeopleSoft (Core-CT) HRMS pages, navigation, correlation to table structure, and running or writing queries.
  • Experience communicating to a diverse population and building consensus, including verbal and written communication.
  • Experience with payroll processing and compliance. 
  • Experience with federal and state payroll regulations.

Conclusion

INCOMPLETE APPLICATION PACKAGES AND THOSE RECEIVED AFTER THE CLOSING DATE INDICATED ABOVE WILL NOT BE CONSIDERED.

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, veterans, and persons with disabilities. If you require accommodations under the provisions of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), please contact Sara Garrett at osc.hr@ct.gov or 860-702-3572.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

As defined by Sec. 5-196 of the Connecticut General Statutes, a job class is a position or group of positions that share general characteristics and are categorized under a single title for administrative purposes. As such, a job class is not meant to be all-inclusive of every task and/or responsibility.


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