Payroll Specialist

Join Alcott: Make a difference
Alcott, a leading nonprofit agency dedicated to providing vital mental health and supportive housing services to low-income adults across Los Angeles County, is seeking a highly skilled and detail-oriented Payroll Specialist to join our dedicated Human Resources team.
If you are an experienced payroll professional with strong analytical skills, in-depth knowledge of California wage and hour regulations, and a passion for supporting mission-driven work, this is your opportunity to make a significant impact on Alcott's operational excellence and our ability to serve the community. Come help us ensure accurate, compliant, and timely payroll processes that support the well-being of our diverse workforce.

Key Details
Job Title: Payroll Specialist
Department: Human Resources
Reports To: HR Director
FLSA Status: Exempt
Work Setting: On-Site (Culver City, CA)
Salary Range: $80,000 - $90,000 annually, DOE

What You'll Do: The Impact You'll Make
As the Payroll Specialist, you will be the backbone of Alcott's payroll operations, ensuring employees are paid accurately, leaves are administered correctly, and payroll-related benefit processes run smoothly. Your work supports agency compliance, financial accuracy, and employee trust.

Payroll Operations Excellence
• Oversee full-cycle payroll processing for all employees, ensuring accuracy, timeliness, and compliance with federal, state, and local wage and hour laws.
• Administer all garnishments and wage withholding orders, including child support, tax levies, student loans, and creditor garnishments, ensuring proper setup, calculation, tracking, and maintenance in ADP Workforce Now.
• Review employee timecards, validate premium pay and meal/rest period compliance, and apply correct wage and hour rules under California law.
• Process payroll updates including new hires, terminations, pay changes, leave status changes, cost center adjustments, and benefit deduction updates.
• Maintain complete, audit-ready payroll documentation and support year-end reporting, including W-2s and taxable benefit reconciliation.
• Contribute to workflow improvements by identifying opportunities to streamline processes and strengthen internal controls.

Leave of Absence Administration
• Administer all employee leave programs, including FMLA, CFRA, PDL, PFL, Workers' Compensation, ADA or FEHA accommodations, and personal leaves.
• Issue required notices, certification forms, and correspondence, ensuring legal and procedural compliance.
• Track timelines, certifications, deadlines, and return-to-work expectations, maintaining ongoing communication with employees and supervisors.
• Coordinate cases with the third-party leave administrator to ensure accuracy, alignment, and consistent documentation.
• Track and reconcile benefit premium payments for employees on unpaid leave and ensure accurate leave coding within ADP Workforce Now.
• Maintain confidential and compliant leave records and support return-to-work clearances or modified duty needs.

Benefits, Compliance, and Payroll Integrity
• Oversee payroll-related benefit components in partnership with the third-party benefits administrator, including accurate deduction entry, updates, and reconciliation.
• Resolve deduction discrepancies and process required corrections across payroll cycles.
• Maintain accurate documentation of eligibility dates, changes, deductions, and adjustments.
• Ensure all payroll processes comply with wage and hour laws, internal policies, audit standards, and documentation requirements such as Live Scan and DMV verification.
• Prepare payroll reports and provide documentation for internal and external audits.

What You'll Bring: Your Qualifications

Education and Experience
• Bachelor or associate degree in Accounting, Business Administration, or a related field, or equivalent experience.
• Three to five years of payroll experience preferred.
• Minimum of two years of ADP Workforce Now experience is required.
• Experience with leave administration, benefits deductions, and nonprofit or human services settings is preferred.
• Bilingual English/Spanish is a plus.

Skills and Abilities
• Strong proficiency in payroll processing, taxation, garnishments, deductions, and internal controls.
• Deep knowledge of California wage and hour laws.
• Exceptional analytical, organizational, and problem-solving skills.
• High level of accuracy and confidentiality in handling sensitive information.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite and HR/payroll systems.
• Ability to sit for extended periods and lift up to fifteen pounds.

Requirements
• Valid California driver license, clean driving record, and insurability under Alcott's auto liability policy.
• Live Scan fingerprint clearance required.
• If driving a company vehicle is an essential function, eligibility must be maintained.

Why Join Alcott?

Alcott is a compassionate, mission-driven organization making a real difference in the lives of vulnerable Angelenos. When you join our team, you become part of a community committed to stability, recovery, and social justice.
• Meaningful Work: Help clients achieve recovery, stability, and independence.
• Supportive Team: Work alongside skilled professionals who value empathy, integrity, and collaboration.
• Outstanding Benefits: Enjoy 100% employer-paid Medical and Dental coverage (employee only, with family and PPO options available at an additional cost), a 403(b)-retirement plan witha 6% employer match, paid vacation and sick time.
• Professional Growth: Receive supervision and ongoing training opportunities to support your path toward licensure and career advancement.

Alcott is an Equal Opportunity Employer and supports the Americans with Disabilities Act. We adhere to the Fair Chance to Compete for Jobs Act of 2019.

Monday through Friday, from 8:30 am to 5:00 pm

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