Payroll Technician I (Temporary)

Salary and Benefits

PLEASE NOTE: The starting salary placement depends on qualifications and experience and is anticipated to be in the range of $3,680.00 per month to $4,820.00 per month.

Cal State East Bay offers a broad range of benefits that includes medical, dental, vision, retirement (CalPERS), 401k, 457, 403(b), dependent and health care reimbursement accounts, life insurance, vacation and sick, 14 paid holidays, one personal holiday and tuition fee waiver.

For more information on the benefits program, please visit our benefits website. The CSU Total Compensation Calculator demonstrates the significance of our benefits package.

This position may be eligible to participate in the Cal State East Bay hybrid telecommute program subject to management approval. 

Classification

Payroll Technician I

About Cal State East Bay

Cal State East Bay's beautiful main campus is located in the Hayward hills with panoramic views of the San Francisco Bay shoreline. Situated above the city of Hayward, the campus offers an ideal setting for teaching and learning and yet easy access to the many cities along the bay. The University has a satellite campus in Concord, a professional development center in Oakland and a significant presence online. Founded in 1957, Cal State East Bay is one of 23 universities of the California State University system (CSU). Cal State East Bay is recognized as a regionally engaged and globally oriented university with a strong commitment to academic innovation, student success, engaged and service learning, diversity, and sustainability.

About the Position

This is a full-time, temporary position through December 31, 2025 with the possibility of re-appointment.

Please Note: Review of applications will begin on May 16, 2025.

Under close supervision, the Payroll Technician I performs the typical activities related to the processing of the full range of payroll and personnel transactions such as appointments, changes in status, leaves and separations for all California State University employees. 

This position applies payroll/personnel transaction rules and regulations in accordance with CSU policies and guidelines, state and federal laws, education codes and collective bargaining agreements where applicable.  The Payroll Technician validates reported work hours and absence leave takes, earns and entitlements, and audits payroll reports for accuracy. This position also performs appropriate corrective actions to resolve identified inconsistencies, errors or other problems; responds promptly, effectively and appropriately to requests from others for payroll related information and assistance; provides general clerical support to the Payroll Office including but not limited to filing, retrieving payroll records, answering phones, complete miscellaneous payroll forms (including employment verifications) and general reception.  This role is also responsible for preparing and coding various payroll/personnel transactions for employees and keying them into Oracle/Peoplesoft and the State’s Payroll Information Management System.  Additionally, the Payroll Technician will verify and audit warrant reports prior to release of all payments, process third-party requests involving employees pay, such as judgments, levies, bankruptcies, and child support wage garnishments.  

Responsibilities

Process Payroll Documents:

• On a daily basis process payroll documents which include: SAF’s, FAF’s, Absence Reports, Time Sheets, PPTs to reflect Payroll actions including reclassifications, promotions, salary plan changes, reassignments, demotions, separations, retirements, and pay docks in both PIMS and PeopleSoft HR by prioritizing in accordance to Payroll Calendar deadlines:
• Audit approved SAF, FAF, and temporary faculty contracts for completeness, accuracy, and proper approval.
• If a relevant item/value on a SAF, FAF, or contract is incomplete in any way, return to the designated office to provide the appropriate information.
• Advise appropriate administrative offices on any changes made so their records may be corrected.
• Determine the appropriate PIMS transaction code and PeopleSoft action/reason in order to update the PIMS Employment History Database and PS Job Data record for the full range of payroll transactions including, but not limited to appointments, change of status, leaves of absence, and separations.
• Generate Payroll Personnel Transaction (PPT) forms for all actions that require a PPT.  Ensure all values on the PPT are coded accurately in accordance to the action being processed.
• Input signed and approved PPT into the PIMS database.
• Troubleshoot error messages.
• Communicate with assigned departments and coordinators to collect pay docks in a timely manner.
• Enter pay docks into PIMS dock database to reduce employee(s) monthly salary.
• Verify all transactions entered to PIMS and PS Job Data to ensure accuracy.

Time and Labor Processing:

• Enter student and hourly staff employee work hours when appropriate.
• Validate work hours for compliance with CSU, state, and federal law compliance and regulations applicable to hourly employees.
• Coordinate with timekeepers to ensure all work hours are entered and approved by established deadlines.
• Assist with corrections and retro-active processing of work hours.
• Verify the issuance of payroll checks for all reported and approved work hours.
• Enter all types of miscellaneous payments such as bonuses, collective bargaining agreement stipends, overtime, shift differentials, uniform allowances and excess/deficit hours by established deadlines to ensure timely payments.

Absence Management Processing:

• Enter absence takes for all employee categories that are not reportable through self service functionality in a timely manner.
• Enter earned absence types such as CTO, HC, ADO.
• Validate employee accruals and absence takes during absence calendar processing periods.
• Review Absence Management reports; Excess/Deficit Hours, Negative Balance, Processed Not Approved, Unapproved Absences prior to finalizing the current period absence calendar.
• Process retroactive absence takes and earns as adjustments.
• Coordinate with timekeepers to ensure all absences for respective departments are entered and approved by established deadlines.
• Ensure absence accruals and leave balances are accurate for all employees.
• Troubleshoot errors.

Train and Support Department Coordinators and Employee:

• Instruct and guide assigned departments of rules and regulations pertaining to the State Payroll System, including attendance data, payroll warrant authorizations, signature authorizations, completion of payroll forms, employee sign in process, and timely submission of payroll documents.
• Provide guidance and documentation for Payroll self service components, absence reporting, reporting hourly work hours, and executing reports.

Minimum Qualifications

Experience:

• Equivalent to one (1) year of general administrative experience in payroll and human resources record-keeping and data entry which has provided the below knowledge and abilities.

Education:

• Any equivalent combination and experience which provides the required knowledge and abilities.

Knowledge and Abilities: 

• Working knowledge of general office methods, practices and procedures.
• Ability to acquire working knowledge of, and independently select and apply, CSU policies, procedures, programs, guidelines, applicable state and federal laws, educational codes, and collective bargaining agreements.
• Ability to, or acquire the skill to, use web browsers, electronic calendaring programs, ERP/HRIS, and data management systems.
• Ability to audit and reconcile data.
• Interpret and apply written rules and regulations.
• Establish and maintain effective working relationships with others.
• Exercise tact, courtesy and good judgment in responding to others.
• Use current computer word processing and spreadsheet software programs.
• Perform mathematical calculations.
• Accurately enter data.
• Follow oral and written instructions.
• Communicate effectively with others.
• Read and write at a level appropriate to the position.

Condition(s) of Employment

Satisfactory completion of a background check (including LiveScan, as appropriate), that may include, but is not limited to: criminal records check, verification of academic credentials, licenses, certificates, credit history, professional references and/or verification of work history is required for employment.  Cal State East Bay will issue a conditional offer of employment to the selected candidate, which may be rescinded if the background check reveals disqualifying information, and/or it is discovered that the candidate knowingly withheld or falsified information. Unsatisfactory results may also affect the continued employment of current Cal State East Bay employees who were conditionally offered the position.

All background checks are conducted through the university's third party vendor, Accurate. LiveScan is conducted through the University Police Department.

EEO Statement

All university programs and activities are open and available to all regardless of race, sex, color, ethnicity or national origin. Consistent with California law and federal civil rights laws, Cal State, East Bay provides equal opportunity in education and employment without unlawful discrimination or preferential treatment based on race, sex, color, ethnicity, or national origin. Our commitment to equal opportunity means ensuring that every student and employee has access to the resources and support they need to thrive and succeed in a university environment and in their communities. The CSU complies with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, the California Equity in Higher Education Act, California’s  Proposition 209 (Art. I, Section 31 of the California Constitution), other applicable state and federal anti-discrimination laws, and CSU’s Nondiscrimination Policy. We prohibit discriminatory preferential treatment, segregation based on race or any other protected status, and all forms of discrimination, harassment, and retaliation in all university programs, policies, and practices.

Other Information

All California State University campuses, including Cal State East Bay, are smoke and tobacco-free.  For more information, please visit our website here.

In compliance with state and federal crime awareness and campus security legislation, including The Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Crime Statistics Act, the Cal State East Bay Annual Campus Security Report is available here. 

Sponsorship

Cal State East Bay is not a sponsoring agency for Staff or Management positions and we are not an E-Verify employer.

Mandated Reporter

The person holding this position is considered a ‘mandated reporter’ under the California Child Abuse and Neglect Reporting Act and is required to comply with the requirements set forth in CSU Executive Order 1083 Revised July 21, 2017 as a condition of employment.