Payroll/benefits Assistant

GENERAL STATEMENT
The Payroll/Benefits Assistant is responsible for the preparation, distribution, and accuracy of an in-house computerized payroll system in accordance with the terms and conditions outlined in the collective agreements, College policy, and in conjunction with Canada Revenue Agency (CRA), Employment Standards, and Service Canada, and other applicable legislation, governing agencies and acts. Under supervision of the Coordinator Payroll/Benefits, the Payroll/Benefits Assistant communicates closely with Human Resources and Finance to ensure employee information impacting payroll and employment status is processed effectively.
Other major responsibilities include generating reports from the college's Human Resources Information System (HRIS), action appropriate departmental verifications, payroll adjustments, and data entry to update the system, maintaining an accurate personnel benefits database, and responding to payroll inquiries including employee assignments and collective agreement queries, employee concerns, and other related matters.

TYPICAL DUTIES
• Accurately prepares and processes, within strict deadlines, all pertinent payroll information for biweekly payrolls which include: salaried management staff, CCFA and BCGEU faculty, CUPE support staff, student employees, and monthly contracted employees (routinely five payrolls per month);
• Verifies employee assignments and timesheet details are complete as required for processing, ensures employee information is accurate, and maintains the integrity of the employee's computerized payroll records;
• Ensures payroll transactions are accurate and in compliance with and applicable collective agreements and legislation;
• Analyses problems and uses sound judgment when dealing with highly-confidential and/or sensitive issues;
• Responds by phone, written correspondence, e-mail, or in-person, to payroll-related enquiries by providing specific payroll calculations, information, and explanations of applicable collective agreements, college, Pension and benefit policies and procedures for managers/supervisors and/or employees;
• Acts as the primary contact between employees and benefit carriers including assisting employees with completing enrollment forms in person and by all other means of communication, responding to, reviewing, and researching inquiries regarding benefit coverage; maintains a variety of related records, lists, and reports;
• Follows up on employee benefit arrears and pay discrepancies, requests reimbursements from employees for any outstanding debts, and frequently monitors delinquent accounts. Unusual and/or debts of an extreme nature are referred to the Coordinator Payroll/Benefits;
• Verifies accuracy of payroll output; transmits the payroll electronically to bank, confirms the transmission amounts, follows up and corrects any payroll deposit rejections; troubleshoots and takes appropriate steps, as required, to generate accurate transactions;
• Responsible for printing and distribution of pay statements and manual cheques; calculate off-cycle manual cheques, as required, within proper accounting procedures and integrates information with HRIS;
• Responsible for the accurate and timely processing of salary, benefit, and pension adjustments;
• Performs complex calculations and analysis for salary adjustments, Pension service buy-backs, retroactive payments, and other related pay adjustments;
• Create and maintain positions within Colleague by using the appropriate cost centres provided by budget officer;
• Actions requests from budget officers to perform salary cost centre changes;
• Reconciles payments and deductions, weekly and monthly, to HRIS totals. Prepares reports, remittance vouchers, and electronic transfers for payroll deductions to various government, benefit carrier, union, financial, charitable, and other agencies;
• Audits and reconciles year-end payroll totals to HRIS totals and accounting records, and produces year-end documentation including T4 (and T4 amendments), T4 Magnetic Media Transmittal, and pension disability start & stop forms, enrolment, resignation and termination forms;
• Provides data, as requested, for purposes of collective bargaining;
• Assists in the design and creation of Colleague-generated reports and compiles other payroll reports as required for use in various departments within the College and with outside vendors;
• Responds to enquiries from the college community, federal government, benefit carriers, Pension Corporation, financial institutions, unions, lawyers, ICBC, WSBC, and other external bodies by providing guidance, information, and explanations on payroll-related issues;
• Updates and maintains the integrity of the benefit carrier's software applications, the Medical Services Plan Direct, and the employee Pension information, and ROE Web;
• Provides one-on-one demonstrations of payroll-specific tools, including the online Pension Purchase of Service, the Pension Estimator, and the statutory holiday calculator, in order to ensure accuracy of information, compliance with applicable collective agreements and legislation;
• Maintains up-to-date knowledge of applicable legislation, Pension Corporation and/or Canadian Payroll Association information, and updates that directly affect payroll matters;
• Contributes to the ongoing development of the department by supporting and sharing knowledge with other team members;
• In collaboration with supervisor, provides input into the development and enhancement of business processes and procedures that improve customer service and the efficiency of the department;
• Performs other related duties similar in scope and complexity.

Successful completion of a police information check is required

• Grade 12 plus Fundamentals 1 & 2 of the Canadian Payroll Association, and 4 years experience directly-related to large payroll systems in a multi-union environment, or an equivalent combination of education and experience;
• Demonstrate excellent work ethic and customer-service relations with staff, public, and students while using diplomacy and discretion in handling confidential and sensitive information;
• Good working knowledge of basic accounting principles, procedures, and strong knowledge of current Canadian Payroll legislation;
• Demonstrates ability to work positively in a team environment as well as on an individual basis;
• Strong organization and time management skills are essential in order to manage high volume of deadline-driven work and to accommodate special projects on an as-needed basis;
• Ability to maintain periods of intense concentration with frequent interruptions that demand immediate attention;
• Must be very exact with figures and calculations;
• Ability to use a variety of software including MS Word, MS Excel, Outlook and other web-based software;
• Must be able to lift and move boxes of personnel records weighing 25 lbs.

The core capabilities are required for all positions at the college.
Focus on Students and Their Success (Core)
• We all have a role to play in promoting and supporting students - directly or indirectly - contributing to their success, education and transition as they build their path to the future.
Cultural Alignment (Core)
• Inclusion and respect align with Camosun's traditions of lifelong learning and positive, supportive experiences for all. We examine our individual and institutional cultures and, through indigenization, consider other ways of knowing (thinking), being (approaches), doing (acting), and relating.
Fostering and Nurturing Relationships (Core)
• Fostering and nurturing relationships is at the core of everything we do. Successful workplace relationships take time to develop and include building trust, engagement and collaboration.