Payroll Clerk Education Requirements And Career Information

Payroll clerks must have a minimum of a high school diploma or General Education Development certificate. Some employers prefer candidates who also have an associate’s or bachelor’s degree in accounting or another related field. Relevant coursework includes economics, accounting principles, spreadsheets, computerized accounting and taxes. Computer skills include a combination of typing, system and software knowledge. Payroll clerks need strong computer skills as their job responsibilities include typing and using programs such as Microsoft Office and QuickBooks to complete their work. Time-management skills involve the ability to balance and prioritize responsibilities in a manner that helps you complete your work on time while also maintaining a work-life balance. Payroll clerks need to have excellent time-management skills to ensure they process payroll on time and employees receive their pay on time.

Payroll Clerk Education Requirements And Career Information

Communication — Payroll clerks need to interact well with members of their team and other company employees, whether it’s in writing or speaking. But if I wasn’t taking advantage of this change, I could probably happily retire working in payroll. Accounting Technology/Technician and BookkeepingRead more about how to become a Payroll and Timekeeping Clerk and the degree, training and education you need. is the degree you hold, Payroll Clerk Education Requirements And Career Information the industry you work in, and lastly the company you work for. Review time sheets, work charts, wage computation, and other information to detect and reconcile payroll discrepancies. Process all mandated, court ordered deductions and process each within the dictated time frames. Organize and maintain payroll records and reports in compliance with federal and state regulations and for easy access for auditing purposes.

Financial Clerks

Payroll Clerks will work carefully to calculate payroll information like taxes, deductions, bonuses, commissions and other payable hours. If any payroll issues or discrepancies occur, the Payroll Clerk must investigate and resolve them. Update paper and electronic payroll records by entering adjustments on pay rates, employee status changes etc.

  • Companies also seek out candidates with excellent communication and interpersonal skills, as they must be able to correspond with tact, respectfulness and discretion.
  • The successful candidate will have at least one year of payroll experience and will work cross-departmentally with accounting to ensure the entire business runs as smoothly as possible.
  • Process all mandated, court ordered deductions and process each within the dictated time frames.
  • This post highlights the requirements associated with the office clerk job to help you know what to expect in starting and building a successful career.
  • Yes, it would be easier to hire someone who already knows the ins and outs of your payment processing system.
  • Payroll Clerks will typically report to Payroll Supervisors, who are in charge of the entire payroll department.

In addition to these duties, payroll clerks may keep records of benefit deductions, sick leave and vacation pay, 401 contributions, and other nontaxable wages. According to the American Payroll Association , most payroll practitioners (entry-level employees), have at least a high school diploma or GED diploma (). For entry into some certificate programs, you may be required to have already completed a fundamental payroll course. These types of programs are generally short-term and require the completion of only a handful of courses. We are looking for a qualified Payroll Clerk to assist in all activities regarding the management of employee compensation in the company. You will undertake a variety of tasks such as entering payroll information, calculating wages and making payments. An excellent payroll clerk has great understanding of the concept of confidentiality.

CareerThesaurus provides vital, reliable information about a variety of [career careers including salary, employment growth, training, education and much more. Top 5 accounting clerk interview questions with detailed tips for both hiring managers and candidates. Payroll coordinators/administrators usually team up with other departments — such as human resources , finance and IT — and external auditors to cultivate sturdy payroll internal controls. They are often found in organizations with large or complex payrolls and are skilled at coordinating payroll with employee benefits. The midpoint, or 50th percentile as it is referred to in the Salary Guide, means that candidates have average experience with the necessary skills to meet the job requirements. Gaming services workers serve customers in gambling establishments, such as casinos or racetracks. Some workers tend slot machines, deal cards, or oversee other gaming activities such as keno or bingo.

Medical Records And Health Information Technician

At the most basic level, they reconcile timecards, enter data into the payroll system, distribute paychecks, and maintain payroll records. If payroll is your field — or you would like it to be — you should know what type of payroll professional salary to expect, and what factors employers weigh when calculating compensation for payroll jobs. Some organizations offer classes and certification programs for those who would like to become payroll clerks. The American Payroll Association, for instance, offers the Fundamental Payroll Certification for job seekers who wish to demonstrate a basic understanding of payroll operations.

Employers of payroll and timekeeping clerks may prefer candidates who have taken some college courses in business or economics, and in some cases require a 2- or 4-year college degree. If you are studying to work in accounting and you are interested in working in payroll, it is time to learn just what a payroll clerk does. It is the payroll clerk’s job to collect time sheets, review timekeeping logs for accuracy, and issue paychecks and other retained earnings disbursements to employees within an organization. In addition to basic job functions, clerks are accountable for processing various requests and processing various types of verifications. If you are looking for an entry-level role in accounting and this title interests you, read this job profile. For payroll managers/supervisors, your level of experience must be far greater — generally, a minimum of five years in payroll management.

Payroll Clerk Education Requirements And Career Information

A successful payroll clerk will have superior organizational, accounting and computer skills. Companies also seek out candidates with excellent communication and interpersonal skills, as they must be able to correspond with tact, respectfulness and discretion. Get started today on your path towards becoming a payroll clerk with Penn Foster College’s accredited, online program. They should be detail-oriented, analytical, and organized in order to complete their daily tasks accurately and efficiently. Lawson as a head office clerk was in charge of the supermarket’s cash float to cover staff wages, cash advances, and petty cash.

Answer the following questions to find the best school options for your degree. Hundreds of leading employers and workforce organizations partner with Penn Foster to attract, develop, and retain talent for today’s in-demand middle skilled occupations. Enterprising — Enterprising occupations frequently involve starting up and carrying out projects. These occupations can involve leading people and making many decisions.

There may be other schools that have similar programs, such as private career colleges. Complete, check and process forms and documents for employment benefits .

How Do I Become A Certified Payroll Professional?

While many smaller employers will hire clerks with a high school diploma, larger organizations and accounting firms prefer applicants who possess a college degree. If you would like to garner attention, you should aim for an associate’s degree majoring in accounting or finance curriculum. Going a step further and earning a bachelor’s degree will make it possible to climb the ladder much more quickly.

Payroll Clerk Education Requirements And Career Information

A person can also apply directly to the personnel departments of companies that employ payroll clerks. Completion of a high school business program provides a good background for entry-level positions. Courses in mathematics, business software, and accounting are essential, especially when calculating bonuses and commissions.

Popular Schools

The largest employers of payroll clerks include those in the professional services, retail and wholesale trade, and finance and insurance industries. Our online payroll clerk certification preparation includes the cost of the National Bookkeepers Association Payroll Certification Exam, a practice test, and your official certificate when you pass the exam. ³ Certification is a great way to validate your skills and enhance your resume to help you stand out to hiring managers on your path to a promotion or new career. Although hiring managers often prefer candidates with payroll experience, entry-level payroll clerk jobs are available. You’ll need at least a high school diploma and proficiency in Microsoft Office to be considered for an entry-level payroll clerk position.

Relevant coursework includes computer payroll time reporting and processing, bookkeeping, computer accounting and benefits deduction. The use of standard business productivity applications such as spreadsheets, word processors and databases is also covered. The American Payroll Association offers a certification program that could help to boost your chances of finding a job ().

This post provides complete information on the requirements you need to meet to become an office clerk and build your career to the top. That way, the staffing agency conducts the interviews and skills evaluations and handles the details of hiring a payroll clerk who can start adding value right away, saving you time, money and hassle. Confidentiality — Employee and company data are private and proprietary, so payroll clerks need to take the issues of data protection and cybersecurity seriously. Many Payroll Clerks must work closely with other department heads and employees to address any payroll errors or answer any questions. They must use their communication and problem-solving skills to provide professional answers and to ensure any payment issues are properly resolved.

They may also have to come out of their office to interact with other employees when gathering information for payroll or addressing complaints. Payroll clerks may also work with a team of senior payroll specialists, Human Resources and internally across departments. A payroll clerk performs duties to ensure that employees of a business are paid accurately and in a timely fashion. The payroll clerk also keeps track of each employee’s sick days, vacation time and personal days away from the job. Companies also rely on their payroll clerk to archive paperwork for each employee, as well as their tax information, contributions to retirement and gross earnings.

While they’re both entry-level roles who handle payments and finances, there are some key differences between the job responsibilities of Payroll and Accounting Clerks. Payroll Clerks work primarily in the payroll department, processing and calculating employees’ paychecks. Enter and process all employee data necessary for processing timely payroll in the Kronos and HRIS systems each week. A Payroll Clerk typically earns between $32,000 and $90,000 annually with a median salary of $51,000. Other factors such as company size and industry play a role in determining an individual’s pay. Interacting With Computers — Using computers and computer systems to program, write software, set up functions, enter data, or process information. Compile statistical reports, statements, and summaries related to pay and benefits accounts, and submit them to appropriate departments.

For a more diverse set of duties and responsibilities, you could consider transitioning to a position as an administrative assistant. If you enjoy working with numbers, you could consider earning a bachelor’s degree in accounting and becoming an accountant. Colleges and universities might allow you to transfer some or all of the credits you earned in a certificate program to an accredited bachelor’s degree program. Accounting Technology and BookkeepingPayroll and timekeeping clerks typically need a high school diploma or equivalent to enter the occupation.

You will be experienced in entering data with attention to detail and will have good maths skills to make the necessary calculations. The ideal candidate will be a thorough professional with good communication abilities. The goal is to carry out all payroll procedures with speed and accuracy. Our customer service call center is seeking an experienced payroll clerk who will ensure all of our staff receive timely paychecks and have a thorough understanding of their salaries. We recognize how hard our employees work to serve our clients and help our business grow.

We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. The goal of this phase is to determine if the candidate bookkeeping has the appropriate set of skills and qualities to excel on the job. Friendly competition can be healthy, but a business profits most when employees work together.

Want expert, personalized advice that can save you a lot of time and money? We also asked Payroll Clerks what did they major in college or university and here are the top 5 most popular majors that came up.

On top of that, they might answer phones, do some bookkeeping and answer questions employees have about their paychecks, from benefit deductions to vacation pay. A Certified Payroll Professional is a financial clerk specializing in payroll who has earned a professional certification from the American Payroll Association, a prominent industry organization. Payroll clerks keep track of employee hours and payroll information, and they compile the data to prepare paychecks of all employees. Before sending them out, payroll clerks verify that all paychecks are accurate, and they make adjustments if necessary. Payroll clerks need a minimum of a high school diploma or General Education Development certificate. Some companies prefer candidates who have completed some level of post-secondary education and may prefer candidates who have an associate’s or bachelor’s degree in accounting or another related field.

Your duties may differ depending on the size of your company and its payroll department. There are a variety of specialization and work setting options for financial clerks. For instance, instead of becoming a payroll clerk, you could get a job as a claims and policy processing clerk at an insurance company. In this position, you would process insurance applications, make changes based on customer needs and cancel policies when requested.

They undertake a variety of activities in the office, ranging from entering data, filing of documents, and recording and answering of phone, to basic bookkeeping. Completing a certification program is especially beneficial to candidates who don’t have prior clerical work experience. Payroll might seem like a straightforward duty of calculating employees’ hours and sending out paychecks. But there’s a lot to ensuring payroll gets processed accurately and on time. Complexity enters the picture when it comes to federal and state compliance and regulations, involving overtime, healthcare, workers’ comp, employee classification and taxes.

Office clerk is a low position in an office setting that requires no formal education. To become an office clerk, candidates should meet with the minimum educational requirements and have basic office skills.

Author: Mark J. Kohler