STATE OF CONNECTICUT EXECUTIVE BRANCH JOBS

Payroll Examiner 1

Recruitment #260116-2186CL-001

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Introduction


The State of Connecticut, Office of the State Comptroller (OSC) is seeking a Payroll Examiner 1 in the Statewide Payroll and Time and Labor Division to administer employee and retiree benefits, to develop accounting policy and exercise accounting oversight, and to prepare financial reports for the state, federal and municipal governments and the public.

WHAT WE CAN OFFER YOU
  • 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 have experience in payroll and financial record processing and can accurately examine, reconcile, and maintain payroll data in accordance with established policies, procedures, statutory requirements, and NACHA standards. 
  • You bring strong attention to detail and technical clerical proficiency, with the ability to identify discrepancies, perform precise calculations, and ensure the accuracy and completeness of payroll and time and labor records. 
  • You are comfortable applying regulations and system controls, including reviewing payroll changes, validating reports, resolving errors, and ensuring compliance across automated and manual payroll processes.
  • You support accurate and timely statewide payroll operations, working collaboratively with agency staff to clarify issues, correct records, and maintain reliable financial and payroll documentation. 
DISCOVER THE OPPORTUNITY TO
  • Examine payroll-related and financial documents to ensure accuracy, completeness, and compliance with established policies, procedures, statutory requirements, and regulatory standards; 
  • Identify payroll discrepancies, irregularities, or exceptions and initiate appropriate corrective action;
  • Maintain detailed payroll records, supporting documentation, and audit trails in accordance with retention and audit requirements;
  • Process and deposit checks in coordination with the Office of the State Treasurer, verifying authorizations and transmitting documentation through electronic systems;
  • Review, edit, and validate reports;
  • Evaluate payroll registers to ensure accurate processing;
  • Use electronic document management systems and customer relationship management tools to track transactions, resolve issues, and document outcomes;
  • Safeguard and process sensitive employee and retiree payroll information, including retirement, tax, and direct deposit documentation, in compliance with confidentiality and security standards.
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 Payroll and Time and Labor 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

Check out our Applicant Tips on How to Apply! Need more resources? Visit our Applicant Reference Library for additional support throughout the recruitment process. 

BEFORE YOU APPLY
  • Meet Minimum Qualifications: Ensure you meet the Minimum Qualifications listed on the job opening by the job closing date. To be considered for this job opening you must be a current State of CT employee of the Office of the State Comptroller for at least six (6) months of full-time service or full-time equivalent service, absent any applicable collective bargaining language. You must specify your qualifications in your application. The minimum experience and training requirements listed must be met by the close date on the job opening, unless otherwise specified.
  • Educational Credits: List your earned credits and degrees from accredited institutions accurately on your application. To receive educational credits towards qualification, the institution must be accredited. If the institution of higher learning is located outside of the U.S., you are responsible for providing documentation from a recognized USA accrediting service which specializes in determining foreign education equivalencies to the contact listed below by the closing date listed on the job posting. 
  • Resume Policy: Per Public Act 21-69, resumes are not accepted during the initial application process. As the recruitment process progresses, candidates may be required to submit additional documentation to support their qualification(s) for this position. This documentation may include: a cover letter, resume, transcripts, diplomas, performance reviews, attendance records, supervisory references, licensure, etc., at the request and discretion of the hiring agency. 
  • Preferred Shift/Location: Select all location(s) and shift(s) you are willing to work on your application. Failure to do so may result in them not being considered for vacancies in that specific location or shift. 
  • Timely Submission: All application materials must be received by the job posting deadline. You will be unable to make revisions once you officially submit your application to the State.  Late submissions are rarely accepted, with exceptions only for documented events that incapacitate individuals during the entire duration of the job posting. Request exceptions by emailing DAS.SHRM@ct.gov.
  • Salary Calculations: For current state employees, salary calculations are not necessarily comparable from one of the three branches of state government (i.e., Executive, Legislative, Judicial) to the other. 
  • Note: The only way to apply to this posting is via the ‘Apply’ or ‘Apply Online’ buttons on the official State of Connecticut Online Employment Center job posting. 
AFTER YOU APPLY
  • Referral Questions: This posting may require completion of additional Referral Questions (RQs), which must be completed by the questionnaire’s expiration date. If requested, RQs can be accessed via an email sent to you after the job close date or by visiting your JobAps Personal Status Board (Certification Questionnaires section).   
  • Prepare For an Interview: Interviews are limited to those whose experience and training are most aligned with the role. To prepare, review this Interview Preparation Guide to make the best impression! 
  • 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.
  • Stay connected! Log in daily to your JobAps Personal Status Board to track your status and check email (including spam/junk folders) for updates and tasks.  
  • The immediate vacancy is listed above, but your application may be considered for future vacancies in this job class.
  • Note: This position will be filled in accordance with contractual language, reemployment, SEBAC, transfer, promotion and merit employment rules. Candidates who are offered and accept 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 high volume, we are unable to confirm receipt or provide status updates directly. For recruitment updates, please check your Personal Status Board and review our Frequently Asked Questions. 
  • If you have any questions about this recruitment, please contact the agency’s human resources team at osc.hr@ct.gov.
  • 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 depositing business account checks and preparing or transmitting related financial reporting to designated cross-division contacts. 
  • Experience conducting user or operational testing related to form, system, or equipment changes and documenting and communicating pass/fail results to designated stakeholders. 
  • Experience communicating with diverse populations to explain processes or solutions and de-escalate issues through clear verbal and written communication. 
  • Experience managing multiple, time-sensitive priorities and meeting established deadlines in a high-volume or regulated work environment. 
  • Experience using the Core-CT Customer Relationship Management module to document, track, or resolve payroll-related inquiries. 
  • Experience using scanning software to digitize, index, and maintain payroll or financial documentation. 

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 are requesting special accommodations under the provisions of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) please contact osc.hr@ct.gov.

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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