Payroll Specialist

About Cardea Health: 

Cardea Health is a non-profit organization dedicated to providing compassionate health care to marginalized populations.  

Misson Statement:

Our mission is to create and support programs that protect the health and autonomy of vulnerable individuals and promote equity and social justice to improve the well-being of our entire community. Compassionate care for vulnerable populations. 

Workplace Culture: 

Cardea is dedicated to creating a workplace that celebrates diversity and actively seeks to include underrepresented communities. We believe that diversity drives innovation and fosters a more dynamic, inclusive, and productive work environment. We value unique perspectives, experiences, and talents, and we are committed to providing equitable opportunities for growth and advancement. Join us in building a team that reflects the rich diversity of our society and let's make a positive impact together. 

Our Cardea CARE(S) Values include: 

• Compassion 
  Big heart, steady presence. 

• Accountability 
  We own it: the work, the follow-through, the impact. 

• Respect 
  We assume good intent and keep it real. 

• Engagement 
  We lean in and figure it out together. 

• Support 
  We’ve got each other across roles, teams, and sites. 

These values guide how we care for residents, collaborate with colleagues, and represent Cardea Health in the community. 

Primary Work Location: OTC 8400 Edes Ave, Oakland, CA 94621 

This position is based primarily at OakTown Collective, a Cardea Health interim housing program serving individuals experiencing homelessness who may have complex medical, behavioral health, and social service needs. 

Employees working at this location support residents in a housing-focused environment centered on stabilization, health, dignity, and connection to community resources and permanent housing opportunities. 

Depending on the position, employees may regularly interact with residents, healthcare providers, case managers, housing navigators, community partners, visitors, and government agencies. 

Job Summary: 

Our mission is to create and support programs that protect the health and autonomy of vulnerable individuals and promote equity and social justice to improve the well-being of our entire community. We provide medical support and related services to populations experiencing homelessness. 

Cardea Health is seeking an onsite payroll specialist. The Payroll Specialist is responsible for the accurate and timely processing of payroll for employees in compliance with applicable federal, state, and local laws, with particular emphasis on California payroll and wage-and-hour requirements. This position manages all aspects of the payroll process, including payroll calculations, deductions, tax withholdings, timekeeping, payroll reporting, reconciliations, and employee inquiries. The ideal candidate has demonstrated hands-on experience processing payroll for California employees and possesses a strong working knowledge of California wage-and-hour, payroll tax, paid sick leave, final pay, wage statement, and other applicable payroll requirements. 

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

• Process regular bi-weekly, supplemental, off-cycle, and final payroll accurately and timely.  Review and validate employee timekeeping, hours worked, overtime, double time, differentials, bonuses, stipends, deductions, and other compensation. 

• Apply California wage-and-hour requirements to payroll calculations, including applicable overtime and double-time rules. 

• Maintain strong working knowledge of California requirements relating to regular and overtime wages, double-time pay, meal and rest period requirements as they affect payroll, paid sick leave, reporting time pay, final wage payments, wage statements/pay stubs, deductions from wages, pay frequency and payroll deadlines, and required payroll records and retention. 

• Ensure compliance with federal, state, and local payroll tax requirements. 

• Process federal and state payroll tax withholdings and employer payroll taxes. 

• Review payroll tax filings, quarterly reports, year-end reporting, W-2s, and other required payroll documents. 

• Maintain accurate employee payroll records and ensure payroll information is properly entered and updated in the payroll/HRIS system (PayCom). 

• Review payroll reports for errors, discrepancies, unusual transactions, and missing information before payroll is finalized. 

• Reconcile payroll registers, payroll tax liabilities, general ledger accounts, and other payroll-related accounts. 

• Process employee changes to include new hires, terminations, pay-rate changes, promotions, transfers, direct deposits, deductions, and benefit changes. 

• Ensure California final pay requirements are followed when employees separate from employment. 

• Respond to employee questions regarding pay, deductions, taxes, timekeeping, direct deposit, benefits deductions, and payroll policies. 

• Research payroll discrepancies and make appropriate corrections. 

• Coordinate with Human Resources, Finance, managers, and benefit providers to resolve payroll issues. 

• Assist with payroll audits and provide documentation requested by auditors, government agencies, and other authorized parties. 

• Maintain confidentiality and security of payroll and employee information. 

• Monitor changes in federal, California, and applicable local payroll laws and regulations and communicate relevant changes to management. 

• Develop and maintain payroll procedures, checklists, and internal controls to ensure accuracy, compliance, and strict segregation of duties. 

• Perform other payroll, accounting, HR, and administrative duties as assigned. 

Required Qualifications: 

• 3+ years of hands-on payroll processing experience. 

• Demonstrated experience processing payroll for employees working in California. 

• Strong working knowledge of California payroll and wage-and-hour laws and regulations. 

• Experience with California overtime, double-time, paid sick leave, final pay, wage statements, payroll deductions, and related compliance requirements. 

• Working knowledge of federal and California payroll tax requirements. 

• Experience with PayCom payroll software and/or an HRIS/payroll system. 

• Strong attention to detail and accuracy. 

• Ability to maintain confidentiality of sensitive employee and payroll information. 

• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills. 

• Ability to meet strict payroll deadlines. 

• Excellent organizational and communication skills. 

• Proficiency with Microsoft Excel or comparable spreadsheet software. 

Preferred Qualifications: 

• Payroll certification such as FPC or CPP. 

• Experience processing payroll for a multi-location or multi-state workforce. 

• Experience in healthcare, home care, senior care, or other regulated service environment. 

• Experience with California-specific payroll audits or government inquiries. 

• Experience administering timekeeping systems and integrating timekeeping data with payroll. 

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

• California payroll compliance expertise. 

• Strong knowledge of wage-and-hour principles. 

• High level of numerical accuracy. 

• Ability to identify payroll compliance risks and discrepancies. 

• Ability to interpret payroll-related regulations and apply them to payroll processing. 

• Strong attention to deadlines. 

• Excellent recordkeeping and documentation skills. 

• Ability to handle confidential information appropriately. 

• Professional and responsive customer-service skills. 

• Ability to work independently while collaborating effectively with HR and Finance. 

Physical Requirements:

• This position is primarily sedentary in nature. 

Essential physical activities may include: 

• Prolonged periods of sitting. 

• Frequent computer and keyboard use. 

• Frequent use of telephones and virtual meeting platforms. 

• Occasional standing and walking. 

• Occasional reaching, bending, or carrying office materials. 

• Ability to lift, carry, push, or pull up to 15 pounds with or without reasonable accommodation. 

Work Environment:

Cardea Health program locations operate within supportive housing, interim housing, medical respite, and community-based environments serving individuals experiencing homelessness and other vulnerable populations. 

Employees may interact with individuals experiencing: 

Cardea Health is committed to trauma-informed, person-centered, and harm-reduction-oriented service delivery. Employees are expected to interact with residents, visitors, community partners, and colleagues in a professional, respectful, and compassionate manner. Given the population we serve, employees may interact with or provide services to individuals who may have co-occurring medical, behavioral health or substance use conditions. 

Benefits:

We offer access to competitive and comprehensive healthcare benefits such as: Medical, dental, vision, EAP, life insurance, long-term disability, HSA or FSA, Dependent Care FSA, voluntary benefits, paid sick leave, paid vacation time, birthday time off, and 401(k) with up to 3.5% employer match.  

Benefit eligibility varies based on employment status, scheduled hours, and plan requirements. Full-time employees are generally eligible for employer-sponsored benefit contributions. Eligible part-time employees may participate in available benefit programs subject to plan terms. Per diem employees are generally not eligible for employer-sponsored benefits except as required by applicable federal, state, or local law or as otherwise provided under applicable benefit plans. 

Screening Requirements:

Criminal background screening, national criminal records search, healthcare sanctions screening, employment verification, education verification, license verification, MVR (where applicable), and reference checks may be required as part to the screening process. 

Fair Chance Hiring Statement:

Qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records will be considered for employment in accordance with applicable federal, state, and local laws. A background check may be required following a conditional offer of employment. Please do not let this requirement discourage you from applying. We encourage candidates from all backgrounds and experiences to apply and will evaluate applicants fairly and individually. 

Encouragement to Apply: 

We recognize that no candidate meets every qualification. If you are excited about this role, we encourage you to apply even if your experience does not perfectly match every requirement. 

Cardea Health is an Equal Opportunity Employer:

Cardea Health is committed to diversity in the workplace. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, age, gender identity or gender expression, genetic information, marital status, national origin, disability, citizenship or veteran status. We will consider qualified candidates with criminal histories in a manner consistent with the requirements of the state of California and San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance. 

This job description is not designed to contain a comprehensive list of activities, duties, or responsibilities for this role. Activities, duties, or responsibilities may change, or a new job description may be assigned at any time with or without notice.