Life As a Payroll & Timekeeping Clerk

Payroll & Timekeeping Clerk Definition Compile and record employee time and payroll data. May compute employees’ time worked, production, and commission. May compute and post wages and deductions, or prepare paychecks.

Payroll & Timekeeping Clerk Responsibilities

• Keep informed about changes in tax and deduction laws that apply to the payroll process.
• Train employees on organizations’ timekeeping systems.
• Coordinate special programs, such as United Way campaigns, that involve payroll deductions.
• Compile employee time, production, and payroll data from time sheets and other records.
• Issue and record adjustments to pay related to previous errors or retroactive increases.
• Distribute and collect timecards each pay period.

What a Payroll & Timekeeping Clerk Should Know

Payroll and Timekeeping Clerks state the following job skills are important in their day-to-day work.

Reading Comprehension: Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.

Active Listening: Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.

Speaking: Talking to others to convey information effectively.

Writing: Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.

Critical Thinking: Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.

Related Job Titles for this Occupation:

• Human Resources Representative (HR Representative)
• Payroll Manager
• Sign Out Clerk
• Payroll Processor
• Time Clerk

Is There Job Demand for Payroll and Timekeeping Clerks?

In the United States, there were 166,300 jobs for Payroll and Timekeeping Clerks in 2016.

Payroll and Timekeeping Clerk jobs are decreasing by a rate of -0.9%. This means the total job opportunities are shrinking. The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts a loss of -1,600 jobs for Payroll and Timekeeping Clerks by 2026. Due to new job openings and attrition, there will be an average of 16,100 job openings in this field each year.

The states with the most job growth for Payroll and Timekeeping Clerks are Texas, Florida, and Utah.

Watch out if you plan on working in Ohio, Pennsylvania, or Illinois. These states have the worst job growth for this type of profession.

Average Payroll & Timekeeping Clerk Salary

The salary for Payroll and Timekeeping Clerks ranges between about $29,170 and $64,420 a year. A Payroll and Timekeeping Clerk median salary is $45,050.

Below is a list of the median annual salaries for jobs of this type in different U.S. states.

Annual Mean Salary by State

State	Annual Mean Salary
District of Columbia	$62,860
Connecticut	$53,010
Alaska	$52,860
Massachusetts	$51,840
Maryland	$51,610
California	$51,520
Washington	$50,860
Minnesota	$50,570
Colorado	$49,980
Illinois	$49,000
New Hampshire	$48,590
New York	$47,960
Virginia	$47,720
New Jersey	$47,450
Hawaii	$47,010
Rhode Island	$46,710
Oregon	$46,620
Georgia	$46,250
Utah	$45,980
North Dakota	$45,190
Nevada	$45,180
Delaware	$44,940
Tennessee	$44,650
Kansas	$44,620
Wisconsin	$44,590
Iowa	$44,570
Wyoming	$44,470
Texas	$44,390
Pennsylvania	$44,160
Vermont	$44,050
Michigan	$44,030
Ohio	$43,980
Arizona	$42,570
Florida	$42,520
North Carolina	$42,510
Nebraska	$41,750
South Carolina	$41,370
Kentucky	$41,290
Indiana	$40,720
Alabama	$40,700
Oklahoma	$40,680
Maine	$40,400
Idaho	$40,010
Missouri	$39,640
Montana	$39,560
Arkansas	$39,360
Mississippi	$39,250
Louisiana	$39,250
New Mexico	$39,050
South Dakota	$37,450
West Virginia	$35,560

What Tools & Technology do Payroll and Timekeeping Clerks Use?

Although they’re not necessarily needed for all jobs, the following technologies are used by many Payroll and Timekeeping Clerks:

• IBM Notes
• NetSuite ERP
• Tax software
• Microsoft Dynamics
• Oracle PeopleSoft
• IBM Cognos Impromptu
• Oracle JD Edwards EnterpriseOne
• Microsoft Dynamics GP
• Intuit QuickBooks
• Microsoft Word

How to Become a Payroll & Timekeeping Clerk

Education needed to be a Payroll and Timekeeping Clerk:

How Long Does it Take to Become Payroll & Timekeeping Clerk?

Where Payroll and Timekeeping Clerks Work

Related Careers

Those thinking about becoming Payroll and Timekeeping Clerks might also be interested in the following careers:

• Insurance Policy Processing Clerks

Are you already one of the many Payroll and Timekeeping Clerks in the United States? If you’re thinking about changing careers, these fields are worth exploring:

• Billing, Cost, and Rate Clerks
• Bill and Account Collectors
• Court Clerks

References

Bureau of Labor Statistics

College Factual

O*NET Online

Image Credit: Via Wikimedia Commons