Description

About LegalZoom

LegalZoom is on a mission to help people navigate the legal system with confidence and clarity. As a leader in online legal services for over 25 years, we combine technology, attorney-led solutions, and expertise to protect the aspirations, lives, and legacies of millions of customers. If you’re ready to contribute to a collaborative, diverse, and distributed group of creative thinkers and problem-solvers, we can’t wait to meet you.

This hybrid position will work remotely as well as onsite in our Sherman Oaks CA office.

Human-in-the-Loop

At LegalZoom, we operate with a human-in-the-loop model, where AI enhances—rather than replaces—human judgment. We believe the strongest outcomes for our customers come from thoughtfully integrating human expertise with AI capabilities to improve accuracy, safety, and decision-making.

To align with our AI-integrated operating model, our interview process will assess AI fluency, curiosity, and measurable/impactful workflow integration.

Overview

The Staff Payroll Specialist is a highly skilled individual contributor on the People & Places team. This role helps deliver accurate, timely, and compliant payroll for a complex, multi-state workforce. The specialist owns payroll work through completion, from reviewing inputs and resolving exceptions to validating results, completing reconciliations, and documenting controls. The role partners with employees, managers, Finance, Benefits, HR, Enterprise Applications, and payroll providers to resolve issues and improve payroll operations.

You Will

• Coordinate payroll activities from input review through provider processing, payroll validation, reconciliation, and close, meeting established deadlines and escalating risks promptly.
• Review payroll-impacting employee changes, time and attendance, leave activity, earnings, deductions, taxes, benefits, garnishments, and other transactions for accuracy and completeness.
• Investigate discrepancies, identify root causes, coordinate corrections with the right owners, and follow through until issues are resolved.
• Support regular and off-cycle payrolls, including retroactive and prorated pay, manual payments, bonuses, commissions, and other special payments.
• Reconcile payroll registers, payroll and tax reports, benefit deductions, general ledger outputs, and related accounts; research and resolve variances.
• Support multi-state payroll and applicable federal, state, and local requirements, including tax setup, wage and hour requirements, and final-pay requirements; partner with appropriate experts on complex interpretations.
• Maintain accurate payroll records, procedures, control checklists, audit evidence, and processing documentation.
• Support payroll audits, year-end activities, tax reconciliations, and requests for reporting or documentation.
• Respond to employee and manager payroll questions with clear, timely communication and appropriate confidentiality.
• Partner with Benefits and HR on leave-of-absence changes, benefit deductions, retirement contributions, and other payroll-related updates.
• Work with payroll providers and Enterprise Applications on system issues, integrations, file validation, testing, releases, and process changes.
• Identify practical improvements to payroll accuracy, controls, data quality, automation, and employee service.
• Share payroll knowledge and provide informal guidance to teammates and cross-functional partners on complex processes.
• Other duties as assigned.
• Occasional travel may be required as needed.

You Have

• 10+ years of progressive payroll, payroll accounting, or related HR operations experience, including experience supporting multi-state or otherwise complex payroll.
• A strong payroll background and demonstrated ability to manage detailed, deadline-driven work independently from intake through completion.
• Sound knowledge of payroll calculations, reconciliations, taxes, deductions, garnishments, benefits, and applicable wage and hour practices.
• Experience with an enterprise payroll system such as ADP Workforce Now, and familiarity with time and attendance systems.
• Strong attention to detail and the judgment to spot inconsistencies, verify information, and protect confidential employee data.
• Experience in an environment with Sarbanes-Oxley (SOX) compliance.
• A sense of urgency during payroll processing, with the ability to prioritize time-sensitive work, communicate risks early, and meet cutoffs in a fast-paced environment.
• A self-directed, collaborative, and team-oriented working style, including reliable follow-through and a willingness to help teammates.
• Strong analytical, problem-solving skills and interpersonal skills, and the ability to explain payroll issues clearly and professionally to employees, managers, and partners.
• Proficiency with Excel (intermediate) or Google Sheets for reviewing data, reconciling results, and researching variances.
• A bachelor’s degree in accounting, finance, human resources, business, or a related field; equivalent experience may be considered.
• Leave-of-absence payroll experience is preferred.
• Experience supporting payroll controls, audits, system testing, process improvement, or payroll vendor transitions is a plus.
• Mergers and acquisitions payroll or integration experience is a plus.
• Payroll certification, such as FPC or CPP, is a plus.
• Remote employees should confirm that their internet service has adequate bandwidth to support all work processes.

The salary range for this role is ($114,200-182,800). Actual compensation offered will depend on several factors including but not limited to: geographic location, work experience, education, skill level, and/or other business and organizational needs. In addition, an annual bonus, incentive bonus and/or restricted stock units may be provided as part of the compensation package. You will also receive a full range of medical, financial, and other benefits as seen below.

●  Medical, Dental, Vision Insurance

●  401k, With Matching Contributions

●  Paid Time Off

●  Health Savings Account (HSA)

●  Flexible Spending Account (FSA)

●  Short-Term/Long-Term Disability Insurance

●  Plus other wellness benefits to include:

○  Fertility

○  Mental Health

○  One Medical

Join us in making a difference as we build our future and help ensure access to professional legal advice to all! LegalZoom is an equal opportunity employer, dedicated to diversity, equality, and inclusion, and provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment.  LegalZoom prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws. Additionally, LegalZoom is enrolled in the E-Verify program. For additional information on E-Verify, please visit Participation and Right to Work pages.