WorkDay
AMANDA FOWLER C.P.P
Assistant Director Payroll And Benefits Compliance
Balmore,MD
Summary
Dedicated to keeping payroll operations compliant with regulations. Knowledge in Multistate and complicated payroll tax items. Proficient in setting up tax codes and reviewing compliance or earning and deductions, processing garnishments, calculating leave and applying deductions. Excellent problem-solving, report writing and recordkeeping abilities.
Overview
10
10
years of professional experience
6
6
years of post-secondary education
1
1
Certification
Work History
Asst Director of Payroll and Benefits Compliance
Howard Univeristy
05.2023 - Current
- Created and updated physical records and digital files to maintain current, accurate, and compliant documentation.
- Created and updated records and files to maintain document compliance.
- Tracked key business metrics and made recommendations for proactive adjustments to policies and procedures.
- Launched quality assurance practices for each phase of development
- Streamlined and monitored quality programs to alleviate overdue compliance activities.
- Worked closely with management to provide effective assistance for specific aspects of business operations.
- Research payroll trends and insights to develop a point of view on the capabilities for supporting the efficiency and effectiveness of payroll programs
- Develops audits to reduce risk from non-compliance of compensation policies and DOL practices.
- Pull Financial Data for Tax Fillings such as F990 and 1042
- Advise Set up for remote workers, international staff, and student employee.
- Act as a liaison between HR, Payroll, Accounting, and Legal
Payroll Manager
The Howard University
07.2022 - 05.2023
- Lead a team of 7 during full cycle payroll processing using WorkDay
- Ensures proper payment of wages and salaries by supervising the preparation of payroll, assuring that the in-house payroll system is correctly processing salaries and reported hours worked
- Assures that the in-house payroll system WorkDay is working as expected and in compliance with federal and state laws, rules, and regulations by establishing controls, monitoring results
- Monitors control procedures related to the preparation and disbursement of payroll
- Maintains payroll guidelines by writing and updating policies and procedures
- Responsible for the reconciliation of general ledger related payroll accounts
- Partners with Human Resources and benefits in aligning and implementing a more sophisticated payroll and benefit system
- Performs analytics and metrics reporting to Accounting/Finance and other internal customers
- Ensures systems are set-up and updated to reflect our current employee base, including wages, benefits, sick and vacation time in line with contracts (union and non-union)
- Critically review and analyze current payroll, benefits and tax procedures to recommend and implement changes leading to best-practice operations
- Assist in managing regular preparation of relevant management reports, including weekly, monthly, quarterly, and year-end reports (gross payroll, hours worked, vacation accrual, tax deductions, benefit deductions, etc.)
- Reviews the setup and monitors the eligibility to work in the US and proper tax treatment of wages of international employees and students.
PAYROLL MANAGER
UNIVERSITY MARYLAND MEDICAL SYSTEM (Contract)
06.2022 - 07.2022
- Correct miscalculation of payroll for Q4 2021 and Q1 2022 due to Kronos outage
- Lead a team of four employees during the project
- Researched and resolved any outstanding tax issues
- Paid any outstanding wages due to underpayment during outage
- Collected and reconciled any overpayment from employee though wage deduction or non-payroll payback
- Ensured the company was compliant with updated payroll laws
- Correct Kronos timekeeping system to import time into payroll and resolved and time issues
- Answered and educated employees on any payroll/benefit questions.
STAFF PAYROLL TAX SPECIALIST ACCOUNTING
HUGHES LLC
06.2021 - 05.2022
- File and pay all withholding, unemployment, and worker comp taxes for 30+ states
- Process biweekly and special payroll using in house SAP system
- Open and close state withholding and unemployment ID numbers as needed
- Researched and resolved any outstanding tax issues
- Paid any garnishments
- Maintain employee data in the SAP system
- Ensured the company was compliant with updated payroll laws
- Used Kronos timekeeping system to import time into payroll and resolved and time issues
- Answered and educated employees on any payroll/benefit questions.
PAYROLL MANAGER
WINDOW NATION LLC
05.2020 - 04.2021
- Processed weekly and biweekly payroll along with any special pay cycles needed using Namely payroll software
- Negotiated benefits pricing for the 2021 calendar year
- Oversaw the implementation of new 401K vendor
- Answer and trained employees on any benefit and payroll questions
- Answered any unemployment claims
- Open and closed any tax ids needed
- Successfully navigated open enrollment to make a smooth transition from one benefit year to the next
- Worked with the accounting and finance team as a liaison between HR and accounting.
PAYROLL TAX ADMINISTRATOR II
KELLY PAYROLL SERVICES
06.2018 - 05.2020
- Set up, file and pay Quarterly and annual multi-state tax returns for 1800+ clients
- Reconcile and research outstanding tax issues with multiple state agencies and successfully get penalty and interest abated when possible
- Submit bank files and research tax issues
- Completed all amended returns due to adjustment payrolls
- Successfully decreased amended return turnaround time from 3+ months to 2-3 weeks
- Helped both payroll processor and clients with understanding tax and compliance issues
- Resolved any outstanding tax checks to reconcile with the accounting department
- Reduced missing IDs from over 400 to under 100 by working with our clients and various agencies
- Completed any manual GLs needed
- Would work with clients to close out unused tax accounts to reduce the number of zeros filed each month.
PAYROLL IMPLEMENTATION COORDINATOR II
KELLY PAYROLL SERVICES
03.2016 - 06.2018
- Implemented over 250+ clients ranging from 1-7000 employees
- Onboard clients from various in house and payroll vendors to the KELLY payroll System
- Enter and reconcile clients pay history to ensure what is in our system matches previous providers payroll reports, and helps client resolve and outstanding tax issues with the prior provider
- Understand and evaluate reports from third party or in house payroll providers that include but are not limited to: ADP, PAYCHEX, Millennium, Paylocity, Paycom, QuickBooks, SAP, Namely UltiPro, UKG Ect
- Identify and correct issues with incoming payroll
- Load and audit employee information, additional earnings, deductions, and garnishments
- Train clients on how to process payroll on the new platform prior to transitioning them to permanent payroll processor
- Create and code GL, 401K, has and other financial reports.
SR. PAYROLL SPECIALIST
PAYCHEX
08.2014 - 03.2016
- Enter and processed payroll for 400+ clients
- Entered and updated all employee information including taxes and garnishments
- Research tax notices and garnishments with various agencies along with completing amended returns if needed
- Helped clients navigate any payroll or tax issues.
Education
INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MINOR ACCOUNTING -
UNIVERSITY OF BALTIMORE
01.2010 - 01.2012
ACCOUNTING CERTIFICATE - undefined
COMMUNITY COLLEGE OF BALTIMORE COUNTY
01.2010 - undefined
ACCOUNTING - undefined
TOWSON UNIVERSITY
01.2005 - 01.2009
Skills
Data Analysis
Websites
Affiliations
2016, American Payroll Association
Volunteer Experience
Volunteer Income Tax Associate - Would help underprivileged members of the community complete Income taxes free of charge through the VITA program.
Software
ADP
Kronos
Paychex
Millennium ( Paycom, Paylocity)
SAP
Certification
Certified Payroll Professional
Timeline
Asst Director of Payroll and Benefits Compliance
Howard Univeristy
05.2023 - Current
Certified Payroll Professional
08-2022
Payroll Manager
The Howard University
07.2022 - 05.2023
PAYROLL MANAGER
UNIVERSITY MARYLAND MEDICAL SYSTEM (Contract)
06.2022 - 07.2022
STAFF PAYROLL TAX SPECIALIST ACCOUNTING
HUGHES LLC
06.2021 - 05.2022
PAYROLL MANAGER
WINDOW NATION LLC
05.2020 - 04.2021
PAYROLL TAX ADMINISTRATOR II
KELLY PAYROLL SERVICES
06.2018 - 05.2020
PAYROLL IMPLEMENTATION COORDINATOR II
KELLY PAYROLL SERVICES
03.2016 - 06.2018
SR. PAYROLL SPECIALIST
PAYCHEX
08.2014 - 03.2016
INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MINOR ACCOUNTING -
UNIVERSITY OF BALTIMORE
01.2010 - 01.2012
ACCOUNTING CERTIFICATE - undefined
COMMUNITY COLLEGE OF BALTIMORE COUNTY
01.2010 - undefined
ACCOUNTING - undefined
TOWSON UNIVERSITY
01.2005 - 01.2009