Karen M. Perez
Westland,MI
Summary
Professional Experience and Accomplishments Seasoned Payroll Manager with background in overseeing payroll operations for businesses of various sizes. Possess comprehensive knowledge of payroll processing, tax procedures, and regulatory compliance. Skillset includes effective management and development of payroll teams, implementation of process improvements, and accurate reporting. Have consistently ensured timely and accurate salary disbursements while enhancing efficiency in previous roles.
Overview
17
17
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification
Work History
Payroll Manager
Comprehensive Care Services, Inc.
Plymouth, MI
09.2022 - Current
- Develop and enforce payroll policies and procedures to ensure consistent and accurate employee compensation.
- Hire, train and develop the Payroll Specialist to perform the payroll processing functions with the highest level of accuracy and efficiencies,
- Subject matter expert on payroll statistics and provide information to the Executive Leadership team, Accounting/Finance and the Vice President of HR
- Ensure compliance with all applicable laws, regulations and policies across the organization. Including sick leave, workers compensation, etc.
- Reconciliation of all elements of payroll on a monthly basis.
- Analyze the payroll processing software and implement enhancements, upgrades and programming to continue to improve functionality for all relevant departments.
- Support the Payroll Specialist and backing up the payroll process when needed.
- Perform a multitude of audits to ensure the accuracy of the payroll as a result of the exceptions that are required from time-to-time.
- Responsible for all external and internal audits.
- Responsible for all tax registrations, notices, tax rate management, and any related issue for ~ 30 states.
- Communicate with ~ 900 employees on changes that may affect them.
- The go to person for any system issues ranging from Mobile access to questions regarding reporting capability for all employees including the Executive team.
Payroll Manager
BELFOR Restoration
Birmingham, MI
02.2018 - 09.2022
- Manage, mentor, and train an eight-person team to accurately process the payments for 48 states, approximately 3,000 hourly and salary employees, on a bi-weekly and weekly frequency (in some cases, payments on demand).
- Weekly and month-end posting process to ensure accurate financials.
- Partner with HR/Benefits, HRIS, Accounts Payable, and the GL team to ensure all systems are in sync and in compliance, as well as to identify system issues.
- Manage the escheatment process to ensure zero reported annual escheatment.
- Responsible for the 401(k) management, including funding, processing of election changes, and loan management.
- Partner with the Payroll Director to continuously look for ways to improve processes and to ensure compliance.
- Responsible for payroll tax registration and setup for all tax jurisdictions (currently 48 locations).
- Fully responsible for all system setups (including, but not limited to creating payroll schedules, setting cycles, etc.).
- Responsible for setting up workers' comp and ensuring the proper application.
- Go to person for all audits, GL questions, monthly reports, etc
- Consistently looking for ways to team-build and increase communication, not only with the internal departments but also across the company.
- Pay Card Management (all functions, i.e
- Funding, bulk load, distribution)
- Closely partner with the executive team for all compensation management, payment of supplemental pay, approval, and final payment
- Manage various union dues, and am the liaison between the offices, my team, and the union
- Part of the Prevailing Wage (Davis Bacon Act) team
- Monitor the Certified Reporting relating to Davis Bacon to ensure timely reporting
Payroll Director
Home Point Financial
11.2017 - 03.2018
- Direct and partner with a Two Person Team to Accurately Process the Payments for ~ 1,500 Hourly and Salary Employees - Semi-Monthly Frequency for Regular Pay and Supplemental Payments (Commissions/Bonuses)
- Responsible for all levy, garnishments, and child supports including WRIT, Interrogatory Management and Disbursement Management
- Continually Seek Ways to Improve or Create Processes to Guarantee an Accurate Payroll as well as to Ensure Compliance
- Mentor/Supervise/Train Two Payroll Specialists
- Maintain Daily Meetings to talk through any open items, issues, areas of improvements or upcoming events
- Collaborate with the Executive team (CFO, CEO, VP of HR) to Identify inefficiencies and Cost Cutting Savings within the Payroll Department and Benefits
- Responsible for the auditing of payroll taxes, and the setup of new localities to ensure compliance of all payroll taxes (Federal, State, FUTA, SUTA, etc.)
- Semi-Monthly GL reconciliation and the go to person for questions relating to monthly accruals
- Ensure all Activities are Conducted consistently with the highest legal/ ethical standards as well as compliant with all applicable government and corporate laws and regulations
- Perform Data Analysis (overtime, labor management, timesheet punches, etc.)
- Coordinate with Director of Benefits on all benefit accounts to ensure accurate calculations as well as on time withholding payments
- In addition to partnering on an annual basis to ensure a smooth annual open enrollment
- Key player in the negotiation and planning of a new HRIS system ) currently working with three (3) vendors
Assistant Vice President, Payroll Leader
United Shore Financial Services, LLC
02.2016 - 11.2017
- Managed a Two Person Team to Accurately Process the Payments for ~ 2,200 Hourly and Salary Employees -- Bi-Weekly Frequency for Regular Pay and Monthly Frequency for Commission/Bonus Payments
- Responsible for all levy, garnishments, and child supports including WRIT, Interrogatory Management and Disbursement Management
- Continually Sought Ways to Improve or Create Processes to Guarantee an Accurate Payroll as well as to Ensure Compliance
- Mentored/Supervised/Trained Two Payroll Specialists one Team Member Relation Specialist and Two Interns to Build Individual and Professional Growth
- Maintained Daily Meetings to talk through any open items, issues, areas of improvements or upcoming events
- Instrumental in the implementation of an automatic work-flow process (from a manually labor intensive process) - Reduce processing time from 24 hours to 4 hours
- Collaborated with the Executive team (CFO, CEO, VP of HR) to Identify inefficiencies and Cost Cutting Savings within the Payroll Department and Benefits
- Responsible for the auditing of payroll taxes, and the setup of new localities to ensure compliance of all payroll taxes (Federal, State, FUTA, SUTA, etc.)
- Bi-weekly GL reconciliation of the GL and provide monthly accruals
- Managed uncashed check process to ensure there are no items to escheat annually
- Responsible for the Management of Unemployment Claims
- Ensured all Activities are Conducted consistently with the highest legal/ ethical standards as well as compliant with all applicable government and corporate laws and regulations
- Performed Data Analysis (overtime, labor management, timesheet punches, etc.)
- Coordinated with VP of Benefits on all benefit accounts to ensure accurate calculations as well as on time withholding payments
- In addition to partnering on an annual basis to ensure a smooth annual open enrollment
Payroll/Benefits Manager
Belle Tire Distributors, Inc.
01.2014 - 12.2015
- Supported a Three Person Team to Accurately Process the Payments for ~ 2,200 Hourly and Salary Employees
- Continually Sought Ways to Improve or Create Processes to Guarantee an Accurate Payroll as well as to Ensure Compliance
- Tracked Errors/Rework Areas to Identify Inefficiencies and Coordinate with Different Departments to Continue to Improve the Processes
- Mentored/Supervised/Train a Two Payroll Analysts and a HR Administrator to Build Personal and Professional Growth
- Partnered with the Executive team (CFO, CEO, VP of HR) to Identify inefficiencies and Cost Cutting Savings within the Payroll Department and Benefits
- Created/Monitored and audit interfaces (401k, benefits, etc.) between payroll system and third party vendors to ensure that they were working correctly
- Ensured Proper Controls were in Place to Comply with Audit Requirements and Continually Monitor Effectiveness of
- Assisted the Accounting Team with Reconciling Out-Of-Balance Issues
- Monitored and resolved Time Management Issues (i.e
- Pay Rules, Manager Sign Offs etc.)
- Maintained Bi-Weekly Meetings with my team to talk through any open items, issues, areas of improvements or upcoming events
- Ensured all Activities were Conducted consistently with the highest legal/ ethical standards as well as compliant with all applicable government and corporate laws and regulations
- Daily communications with the stores (i.e
- Provide feedback relating to areas of improvement, benefit related items, advisement of missed punch, security breach (Anthem), etc.)
- Part of the decision making team for all contract renewals (medical, payroll/HRIS vendors, etc.)
- Data Analysis
- Responsible for all facets of worker's compensation, OSHA reporting, billing, claims, drug screening etc
- Management of 401 (k) plan, including fiduciary responsibilities, communications to employees, Form 5500, 401(k) match calculation, Non-Discrimination testing, etc
- Go to person for all third party vendors (DM - 3rd party payroll processor, Benetrac, Paychex, etc.)
- Responsible for the gathering, auditing and processing of all bonuses (monthly, annually, etc.)
Payroll Manager
TriMas Corporation
06.2013 - 01.2014
- Managed a Four Person Team to Accurately Process the Payments for 2,000 Hourly and Salary Employees (Domestic and International) - (Union and Non-Union) (23 US, One Canadian and One Netherland)
- Continually Sought Ways to Improve or Create Processes to Guarantee an Accurate Payroll as well as to Ensure Compliance
- Tracked Errors/Rework Areas to Identify Inefficiencies and Coordinate with Different Departments to Continue to Improve the Processes
- Mentored and Supervised Four Payroll Analysts to Build Personal and Professional Growth
- Solely responsible for the Acquisition of a new company payroll setup starting with building the demographic detail to the training end users of the HRIS system (ADP - EV5)
- Project included coordinating with the HWSE team to ensure proper setups to allow new employees successful enrollment of benefits (401k and health) upon the first day of employment
- Partnered with the Benefits Team and the CFO to Identify inefficiencies and Cost Cutting Savings within the Central Payroll Department and Benefits
- Monitored and audited interfaces (401k, benefits, etc.) between payroll system and third party vendors to ensure that they were working correctly
- Ensured Proper Controls were in Place to Comply with Audit Requirements and Continually Monitor Effectiveness of Controls
- Go to Person for all Audits (Internal and External)
- Assisted the Accounting Team with Reconciling Out-Of-Balance Issues
- Monitored and resolved eTIME Issues (i.e
- Pay Rules, Manager Sign Offs etc.)
- Maintained Bi-Weekly Meetings with the SBUs (Strategic Business Units) to talk through any open items, issues, areas of improvements or upcoming events
- Partnered with Regional Shared Services Operations Managers, senior management and other personnel to identify, plan for, and develop strategies, services and activities to support current and future customer needs
- Utilized Six Sigma methodologies to define, measure, analyze and implement improved payroll processes
- Worked with the SBUs to make sure payroll processes are consistent globally
- The goal was to establish efficient, improved, standard, consistent and low cost processes to deliver financial transaction processing and management information
- Identified gaps in existing policies and procedures and implemented improvements within the different payroll processes at the Shared Service Centers
- Implemented global best payroll practices in Shared Services
- Assisted with the development and implementation of a robust, global SOX and audit environment for the Shared Services Organization
- This includes implementing any necessary monitoring processes to ensure compliance with Sarbanes Oxley and Accounting Standards
- Monitored controls, policies, and activities to ensure that they were consistent with its mission
- Ensured all activities were conducted consistently with the highest legal/ ethical standards as well as compliant with all applicable government and corporate laws and regulations
Payroll Supervisor
Faurecia
02.2012 - 06.2013
- Managed a Six Person Team to Ensure the Timely Payments to 10,000 Hourly and Salary Employees - 32 Union and Non-Union Sites (30 US, and 2 Canadian)
- Mentored and Supervised Six Processors to Ensure Personal and Professional Growth
- Key Player in the Successful Launch of a Billion Dollar Acquisition including the implementations of ADP Globalview/HRIS Systems, and Onboarding of 2,000 New Employees
- Assisted Project Manager in the Successful Implementation of a New Payroll System (pay@work/people@work to Globalview) for Two Canadian Locations in Six Months
- Responsible for the Completion of the 2011 Annual WSIB Reconciliation, which was given to me with a past due status of ten months, and was able to obtain a refund of penalties in the amount of 10,000
- Identified incorrect wage detail provided by the Benefits Department and partnered with JAT to quickly turn around and validate 300 W2cs
- Partnered with the HRIS and Payroll Director, Benefits Manager and HRIS Supervisor to Identify inefficiencies and Cost Cutting Savings within the Central Payroll Department
- Ensured interfaces between payroll system and third party vendors were working correctly and drove efforts to make corrections and improvements when necessary
- Ensured Proper Controls were in Place to Comply with Audit Requirements and Continually Monitor Effectiveness of Controls
- Go to Person for all Audits (Internal and External)
- Assisted the Accounting Team with Reconciling Out-Of-Balance Issues
Accounts Payable Supervisor
International Automotive Components (IAC)
01.2010 - 01.2012
- Successful in Spearheading the Consolidation of Accounts Payable for 26 Plants
- Managed a 16 Person Team to Guarantee the Timely Processing of Payments for 2,000 Vendors
- Responsible for all SOX Audits
- Created Procedures and Processes for All Programs (SAP, QAD, BPCS, etc.)
- Responsible for the Managing and Processing Unidentified Credits from Third Party Vendor
- Instrumental in the Conversion from BPCS to QAD for Seven Plants
- Go to Person for all Issues and Shipment Holds
- Partnered with the Director to Identify Efficiencies and Cost Cutting Savings
Payroll Supervisor
International Automotive Components (IAC)
09.2007 - 01.2010
- Successful in Spearheading the Consolidation of Payroll for 26 Plants
- Managed a Seven Person Team to Ensure the Timely Processing of Weekly Payrolls
- A key Player in the Successful Implantation from PeopleSoft to ADP
- Processed Salary Payrolls for Nine Facilities
- Responsible for the Timely Filing of all Payroll Taxes (Federal, State, Unemployment, etc.)
Education
University of Phoenix
Livonia, Michigan01.2012
Schoolcraft College
Livonia, Michigan11.2010
Graduated -
Wayne Memorial High School
Wayne, Michigan01.1982
Skills
- UKG Dimensions
- ADP Enterprise (EV5)
- ADP Workforce Now
- ADP Globalview
- ADP people@work
- ADP pay@work
- SAP
- Paylocity
- DM Payroll Services
- UltiPro
- JDE
- ETIME
Affiliations
- APA (American Payroll Association)
- SHRM (Society for Human Resource Management)
System Experience
- ADP Enterprise (EV5) and Workforce Now
- ADP Globalview
- ADP Workforce Now
- ADP people@work
- ADP pay@work
- SAP
- Paylocity
- DM Payroll Services
- UltiPro
- JDE
- ETIME
Certification
- CPP Certification
- Working on SHRM Certification
Timeline
Payroll Manager
Comprehensive Care Services, Inc.
09.2022 - Current
Payroll Manager
BELFOR Restoration
02.2018 - 09.2022
Payroll Director
Home Point Financial
11.2017 - 03.2018
Assistant Vice President, Payroll Leader
United Shore Financial Services, LLC
02.2016 - 11.2017
Payroll/Benefits Manager
Belle Tire Distributors, Inc.
01.2014 - 12.2015
Payroll Manager
TriMas Corporation
06.2013 - 01.2014
Payroll Supervisor
Faurecia
02.2012 - 06.2013
Accounts Payable Supervisor
International Automotive Components (IAC)
01.2010 - 01.2012
Payroll Supervisor
International Automotive Components (IAC)
09.2007 - 01.2010
University of Phoenix
Schoolcraft College
Graduated -
Wayne Memorial High School
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