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Payroll and benefits coordinator skills for your resume and career

Updated January 8, 2025

4 min read

Quoted experts

Dr. Vickie Hall,

J. Adam Shoemaker Ph.D.

Payroll and benefits coordinator example skills

Below we've compiled a list of the most critical payroll and benefits coordinator skills. We ranked the top skills for payroll and benefits coordinators based on the percentage of resumes they appeared on. For example, 9.2% of payroll and benefits coordinator resumes contained hris as a skill. Continue reading to find out what skills a payroll and benefits coordinator needs to be successful in the workplace.

15 payroll and benefits coordinator skills for your resume and career

1. HRIS

Here's how payroll and benefits coordinators use hris:

Work with the Human Resources Information System (HRIS) to coordinate employee payroll and position data.
Processed weekly payroll for 300+ employees in two states using ADP Pay Expert & HRIS modules.

2. Human Resources

Human resources is a set of people in a business or a corporation that are designated to locate, interview, and recruit new employees into the company. They are also responsible to maintain the integrity of the employees and help them sort their problems out. They try to introduce and manage employee-benefit programs.

Here's how payroll and benefits coordinators use human resources:

Work with Regional Human Resources Manager and Facility Administrator in establishing a positive work environment.
Worked in partnership with Human Resources to monitor insurance enrollments and terminations of coverage.

3. Open Enrollment

Open enrollment means a duration that comes every year that a person can sign up for health insurance or change the plan that a person has, for instance, if a person needs to deregister. The activity always features in a few weeks or months within a year. It allows workers to alter their benefit plans, including vision, dental, health insurance, life insurance, and disability.

Here's how payroll and benefits coordinators use open enrollment:

Developed, communicated, and maintained employee enrollment in various pretax benefits through new-hire orientation and open enrollment benefit meetings.
Reconciled benefit invoices with employee deductions and entered into accounting system.o Assisted with Open Enrollment.

4. Payroll Processing

Here's how payroll and benefits coordinators use payroll processing:

Created payroll and benefits manual to provide step-by-step instructions for payroll processing and benefit administration.
Created Payroll Processing/Benefits Procedures Manual.

5. Data Entry

Data entry means entering data into a company's system with the help of a keyboard. A person responsible for entering data may also be asked to verify the authenticity of the data being entered. A person doing data entry must pay great attention to tiny details.

Here's how payroll and benefits coordinators use data entry:

Managed data entry for time-keeping system.
Complete all payrolls and data entry; perform unemployment and workers compensation services, and other administrative tasks requested by manager.

6. Cobra

COBRA (Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1985) is a federal law that allows employers of 20 or more employees who provide health care benefits to offer the option of continuing this coverage to individuals who would otherwise lose their benefits due to termination of employment, reduction in hours or certain other events. It is a temporary coverage that provides cash for medical expenses up to 18 months. The policy is helpful for retirees, former employees, former spouses, dependent children and spouses, workers laid off, on strike, fired for work, etc.

Here's how payroll and benefits coordinators use cobra:

Ensured compliance with COBRA requirements including notifications upon hire and termination.
Monitored and entered employee insurance eligibility and processed COBRA notifications.

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7. Payroll System

Here's how payroll and benefits coordinators use payroll system:

Administered all benefit plans and processed weekly payroll using integrated Personnel/Payroll system for approximately 3000 associates nationwide.
Spearheaded new payroll system implementation resulting in corporate recognition and future corporate systems testing assignments.

8. FMLA

Here's how payroll and benefits coordinators use fmla:

Facilitated FMLA, as well as, other leaves as applicable to company policy and relevant laws.
Manage FMLA leave to include preliminary designation, approval/denial of leave request, and maintenance of database.

9. Payroll Data

Here's how payroll and benefits coordinators use payroll data:

Processed a biweekly payroll and compiled payroll data to maintain accurate payroll records for the Institute and the Dialysis Divisions.
Prepare and submit W2Cs as appropriate as well as prepare and submit any payroll data required for tax reporting purposes.

10. Kronos

Kronos is an employee time tracking software popular in the US.

Here's how payroll and benefits coordinators use kronos:

Received special recognition for being part of the start-up team in 1996 and selected to train supervisors on new KRONOS software.
Implemented and tested the upgrade of the KRONOS Attendance Tracker system to the web-based NexTrak system.

11. Benefits Administration

Here's how payroll and benefits coordinators use benefits administration:

Processed benefits administration forms, ensured proper deductions.
Assist the Employee Benefits Manager in benefits administration, including new hire enrollment and the entire annual enrollment process.

12. Accruals

Here's how payroll and benefits coordinators use accruals:

Prepared month-end payroll accruals and benefit reconciliations, including 401K contribution reporting.
Audited, corrected and recorded all attendance records, vacation records, vacation carryover and vacation/sick accruals.

13. Workers Compensation

Here's how payroll and benefits coordinators use workers compensation:

Administered workers compensation and facilitate claims closure.
Responded to unemployment and workers compensation claims.

14. Benefit Enrollments

Here's how payroll and benefits coordinators use benefit enrollments:

Processed all benefit enrollment information and developed monthly headcount reporting for upper management.
Managed benefit enrollments and provided timely information to new hires.

15. Background Checks

Here's how payroll and benefits coordinators use background checks:

Assisted Recruiters with all new hire orientation paperwork, drug tests, background checks and reference checks.
Present job offers to new employees, background checks, verification of licensing, and job references.

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What skills help Payroll And Benefits Coordinators find jobs?

Tell us what job you are looking for, we’ll show you what skills employers want.

What skills stand out on payroll and benefits coordinator resumes?

Dr. Vickie Hall

Director Human Resources Operations, Wayne State University

Those skills that are technical (technology) in nature; customer service skills and facilitation skills abilities

What soft skills should all payroll and benefits coordinators possess?

J. Adam Shoemaker Ph.D.

Associate Professor of Management & Human Resources, Saint Leo University

FYI, soft skills are a lot more difficult to train than hard skills. This is part of the reason that there is so much demand for soft skills - for the most part, they need to be innate to the candidate.
Here again, communication comes up - and here, it is important to recognize that communication is much more than just telling people. A good communicator is a great listener. He knows when to speak his mind and when to wait and see what happens. She knows how to collaborate effectively with people and how to take action when needed.

What hard/technical skills are most important for payroll and benefits coordinators?

J. Adam Shoemaker Ph.D.

Associate Professor of Management & Human Resources, Saint Leo University

Even though these skills are much more trainable, it helps if HR professionals are familiar with HR information systems.
There are too many to name them all here (sorry, no free advertising)! It would be difficult for a candidate to be familiar with every platform a company might use for their HRIS, but it is good to know that they generally work in the same ways.
If the company asks if you have experience with a particular platform that you have never heard of, always be truthful but still be ready to ask intelligent questions about it: "I'm not too familiar with that platform, but I'd be curious to know about your employees' experiences with it. How long have you been using it, and how robust is the self-service interface?"

What payroll and benefits coordinator skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?

Dr. Michael Pasquale Ph.D.

Professor of Linguistics, Humanities Division Chair, Cornerstone University

Graduates should continue to develop expertise and fluency in their language learning and development. They should focus on developing language fluency in the career areas they are pursuing. For example, they should read extensively and listen to podcasts in their target language to understand the field and how to use the language fluently and effectively in those contexts.

What type of skills will young payroll and benefits coordinators need?

Paul Johnson Ph.D.

Associate Professor, Bowling Green State University

Educational leaders will need to be adept at leading staff to address the needs of the whole child; the academic, the social, and the emotional, with a special focus on the academic. To accomplish this, leaders must be excellent communicators and group facilitators who "listen before they lead" staff toward the district's vision and mission.

What technical skills for a payroll and benefits coordinator stand out to employers?

Adam Smith Ph.D.

Bicentennial Professor, Associate Professor of Management, Enactus Sam Walton Fellow, Indiana University Kokomo

That varies by industry, employer, level, and position. Also, it depends on their approach to hiring and training. It is important that students research employers and industries that interest them. But overall, it may be skills such as decision-making, problem-solving, critical thinking, time management, and collaboration that remain vital. Going forward, effective communication, tech savviness, a positive view of change (as opportunity), and an openness to continuous learning may set people apart in organizations.

Do you want to know more?

List of payroll and benefits coordinator skills to add to your resume

The most important skills for a payroll and benefits coordinator resume and required skills for a payroll and benefits coordinator to have include:

HRIS
Human Resources
Open Enrollment
Payroll Processing
Data Entry
Cobra
Payroll System
FMLA
Payroll Data
Kronos
Benefits Administration
Accruals
Workers Compensation
Benefit Enrollments
Background Checks
FSA
Life Insurance

HSA
General Ledger
ADP Workforce
Unemployment Claims
Payroll Deductions
Payroll Issues
Insurance Benefits
I-9
Payroll Functions
PTO
Health Insurance
Child Support Orders
Benefit Invoices
Status Changes
Manual Checks
Journal Entries
Wage Garnishments

W-2
Payroll Changes
Employment Verifications
Direct Deposits
Hr Administration
EEO
Compensation Claims
Benefit Changes
STD
Payroll Checks
Benefit Programs
Insurance Carriers
Multi-State Payroll
W2
IRS
Reference Checks

Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

Updated January 8, 2025

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