Celebrating National Payroll Week: Clerk’s Payroll Department Spotlight

The week of September 2 was National Payroll Week. This week honors the dedicated payroll professionals who ensure timely and accurate payments each payday.

We hope you enjoy this Department Spotlight as part of the celebration.

Clerk’s Payroll would also like to thank their other payroll colleagues from Forward Pinellas, the Property Appraiser’s Office, the Supervisor of Elections, and the Tax Collector’s Office.

What services are offered by the department?

Every two weeks, we love paying our employees for their dedication and hard work. We don’t stop there. We:

• Ensure that every penny deducted from an employee’s pay is properly reconciled and disbursed to various vendors, from taxes (IRS) to deferred compensation (4 different vendors), as well as benefits deductions, and voluntary and involuntary deductions.
• Produce annual wage and tax statements.
• File the monthly pension reports with the Florida Retirement System (FRS).

What projects is the department currently working on?

• Splash BI reporting.
• Software vetting for future enhancements to the HR/Payroll functions.
• Internal and external training.

What are some achievements of the department within the last year?

• Produced annual W-2 statements in record time.
• Timely and accurate filing of monthly FRS reports, and the quarterly tax reports.
• Pre-audit and processing of personnel and benefits costs of over $260 million.  

What do you enjoy about working in the department?

• Arlinda Imeri, Finance Operations Specialist: The best part of my job is the opportunity to constantly learn and grow. I’m exposed to new challenges regularly, which helps me develop both professionally and personally. I also enjoy the collaborative environment. Working with a talented and supportive team not only boosts my productivity but also makes each day enjoyable.
• Hannah Stewart, Finance Operations Technician: I enjoy working with a supportive team that offers a wide range of knowledge and experience.
• Eva Wigal, Finance & Accounting Analyst 1: Payroll is one of the most important parts of an organization’s operations. Working in Payroll allows me to collaborate and work closely with other departments throughout Pinellas County. I love working with people. I enjoy the dynamics of being a Payroll employee and the challenges and responsibilities that come with my position. There is never a dull moment in Payroll, and we stay consistently busy, always learning new things and resolving new obstacles that come with payroll processing.

What do you want people to know about the department that most people don’t know?

• We are a team of 8 that work for the Clerk, Ken Burke, under the Finance Division. We strive to be a reflection of the Clerk’s mission which is to serve with integrity, transparency, and compassion.
• We are responsible for payroll services for close to 3,000 employees.
• We adhere to compliance mandates from the IRS, Fair Labor Standards Act, Unified Personnel System, External Auditors, Florida League of Cities, Bureau of Labor Statistics and other federal, state and local rules and regulations.
• We not only pay our great employees, but we are also responsible for benefits and deduction payments and reporting.
• The entire payroll process can be delayed by a single timecard; don’t be that person!

How can employees reach out to the department?

Email payroll@mypinellasclerk.gov or call (727) 464-8392.