September 2021 Print

President's Report


Autumn 2021

 

I hope this finds everyone well on this last day of September.  I wish you all a smooth quarter-end over the next week.  Tomorrow begins a new month and the last quarter of the year.  Just in case you forgot, this means Year-End is lurking around the corner;)

Thanks to everyone who attended our September 8 virtual meeting.  We were hoping to hold the meeting in-person at Gaetano's, however as a result of not having enough attendees registered we had to move the meeting to a virtual event.  If you were unable to attend the meeting you can watch a replay by accessing the video link under our Resources page on our website. You'll see that Tina once again came through with another great learning experience, thank you. 

Thank you to Kforce's Bryant Covelli for a great presentation on screening and selecting employees and goal setting.  I learned some new information in the screening process and setting my own goals.  Have you updated your resume yet? I hope everyone walked away with some new ideas for their resume.  Even if you have no plans of leaving your current employer or looking for a new one it's a good idea to keep a your resume updated.  

Another big Thank You to our own Tina Kirsch, CPP with Schneider Downs. Tina's presentation "International Payroll Series #1" was specific to Canada and Mexico.  I do not have international payroll experience and was amazed at the length of work days, OT, minimum wage and vacation rules for these countries. If there's a country for which you'd like information or to share information, please reach out to Tina.

Our next meeting is our 3rd Annual Pittsburgh Payroll Bash on November 12.  We've decided to hold this meeting virtually and registration is open.  Please bring any questions you may have as this will be our last meeting before year-end.  Fred and Tina have put together a pretty awesome agenda for the Bash, be sure to check it out when you register.

2021 Memberships may still be renewed and plan to take advantage of our Black Friday membership renewal.  

Please let us know what you want to learn more about! (More tax credits, taxable fringe, unemployment fraud, etc.)  We have five meetings next year and are happy to schedule speakers to present the information you find important.

I wish you all a smooth quarter-end and hope to see your faces in November.  Be safe, be happy and we'll see you after Veteran's Day!


 

CHAPTER OFFICERS

Please consider joining the Board by becoming our new Education Director. This individual is responsible for procuring our speakers and upholding the core Chapter mission of supplying RCH education to our members. We have worked very hard to make this a yearly committment of 18 RCHs, this is very valuable for our members and speaks volumes to the quality of our Chapter.

Our Chapter is taking nominations for Secretary and Vice President. These individuals will learn how dedicating a little allows many to benefit.  Please consider stepping up and serving your Chapter alongside us today.  You may contact me or Fred if you may be interested in serving on our Board.

 


 

SPEAKERS NEEDED

We are accepting ideas for speakers for our 2022 meetings, please contact us with any subjects you would like us to cover or speaker suggestions.  Any payroll-related topic suggestions or a subject matter expert who is willing to present are welcome.  Please let us know if there's something you would like to learn more about and we'll do our best to make it happen.  Please contact Tina or me.

The easily accepted topics are listed on this website,  http://www.americanpayroll.org/pdfs/chapters/100poptops.pdf. Please review the list and contact me to schedule your speaking opportunity.

Our membership group should be able to supply and support a diverse group of educational opportunities for our Chapter. 

Please contact Tina Kirsch, the Chapter's Education Director, for further information.

 


 

SATELLITE BROADCASTING

We are looking to re-establish and expand this service in 2022. We are the only local payroll Chapter on the western side of the Appalachian Mountains. That means we are the only resource for over 75% of Pennsylvania and 99% of West Virginia as well as good portions of Kentucky and Virginia. Since our Chapter offers a consistent program of at least 18 RCHs annually, our Chapter is prime to expand our outreach to these underserved areas. Other locations could develop as hosts become available. This process will be managed based on a demographic area/zone to ensure our limited bandwidth and resources are managed wisely. Some desired locations include:

  • Somerset (Bedford & Somerset counties)
  • Uniontown (Fayette & Greene counties)
  • Morgantown, WV (Marion, Monogalia, Preston & Taylor counties)
  • Charleston, WV (serving a very large area)
  • Huntington, WV (serving a large area)
  • Youngstown, OH
  • Saint Clairsville, OH

 

Our goal is to create learning opportunities for more payroll professionals while making it more convenient on everyone's travel concerns. To ensure we stay compliant with any APA concerns, we will treat each satellite location just as the Pittsburgh site. Attendees would need to meet in a central location, sign in and attend the meeting, upon completion of the meeting receive their RCHs for their time and attendance. All of this at a reduced cost versus the rate at the Pittsburgh location since we will not be providing lunch at the satellite locations.

 


 

 

Back to top

Community Service

Remember our soldiers & the local food banks.

The food banks need filled EVERY week to sustain their outreach programs. Your donations helps in their efforts.

 

 

 

 

Back to top

APA Training Opportunities

SAVE THE DATES FOR 2021 EDUCATION EVENTS

The American Payroll Association & local chapters offers many wonderful opportunites to learn, grow and network.

 

Mar 10, 2021 Western PA Chapter - meeting Coraopolis, PA
May 5, 2021 Western PA Chapter - meeting Coraopolis, PA
July 9, 2021 Western PA Chapter - meeting Coraopolis, PA
Sept 8, 2021 Western PA Chapter - meeting Coraopolis, PA
Nov 12, 2021 Western PA Chapter - 3rd Annual: Pittsburgh Payroll Bash Coraopolis, PA
     
     
July 7-Sept 8 (every Wed) CPP/FPC study group TBD
     
     
TBD Payroll Issues for Multi-State Employers TBD
TBD Intermediate Payroll Concepts TBD
TBD Payroll Tax Forum TBD
TBD Strategic Leadership Certificate TBD
TBD Garnishment Forum TBD
TBD Payroll Practice Essentials TBD
TBD Global Payroll Mgmt Certification TBD
TBD Local Income Tax Compliance  TBD
TBD Preparing for Year End & 2021 TBD
TBD PA Statewide Conference Hosted by Southeastern PA Chapter
     
     
Mar 15-17, 2021 Capital Summit ONLINE only
May 18-20, 2021 APA Congress Nashville, TN
TBD Payroll Leaders Conference TBD
Oct 24-27, 2021 Educational Institutions Payroll Conference Denver, CO

 

Some national events have various locations available to attend. Please review the seminar in question on the APA website for location venues available.

Click here for more information: http://www.americanpayroll.org/course-conf/

 

 

Back to top

Classified Ads

2026-03-17:

Our staffing firm is partnering with a long‑standing construction‑industry client in the Pittsburgh area to identify an experienced Payroll Specialist for their company. The Payroll Specialist will oversee end‑to‑end payroll activities in a fast‑paced, compliance‑driven environment. The ideal candidate has prior experience working within construction payroll as well as have union experience.

Responsibilities:

  • Process weekly payroll for 100+ employees
  • Manage union payroll, including verification of union rates, fringe calculations, and related reporting requirements
  • Review and validate timesheets, job codes, labor allocations, and pay‑related changes
  • Address payroll inquiries, discrepancies, and adjustments promptly
  • Prepare and distribute required union, tax, and compliance‑related payroll reports
  • Collaborate with internal departments (HR, accounting, field supervisors) to ensure accuracy and adherence to schedules

Qualifications

  • Union payroll experience required
  • At least 3 years of experience processing payroll
  • Prior construction industry payroll background strongly preferred
  • Strong understanding of wage rates, overtime rules, fringe benefits, and collective bargaining agreements
  • Proficiency with payroll systems and Microsoft Excel
  • Excellent accuracy, organization, and problem‑solving skills
  • Ability to maintain confidentiality and handle sensitive information

 

Our staffing firm is supporting a client in need of temporary payroll coverage while a team member is out on leave. This role supports a busy payroll department and may extend depending on upcoming project needs. The Payroll Administrator will assist with weekly and biweekly payroll processing in a multi‑state environment, working closely with another payroll team member and the Payroll Manager. The role involves routine payroll tasks, timesheet review, system updates, and basic reconciliation work. This position will sit onsite at least 3 day a week in Greensburg, PA.

Responsibilities

  • Support weekly and biweekly payroll processing
  • Review timesheets and timekeeping data for accuracy
  • Assist with transferring and validating data between payroll systems
  • Help resolve payroll discrepancies and employee pay questions
  • Support basic payroll reporting and general ledger-related tasks
  • Maintain spreadsheets used for tracking payroll-related information

Requirements

  • At least 2 years of previous payroll experience required
  • Experience with timekeeping and payroll systems; Workday and/or Kronos preferred but not required
  • Comfortable working with Excel (formulas, pivot tables)
  • Strong attention to detail and ability to work with confidential information

 

Ready to make an impact where it counts most—payday? We’re partnering with a growing Pittsburgharea organization to bring on a Payroll Specialist who thrives in a fastpaced environment and enjoys solving payroll challenges. This contract role offers the chance to step into a critical function, with the potential to transition into a longterm position depending on performance and business demand. This position will offer a hybrid structure with at least 3 days a week onsite.

What You’ll Be Doing:

·         Process weekly payroll for 500+ U.S. and international employees with accuracy and efficiency

·         Maintain, review, and audit timesheets—handling lastminute updates when needed

·         Calculate and manage payroll deductions, including taxes, benefits, and voluntary contributions

·         Provide timely, professional responses to payroll questions from employees and leadership

·         Conduct recurring payroll audits to maintain data accuracy and compliance

 

What You Bring

·         3+ years of fullcycle, highvolume payroll experience (500+ employees)

·         Strong experience with UKG

·         Strong Excel skills, including formulas and formatting

·         Excellent organization skills with the ability to meet deadlines in a fastmoving environment

·         A proactive mindset, strong confidentiality, and attention to numerical detail

Jessica Robbins
Talent Specialist – OH and PA -Accounting, Finance, Human Resources, Administration and Logistics
LHH Recruitment Solutions

T +1 419 261 2468

E [email protected]

www.lhh.com

Connect with me on LinkedIn

2026-03-07:

Our staffing firm is partnering with a long‑standing construction‑industry client in the Pittsburgh area to identify an experienced Payroll Specialist for their company. The Payroll Specialist will oversee end‑to‑end payroll activities in a fast‑paced, compliance‑driven environment. The ideal candidate has prior experience working within construction payroll as well as have union experience.

Responsibilities:

  • Process weekly payroll for 100+ employees
  • Manage union payroll, including verification of union rates, fringe calculations, and related reporting requirements
  • Review and validate timesheets, job codes, labor allocations, and pay‑related changes
  • Address payroll inquiries, discrepancies, and adjustments promptly
  • Prepare and distribute required union, tax, and compliance‑related payroll reports
  • Collaborate with internal departments (HR, accounting, field supervisors) to ensure accuracy and adherence to schedules

Qualifications

  • Union payroll experience required
  • At least 3 years of experience processing payroll
  • Prior construction industry payroll background strongly preferred
  • Strong understanding of wage rates, overtime rules, fringe benefits, and collective bargaining agreements
  • Proficiency with payroll systems and Microsoft Excel
  • Excellent accuracy, organization, and problem‑solving skills
  • Ability to maintain confidentiality and handle sensitive information

 

Our staffing firm is supporting a client in need of temporary payroll coverage while a team member is out on leave. This role supports a busy payroll department and may extend depending on upcoming project needs. The Payroll Administrator will assist with weekly and biweekly payroll processing in a multi‑state environment, working closely with another payroll team member and the Payroll Manager. The role involves routine payroll tasks, timesheet review, system updates, and basic reconciliation work. This position will sit onsite at least 3 day a week in Greensburg, PA.

Responsibilities

  • Support weekly and biweekly payroll processing
  • Review timesheets and timekeeping data for accuracy
  • Assist with transferring and validating data between payroll systems
  • Help resolve payroll discrepancies and employee pay questions
  • Support basic payroll reporting and general ledger-related tasks
  • Maintain spreadsheets used for tracking payroll-related information

Requirements

  • At least 2 years of previous payroll experience required
  • Experience with timekeeping and payroll systems; Workday and/or Kronos preferred but not required
  • Comfortable working with Excel (formulas, pivot tables)
  • Strong attention to detail and ability to work with confidential information

 

Ready to make an impact where it counts most—payday? We’re partnering with a growing Pittsburgharea organization to bring on a Payroll Specialist who thrives in a fastpaced environment and enjoys solving payroll challenges. This contract role offers the chance to step into a critical function, with the potential to transition into a longterm position depending on performance and business demand. This position will offer a hybrid structure with at least 3 days a week onsite.

What You’ll Be Doing:

·         Process weekly payroll for 500+ U.S. and international employees with accuracy and efficiency

·         Maintain, review, and audit timesheets—handling lastminute updates when needed

·         Calculate and manage payroll deductions, including taxes, benefits, and voluntary contributions

·         Provide timely, professional responses to payroll questions from employees and leadership

·         Conduct recurring payroll audits to maintain data accuracy and compliance

 

What You Bring

·         3+ years of fullcycle, highvolume payroll experience (500+ employees)

·         Strong experience with UKG

·         Strong Excel skills, including formulas and formatting

·         Excellent organization skills with the ability to meet deadlines in a fastmoving environment

·         A proactive mindset, strong confidentiality, and attention to numerical detail

Jessica Robbins
Talent Specialist – OH and PA -Accounting, Finance, Human Resources, Administration and Logistics
LHH Recruitment Solutions

T +1 419 261 2468

E [email protected]

www.lhh.com

Connect with me on LinkedIn


Back to top