Remote Payroll and Benefits Specialist Jobs
Remote payroll and benefits specialist jobs are in active demand across the U.S., with remote-first companies and distributed teams hiring for payroll processing, benefits administration, and compliance work year-round. Employers hiring remotely right now include HSO, Frida, and Pinnacle Living, drawing candidates from across the technology, healthcare, and professional services sectors. Find a role that fits below and apply directly.
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See related jobsAs a Payroll and Benefits Manager you can expect to...
- Oversee accurate, compliant, and timely end-to-end payroll and variable compensation processing in BambooHR for a professional services organization with more than 400 remote employees.
- Ensure compliance with federal, state, and local payroll tax regulations across multiple jurisdictions, including executing FLSA audits and classification updates.
- Partner with Finance and HR to reconcile payroll accounts, resolve discrepancies, and prepare reports covering earnings, taxes, deductions, leave, disability, and non-taxable wages.
- Manage approved employee reimbursements, including processing payments, tracking taxable reimbursements, reconciling expense and payroll records, maintaining audit documentation, and identifying duplicate submissions, policy violations, or unusual claims.
- Respond to payroll and reimbursement inquiries, serving as a point of escalation for disputes and exceptions while providing employees with clear guidance on time and expense procedures.
- Manage day-to-day benefits administration, including enrollments, changes, terminations, carrier updates, eligibility questions, and employee inquiries for a self-funded health benefits plan.
- Serve as the operational liaison to benefits carriers and third-party administrators, resolving routine eligibility and file issues and escalating complex situations when appropriate.
- Deliver monthly new-hire benefits orientation sessions and support benefits- and payroll-related onboarding and offboarding activities.
- Prepare annual ACA reporting, coordinate required data with vendors, support ERISA, ACA, HIPAA, and COBRA compliance, and provide payroll documentation and data for the annual 401(k) audit.
- Identify and implement improvements to payroll, benefits, reimbursement, documentation, and employee support processes while contributing to additional HR projects.
You're great at...
- Managing complex payroll and benefits activities independently while balancing multiple priorities and deadlines.
- Maintaining a high level of accuracy, organization, and attention to detail across payroll, benefits, expense, and compliance records.
- Interpreting and applying federal, state, and local payroll tax and labor regulations across multiple jurisdictions.
- Collaborating cross-functionally with HR and Finance teams, as well as benefits carriers, third-party administrators, and other vendors.
- Communicating clearly and professionally with employees and external partners regarding payroll, benefits, eligibility, claims, and reimbursement matters.
- Investigating discrepancies, resolving problems, and remaining clear and calm under pressure.
- Learning new concepts, systems, and processes quickly and thoroughly.
- Working confidently and independently while knowing when to escalate complex matters.
- Supporting the company's mission and shared values through responsive, accurate, and employee-focused service.
Sound interesting? If so, you'll have...
- A bachelor's degree in Human Resources, Accounting, Business Administration, or a related field, or equivalent experience.
- At least five years of experience in payroll and benefits administration, preferably within a multi-state environment.
- Proficiency with payroll systems such as ADP or Paylocity and experience working with HRIS platforms; BambooHR experience is highly desirable.
- Demonstrated success managing payroll tax compliance and registration across multiple U.S. states.
- Experience supporting 401(k) audits and working with expense reimbursement platforms.
- A deep understanding of federal and state labor and payroll tax regulations, as well as ACA, ERISA, HIPAA, and COBRA requirements.
- Knowledge of self-funded health benefits plans and their related compliance requirements.
- Familiarity with payroll and benefits regulatory reporting and compliance.
- Experience in a professional services organization or remote workforce environment, preferred.
- A Certified Payroll Professional designation or another relevant certification, preferred; CEBS, PHR, SPHR, SHRM-CP, or SHRM-SCP certification is a plus.
The Perks
As a Payroll and Benefits Manager you can expect to...
- Oversee accurate, compliant, and timely end-to-end payroll and variable compensation processing in BambooHR for a professional services organization with more than 400 remote employees.
- Ensure compliance with federal, state, and local payroll tax regulations across multiple jurisdictions, including executing FLSA audits and classification updates.
- Partner with Finance and HR to reconcile payroll accounts, resolve discrepancies, and prepare reports covering earnings, taxes, deductions, leave, disability, and non-taxable wages.
- Manage approved employee reimbursements, including processing payments, tracking taxable reimbursements, reconciling expense and payroll records, maintaining audit documentation, and identifying duplicate submissions, policy violations, or unusual claims.
- Respond to payroll and reimbursement inquiries, serving as a point of escalation for disputes and exceptions while providing employees with clear guidance on time and expense procedures.
- Manage day-to-day benefits administration, including enrollments, changes, terminations, carrier updates, eligibility questions, and employee inquiries for a self-funded health benefits plan.
- Serve as the operational liaison to benefits carriers and third-party administrators, resolving routine eligibility and file issues and escalating complex situations when appropriate.
- Deliver monthly new-hire benefits orientation sessions and support benefits- and payroll-related onboarding and offboarding activities.
- Prepare annual ACA reporting, coordinate required data with vendors, support ERISA, ACA, HIPAA, and COBRA compliance, and provide payroll documentation and data for the annual 401(k) audit.
- Identify and implement improvements to payroll, benefits, reimbursement, documentation, and employee support processes while contributing to additional HR projects.
You're great at...
- Managing complex payroll and benefits activities independently while balancing multiple priorities and deadlines.
- Maintaining a high level of accuracy, organization, and attention to detail across payroll, benefits, expense, and compliance records.
- Interpreting and applying federal, state, and local payroll tax and labor regulations across multiple jurisdictions.
- Collaborating cross-functionally with HR and Finance teams, as well as benefits carriers, third-party administrators, and other vendors.
- Communicating clearly and professionally with employees and external partners regarding payroll, benefits, eligibility, claims, and reimbursement matters.
- Investigating discrepancies, resolving problems, and remaining clear and calm under pressure.
- Learning new concepts, systems, and processes quickly and thoroughly.
- Working confidently and independently while knowing when to escalate complex matters.
- Supporting the company's mission and shared values through responsive, accurate, and employee-focused service.
Sound interesting? If so, you'll have...
- A bachelor's degree in Human Resources, Accounting, Business Administration, or a related field, or equivalent experience.
- At least five years of experience in payroll and benefits administration, preferably within a multi-state environment.
- Proficiency with payroll systems such as ADP or Paylocity and experience working with HRIS platforms; BambooHR experience is highly desirable.
- Demonstrated success managing payroll tax compliance and registration across multiple U.S. states.
- Experience supporting 401(k) audits and working with expense reimbursement platforms.
- A deep understanding of federal and state labor and payroll tax regulations, as well as ACA, ERISA, HIPAA, and COBRA requirements.
- Knowledge of self-funded health benefits plans and their related compliance requirements.
- Familiarity with payroll and benefits regulatory reporting and compliance.
- Experience in a professional services organization or remote workforce environment, preferred.
- A Certified Payroll Professional designation or another relevant certification, preferred; CEBS, PHR, SPHR, SHRM-CP, or SHRM-SCP certification is a plus.
The Perks
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Find JobsRemote Payroll and Benefits Specialist Job Market
Who's Hiring
What Employers Look For
The qualifications that appear most often in remote payroll and benefits specialist jobs.
- 2-5 years of experience processing payroll and administering employee benefits programs
- Proficiency with payroll platforms such as ADP, Ceridian, Paycom, or UKG
- Working knowledge of FLSA, ACA, ERISA, COBRA, and FMLA compliance requirements
- Experience managing benefits enrollment, carrier relationships, and open enrollment cycles
- Associate or bachelor's degree in human resources, accounting, business, or a related field
- Certified Payroll Professional (CPP) or Professional in Human Resources (PHR) certification preferred
Tips for Your Remote Payroll and Benefits Specialist Job Search
Highlight multi-state payroll compliance experience
Remote payroll roles almost always involve employees in multiple states with different tax and labor law requirements. Call out the specific states you've processed payroll for and any multi-state withholding or benefits compliance work you've handled, so hiring managers can see you're ready to operate without local oversight.
Demonstrate async communication in your application
Remote payroll and benefits specialists resolve sensitive employee questions entirely through written channels. Use your cover letter and resume to show crisp, accurate written communication, since remote employers treat application materials as a live sample of how you'll handle payroll inquiries and benefits explanations on the job.
Apply early to remote roles that fit
Migrate Mate lists remote payroll and benefits specialist openings from across the U.S. in one place, so you can find roles that match your platform experience and apply directly without sorting through location-specific postings that don't apply to you.
List every payroll platform you know
Remote employers filter candidates by software fluency before the first interview. Name every platform you've used, including Workday, ADP Workforce Now, Paylocity, Gusto, or UKG, and specify whether you administered payroll, configured benefits, or ran reporting. Vague entries like 'payroll software' get passed over.
Remote Payroll and Benefits Specialist Jobs: Frequently Asked Questions
How do I get a remote payroll and benefits specialist job?
Target remote-first companies and distributed teams that run payroll across multiple states, since these employers are most likely to hire payroll and benefits specialists remotely. Remote hiring managers screen for self-direction, clear written communication, and hands-on proficiency with cloud-based payroll platforms like Workday, ADP, or Paylocity. Candidates who can demonstrate multi-state payroll experience and comfort managing benefits enrollment cycles independently stand out in remote applicant pools.
Which companies hire remote payroll and benefits specialists?
Companies hiring remote payroll and benefits specialists right now include HSO, Frida, and Pinnacle Living, based on current remote listings on Migrate Mate as of November 2026. Remote openings for this role concentrate at remote-first technology firms, distributed healthcare organizations, and professional employer organizations that manage payroll and benefits across geographically dispersed workforces.
Can you get a remote payroll and benefits specialist job with no experience?
Yes, but remote entry-level roles are harder to land because employers expect you to troubleshoot payroll discrepancies and benefits questions independently from day one. Small remote-first companies and startups are more likely to hire candidates new to the field. Showing proficiency in a major payroll platform, completing a payroll certification, or demonstrating accurate data-entry experience in a related role can open the door.
Do you need a degree for remote payroll and benefits specialist jobs?
Not always. Many remote employers weight hands-on payroll platform experience, benefits administration knowledge, and certifications like the Fundamental Payroll Certification or Certified Payroll Professional credential as heavily as a degree. Candidates who can show they've managed full payroll cycles, resolved tax filing issues, or administered open enrollment for distributed teams consistently compete well without a four-year degree.
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