Career Opportunity

Payroll and Personnel Clerk (1220) - Citywide Exam - (X00111)

Recruitment: REF59119O

Published: March 04, 2026

Apply using SmartRecruiters, the City and County of San Francisco's application portal.

About:

San Francisco is a vibrant and dynamic city, on the forefront of economic growth & innovation, urban development, arts & entertainment, as well as social issues & change. This rich tapestry of culture and ideas is sustained by our City's commitment to heighten the quality of life for the diverse population of San Franciscans and residents of the greater Bay Area. Our employees play an important role not only in making our City what it is today, but also in shaping the future of San Francisco.

1220 Payroll and Personnel Clerk
THIS IS A CITYWIDE EXAM
Please note:  This examination announcement has been amended on 3/3/26 to update the verification and selection procedures sections.  

This is a Citywide Exam which means that multiple departments across the City and County of San Francisco will have the opportunity to hire candidates resulting from this recruitment.

City and County of San Francisco payroll positions may include but are not limited to the following departments:  Department of Public Health (DPH), Office of the Controller, City College of San Francisco, Municipal Transportation Agency (MTA), Public Utilities Commission (PUC), Public Works (DPW), San Francisco Police Department (SFPD), San Francisco Fire Department, Human Services Agency (HSA),  San Francisco International Airport (SFO), San Francisco Public Library, San Francisco Recreation and Park Department and Unified School District (USD). 

• Application Opening: March 2, 2026
• Application Filing Deadline: March 11, 2026 11:59 P.M. (PST)

Role description

Under general supervision, the 1220 Payroll and Personnel Clerk is responsible for calculating and preparing payroll and timekeeping information, and processing personnel transactions of a routine nature.  This classification is a journey-level position in the Payroll and Personnel Clerk classification series. 

The essential duties include:

• Calculate, post and audit payroll and timekeeping information; utilize basic mathematical techniques to document and assure the accuracy of employee work hours, vacation hours, sick pay credits, leave credits, State Disability Insurance, Worker's Compensation and other related calculations.
• Input payroll, timekeeping, and personnel information data into systems to maintain accurate and up-to-date records.
• Respond to routine timekeeping, payroll, and personnel inquiries; makes changes to employees information, resolve discrepancies and/or clarify procedures for employees, supervisors, managers and others, both in person and over the telephone; analyzes and interprets economic provisions of collective bargaining agreements. 
• Prepares a variety of payroll and personnel-related forms, correspondence, input documents, and problem reports.
• Maintain detailed files and record-keeping systems to ensure accurate and complete documentation of payroll and personnel transactions in original copy.
• Receive, distribute and file payroll and personnel related reports.

How to qualify

One (1) year of experience preparing, calculating and maintaining payroll and/or personnel records.

Substitution:

• Completion of thirty (30) semester / forty-five (45) quarter units of coursework from an accredited college, university or business school with a minimum of twelve (12) semester / eighteen (18) quarter units of coursework in business administration, accounting, mathematics, human resources, or a closely related field may substitute for one (1) year of the required experience; OR
• Possession of a Certified Payroll Professional (CPP) Certificate issued by the American Payroll Association may substitute for one (1) year of the required experience.

Every application is reviewed to ensure that you meet the minimum qualifications as listed in the job ad. Please review our articles on Employment Application and Minimum Qualifications and Verification of Experience and/or Education for considerations taken when reviewing applications. 

VERIFICATION:
Applicants may be required to submit verification of qualifying education and experience at any point during the recruitment and selection process.

Note: Falsifying one’s education, training, or work experience or attempted deception on the application may result in disqualification for this and future job opportunities with the City and County of San Francisco. 
Resumes will not be accepted in lieu of a completed City and County of San Francisco application.  Applications completed improperly may be cause for ineligibility or disqualification from the examination process. 

Payroll and Personnel Examination (Weight 100%)

Candidates who meet the minimum qualifications will be invited to participate in a written multiple-choice examination, designed to measure their relative knowledge, skills and abilities in job-related areas. The multiple-choice examination may include, but is not limited to: knowledge of payroll preparation related laws, rules and regulations; knowledge of personnel related laws, rules, and regulations; the ability to input data into an automated system, the ability to perform payroll related functions; the ability to perform personnel related procedures; written communication skills; the ability to maintain records; and the ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships.

Please note, if you apply, and also meet the minimum qualification requirements for the 1222 Senior Payroll and Personnel Clerk and/or 1224 Principal Payroll and Personnel Clerk you will only be scheduled once for the Payroll Examination.

In accordance with Civil Service Rule 111.11.4, inspection privileges do not apply to the questions and answers in this examination. This multiple-choice exam will be administered remotely. This computer-administered exam can be taken at home. Candidates must have access to a computer and reliable internet connection to participate in these exams. Candidates will be scheduled for a specific time and date to complete the examination. 

IMPORTANT:  Prior passing scores obtained in previous examination administrations are not applicable.  In order to be placed on this resulting score report, you must apply online and pass this examination.  

Note: Applicants who meet the minimum qualifications are not guaranteed to advance through all of the steps in the selection process. Candidates must achieve a passing score on all selection procedures in order to be ranked on the eligible list.

Candidate scores on this examination may also be applied to other announcements involving other job titles, when directed by the Human Resources Director.

Eligible List/Score Report: 
A confidential eligible list of applicant names that have passed the civil service examination process will be created, and used for certification purposes only. An examination score report will be established, so applicants can view the ranks, final scores and number of eligible candidates. Applicant information, including names of applicants on the eligible list, shall not be made public unless required by law. However, an eligible list shall be made available for public inspection, upon request, once the eligible list is exhausted or expired and referrals resolved. The eligible list/score report resulting from this civil service examination process is subject to change after adoption (e.g., as a result of appeals), as directed by the Human Resources Director or the Civil Service Commission.

The duration of the eligible list resulting from this examination process will be of twenty-four (24) months, and may be extended with the approval of the Human Resources Director.

What else should I know?

HOW TO APPLY

Submit your application through this job ad. Applicants will receive a confirmation email from notification@careers.sf.gov that their online application has been received in response to every announcement for which they file. Applicants should retain this confirmation email for their records. Failure to receive this email means that the online application was not submitted or received.

Terms of Announcement and Appeal Rights
Applicants must be guided solely by the provisions of this announcement, including requirements, time periods and other particulars, except when superseded by federal, state or local laws, rules or regulations.  [Note: The correction of clerical errors in an announcement may be posted on the Department of Human Resources website at https://careers.sf.gov/.] The terms of this announcement may be appealed under Civil Service Rule 110.4. Such appeals must be submitted in writing to the Department of Human Resources, 1 S Van Ness Avenue, 4th Floor, San Francisco, CA 94103-5413 by close of business on the 5th business day following the issuance date of this examination announcement.  Information concerning other Civil Service Commission Rules involving announcements, applications and examination policies, including applicant appeal rights, can be found on the Civil Service Commission website at https://sf.gov/departments/civil-service-commission.

Additional Information Regarding Employment with the City and County of San Francisco: 

• Information About the Hiring Process
• Conviction History
• Employee Benefits Overview 
• Equal Employment Opportunity
• Disaster Service Worker
• ADA Accommodation
• Veterans Preference
• Right to Work
• Copies of Application Documents

Exam Analyst Information: If you have any questions regarding this recruitment or application process, please contact the exam analyst, Vicente Centeno by email at Vicente.Centeno@sfgov.org

The City and County of San Francisco encourages women, minorities and persons with disabilities to apply. Applicants will be considered regardless of their sex, race, age, religion, color, national origin, ancestry, physical disability, mental disability, medical condition (associated with cancer, a history of cancer, or genetic characteristics), HIV/AIDS status, genetic information, marital status, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, gender expression, military and veteran status, or other protected category under the law.