ORANGE CIRCLE STUDIO | STUDIO OH! | SATURDAY SUNDAE | BELLA TUNNO | JUJUBE | SCOOPS
Position
Human Resources & Payroll Coordinator
Location
Irvine, California (with regular travel to Oceanside, California)
Status
Full-Time, Non-Exempt
Compensation
$26.00 – $30.00 per hour
About Whimsocal Studios
Since 2009, Whimsocal Studios (formerly Orange Circle Studio) has been creating products that make everyday moments extraordinary. Guided by our purpose, To Curate Small Joys, we design beautiful, thoughtfully crafted products that transform everyday routines into meaningful moments. Across our family of brands—including Orange Circle Studio, Studio Oh!, Saturday Sundae, Bella Tunno, JuJuBe and Scoops—we are committed to creating products that inspire consumers while building a culture of performance with purpose. We believe our greatest asset is our people and are committed to fostering a collaborative, inclusive workplace where employees are empowered to grow, innovate, and make a meaningful impact. We believe business success and community impact go hand in hand, and we are passionate about giving back through meaningful partnerships and initiatives that make a positive difference. At Whimsocal Studios, our goal is simple: To Inspire—our employees, our consumers, our retail partners, and the communities we serve.
About the Position
The Human Resources & Payroll Coordinator is the person our employees see, know, and go to. This role exists to help make Whimsocal a place where people feel supported and heard — present and approachable at both of our California locations, and a reliable first stop when someone has a question about their pay, their benefits, or their time away from work.
Behind that visible presence sits the administrative backbone of our HR function: coordinated leave and benefits administration, accurate semi-monthly payroll, and careful recordkeeping. The Coordinator works under the direction of HR leadership on any matter requiring interpretation or judgment.
This is a growth role. You will receive structured training and mentorship in California leave administration, benefits, employee relations, and HR compliance, with the opportunity to take on greater ownership as your experience develops. We are looking for someone who genuinely likes people, brings a solid payroll foundation, and is curious about the rest of HR — not someone who already knows everything.
Key Responsibilities
Employee Experience & Support
· Serve as a visible, approachable, and discreet resource for employees at every level, and as a culture ambassador across all Whimsocal locations.
· Serve as the first point of contact for employee questions about pay, benefits, policy, and time away from work, responding promptly and following through to resolution.
· Visit the Oceanside warehouse facility at least weekly so that employees at both sites have equal access to HR support, understand the resources and benefits available to them, and see company policies consistently applied.
· Listen for and surface employee feedback and concerns to HR leadership, escalating employee relations matters promptly and handling every conversation with confidentiality.
· Manage and execute monthly employee recognition programs.
· Plan company events, including monthly welcome-to-the-team breakfasts, holiday events, and team building activities.
· Manage workplace amenities and related vendor relationships at both facilities, including break room supplies.
Onboarding & Employee Lifecycle
· Post open positions, schedule interviews, and manage candidate communication.
· Prepare offer letters and onboarding packets for HR leadership review.
· Initiate background and reference checks in accordance with California Fair Chance Act procedures.
· Deliver new hire orientation and complete all onboarding documentation.
· Coordinate offboarding logistics, exit interview scheduling, and separation paperwork.
· Support the annual performance appraisal, merit, and bonus cycles through scheduling, tracking, and data entry.
Leave of Absence & Accommodation Support
This position coordinates and administers leaves under the direction of HR leadership. Eligibility, designation, and accommodation determinations are made by HR leadership.
· Serve as the intake point for leave requests, gather required documentation, and route to HR leadership for eligibility determination.
· Prepare required leave notices and designations, including DOL Forms WH-381 and WH-382, for HR leadership review and issuance.
· Track certification, recertification, and expiration deadlines, and issue timely reminders to employees and HR leadership.
· Maintain the master leave tracker, capturing leave type, entitlement used, intermittent hours, concurrent designations, and anticipated return-to-work dates.
· Reconcile intermittent and reduced-schedule leave against timekeeping records to ensure accurate pay and correct application of company paid time off.
· Coordinate benefit premium continuation and arrears recovery during unpaid leave, and provide employees with State Disability Insurance and Paid Family Leave claim information.
· Maintain all leave and medical documentation in confidential files separate from personnel records.
· Escalate accommodation requests and any disputed, complex, or legally sensitive leave matters to HR leadership immediately.
Benefits Administration
· Process new hire enrollments, qualifying life events, and open enrollment elections in ADP and carrier portals.
· Reconcile monthly carrier invoices against payroll deductions, escalating discrepancies to HR leadership and the Controller.
· Process 401(k) enrollments, deferral changes, and contribution funding, and compile census data for the annual plan audit.
· Administer COBRA notification requirements through the COBRA vendor.
· Compile ACA tracking data, distribute annual 1095-C forms, and support 1094-C filing.
· Prepare open enrollment materials and coordinate employee education sessions.
Payroll Administration
· Process semi-monthly payroll for 100+ employees using ADP Workforce Now, including new hires, terminations, status and pay changes, commissions, bonuses, retroactive pay, garnishments, and off-cycle payrolls.
· Audit employee timecards for missed punches, meal and rest period exceptions, and accurate application of overtime and double-time, including under the company's 9/80 alternative workweek schedule; escalate recurring exception patterns to HR leadership.
· Maintain accurate PTO, vacation, and paid sick leave accruals and balances.
· Prepare final pay calculations for separating employees and submit for review so that wages are issued within California timing requirements.
· Submit payroll for Controller review and approval prior to processing, and maintain segregation of duties over pay rate changes and direct deposit updates.
· Process employee expense and mileage reimbursements.
· Prepare payroll registers, labor cost, headcount, and turnover reports for Finance and HR leadership.
· Serve as day-to-day contact with ADP on processing questions, routing tax notices and agency correspondence to HR leadership and Finance.
HR Compliance & Recordkeeping
· Complete, verify, and maintain Form I-9 records, including reverifications and the retention and purge schedule.
· Compile data for the annual California Pay Data Report and EEO-1 Component 1 report and submit drafts to HR leadership for review and filing.
· Process workers' compensation claim intake and DWC-1 issuance, maintain the OSHA 300 log, and post the annual 300A summary from February 1 through April 30.
· Respond to routine employment verifications and process garnishment orders; route EDD and unemployment claims and subpoenas to HR leadership.
· Maintain all required federal, state, and local labor law postings at every worksite and distribute required notices electronically to remote employees as California law requires.
· Maintain confidential personnel, medical, and I-9 files in separate, access-controlled systems, and administer the company records retention schedule.
· Distribute Employee Handbook and policy updates, track employee acknowledgments, and support handbook revisions prepared by HR leadership.
· Schedule and track completion of required training, including workplace violence prevention (SB 553) and harassment prevention (SB 1343).
· Maintain a current company directory of employees and contractors, maintain independent contractor agreement files, and coordinate 1099 data with Finance.
· Perform additional Human Resources responsibilities as assigned.
Qualifications
· 2–4 years of Human Resources and/or payroll experience.
· Required: minimum 2 years of hands-on payroll processing experience for a company of comparable size (75+ employees).
· ADP Workforce Now experience strongly preferred.
· Familiarity with California wage and hour requirements, including meal and rest periods, overtime, and final pay timing.
· Exposure to leave administration and benefits enrollment preferred; a genuine willingness to learn is essential.
· Strong Excel and Microsoft Office skills.
· Highly organized with exceptional attention to detail and consistent follow-through.
· Strong communication and customer service skills, with the ability to handle confidential information with discretion and good judgment.
· Associate's or bachelor's degree, or equivalent experience; FPC or CPP and/or PHR or SHRM-CP certification is a plus.
· Bilingual English/Spanish preferred.
Travel
This position requires regular travel between the Irvine office and the Oceanside warehouse facility, at minimum weekly. Travel time during the workday is compensated as hours worked, and mileage is reimbursed in accordance with company policy.
Physical Requirements & Work Environment
The physical demands and work environment described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this position. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable qualified individuals with disabilities to perform these functions.
· Primarily performed in an office environment, with extended periods of sitting and computer and keyboard use.
· Ability to communicate clearly in person, by telephone, and in writing.
· Occasional lifting and carrying of up to 20 pounds, such as supplies, files, and event materials.
· Regular presence in a warehouse environment with variable temperatures, elevated noise levels, and powered industrial truck traffic; requires walking and standing for extended periods and adherence to all facility safety requirements.
· Valid California driver's license, insurable driving record, and reliable transportation for regular travel between company facilities.
Benefits
· Medical, Dental & Vision Insurance
· Flexible Spending Account
· 401(k)
· Paid Vacation, Sick Time & Holidays
· Employer-paid Long-Term Disability
· Employee Product Discounts
· Career Growth Opportunities
How to Apply
Please apply through our Indeed posting, or submit your resume directly to [email protected]. Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis.
If you're passionate about people, thrive in a fast-paced environment, and want to help build a company that creates joy every day, we'd love to hear from you.
Whimsocal Studios is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local law.
Whimsocal Studios provides reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities in the application process and in the performance of essential job functions. To request an accommodation, please contact [email protected].
Qualified applicants with arrest or conviction records will be considered for employment in accordance with the California Fair Chance Act.
Pay: $26.00 - $30.00 per hour
Benefits:
- 401(k)
- Dental insurance
- Health insurance
- Paid time off
- Vision insurance
Work Location: In person
