Payroll and Timekeeping Clerks

Office and Administrative Support Occupations

O*NET-SOC code: 43-3051.00

Compile and record employee time and payroll data. May compute employees' time worked, production, and commission. May compute and post wages and deductions, or prepare paychecks.

Data source: BLSPublished: 2026-08
Very high· relative
LowFour relative bandsVery high
Group-level value
Scale, basis and source
Four relative bands (Low / Moderate / High / Very high)
831 detailed occupations in the BLS Employment Projections table. Assigned per National Employment Matrix (NEM) code, so occupations sharing a NEM code carry the same band
Source dataset (XLSX download)
Data source: AnthropicPublished: 2026-03
0.049
0.000Range of values carried here0.745
Scale, basis and source
Observed exposure index, 0–1 as published
Mapped onto O*NET tasks
Published per SOC 2018 occupation; every O*NET occupation with the same SOC 2018 code carries this value
Source dataset (CSV download)
Data source: ILOPublished: 2025
0.61
0.09Range of values carried here0.70
Group-level value
Scale, basis and source
Generative AI exposure index, 0–1 as published
Published per ISCO-08 unit group. Linked to this occupation, wholly or in part, by applying U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics crosswalks (ISCO-08 to 2010 SOC, 2010 SOC to 2018 SOC) as published
Source dataset (PDF download)

What kind of figure this source publishes

The BLS category is a relative rank, not an absolute level, and it is not a first-hand measurement: it groups an occupation's percentile ranks across several published studies into four bands. It is not an employment or wage forecast, not a probability of adoption, and it does not separate automation from augmentation.

Task-level exposure

Show 15 hidden tasks

22 rated tasks · 22 tasks with β ≥ 0.5 (100.0%)

β = direct exposure (E1) + 0.5 × exposure when tools are available (E2), per the source repository's definition.

Source unit: O*NET 27.2 tasks → O*NET 31.0 occupation code
1 rated task is not in the O*NET 31.0 task list; its score is kept as published for O*NET 27.2.

Source: OpenAI "GPTs are GPTs" exposure rubric
Release: gh-main-0471612
License: MIT License, Copyright (c) 2024 OpenAI

Task (O*NET 20.1)	Claude.aiRaw / share %	APIRaw / share %
Provide information to employees and managers on payroll matters, tax issues, benefit plans, and collective agreement provisions. 43-3051.00	0.010456.8	0.009772.3
Compute wages and deductions, and enter data into computers. 43-3051.00	0.005329.0	—0
Issue and record adjustments to pay related to previous errors or retroactive increases. 43-3051.00	0.002614.2	—0
Conduct verifications of employment.	—0	0.003727.7

Values in this tab are predicted labels, not observations. Eloundou et al. (2023) published two rating regimes — human raters and GPT-4 — and the β shown here is derived from the GPT-4 rater basis alone; the same task can take a different value under the other regime. The unit and the meaning differ from the observed shares (%) in the other tabs, so do not place them on the same axis.

Task (O*NET 27.2)	βE1 + 0.5 × E2
Compute wages and deductions, and enter data into computers. O*NET Task ID 2516	1.0
Compile employee time, production, and payroll data from time sheets and other records. O*NET Task ID 2517	1.0
Review time sheets, work charts, wage computation, and other information to detect and reconcile payroll discrepancies. O*NET Task ID 2518	1.0
Verify attendance, hours worked, and pay adjustments, and post information onto designated records. O*NET Task ID 2519	1.0
Record employee information, such as exemptions, transfers, and resignations, to maintain and update payroll records. O*NET Task ID 2520	1.0
Issue and record adjustments to pay related to previous errors or retroactive increases. O*NET Task ID 2521	1.0
Complete time sheets showing employees' arrival and departure times. O*NET Task ID 2524	1.0
Post relevant work hours to client files to bill clients properly. O*NET Task ID 2525	1.0
Distribute and collect timecards each pay period. O*NET Task ID 2526	1.0
Complete, verify, and process forms and documentation for administration of benefits, such as pension plans, and unemployment and medical insurance. O*NET Task ID 2527	1.0
Coordinate special programs, such as United Way campaigns, that involve payroll deductions. O*NET Task ID 2530	1.0
Process paperwork for new employees and enter employee information into the payroll system. O*NET Task ID 18562	1.0
Keep track of leave time, such as vacation, personal, and sick leave, for employees. O*NET Task ID 18563	1.0
Balance cash and payroll accounts. O*NET Task ID 20901	1.0
Prepare and file payroll tax returns. O*NET Task ID 23954	1.0
Process and issue employee paychecks and statements of earnings and deductions. O*NET Task ID 2515	0.5
Keep informed about changes in tax and deduction laws that apply to the payroll process. O*NET Task ID 2522	0.5
Provide information to employees and managers on payroll matters, tax issues, benefit plans, and collective agreement provisions. O*NET Task ID 2523	0.5
Prepare and balance period-end reports, and reconcile issued payrolls to bank statements. O*NET Task ID 2528	0.5
Compile statistical reports, statements, and summaries related to pay and benefits accounts, and submit them to appropriate departments. O*NET Task ID 2529	0.5
Conduct verifications of employment. O*NET Task ID 18564	0.5
Train employees on organizations' timekeeping systems. O*NET Task ID 20902	0.5
Show 12 more tasks ▾Show less ▴

β = E1 + 0.5 × E2 · E1 = tasks where direct LLM access alone cuts time by at least 50%, E2 = tasks where software built on top of an LLM cuts time by at least 50%. Values take only 0 / 0.5 / 1.0.

Data sources & licenses — O*NET®, Anthropic Economic Index, Eloundou et al. (2023): see full notices on the Credits page

All O*NET 31.0 task statements (21)

All O*NET 31.0 task statements for this occupation (English, as published; task type core or supplemental). Exposure values are not listed here; they are in the table above, next to each task statement as worded in the O*NET version each source used.

Task (O*NET 31.0)	Type
Process and issue employee paychecks and statements of earnings and deductions.	Core
Compute wages and deductions, and enter data into computers.	Core
Compile employee time, production, and payroll data from time sheets and other records.	Core
Review time sheets, work charts, wage computation, and other information to detect and reconcile payroll discrepancies.	Core
Verify attendance, hours worked, and pay adjustments, and post information onto designated records.	Core
Record employee information, such as exemptions, transfers, and resignations, to maintain and update payroll records.	Core
Issue and record adjustments to pay related to previous errors or retroactive increases.	Core
Keep informed about changes in tax and deduction laws that apply to the payroll process.	Core
Provide information to employees and managers on payroll matters, tax issues, benefit plans, and collective agreement provisions.	Core
Complete time sheets showing employees' arrival and departure times.	Core
Distribute and collect timecards each pay period.	Core
Prepare and balance period-end reports, and reconcile issued payrolls to bank statements.	Core
Process paperwork for new employees and enter employee information into the payroll system.	Core
Keep track of leave time, such as vacation, personal, and sick leave, for employees.	Core
Conduct verifications of employment.	Core
Complete, verify, and process forms and documentation for administration of benefits, such as pension plans, and unemployment and medical insurance.	Supplemental
Compile statistical reports, statements, and summaries related to pay and benefits accounts, and submit them to appropriate departments.	Supplemental
Coordinate special programs, such as United Way campaigns, that involve payroll deductions.	Supplemental
Balance cash and payroll accounts.	Supplemental
Train employees on organizations' timekeeping systems.	Supplemental
Prepare and file payroll tax returns.	Supplemental

Anthropic, "What work can robots do?"2026-09

0.01/ 3· Robot exposure index

0 none3 unstructured settings

Scale, basis and source

Each physical task is graded 0–3 by the setting in which robots that have been deployed, sold or demonstrated could do it (0 none · 1 purpose-built robot settings such as a fenced machine cell or a bottling line · 2 structured facilities such as a hospital pharmacy or a container port · 3 unstructured settings such as a private home or a construction site), and the grades are averaged by share of working time

Physical tasks among this occupation's O*NET 29.3 tasks

Anthropic estimated the grades and time shares with Claude Opus 5 using web search, as of 2026.

Source dataset

The robot exposure index is a different measure from the AI exposure figures on this site and cannot be added to or compared with them. It does not measure actual adoption or cost, and 0 also covers occupations with no physical tasks.

Tier of each physical task

Robot environment tiers (E0–E3)

E0 noneDetails
Rated not doable by robots that have been deployed, sold or demonstrated, even in a purpose-built setting
E1 purpose-built robot settingsDetails
Rated doable in a setting built around the machine, such as a fenced machine cell or a bottling line
E2 structured facilitiesDetails
Rated doable in a human work facility that an institution keeps to a working standard, such as a hospital pharmacy or a container port
E3 unstructured settingsDetails
Rated doable in a setting that no institution keeps to a working standard, such as a private home or a construction site

Only tasks classified as physical are listed; other tasks have no tier in the source.

Task (O*NET 29.3)	Robot environment tier
Distribute and collect timecards each pay period.	E1 purpose-built robot settings

Employment outlook (BLS)

Employment, 2025: 160K
Projected employment, 2035: 134K
Change (2025–35): -15.9%
Median annual wage, 2025: $58,260
Typical education needed for entry: High school diploma or equivalent

lowest $30,890median wage across 825 detailed occupations, BLS EP 2025–35highest $559,030

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections 2025–35 — Employment by detailed occupation, 2025 and projected 2035

Korea classification links (KSCO)

Links from the current release of the Korea Occupation Direct Crosswalk v1.1, made by AI Changing Work. Relation values are read from the O*NET-SOC occupation side.

KSCO code	KSCO title	Relation	Status
31210	인사 및 노무 사무원	This occupation is narrower	confirmed

Relation and status definitions(kr-direct v1.1)

ILO occupational description

AI Changing Work links the ISCO-08 unit groups below to this occupation by applying the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics crosswalks (2018 SOC to 2010 SOC, 2010 SOC to ISCO-08) as published, without case-by-case selection; each link may be whole or partial.

ISCO-08 4313Payroll Clerks

The definition, tasks and examples below are the ILO's description of that unit group, not of this occupation.

Payroll clerks collect, verify and process payroll information and compute pay and benefit entitlements for employees within a department, company or other establishment.

Tasks

(a) maintaining records of employee attendance, leave and overtime to calculate pay and benefit entitlements, using manual or computerized systems;
(b) preparing and verifying statements of earnings for employees, indicating gross and net salaries and deductions such as taxes, union dues, garnishments and insurance and pension plans;
(c) preparing employee payments and benefit payments by cheque or electronic transfer;
(d) reviewing time sheets, work charts, wage computation and other information to detect and reconcile payroll discrepancies;
(e) verifying attendance, hours worked and pay adjustments, and posting information onto designated records.

Example occupations

Example of the occupations included here: · Wages clerk

Sources: ILO ISCO-08 — details: Credits

ESCO occupational vocabulary

Each entry below is matched to this occupation in the published ESCO-O*NET Crosswalk (version 1, 2022). The match types are that crosswalk's; the wording is AI Changing Work's.

payroll clerkESCO 4313.1Same scope
Payroll clerks manage the time sheets and pay checks of the employees. They make sure the information there is correct. Payroll clerks check overtime, sick days and vacation. They distribute the pay checks.
human resources assistantESCO 4416.1Overlapping, not the same
Human resources assistants provide support in all the processes and efforts carried by human resources managers. They help in the preparation of recruitment processes by scanning CVs and narrowing the selection to the most suitable candidates. They perform administrative tasks, prepare communications and letters, and perform the tabulation of the surveys and assessments carried out by the department.
pensions administratorESCO 3353.2.1Overlapping, not the same
Pensions administrators perform administrative duties in the management of pension schemes, ensuring the correct calculation of client's pension benefits, compliance with legal requirements, drafting reports and communicating relevant information to customers. They work either in the private or the public sector.

Source: European Commission, DG EMPL — ESCO API 2026-08-08 (bridge v1.2.1)

License: CC BY 4.0 (EU Reuse Notice)

View original

ESCO reuse terms and the modification notice are in Credits.

France classification links (ROME)

AI Changing Work's links between this occupation and ROME 4.0 job profiles, judged with AI models. Relations are read from this occupation's side. Links marked “provisional” were adopted on the judgments of two judges from the same model family (Claude) alone, or by an operator rule applied to their judgments, so they rest on weaker evidence than confirmed links.

ROME code	ROME title (French)	Relation
M1507	Gestionnaire paie	Same scopeprovisional
M1501	Assistant / Assistante Ressources Humaines (RH)	Related, not a matchprovisional
M1509	Responsable paie et administration du personnel	Related, not a matchprovisional

Source: France Travail — Répertoire Opérationnel des Métiers et des Emplois (ROME 4.0), version 61, last updated 15 June 2026 (https://www.data.gouv.fr/datasets/repertoire-operationnel-des-metiers-et-des-emplois-rome). Licence Ouverte 2.0.

ROME codes and titles are reproduced unchanged; the links to O*NET-SOC occupations are AI Changing Work's own judgment and are not a France Travail correspondence.

(AI Changing Work link release: fr-direct v1)

Spain classification links (CNO-11)

AI Changing Work's links between this occupation and CNO-11 occupations, judged with AI models. Relations are read from this occupation's side.

CNO-11 code	CNO-11 title (Spanish)	Relation
4112	Empleados de control de personal y nóminas	Same scopeprovisional

Source: Instituto Nacional de Estadística (INE), National Classification of Occupations 2011 (CNO-11, Royal Decree 1591/2010) — www.ine.es · Licensed CC BY 4.0. CNO-11 codes and Spanish titles are reproduced unchanged; the links to O*NET occupations are AI Changing Work's own judgment and are not an INE correspondence.

(AI Changing Work link release: es-direct v1)

Germany classification links (KldB)

AI Changing Work's links between this occupation and KldB occupations, judged with AI models. Relations are read from this occupation's side.

KldB code	KldB title (German)	Relation
72213	Berufe in der Buchhaltung - komplexe Spezialistentätigkeiten	This occupation is narrowerprovisional
72212	Berufe in der Buchhaltung - fachlich ausgerichtete Tätigkeiten	Overlapping, not the same
71512	Berufe in der Personalentwicklung und -sachbearbeitung - fachlich ausgerichtete Tätigkeiten	Related, not a match

Source: © Statistik der Bundesagentur für Arbeit — Klassifikation der Berufe 2010 – überarbeitete Fassung 2020, https://statistik.arbeitsagentur.de. KldB codes and titles are reproduced unchanged; the links to O*NET occupations are AI Changing Work's own mapping (eigene Zuordnung) and are not a Bundesagentur für Arbeit correspondence.

(AI Changing Work link release: de-direct v1)

Japan classification links (JSCO)

AI Changing Work's links between this occupation and JSCO occupations, judged with AI models. Relations are read from this occupation's side.

JSCO code	JSCO title (Japanese)	Relation
252	人事事務員	This occupation is narrower

Source: Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications (MIC), Japan Standard Occupational Classification (Dec. 2009, MIC Notification No. 555). JSCO codes and Japanese titles are reproduced unchanged; the links to O*NET occupations are AI Changing Work's own judgment and are not a MIC correspondence.

(AI Changing Work link release: jp-direct v1)

Sources, licenses and AI Changing Work's modification and translation notices for this page: Credits & sources