# Check the overtime before payroll closes

“Check the overtime before payroll closes” is a payroll assistant job simulation on FinderK. You work at Larkfield Care Homes, an original fictional company, and complete 3 assignments in about 55 minutes. It is for anyone who wants to practice payroll assistant work. No previous work experience is required.

- Role: Payroll assistant
- Industry: Payroll
- Career: Finance and accounting (https://finderk.com/careers/finance-and-accounting)
- Level: Early career
- Time: About 55 minutes, 3 assignments
- Access: Included in Plus
- Created by: FinderK
- Work tools: Mail, Office documents and spreadsheets, Chat, Calendar
- Page: https://finderk.com/simulations/check-the-overtime-before-payroll-closes
- Last updated: 2026-10-10

## Summary

Payroll closes at noon tomorrow. Check a week of extra hours against timesheets, approvals and the policy, answer a worried colleague honestly, and give your manager the exceptions she must decide.

## Full brief

You are the payroll assistant at a care home group, and the October payroll locks at 12:00 tomorrow. Seven people worked or were approved for extra hours in the last pay week. You work out what can be paid, at which rate, and what must wait. Then a senior care assistant writes in about hours he was told would be fine, a home manager makes a request outside the rules, and your manager needs a clear list of what only she can decide before she locks the payroll. Automated checks confirm your totals and saved work; your judgement is reviewed against the standard for the role.

## What is Larkfield Care Homes?

Larkfield Care Homes is a fictional group of three residential care homes near Harrogate with about 210 staff, all paid monthly. Home managers approve extra hours; a two-person payroll team checks and pays them. This case runs on Wednesday 21 and Thursday 22 October 2026. Amounts are in pounds before tax.

## Who do you play?

You are the payroll assistant in the Payroll team. You check timesheets against the approval register and prepare extra hours for the monthly payroll. You may include approved hours from signed timesheets. You may not pay unapproved hours, change a rate, agree an off-cycle payment or approve an exception. Ruth approves exceptions and checks any extra hours payment over 200 pounds for one person in one week. Home managers approve extra hours.

## What will you do?

1. 1. Check the extra hours for the week (20 minutes)
2. 2. Answer Joseph and ask Callum (18 minutes)
3. 3. Give Ruth the exceptions before the cut-off (17 minutes)

## Which skills will you practice?

- Check extra hours against timesheets, approvals and policy
- Calculate normal and time and a half pay correctly
- Explain held pay honestly to the person affected
- Keep decisions within payroll authority and escalate the rest

## Frequently asked questions

### How long does “Check the overtime before payroll closes” take?

About 55 minutes, across 3 assignments. When the time is up, you get 10 minutes to round up and submit. Pausing stops the clock.

### Is “Check the overtime before payroll closes” free?

No. It is included in FinderK Plus. With a free account you can also do it without grading.

### Do I need payroll assistant experience?

No. No previous work experience is required. The listed level is early career.

### What do I get when I finish?

You get feedback on each assignment you submit. Completing all required assignments earns a completion certificate. It records participation and is not professional accreditation.

### Is Larkfield Care Homes a real company?

No. Larkfield Care Homes is an original fictional company made for practice. Its coworkers may make mistakes, so check their suggestions against the evidence.