if you're being treated as an employee it is mandatory for the company to take medicare and social security taxes out of every paycheck even small ones. if these are not being taken out then they are treating you as an independent contractor. you'll file a schedule C and owe self-employment taxes and possibly income taxes when you file your 2022 return. It's bs that the payroll department can't answer your question. did you turn in a w-4 when you began working? yes, you should be treated as an employee. no, they're treating you as an independent contractor