Prevailing wage in plain English.
You're ready for union payroll to just work.
Rates, classifications, and benefit calculations built into the system. Multiple unions and locals across states on one weekly payroll. We review your setup before you start and help with audits after.
If union payroll has been a problem, this probably sounds familiar.
- You manage union workers across multiple locals, maybe multiple states.
- You've been through payroll companies that swore they could handle it.
- Your certified payroll was wrong, or your setup didn't meet union or prevailing wage requirements.
Three things. Every payroll. Every employee.
Accuracy
Your rates, classifications, and benefit calculations are built in. When something changes, we handle it.
Reporting
Certified payrolls, union remittances, prevailing wage compliance, and job cost reports. Everything your union, your GC, and the DOL require. On time, every time.
Support
A team that works with contractors, union and open shop prevailing wage. When you call, we already know your world. No explaining from scratch.
Six things union payroll has to get right.
Full service union payroll
Multi-local, multi-agreement payroll with direct deposit, tax filing, and check calculations built for CBA rules. Different benefit rates, tax jurisdictions, and reporting for each local and state, without separate payroll runs.
Union portals and report formatting
Upload files for portals like iRemit, ISSi, NECA, Empower, and EPR are generated with your weekly payroll. For unions without portals, we format reports to match their form (locked Excel, PDF, or paper) so you never key the same data twice.
Certified payroll every week
Every job flagged as certified gets its report in your payroll archive each week, page 2 included, even on zero hour weeks. You don't have to request it.
Automated job costing
Labor, fringe, and burden broken out by job and by week.
Fringe, reciprocity, and overtime rules
Every CBA stored and updated when rates change. We track the employee's home local and the local where the work is done so benefits go to the right fund. Overtime follows the agreement and the job, not one company setting.
Union audit support
Facing a union audit? We pull and prepare what the local needs to see, including custom reports built to match what your auditor asks for.
Union reporting we handle, including
Payroll for contractors signed with these locals.
IBEW Local 3
Plumbers Local 1
UA Steamfitters
Laborers Local 79
Laborers Local 731
Mason Tenders
Carpenters (UBC)
Operating Engineers (IUOE)
Iron Workers
Sheet Metal (SMART)
Heat & Frost Insulators
Painters (IUPAT)
Teamsters
Roofers
Elevator Constructors (IUEC)
Bricklayers (BAC)
- Any union, any local.Don't see yours? We set up new benefit funds and remittance reports all the time.
We work with any union and any local, across every trade.
Union names and logos belong to their respective owners. Rate & Fringe is not affiliated with or endorsed by these organizations.
Built once. Shared automatically.
Your union benefit data is calculated during payroll, so the union report comes out of the same run: hours, classifications, and totals owed. Check it against the union invoice before you pay, then upload it or submit it. No retyping, no formatting rejections, no hunting for the right template for each local.
Union payroll questions we hear most often
"Can you run multiple locals in multiple states on one payroll?"
Yes. Each local's benefit rates and each state's taxes and filings are handled in the same weekly run.
"Our crew worked in another local's area. Which funds get the contributions?"
Benefits usually go to the working local, which transfers them to the home local. Carpenters are the big exception: district councils generally don't reciprocate, and paying the wrong one can mean paying twice. We track both locals so it goes to the right place.
"Some Carpenters pay optional dues through payroll and some don't."
That's a one time setting per employee. If they opt in, the deduction is calculated from hours each week and shows on the stub.
"Can we preview benefits before we submit payroll?"
Yes. You can step through a benefit preview, and a certified payroll preview, before anything is final.
"Can we run workers who aren't accepted by the union yet?"
Yes. Run them as non-union, then switch them to the right union and local once they're certified.
"Can you pay workers with ITINs?"
Yes.
Everything a union contractor needs, in one partner.
Union payroll processing
Direct deposit, tax filing, and check calculations built around CBA rules.
Multi-local and multi-agreement support
Work across jurisdictions, states, and locals from one payroll profile.
Union fringe and benefit management
Every CBA stored and updated as rates change.
Certified payroll reporting
WH-347 and state prevailing wage reports, paper or electronic.
Automated job costing
Weekly and year to date labor cost reports by job.
Union audit support
We prep and pull what the local needs.
Workers comp reporting
Handled alongside your regular payroll cycle.
Accounting software integration
QuickBooks Desktop and Online (IIF with job cost allocation), Sage 300 CRE, Sage Intacct, Sage 100, Sage 50, Vista, Trimble, and others. Custom CSV uploads available.
401(k) integration
Census ready files for Human Interest, Vanguard, and other providers.
ACA filing (1094/1095)
Stay compliant even when the union provides the benefits.
W-2, W-3, and quarterly filings
Year end and quarterly federal and state filings handled for you.
Benefits enrollment portal
Employee self service benefit enrollment in one place.
Electronic onboarding
Paperless new hire setup.
PTO and time off tracking
Self service requests, approvals, and reporting.
Time and labor software
Digital timesheets that feed straight into payroll.
Field time tracking integration
Connects with Procore, Notify, and more.
Employee certification tracking
Stay ahead of license and certification renewals.
Company asset management
Track tools and equipment assigned to employees.
Employee self service portal
Pay stubs, W-2s, time off, balances, deductions, and direct deposit in one login.
Dedicated contractor service team
You work with people who handle union contractor payroll.
Ready for union payroll that just works?
Call, email, or book a time to get your free certified payroll and fringe review.
Larry Horner