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What is certified payroll?
Certified payroll is a report of payroll information for public works work. It connects workers, classifications, hours, wages and fringe benefits to the project being reported.
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General information, not legal or tax advice.
Payroll records and the certified report
The payroll run records what employees were paid. The certified payroll report organizes the information for the public works reporting requirement. Keep the time records, wage information and benefit records that support the report.
Sources: DIR certified payroll reporting
Where the report goes
California uses electronic certified payroll reporting through DIR to the Labor Commissioner. Review the contract to identify any federal reporting task and whether California eCPR also applies. Caltrans’s manual describes weekly reports to Labor Compliance.
Sources: DIR certified payroll reporting; Caltrans Labor Compliance Manual, chapter 13
How often California records are furnished
California records must be furnished at least every 30 days while work is performed and within 30 days after final work. This is separate from organizing the payroll data for each work period.
What to collect before preparing a report
A useful starting file lets a reviewer trace the report back to payroll and the project instructions.
- Project details and reporting instructions.
- Applicable wage rates and classifications.
- Employee time records separated by job and classification.
- Wages, deductions and fringe benefit records.
- Previous certified reports and submission confirmations.
When to ask for filing help
If the time records, payroll totals and project instructions do not line up, list the differences before filing. A bookkeeping review starts with the records themselves and the information still needed.
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