Weekly certified payroll, handled correctly.
01 / REPORTING
We prepare, review, and submit your certified payroll reports every week. Every WH-347 verified against current California Labor Code requirements before it goes to the awarding agency. Built for contractors who can't afford to learn certified payroll the hard way.
WH-347 PREPARATION • PRE-SUBMISSION VERIFICATION • DIR ECPR FILING • DAS 140 / DAS 142 • AUDIT-READY RECORDS
The problem with certified payroll
Most contractors learn what certified payroll really is the moment they get a violation letter. By then, the penalties have already started stacking. These are the four mistakes we see most often.
01
It's not regular payroll
Certified payroll is project-specific, classification-specific, fringe-benefit-specific, and signed under penalty of perjury. Your standard payroll process won't pass an audit, no matter how clean it looks on the books.
02
Classifications are not job titles
DIR doesn't care what title you give a worker. They care what work that worker actually performed. The wrong classification on a single day is a violation, even when the pay rate looks correct.
03
Fringe benefits get skipped
Most underpayment violations come from missed fringe benefits, not missed wages. Skipping or misreporting fringe contributions is the most common DIR finding on California public works.
04
Weekly deadlines compound
A single late submission cascades. Penalties stack week over week. Audit risk goes up. The longer the delay, the harder the recovery, and the more it eats your margin on the project.
What's included
Every certified payroll engagement covers the full weekly cycle, supporting documentation, and audit-ready recordkeeping required by California public works.
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Weekly WH-347 / CEM-2502 preparation
Hours classified by craft, rates verified against current DIR determinations, fringe contributions calculated.
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Pre-submission verification
Every report reviewed against current California Labor Code requirements before it leaves our desk.
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DIR eCPR submission
Reports filed on your behalf to the California eCPR portal or directly to the awarding agency for Caltrans projects.
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DAS 140 and DAS 142 filing
Apprenticeship contract awards and apprentice requests filed per project, per craft, when required.
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Fringe Benefit Statement (CEM-2501)
Detailed fringe reporting prepared for Caltrans and other state agency projects that require it.
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Statement of Non-Performance
Required filings for any week with no work on the project, so your submission record stays unbroken.
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Deduction authorization tracking
Every deduction documented and authorized per California requirements. Nothing reported without proper paperwork.
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Audit-ready recordkeeping
Every report, classification decision, and supporting document organized and ready when agency questions come.
How a typical week runs
Every CPG client follows the same weekly compliance rhythm. Predictable, repeatable, and built around your project's actual schedule.
01
Intake
You send us your raw payroll, time records, and any project notes from the prior week. Format flexible, deadline simple, no special intake software required.
02
Verification
We classify each worker's hours by craft, check rates against the current DIR determination for your project location, calculate fringe contributions, and prepare the certified report.
03
Submission
Every report is reviewed against current Labor Code before submission to DIR eCPR or the awarding agency. You receive a copy for your records and confirmation of filing.
Common questions
Answers to the questions contractors ask most often before engaging CPG for certified payroll.
Do I need certified payroll if my project is under $1,000?
No. California prevailing wage and certified payroll requirements apply to public works projects of $1,000 or more in total project value. Below that threshold, regular payroll documentation is sufficient. Above it, certified payroll is required from your first week of work.
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What happens if my project has no work this week?
A Statement of Non-Performance is still required for any week with no work on the project. Skipping a filing is treated as a missed submission and starts the same penalty clock as a late certified payroll report. CPG handles non-performance filings as part of the engagement so your record stays unbroken.
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Can I submit certified payroll myself once you've prepared it?
Yes. Most clients let CPG submit on their behalf to keep the chain of custody clean and avoid filing errors, but we can also prepare reports for your team to submit. The verification, classification work, and pre-submission review stay the same either way.
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Do you handle federal Davis-Bacon projects?
CPG currently focuses on California public works compliance through DIR and Caltrans. Federal Davis-Bacon projects are part of our growth roadmap but are not a current core service. If you have a project that crosses into federal funding territory, we can advise on the dual-compliance picture during your initial consultation.
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