Compliance you can actually understand.
04 / KNOWLEDGE
Built for contractors, project managers, and back-office staff who want to know how California public works compliance actually works. Real scenarios, real Labor Code citations, real cases CPG has navigated. No theory, no filler, no compliance lectures.
CERTIFIED PAYROLL FUNDAMENTALS • DIR REGISTRATION • TRADE CLASSIFICATIONS • APPRENTICESHIP REQUIREMENTS • AUDIT RESPONSE
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"I didn't know" doesn't reduce penalties
DIR doesn't accept ignorance as mitigation. The penalty schedule applies whether the violation was intentional or accidental. Education converts ignorance into accountability before an audit ever arrives.
03
Compliance evolves with the regulation
DIR rule changes, classification updates, and case law shift the landscape every year. Knowledge that was correct three years ago can be a violation in waiting today.
Why training matters more than most contractors think
Compliance failures usually trace back to a knowledge gap, not a willful violation. The fastest way to reduce your audit exposure is to make sure the people handling your compliance actually understand what they're doing and why it matters.
02
New staff inherit old habits
When a new admin or PM joins your team, they learn from your existing process. If that process has gaps, the new hire learns those gaps as standard practice. Training breaks the cycle.
04
Owners can't oversee what they don't understand
Contractors who don't personally understand certified payroll can't tell whether their team or their compliance partner is doing it correctly. Real oversight requires real comprehension.
What gets covered
Every training is built around your team's actual compliance exposure. Sessions can cover one focused topic or a full curriculum.
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Certified payroll fundamentals
What certified payroll actually is, how it differs from regular payroll, and what makes it pass or fail an audit.
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DIR registration and lapses
What Public Works Contractor Registration covers, how to maintain it, and what happens when it lapses mid-project.
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Trade classification rules
How prevailing wage classifications are assigned, scope of work logic, and the rule that what they did matters more than what you call them.
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Fringe benefits on certified payroll
How fringe contributions work, why they're the most common violation source, and how to report them correctly.
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DAS 140 and DAS 142
When each form is required, who has to file it, the deadlines that apply, and the consequences of missing them.
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Apprenticeship requirements
Apprenticeship ratios, qualifying projects, contract obligations, and how to staff a project to meet the rules.
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Audit response basics
What a DIR audit letter looks like, how to respond inside the window, and how documentation organization affects outcome.
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Prime contractor liability
Joint and several liability for subcontractor violations, how to monitor your subs, and what to require in your subcontracts.
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Custom-Scoped
Sessions are built around your team's actual project mix, role responsibilities, and compliance exposure.
How sessions run
Trainings are built around your team and your project mix. We don't deliver generic compliance lectures. Every session is scoped to what your people actually need to know.
02
Practical Application
Real scenarios from real California public works projects. Documented cases, specific Labor Code citations, and the decisions CPG has actually made.
03
Built for Retention
Q&A built into every session. Reference materials provided after. Follow-up review available so questions that come up post-training have a clear path back to us.
Common questions
Answers to the questions contractors ask most often before engaging CPG for trainings and education.
Are sessions virtual or in-person?
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Virtual by default. In-person sessions are available on request for California-based teams. The virtual format keeps cost down and lets us include staff across multiple offices in the same session.
How long is a typical session?
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A focused single-topic session runs sixty to ninety minutes. A comprehensive onboarding for a new admin or PM typically runs four to six hours, broken into multiple sessions.
Can you train just one person, or do you need a full team?
Either works. CPG has trained individual contractors, single admins, full back-office teams, and field PMs.
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Do trainings count toward continuing education credit?
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CPG sessions are professional education, not certified continuing education. If a contractor needs documentation of training for a contract requirement or insurance carrier, we can provide a certificate of completion.