Senior Payroll Specialist – Union & Certified Payroll

Job Description

Position Summary The Payroll Specialist is responsible for the accurate and timely processing of payroll for approximately 400 employees across multiple union and non-union employee groups. This position supports a complex construction payroll environment involving approximately eight collective bargaining agreements (CBAs), certified payroll, prevailing wage requirements, union fringe benefits, job costing, and multiple work locations.

The ideal candidate has hands-on experience processing union construction payroll and understands that payroll accuracy extends beyond employee paychecks to include union reporting, benefit contributions, certified payroll compliance, and proper interpretation of collective bargaining agreements.
Process weekly and/or biweekly payroll for approximately 400 union and non-union employees.
Administer payroll requirements across approximately eight unions and collective bargaining agreements.
Review and interpret CBAs to ensure proper application of wage rates, overtime rules, classifications, deductions, and fringe benefit requirements.
Maintain current union wage and fringe benefit rates within the payroll system.
Prepare and submit certified payroll reports for federal, state, municipal, and other prevailing wage projects.
Calculate and process union dues, assessments, vacation funds, pension, health and welfare, training funds, and other required union deductions and employer contributions.
Prepare monthly union fringe benefit and remittance reports and reconcile amounts to payroll records.
Review employee timecards, labor classifications, job assignments, cost codes, and wage rates prior to payroll processing.
Coordinate with Operations and Project Management to resolve timekeeping, employee classification, job costing, and prevailing wage discrepancies.
Process payroll adjustments, retroactive payments, bonuses, garnishments, deductions, and other payroll transactions.
Maintain accurate employee payroll records and supporting documentation.
Reconcile payroll registers, deductions, taxes, union liabilities, and related payroll accounts.
Partner with HR on new hires, terminations, compensation changes, deductions, PTO, and other employee changes affecting payroll.
Partner with Accounting on payroll funding, general ledger reconciliation, labor allocation, job costing, and month-end reporting.
Respond to employee payroll questions and research discrepancies in a timely and professional manner.
Support union, certified payroll, workers’ compensation, financial, and other payroll-related audits.
Maintain confidentiality of employee compensation and payroll information.
Identify opportunities to automate and streamline payroll processes and reduce manual entry and reconciliation.
Maintain organized payroll documentation and records in accordance with company and regulatory retention requirements.
5+ years of payroll experience , preferably within construction or another unionized environment.
~ Direct experience processing union payroll strongly required.
~ Experience working with multiple collective bargaining agreements and union wage schedules .
~ Experience preparing and submitting certified payroll reports .
~ Experience calculating and reporting union fringe benefits and employer contributions.
~ Strong understanding of payroll taxes, deductions, garnishments, overtime, and wage-and-hour requirements.
~ Strong Microsoft Excel skills, including lookups, PivotTables, reconciliation, and large-data review.
~ Experience with a major payroll/HRIS platform; Exceptional attention to detail and ability to meet strict weekly payroll deadlines.
~ Ability to independently research discrepancies and resolve complex payroll issues.
~ Strong communication skills and ability to work effectively with field employees, union representatives, Operations, HR, Accounting, and leadership.

Experience processing payroll for 300+ employees .
Experience administering payroll across multiple unions and jurisdictions.
Illinois prevailing wage and certified payroll experience.
Experience with multi-state payroll.
Certified Payroll Professional (CPP) or Fundamental Payroll Certification (FPC) preferred but not required.

Primarily office-based position requiring prolonged periods of sitting and computer use.
Ability to communicate effectively by phone, email, and in person.
This position is expected to work on-site in either the Itasca or Vernon Hills location
Additional hours may occasionally be required to ensure payroll deadlines are met.