Union Reporting + Certified Payroll Compliance Specialist

Harris•Saint Paul, MN

3d•$56,863 - $85,295

About The Position

The Union Reporting + Certified Payroll Compliance Specialist is responsible for the day‑to‑day management, coordination, and execution of all union-related compliance, reporting, and documentation activities and certified payroll and prevailing wage compliance, reporting, and documentation activities across the organization. This role will ensure accuracy, timeliness, and consistency in union reporting and payments working in close partnership with Payroll Specialists, the Certified Payroll Compliance Specialist, Sr. Payroll Accounting Analyst, Accounting, Human Capital (HC), system partners (e.g., Lumber), and, as needed, the Legal team to support compliance with Collective Bargaining Agreements (CBAs), union reporting standards, certified payroll reporting standards, project requirements and regulatory obligations. The role serves as a central point of coordination and subject-matter expertise for union and certified payroll compliance, reporting processes, system maintenance and accuracy, and documentation. This role requires strong cross-functional collaboration and proactive internal and external communication.

Requirements

High school diploma required.
3-5 years of Experience in payroll, union compliance, labor relations, certified payroll, accounting, or a closely related function involving regulatory or contractual reporting requirements.
2-3 years of hands-on experience managing complex, recurring reporting processes with strict deadlines across multiple external entities.
Background working with multiple systems or portals simultaneously, including uploading files, manual data entry, imports, and troubleshooting data or submission issues.
Trained in auditing data for accuracy, reconciling discrepancies, and partnering cross-functionally to resolve issues related to employee classification, pay, or compliance.
Advanced Excel skills, including sorting, filtering, VLOOKUP/XLOOKUP, and data manipulation required.

Nice To Haves

Associate's degree preferred in Accounting, Human Resources, or a related field.

Responsibilities

Manage all union portals, including reporting requirements, formats, submission methods, and due dates.
Ensure all union reports and required payments are accurately processed, submitted, tracked, and distributed on time.
Navigate varying union requirements, including manual keying, file uploads, imports, and portal-specific processes.
Pull and manipulate union reporting data from Lumber and other systems to meet individual union portal requirements.
Audit union reporting data regularly to ensure accuracy and compliance.
Complete, review, certify, and distribute all certified payroll reports in accordance with required timelines.
Enter and maintain accurate payroll data, certify reports, and manage report distribution and recertifications as needed.
Manage, coordinate, and correct certified payroll reports when discrepancies are identified; recertify and redistribute reports as required.
Ensure subcontractor compliance with certified payroll reporting requirements, including follow-up, tracking, and issue resolution.
Manage and maintain all certified payroll project addendums, updating information promptly as project requirements change.
Proactively communicate with Payroll
Manage, maintain, and audit all union-related data within Lumber, Workday.
Compile and maintain union documentation, communications, reporting instructions, and reference materials.
Organize and file all union reporting and supporting documentation to ensure accessibility for audits, questions, or escalations.
Serve as the backup contact for unions and maintain appropriate portal access and credentials.
Gather, compile, organize, and maintain certified payroll documentation in accordance with record retention requirements.
Ensure all employee documentation (e.g., apprentice letters, classifications, certifications) is maintained, up to date, organized, and readily accessible to support prevailing wage determinations.
Conduct regular audits to ensure certified payroll data and documentation remain accurate and current.
Monitor and manage union updates, including changes to CBAs, wage rates, reporting requirements, or processes.
Communicate updated union information to Payroll Specialists and relevant stakeholders in a timely manner.
Contact unions directly, when needed, to clarify reporting requirements, classifications, or interpretations of CBAs.
Partner with Payroll Specialists to engage field leaders or union representatives to resolve classification or reporting issues.
Serve as an advanced user and administrator for certified payroll-related systems and reporting tools, including but not limited to: EMARS, LCP, E-Comply, Alliant
Manage certified payroll projects within Lumber and/or Workday.
Maintain and manage Certified Payroll SmartSheet, ensuring all incoming data is tracked, updated, and accurate.
Stay up to date on system enhancements, reporting requirements, and process changes; apply updates proactively.
Partner proactively with Human Capital (HC) to ensure employees are correctly classified and employee/dispatch information is accurate.
Audit employee and dispatch data for union compliance and resolve discrepancies.
Collaborate with HC, Payroll, and system partners to digitize, streamline, and improve union reporting processes.
Provide education and guidance to leaders and internal teams on certified payroll and union processes, timelines, and documentation requirements.
Participate in the ongoing development and optimization of tools (e.g., Retool solutions) that support centralized union reporting and tracking.
Act as the primary point of contact for certified payroll and union reporting-related questions; serve as the SME across the organization.
Proactively identify and establish key contacts for each certified payroll project and unions to maintain consistent communication.
Proactively communicate changes, request missing information, and coordinate with internal and external stakeholders to ensure timely completion of certified payroll reports.
Collaborate cross-functionally with Payroll, HC, Finance, Project Management, Compliance, and external partners to ensure accuracy and compliance.
Respond to certified payroll inquiries and payroll inbox requests in a timely and professional manner.
Partner closely with Payroll Specialists and Payroll Supervisors to ensure all union reporting is completed accurately and timely.
Work with Accounting to confirm union payments are processed, distributed, and recorded accurately.
Partner with Payroll Accounting to assist with new union vendor setup.
Stay current on certified payroll and prevailing wage compliance requirements at the federal, state, and local levels.
Determine proper prevailing wage rates, classifications, fringes, and applicable variances by state and project.
Maintain comprehensive knowledge of union and labor requirements, classifications, and agreements impacting payroll compliance.
Serve as a backup for other Compliance Specialists, as needed.
Other duties as assigned.