📄 Pre-Submission Checklist (Certified Payroll)
Before submitting certified payroll, take a moment to confirm that your report is complete, consistent, and defensible. Most rejections happen because of small mismatches – not because wages were wrong.
Use this checklist every reporting period.
Confirm the Basics
- Correct reporting period and week-ending date
- Correct project name, job number, and awarding agency
- Correct form used (WH-347 or required state form)
Verify Classifications & Hours
- Each employee listed under the correct classification
- Hours broken out by classification where required
- Classification names match the wage determination exactly
- Total hours reconcile to time system exports
Employees who worked multiple classifications appear on multiple lines.
Check Base Rate & Fringe
- Base hourly rate meets or exceeds the required base wage
- Fringe shown separately from base pay
- Fringe method (cash or benefit offset) applied consistently
- Total hourly compensation meets or exceeds the required rate
Avoid combined or implied rates.
Reconcile Payroll Math
- Gross pay matches payroll records
- Deductions are listed and permitted
- Net pay reconciles to pay stubs
Simple math errors commonly trigger rejections.
Review the Statement of Compliance
- Statement included when required
- Signer is authorized to attest
- Report data supports every statement being certified
This is a legal attestation – accuracy matters.
Attachments & References (If Required)
- Wage determination referenced correctly (number and effective date)
- Attachments included only when requested
- Attached determinations match the version used in payroll
What Auditors Actually Verify
- Classification accuracy
- Hour totals by job
- Base and fringe disclosure
- Traceability to time and payroll records
Key Takeaway
If your certified payroll ties cleanly back to time records, payroll records, and the correct wage determination, submission becomes routine instead of stressful.