What is a Certified Payroll Report?

A certified payroll report is a type of document that is commonly used by contractors to request payment for work completed on tasks related to some sort of government project. The purpose of the report is to provide an accurate record of the costs associated with each of these tasks, and to make sure the requested pay is within the range of prevailing industry wages and charges for the work completed. When it comes to the format of this type of document, many nations have a specific layout that must be used. This format is made available to contractors at the time they bid on and are chosen for the government project.

A basic certified payroll report will include all the basics required to process a payment to the contractor. This includes the name of the contractor, his or her mailing address, the identification for the government project in question, and the period of time that is covered by the submitted form. Along with this type of detail, the certified payroll report will also provide a breakdown of all costs and charged logged for that time frame, including a grand total for the overall charges. In some nations, supporting documentation may also be required along with the report itself in order for the payroll request to be approved and processed.

The line items in a certified payroll report are typically reviewed to make sure the charges are associated with work that is confirmed as completed to the satisfaction of the project overseer. In addition, each line item is reviewed to make sure that the charges are in line with industry standards in the location in which the work is completed. This process helps to prevent contractors from over-charging and possibly inflating the overall cost of the project. Typically, contractors keep copies of all submitted payroll reports, along with supporting documentation, in the event a question arises later about one or more line items.

Should there be evidence that a contractor intentionally reported work as completed that is still in process, inflated the costs of a given line item, or in some other way falsified the information submitted on the certified payroll report, there is the chance of some type of punitive action taking place. In some cases, the contractor may be subjected to fines and be dismissed from the project. At other times, criminal charges may be filed against the contractor, leading to the possibility of a trial and subsequent imprisonment.